Nadir Godrej CMD Of Godrej Industries Recognised As The ‘Exemplary Industrialist Of The Nation’

Godrej Industries Chairman and Managing Director, Nadir Godrej has been bestowed with the ‘Exemplary Industrialist of the Nation’ award at the Sashakt Bharat 2022 for his outstanding contributions to the Indian industry and his role in bringing pride to the nation.

The Board of Guest Editors selected Mr. Godrej as the winner of this award in recognition of his achievements as a conscientious, well-respected, and prosperous industrialist. He was awarded at coffee table book launch ceremony at the Sashakt Bharat 2022, an initiative by Abhyudaya Vatsyalam for honoring the glorious story of India’s development and the stellar personalities associated.

Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej Industries, Nadir Godrej, expressed his appreciation for this honor, and said “It is indeed an honor to receive this prestigious award. I believe, we at Godrej are privileged to be part of our country’s growth journey by being able to serve our nation through our innovative products and solutions. I wish to thank the esteemed Board of Guest Editors for this recognition”

The launch ceremony witnessed the presence of Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development as the Chief Guest. Mr. Deepak Parekh, Chairman of the HDFC Group, was also guest of honor along with Mr. Nadir Godrej.

The Board of Guest Editors for this year's list includes Mr. Shailesh Haribhakti, Chairman of Shailesh Haribhakti and Associates, Mr. G. N Bajpai, Former Chairman, SEBI and LIC, Mr. Pradip Shah, Chairman of IndAsia Fund Advisors Pvt. Ltd., Mrs. Vidya Shah, Executive Chairperson of EdelGive Foundation, Navneet Munot, MD & CEO of HDFC Mutual Fund, Mr. Abhay Tewari, MD & CEO of SUD Life Insurance Co Limited, Mr. Ravi Doshi, Director of Oswal Industries Limited, Mr. Sharad Mathur, MD & CEO of Universal Sompo General Insurance among others.

About Godrej Industries

Godrej Industries (Chemicals) is one of the oldest businesses of the Godrej Group and is in the business of manufacturing oleochemicals in India since 1963. Today, we are one of India’s leading oleochemicals players and manufacture and market over 100 chemicals for use in more than 24 applications. We are expanding our reach globally and our products are exported to over 80 countries in North and South America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities are located in India at Valia in Gujarat and Ambernath in Maharashtra.

Over the last decade, we have diversified our product portfolio to include value added specialty products. We are constantly looking for new ways to collaborate and learn from partners across the globe. At the same time, we are also investing significantly in Research and Development to enhance our capabilities and grow our product portfolio. We recently set up a Research and Development centre at Ambernath and a pilot plant at Valia to develop our new range of products. We have also formed a Technology Excellence Group to build on our technical capabilities and cross-pollinate best practices between our factories.

As a part of Godrej Good & Green, we are deeply committed to building a more inclusive and Greener India. In line with this, we are making sustainability a key part of our manufacturing process and value chain and have set ourselves targets for 2020. Our relentless focus on energy conservation has been consistently recognised by several industry bodies such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Indian Chemical Council (ICC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Vi Opens Up A New World Of Multiplayer And Competitive Gaming For Its Customers On Vi App

* Vi customers can now invite friends & family members, even including non-Vi users, to play together

* Users can play in groups, participate in tournaments & win exciting gifts, all with Vi Games on Vi App

In line with the ever evolving customer preferences, Vi, the leading telecom player has launched multiplayer and competitive gaming content under the umbrella of Vi Games on the Vi App. Launched in partnership with Maxamtech Digital Ventures, Vi Games now offers 40+ popular, competitive and highly skilled multiplayer games such as Express Ludo, Quiz Master, Solitaire King, Golden Goal and Cricket League.

social games_play modeWidening the participation opportunity for multiplayer gaming on the Vi Games, Vi has extended the service to non-Vi users as well. A Vi user can invite anybody, irrespective of whether they are Vi or non-Vi users, to play along with them.

Vi Games along with its gaming partner Maxamtech Digital Ventures has launched the multiplayer and competitive games in three unique modes.

1.      Tournament Mode: The gamers can go head-to-head with the best on the leader board

2.      Battle Mode: The users can play competitive games with anyone online

3.      Friends Mode: The gamers can challenge or invite friends and family to play along

Users can earn reward coins and redeem the coins to either play more games, participate in big tournaments, or to avail exciting gifts.

Commenting on the initiative, Avneesh Khosla, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Idea, said, “Gaming is one of the biggest segments in the entertainment category and is expected to garner even a higher share in the time and money spent by users over the next few years. Mobile gaming is a key agenda for us to drive engagement with our consumers. We had launched Vi Games a few months back and are now extending our offering to social or multiplayer gaming which is  a natural progression towards our objective of establishing Vi as a preferred destination for both, casual as well as serious gamers.”

“Our growth strategy is based on deep-integrated partnerships to bring a wide choice of content across genres for our users. We are confident that this new partnership will not only elevate the gaming experience of our consumers but will also take us ahead on our digital roadmap.”

Vi Games on the Vi App, offers an immersive gaming experience with 1200+ android and HTML5 based mobile games across 10 popular genres like - Action, Adventure, Arcade, Casual, Education, Fun, Puzzle, Racing, Sports and Strategy.

Adidas Has Unveiled 4DFWD That Is Set To Redefine The Future Of Running

Today, adidas has unveiled 4DFWD that is set to redefine the future of running with its pioneering 3D printed midsole technology designed to move you forward. Marking the next chapter of innovation, the all-new stylish 4DFWD showcases world-class technologies that deliver a smooth gliding sensation with every step. adidas has created a shoe that is an unparalleled work of engineering and imagination to meet the specific needs of the runners of tomorrow.

A SHOE THAT DOESN’T STOP YOU A first in running, the new 4DFWD challenges the laws of motion and is especially designed to reduce braking forces that interrupt a runner’s forward movement. Its midsole technology compresses forward, generating superb forward motion when your foot hits the ground. The state-of-the-art solution offered by 4DFWD keeps runners moving forward, providing them a sense of progress for the body and mind.

THE NEW 4DFWD FEATURES

- In the true spirit of innovation, a Continental™ Outsole has been introduced to provide runners with an improved grip in all-weather conditions.

- The improved sock-like comfort of the redesigned Prime knit, combined with the support of new upper construction engineered mesh provide stretchable support exactly where runners need it the most.

- adidas’ all-new 4DFWD delivers 23% more cushioning when compared to previous generations of 4D midsole under vertical loading in mechanical testing conditions.

A UNIQUE RUNNING EXPERIENCE FOR TECH-ENTHUSED GEN Z RUNNERS The next generation of 4DFWD is built to inspire the digitally savvy, forward-thinking and authentic Gen Z who are an unstoppable cultural force. The 4DFWD will arrive in a plethora of colourways, including a Carbon Cloud White and Impact Orange for men, and Grey Five and Cloud White for women. The shoe is currently priced in the range INR 16,000-20,000. The all-new 4DFWD will be available on adidas.co.in and at adidas stores nationwide from September 1, 2022.

U GRO Capital Limited – Secured, Redeemable, Non-Convertible Debentures (Secured NCDs) To Open On September 05, 2022

·         Secured NCDs of a Face Value (“Face Value”) of Rs. 1,000/- each.

·         The NCD Issue includes a Base Issue Size of Rs.50 crores with an option to retain oversubscription up to Rs 50 crore aggregating up to Rs. 100 crores.

·         Rated as CRISIL A-/Stable by Crisil Ratings Limited and Acuite A+/Stable by Acuite Ratings and Research Limited.

·         Effective annualized yield up to 11.01% p.a.#

·         The Issue opens on September 05, 2022 and closes on September 22, 2022*

·          The NCDs are proposed to be listed on BSE and National Stock Exchange of India Limited (‘NSE’) (collectively, “Stock Exchanges”).

# For further details please refer Shelf Prospectus dated August 26, 2022

*The Issue may close on such earlier date as may be decided by the Board of Directors of our Company or Investment and Borrowing Committee thereof. In the event of an early closure or extension of this Issue; our Company shall ensure that notice of the same is provided to the prospective investors through an advertisement on or before such earlier or extended date of the Issue Closure in which pre-issue advertisement and advertisement for opening or closure of this Issue have been given.

U GRO Capital Limited, NBFC engaged in the lending business and focused on the MSME sector in India, has announced the issue of Rated, Secured, Senior, Listed, Transferable, Redeemable, Non-Convertible Debentures of the face value of Rs. 1,000/- each. The Issue opens on September 05, 2022 and closes on September 22, 2022.

The Issue has a base issue size of Rs. 50 crores with an option to retain oversubscription up to Rs 50 crores, aggregating up to Rs. 100 crores. The NCDs are proposed to be listed on Stock Exchanges with NSE as the Designated Stock Exchange for the Issue. The NCDs have been rated CRISIL A-/Stable by CRISIL Ratings Ltd. and Acuite A+/Stable by Acuite Ratings and Research Limited.

This issue has tenure of 18 months, 27 months, and 36 months for secured NCDs with the series I, II, III. Effective yield (per annum) for NCD holders in Category I (Institutional Investors), Category II (Non-Institutional Investors) Category III (HNI Investors) and Category IV (Retail Individual Investors) holders ranges from 10.52% to 11.01%. Interest payments modes are Quarterly and Monthly. Amount on maturity for NCD holders in Category I, II, III and IV is Rs 1000/-.

Net proceeds of the Issue will be utilized for the purpose of onward lending, repayment of interest and principal of existing borrowings and for general corporate purposes or general corporate purposes.

As on June 30, 2022 its CRAR, in accordance with the Financial Statements was at 27.93%

The Lead Managers to the Issue are Sundae Capital Advisors Private Limited and Tipsons Consultancy Services Private Limited; Link Intime India Private Limited is the registrar and IDBI Trusteeship Services Limited is the debenture trustee to the issue.

La Trobe University, Australia Signs New Agreements With Leading Indian Universities!

* Universities Australia Signing MOU with Association of Indian Universities (AIU)

·         MOU signing with Presidency University, Bangalore. And Amity University, Noida.

·         Professor John Dewar AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University, Australia, and Chair of Universities Australia, would deliver Key Note Address @ the Seminar on “Supporting India’s Internationalization of Higher Education” in Association with Department of Education at the Australian High Commission to India and the Association of Indian Universities.

·         MOU signing between Universities Australia and Association of Indian Universities

La Trobe University Achievements!

* Amongst the Top 1% Universities in the world according to both the QS and Times Higher Education rankings.

* Top rated with only three other Universities in Archaeology, Analytical Chemistry, Crop and Pasture Production, and Microbiology

* The only Top-rated University in Australia for Physiology

* The Third University to open in Victoria, which has grown to accommodate more than 36,000 students, with over 7,000 International Students from 100 Countries.

La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia and has long been one of Australia’s pioneering universities.  La Trobe offers distinctive and high-quality degrees that equip students to understand and engage with the global issues of today and provides graduates with the skills to embark on rewarding careers. The University encourages students and staff to gain international experience and develop a curriculum and research programs of the highest International Standards. 

Professor John Dewar, Vice-Chancellor & President, La Trobe University said, “Our visit to India is to reinforce our relationship with India. La Trobe University would continue to collaborate with Indian Universities like Amity University and Presidency University, Bangalore to support students to gain valuable international experience – both culturally and academically.  This is a life-changing opportunity that we want to offer to both Students and Staff. It’s why we’re working very closely with both the Australian and Indian governments to support India’s internationalization of Higher Education under the new Indian National Education Policy.”

Mr Mathew Johnston, Minister Counsellor (Education and Research) Department of Education Australian High Commission, said India and Australia are natural partners for collaboration in Education, Skilling and Research. We have so much to learn from each other and contribute to the world in Educating Global Citizens. This Seminar highlighted the high-levels of good will and willingness to work for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Speaking at the Seminar, Prof John Dewar, Chair of Universities Australia, announced MOU signing between Universities Australia and Association of Indian Universities to further consolidate relationship with India.

Dr Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities added that Delegation of VCs of Indian Universities would soon visit Australian Universities to further forge relationships and similarly VCs of Australian Universities would visit Indian Universities in 2022-23.

La Trobe University has jumped 5 places in the latest Academic Ranking of World Universities. It is placed 296 in the world. The University is placed in the top 350 globally across all three recognised international rankings of universities added Prof John Dewar. We are amongst the Top 1% Universities in the World. 

Seminar: Over seven decades, Australian Universities have deepened their global connections and enhanced their education and research programs by educating international students, engaging in global research collaborations, and supporting the exchange of students and staff.

The Indian National Education Policy (NEP) presents an exciting opportunity for innovative interventions from both Domestic and International providers. The policy prioritizes internationalization through International Partnerships and Student Mobility with emphasis on Innovative delivery that enriches learning experiences.

India’s NEP is of great interest to the Australian Academic Community and presents Australia with an opportunity to further strengthen its Internationalization Agenda.

Memorandum of Understanding: We have signed with Presidency University, Bangalore, and   Amity University, Delhi and which would help both Students and the Faculty members to enrich their experiences.  La Trobe University has a network of campuses, with over 26,000 Students studying at our Melbourne Campus and over 7,500 students at campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Mildura, Melbourne City (Collins Street), Shepparton and Sydney

New Scholarships: Once again La Trobe University, Australia is offering scholarships to the value of 20% to 30% of the total Tuition Fee for Undergraduate as well as Postgraduate international students commencing in 2023. These Scholarships are merit based and will be offered to the Students based on their prior academic performance and would be offered on a first come first serve basis.

Background – La Trobe University

·         La Trobe University has been at the forefront of higher education in Australia for the past fifty-four years. La Trobe is renowned for its academic excellence and research achievements.

·         La Trobe University is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide

(Times Higher Education, 2021)

·         Dignitaries that La Trobe University has hosted from the Indian subcontinent include the late Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi, Kapil Dev, Malaika Arora Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi and, most recently, Actor, Producer and Women’s Equality Advocate, Shah Rukh Khan

·         La Trobe recently announced return of the Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship, providing a life-changing opportunity for an aspiring female researcher from India to make a meaningful impact in the world

·         In 2005, La Trobe’s Melbourne campus in Bundoora was featured in the first major Bollywood blockbuster film to be made entirely in Australia. Salaam Namaste, the film, collected close to $10million US at the box office.

·         The La Trobe Library collection houses more than 38,000 volumes of monographs, journals, magazines and government publications from India, one of the largest collections in Australia.

·         La Trobe University is one of only two universities in Australia teaching Hindi, and the only Australian University to teach a subject on the history, music, and storytelling of popular Hindi cinema

·         La Trobe University is one of the founding members of the Australia India Institute

·         La Trobe University has seven campuses in Victoria and one campus in New South Wales in Australia. More than 210,000 students have graduated from La Trobe University and have gone on to achieve great things in all walks of life, giving La Trobe its well-deserved reputation.

You may visit for more details www.latrobe.edu.au/international

YES BANK Hikes Interest Rates On NRE And FCNR Fixed Deposits

YES BANK has revised the interest rates on its Non-Resident External Account (NRE) Fixed Deposits by 50 to 75 basis points. This move is in accordance with the recent announcement made by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to aid incremental fund flows. The Bank has also hiked its peak interest rate on Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) deposits by 20 basis points, allowing the NRI customers to avail healthy returns on their Fixed Deposit.

The NRE Fixed Deposit rate for the tenure of 12 months to less than 18 months has been revised to 7.01% p.a. Similarly, the rate for the tenure greater than 18 months has been revised to 7.25% p.a. These revised rates are applicable for deposits less than INR 5 crores. Furthermore, the Bank is also offering a peak rate of 4.05% p.a. 4.25% p.a. on USD FCNR deposits for the tenure of 12 months to less than 24 months. 24 months to less than 36 months.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Prashant Kumar, MD & CEO, YES BANK said, “At YES BANK, driving innovation and customer centricity has always been at the core of our banking initiatives. We constantly strive to provide the best-in-class benefits to all our customers across segments. The recent relaxation announced by the RBI to attract forex inflows has allowed us a window to hike interest rates on our NRE and FCNR Fixed Deposit offerings, thus extending the benefit to our customers. This initiative is in alignment to the various strides the Bank has taken in the recent past to benefit customers, which will allow us to further diversify and grow YES BANK’s retail portfolio.”

In order to book NRE fixed deposit, customers can visit YES BANK’s digital banking channels viz YES Online (Net Banking), YES Mobile (Mobile Banking) or YES Robot (Personal banking chatbot) or visit the nearest branch of YES BANK if they are in India or write to gib@yesbank.in (dedicated email ID for NRIs transaction requests).

Similarly, FCNR deposits can be booked through YES Online (Net Banking) or customers can visit the nearest branch of YES BANK if they are in India or write to gib@yesbank.in

About YES BANK’s NRI Banking Services

YES BANK NRI Services offer a comprehensive bouquet of products and services including deposits, remittances, investment, and insurance solutions for NRI customers of YES BANK. These products and services are a bunch of customizable offering that provide multiple avenues for wealth creation across various product categories, with in-person and digital fulfilment models.

About YES BANK

YES BANK is a 'Full Service Commercial 'Bank' providing a complete range of products, services and technology driven digital offerings, catering to Retail, MSME as well as corporate clients. YES BANK operates its Investment banking, Merchant banking & Brokerage businesses through YES SECURITIES, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank. Headquartered in Mumbai, it has a pan-India presence including an IBU at GIFT City, and a Representative Office in Abu Dhabi.

Renowned Explorer Levison Wood Embarks On A India, Pakistan Border Journey For discovery+’s

* The docu-series ‘Expedition Borderlands with Levison Wood and Ash Bhardwaj’ premieres on 8th September only on the discovery+ app

British explorer Levison Wood teams up with his dear friend Ash Bhardwaj to journey across 2500kms along the India-Pakistan border, visiting volatile regions packed with a lifetime of experience

Poster- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EXpgVPl5aUJ148kNlRRjfO6fg1Dhh1rq/view?usp=sharing 

What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes their relationship unique? How have the lives of the people changed since the India-Pakistan partition? discovery+ India Originals- Expedition Borderlands with Levison Wood and Ash Bhardwaj, an upcoming adventure answers these and many other questions. This one of its kind four-part docu-series premiering on September 08 on discovery+, features internationally acclaimed explorer and host Levison Wood who is on a  quest to explore the lives of those living along the volatile borders of India and Pakistan. In the past, we have seen Levison Wood adventure through treacherous terrains in ‘Walking The Himalayas’, ‘Arabia with Levison Wood’ and many other documentaries. This time his friend and travel writer Ash Bhardwaj joins him on this adventure, navigating the borderlands while unraveling the cultural nuances of the India-Pakistan border.

This unique docu-series will take viewers through an expedition of a 2500-km journey that Lev and Ash embark on. Navigating across a route that has never been captured before on camera, the duo immerses themselves in people's everyday lives while traveling to some remote and off-beat locations like Tyakshi, Turtuk, Nubra valley, Dras, Kargil, Teetwal, Gurez in India and Lahore, Peshawar, Khyber Pass, Nowshera, Taxila, Skardu, Khaplu in Pakistan to gain an authentic understanding of the local culture and tradition. As the journey progresses, Bhardwaj discovers his roots and the rich connection he shares with the culture and traditions of the land, from both India and Pakistan. 

Talking about the docu-series, Levison Wood said, “Ash and I were lucky enough to experience the incredible food, culture  and hear plenty of fascinating stories in both India and Pakistan. I couldn't think of anyone I would rather have done this journey with than Ash. It was interesting to see the countries from his perspective - and we had a lot of laughs along the way! The best part of this trip was seeing what unites the two countries in this border region. Our journey helped us to try and  understand the people who have so much in common yet are so divided. This journey was unforgettable. The border regions are home to resilient and affectionate civilians who welcomed us into their homes and lives. This journey was a true adventure. We ended up in some difficult situations, learned a lot about these fascinating countries and had many heartfelt  moments along the way.

Avid explorer and travel writer Ash Bhardwaj expressed his views and said, “Lev and I have been travelling together for over a decade, but this journey was particularly special. Being able to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors made me feel vividly connected to my heritage - not just in Punjab, but on the Pakistani side of the border, too. The geography along the border is truly remarkable, but what really captured my heart was the people we met along the way. As well as the amazing sights, sounds and foods of the journey, we met some incredible characters - mostly through taking part in unexpected activities. Lev and I each bring a different perspective to our travels, which makes it more rewarding for each of us - and it is a real privilege to share our experiences with the discovery + audience.”

“Along with the rich content that draws upon the history and diversity of two countries, the format's authenticity and this unique route is what makes this expedition so captivating. We are thrilled to collaborate with renowned explorer Lev and his friend Ash whose incredible experiences on this unique adventure are sure to capture the audience’s attention”, said Sai Abishek, Head of Factual & Lifestyle Cluster- South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery. He added, “We at Warner Bros. Discovery are known for our impactful storytelling, high-definition content where adventure genre is what we are known for and are happy to bring that expertise and experience to our viewers in India and around the world.”

In the series, Lev and Ash trek through the snow-capped mountains of the Gurez valley in Kashmir to witness the majestic beauty of the borderlands. The duo engage in local sports like Horse Polo on both sides of the border, a quick game of cricket at Teetwal, and countless more in the course of their journey. They immerse themselves in an authentic cultural adventure and indulge in song and dance along with Dashungs, a local Ladakhi band. In Amritsar, they offer their prayers and services at the Golden Temple with the Langar Seva. On the other side of the border, they relish local food delicacies like offal (goat’s testicles, brain, heart) in Lahore, and attend a local Qawwali performance. Amidst gallivanting escapades, they traverse rocky terrains to see the gleaming Indus River and catch a glimpse of the illustrious sunset in Gilgit amidst breathtaking views of the Himalayas.

Get ready to catch Levison Wood and Ash Bhardwaj on their quest to explore the lives of people living along the borders of India and Pakistan only on discovery+ from 8th September onwards.

About Levison Wood

Levison Wood is a world-renowned explorer, photographer and author. His thirst for adventure started in his early twenties with a five month hitchhike from the UK to India after finishing university. He has since walked the length of the river Nile, over the Himalayas, Central America, crossed the Caucasus, circumnavigated the Arabian Peninsula and followed the migration and conservation of elephants in Botswana. His critically acclaimed television series have been broadcast around the world, including ‘Walking the Himalayas' with Discovery channel. He has written ten best-selling books. Wood has long been fascinated with India and Pakistan and now wants to understand what binds them together but makes each of them unique.

About Ashwin Bhardwaj

Ash Bhardwaj is an award-winning travel-writer, film-maker and broadcaster. His love of travel began with a rugby tour to New Zealand, ski-instructing in Switzerland, backpacking around India, and being a cowboy in Australia. Ash then became a travel journalist, and he now writes for all of the major British newspapers, reports for international broadcasters, and lectures in Journalism at City, University of London. Ash has travelled to every environment on the planet, and walked over 3000km with Levison, filming his journeys in Uganda, Sudan, India, Honduras, Georgia, Oman, Israel and Palestine. Ash recently finished an 8500km overland journey from the Norwegian Arctic to Ukraine, exploring the legacy of Russian occupation, and he co-presents the travel podcast The First Mile. Ash is half-Indian and half-British, and he loves nothing more than immersing himself in his heritage. This journey is a chance to explore his family’s past in places that he never thought he could visit.

About discovery+

‘discovery+’, an exciting D2C streaming app is launched to satiate the unmet need of a differentiated product, offering premium real-life entertainment. Priced competitively at INR 399 per annum, the app is developed and curated specifically for India. Discovery+ offers thousands of hours of exclusive content across 55+ genres, including Science, Adventure, Food and Lifestyle, in 7 languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali. The premium subscribers have access to a pool selection of never-seen-before Premium Discovery titles, must-watch documentaries, India originals and exclusive acquisitions. Free users of the app have access to all-time favourites from the Discovery library.

Axis Mutual Fund Launches ‘Axis Silver ETF’ And ‘Axis Silver Fund of Fund’

Key Highlights for Axis Silver ETF:

•          Category: An open ended scheme replicating/tracking domestic price of Silver

•          Benchmark: Domestic price of physical Silver based on LBMA Silver daily spot AM fixing price 

•          Fund Manager: Pratik Tibrewal, Fund Manager, Commodities 

•          NFO open date: 2nd September, 2022 | NFO close date: 15th September, 2022

•          Minimum Application Amount: INR 500 per application and in multiples of INR 1/- thereafter

•          Creation Unit Size: 30,000 units of the ETF (each unit of the ETF will be approximately equal to one gram of Silver) and cash component, if any

•          Exit Load: Nil

Key Highlights for Axis Silver Fund of Fund (Axis Silver FoF):

•          Category: An open ended fund of fund scheme investing in units of Axis Silver ETF  

•          Benchmark: Domestic price of physical Silver based on LBMA Silver daily spot AM fixing price 

•          Fund Manager: Aditya Pagaria, Fund Manager, Fixed Income

•          NFO open date: 2nd September, 2022 | NFO close date: 15th September, 2022

•          Minimum Application Amount: INR 5000 per application and in multiples of INR 1/- thereafter

•          Exit Load:

* If redeemed/switched out within 7 days from the date of allotment: 0.25%

* If redeemed/switched out after 7 days from the date of allotment: Nil

Axis Mutual Fund, one of the leading asset management companies in India announced the launch of Axis Silver ETF (an open ended scheme replicating/tracking domestic price of Silver) and Axis Silver Fund of Fund (an open ended fund of fund scheme investing in units of Axis Silver ETF), today. Pratik Tibrewal, Fund Manager, Commodities will be managing the Axis Silver ETF and the minimum application amount would be INR 500 per application and in multiples of INR 1/- thereafter. Aditya Pagaria, Fund Manager, Fixed Income will be managing the Axis Silver FoF and the minimum application amount be INR 500 and in multiples of Re 1/- per application in the ETF & INR 5,000 and in multiples of INR 1/- thereafter in the FoF. Both the funds will be benchmarked against the LBMA Silver daily spot AM fixing price and both NFOs open for subscription on 02nd September 2022 and close on 15th September 2022.

As a precious metal, Silver has always found a place of significance in the Indian culture. However, investing in Silver in its physical form may pose challenges with respect to corrosion over time, safety, purity of the metal, liquidity risk etc. Thankfully, investors can opt to gain exposure to the precious metal via an ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) that aims to generate returns in line with the performance of physical silver in domestic prices, subject to tracing error. Investors who do not have a Demat account can gain exposure by investing in Silver FoF (Fund of Fund).

Fundamental Drivers of the Silver Market

A versatile metal, Silver has widespread usage across multiple sectors, thereby creating a unique opportunity for investors. A testament to its growing importance is that it has gained increased acceptance even in industries like Bio Pharma and Medical Technologies, Power Generation and Clean Energy, and Electric Vehicles and Mobility Technologies by powering new-age technologies to solve global challenges. Furthermore, Silver not only provides diversification to the portfolio but also has the potential to provide a hedge against inflation. One of the key factors that make the economic outlook of silver promising is the expected rise in its demand going forward outpacing supply.

Salient features of the Axis Silver ETF and Axis Silver FoF:

·         Funds will invest in industry standard 30 kg Physical silver bullion of 999 parts per 1000 fineness

·         Purchase/sale of Silver done with reputed institutions and bullion traders to ensure minimal trading costs and quality

·         Hassle free ownership in Demat form*/MF Units**

·         Storage, transport and insurance hassles of Silver taken care by Axis AMC

·         Exchange liquidity – Investors can buy and sell ETF units on NSE at their convenience

Chandresh Nigam, MD & CEO, Axis AMC said, “Silver’s interesting proposition wherein it has the ability to act as an industrial commodity as well as a precious metal is one of the key factors that we believe will drive its significance. Now that investors have access to investing in Silver via ETFs, it will further increase the metal’s value as a promising asset class in the future. With the launch of Axis Silver ETF and Axis Silver FoF, we aim to seamlessly integrate available market opportunities with an investment strategy that allows investors to gain distinctive exposure to the metal. The new scheme’s approach aligns with our philosophy and we believe, will be a notable addition to our portfolio of products.”

*Axis Sliver ETF units will be available in dematerialized unit form only

**Axis Silver FoF will invest a majority of its assets in Axis Silver ETF and investors will be allotted MF units that can be freely transacted directly with the AMC subject to applicable exit loads, levy’s and taxes as applicable. Units of Axis Silver FoF will not be listed on exchange platforms.

Sources: AMFI, Axis MF Research

Note: Investors should consult their financial advisors if in doubt about whether the product is suitable for them.

The product labelling assigned during the New Fund Offer is based on internal assessment of the Scheme Characteristics or the model portfolio and the same may vary post NFO when actual investments are made.

Investors will be bearing the recurring expenses of the scheme in addition to the expenses of other schemes in which Fund of Funds scheme makes investment.

pTron Unveils Smartwatch With BT Calling Just At INR 1499/-

·       The new Smartwatch Force X10 comes with an immersive 1.7" full touch display, advanced Bluetooth calling function and a full-suite of health tracking features with robust functionality

·       The smartwatch is priced at Rs 1,499 for the launch and is available starting Sep 4 on Amazon India in four color variants

pTron, India’s rapidly growing and leading accessories brand for the youth, introduces the fully-loaded and stylish smartwatch that covers the essentials of a smartwatch and also features Bluetooth calling and receiving function at a fraction of the price of smart watches with similar features provided by competitors.

With an ultra-slim and light design and easy-to-use health management features, the pTron Force X10 is packed with power, so that the users can keep a closer check on their health with out missing on style. Lightweight and ergonomically made, Force X10 features 1.7” large HD full-touch color display offering crisp graphics and amplified brightness. The elegant 2.5D curved spherical dial rests in a premium alloy metal casing. Built to last, Force X10 has been rigorously tested to ensure it makes for a perfect and comfortable all day and night wearable accessory suitable for men, women, and teens.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Ameen Khwaja, Founder & CEO, pTron said, “We have become the most preferred youth brand for products that are both visually appealing and value for money. With our all-new Force X10 smartwatch, we are making ground-breaking tech in smart wearables category accessible to masses at a remarkable price point. Our Force X10 combines innovative technology with iconic design aesthetic made for the GenZ and adults alike, at a price never seen before in the category, making it the perfect accessory to fulfill one’s health, fitness & fashion goals.”

Perfect blend of style and smartness, the Force X10 with its 8 active sports modes keep track of every step, every lap, every stat, so that you crush all your fitness goals. The smartwatch allows users to monitor their blood oxygen and heart-rate on a real-time basis. The pTron Force X10 also comes with support for IP68 rating for added protection against water. Other features include Raise & Wake Display, Camera Control via Bluetooth, Sedentary Reminder, Music Control, and multiple watch faces.

The pTron Force X10 smartwatch comes with pTron’s proprietary pTron Fit+ App for Android & iOS.  Intuitive & effortless the pTron Fit+ app features smooth animations and a tailored smartwatch UI that, together, allow seamless navigation for better insights into users health data.

The pTron Force X10 features four stunning colors, including Glam Black, Pure Black, Space Blue & Suede Pink that make this smartwatch a fashion statement that complements all outfits.

Force X10 is available on Amazon India at a special launch price of INR 1499/- on 4th September 2022 at 12 noon and comes with one year warranty. As a Special Launch offer, first 100 customers can buy Force X10 for just 99/- during the launch.

MAPIC India Announces CP 67 As Title Partner In Mumbai

~MAPIC India 2022 is taking place at JIO World Convention Centre, Mumbai on 14th & 15th September 2022~

In its 18th edition, MAPIC India 2022 formerly India Retail Forum (IRF), is all set to take place on 14th & 15th September 2022 at JIO World Convention Centre, Mumbai focusing on showcasing the future of retail digitech solutions to decision-makers. 

The title partner for the 18th edition of MAPIC India is CP67 – MAPIC India ‘Presented by’ CP67. A premium commercial development in Punjab that is established in the heart of the city's expanding business community. It offers premium and elegant office spaces, international F&B outlets, and global standard retailing stores. It is well-equipped with world-class infrastructure and an exceptional enterprise system.

MAPIC India is ‘Powered by’ Home and Land Planners LLP, a real estate conglomerate with a strong focus on delivering meaningful projects by addressing the demands of customers. The leadership team is made up of a broad group of experienced individuals that elevate HLP Group with an established reputation making the brand as one of Punjab's most powerful developers.

MAPIC India will also witness participation from a leading retailer in the food and beverage segment - WOW! Momo, an Indian fast food restaurant which has become a top pick for many. WOW! Momo will be expanding its offerings by launching many more appetizing delicious dishes at MAPIC India, 2022.

With the proven mettle of elevating and encouraging retail brands to boost their expansion, MAPIC India is an extensive event that has provided a platform to socialize, network and explore new opportunities. 

The forum would not only have national brands and speakers but also be joined by various international brands. Pratham Group – Vegas would be present at the event. Pratham Group is an initiative of three established, experienced and highly reputed groups to form a unique entity. Unity Group, HL Group and RP Group have come together with a vision and common objective to cater to the needs of their strong investor and customer base with an aim to provide all the desired conveniences of a retail facility under one roof creating an ideal mix of local and global retail brands, good infrastructure, ample parking spaces and entertainment zones.

Talking about the 2 day forum, Tushar Ved, President, Major Brands, said, “MAPIC India has been a forum that brings a fantastic network of passionate individuals together to build the future of the retail sector in India.” 

“MAPIC India brings together India's most prominent retail stakeholders and thought leaders to brainstorm and share collective knowledge, insights and experiences. In India's constantly evolving retail industry, it is the premier platform for a collective mind-merge to examine and direct the sector’s future. The annual event is a much looked-forward-to networking platform that never fails to excite and invigorate,” added Anuj Puri, Founder and Chairman, Anarock Retail.

The 2-day forum will see speakers from leading retail brands like Manish Tiwary (Country Manager, India Consumer Business, Amazon India), Alok Tandon (CEO, INOX Leisure), Sunil Nayak (CEO, Reliance Jewels), Gurukeerthi Gurunathan (Co-founder, CaratLane - A Tanishq Partnership), Dilip Kapur (Founders, Hidesign), Vineet Gautam (CEO, Bestseller India), Tushar Ved (President, Major Brands), V. Muhammad Ali (CEO – Forum Malls, Prestige Group), Pushpa Bector (Executive Director, DLF Malls), Yogeshwar Sharma (CEO, Select Citywalk), Amitabh Suri (Chief Executive Officer, USPA, Arvind Brands Limited), Pushkaraj Shenai (CEO, Lakme Lever), and many more.

Link to view all speakers & conference agenda - https://www.mapic-india.in/en-gb/seminars.html#/sessions

MAPIC in the 2-day forum also honors and recognizes the leading Retail icons and brands who have contributed to the exponential growth the Indian Retail industry has witnessed in the last decade. MAPIC India Awards presented by Vegas have nominations for brands across categories ranging from food & beverages, hospitality, fashion, entertainment and many more 

Link to the awards - https://www.mapic-india.in/en-gb/Awards/Nomination-Categories.html 

Renault India Rolls Out The Limited Edition Of KIGER, TRIBER And KWID., To Celebtate This Festival Season

* Bookings commence from 2nd Sept  

To augment the spirit of the festive season, Renault, the number one European brand in India, offers its customers Festive Limited Edition (LE) of its entire range that includes its innovative product portfolio -  KIGER, TRIBER and KWID. Staying true to its focus on innovation, these Limited Editions have been designed keeping in mind the ever-evolving demands of the customers. 

The Festive Limited Edition range will be available in RXZ variants of Renault KIGER & TRIBER and CLIMBER variant of Renault KWID across all transmissions in Dual Tone combination of White colour and a Mystery Black Roof only. Accentuating the attractiveness of the cars, the Limited Edition range boasts of a striking exterior colour harmony with Sporty Red Accents around the front grill, DRLs/headlamps and side door decals.  

Renault KIGER has been instrumental in driving India among Renault’s top five global markets. In addition to all the above features of the LE Range, Renault KIGER Festive LE offers wheel silverstone and calipers in red colour, further enhancing the sportiness of the car. Powered by a world-class turbocharged 1.0L petrol engine, Renault KIGER offers enhanced driving experience and comfort with Wireless Smartphone Charge and Cruise Control functions. Renault KIGER has been awarded with the 4-Star Safety Rating for Adult occupant safety by Global NCAP, the foremost global car assessment programme. 

Renault TRIBER has been greatly valued by the customers for the proposition that it offers in terms of outstanding quality, modularity and attractive design with superior value packaging. In addition to all the features of LE Range offering new colour harmony with Red accents, the TRIBER LE becomes more attractive with Piano blackwheel covers and door handles. Renault TRIBER offers the best level seating space in all rows and offers one of the largest boot space of 625L in its category. It is built with best level safety features and boasts of a 4-Star Safety Rating for Adult occupant safety by Global NCAP. 

Built on the pillars of attractiveness, innovation and affordability, Renault KWID has been a true game-changing product for Renault in India with more than 4,00,000 happy customers. The Renault KWID LE adds an extra dash of style with red highlights in the front and rear skid plates, roof rails along with exterior embellishment “Climber” decal in red on C-pillar. The addition of Piano black colour in wheel cover and ORVM enhances the overall visual appeal of the car.  

The Festive Limited Edition offers an unmatched value proposition with all the additional design elements curated for the festive season available to the customers at the same price as existing Kiger RXZ, Triber RXZ & Kwid Climber respectively.  

The bookings of the Festive Limited Edition Range will commence from 2nd September at a Renault authorized dealership. 

ABOUT RENAULT  

Renault India Pvt. Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Renault S.A.S. France. Renault India cars are manufactured in the manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, Chennai, with a capacity of 480,000 units per annum. Renault India also has a widespread presence of more than 500 sales and 530 service touchpoints, which includes 250+ Workshop On Wheels and WOWLite locations across the country, with benchmark sales and service quality. 

Renault India’s product line up and services have seen strong recognition among customers and industry experts alike, winning more than 60 titles, making Renault India one of the most awarded automotive brands in a single year in India. 

Tata Motors Registered Total Sales of 78,843 Units In August 2022, Grows By 36% Over Last Year

Tata Motors Limited sales in the domestic & international market for August 2022 stood at 78,843 vehicles, compared to 57,995 units during August 2021. 

Domestic sale of MH&ICV in August 2022, including trucks and buses, stood at 12,069 units, compared to 8,962 units in August 2021.

Total sales for MH&ICV Domestic & International Business in August 2022, including trucks and buses, stood at 12,846 units compared to 10,953 units in August 2021.

Honda Cars India Registers 7,769 Units Of Domestic Sales In August’22

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, registered monthly domestic sales of 7,769 units in Aug’22. The export numbers for HCIL stood at 2,356 units in Aug’22.  

Sharing thoughts on the Aug’22 sales performance, Mr. Yuichi Murata, Director, Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd said, “The demand momentum continues to be strong which is very encouraging and positive for the auto industry as we enter the festive season. On the supply side, however, we continue to face hurdles arising out of global chip shortage which is affecting our production volumes and resulting in extended waiting period for our models. We are working to align our production to our best efforts to tide over this prolonged shortage.” 

The company had registered 11,177 units in domestic sales and exported 2,262 units in August’21.   

About Honda Cars India Ltd. 

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, was established in December 1995 with a commitment to provide Honda’s passenger car models and technologies, to the Indian customers. HCIL’s corporate office is based in Greater Noida, UP and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located at Tapukara, District. Alwar, Rajasthan.  

The company’s product range include Honda Jazz, Honda Amaze, Honda WR-V, Honda City and Honda City e:HEV catering to diverse needs of its discerning buyers across different segments. Honda’s models are strongly associated with advanced design and technology, apart from their established qualities of durability, reliability, safety and fuel-efficiency. The company has a strong sales and distribution network spread across the country.  

Besides the new car business, Honda offers one stop solution for buying and selling pre-owned cars through its business function Honda Auto Terrace. The Honda Certified Pre-owned cars come with an assurance of quality and peace of mind that caters to the diverse and burgeoning needs of pre-owned car buyers across the country. 

Indian Label Founded By Akhilesh Ashok - House of Sause Debuts In Milan, Italy

* The clothing line-up made in Tamil Nadu, for the world will also be launched in Amsterdam, Paris, and London subsequently 

House of Sause, a young and premium streetwear brand from Tamil Nadu, had its global launch in Italy on August 31. Akhilesh Ashok, a 23-year-old youngster from Salem in Tamil Nadu, the brain behind the clothing line, held a street fashion show in Lombardy, Milan, Italy to launch his streetwear brand. 

To herald its global launch, the brand showcased its designs and collection at a fashion show, choreographed by Pavithra Ramasubramanian, a fashion photographer based out of Los Angeles. The show drew the attention of fashionistas as leading models including Aashna Bisht, Melissa, Saphy Khanfar, Artur Montanari and others walked on the streets of Milan wearing House of Sause’s genderless, season-less, and Classique fits.  

The brand’s launch event happened at the Duomo Cathedral, located at the heart of Milan. The launch continued subsequently, in the Galleria, which is Italy's oldest active shopping gallery and home to various luxury fashion brands. 

Addressing the launch, Akhilesh Ashok stated, “We are planning to establish House of Sause as a global brand with firm roots in India. Unlike the mainstream streetwear outfits, House of Sause’s clothing line allows you to lounge in their confident yet comfortable designs. The youthful energy that the brand emanates is emblematic of the current times; it is accommodative of all kinds of lifestyles. Our brand is loud, proud, and stands out of the crowd; and likes playing around with deconstruction and experimentation because we believe that unconventional is truly the new difference.”  

Asha Sreedhar, Avinash Athappan, Hari Nivas, Ram Ramasaamy, Design Director Shreya Dilip, Creative Directors Santhosh Kumar and G Kameshwaran are the key founding members spearheading the brand. 

The first drop is titled ‘Generation 1: Prints of Epiphany’. The product line-up includes- oversized/drop shoulder tees, deconstructed hoodies, oversized hoodies, and exclusive collaboration merchandise. House of Sause sells on their website where customers can scroll through and choose from the different designs.  

The brand’s social media account garnered over 100k views within the first few hours of the launch without any reveal of the products. 

About House of Sause 

Founded in 2022, House of Sause will be one of the first streetwear brands from South India. The origin of the brand is from Salem, Tamil Nadu. The brand consists of various products like hoodies, oversized tee shirts, tote bags, caps, women’s crop tops, and cricket bats.  

“And no, we’re not a ketchup brand.” 

Annexure 

House of Sause is a luxury streetwear label founded by Akhilesh Ashok, a young streetwear enthusiast from Tamil Nadu. The brand started its journey to justify how to coexist between style and sustainability. It is a perfect blend of traditionalism, varsity, lots of street style, and a bit of their secret Sause to provide for a diverse range of designer outfits to match their customers’ funk and finesse. 

Akhilesh is an alumnus of Loyola College, Chennai; a passionate entrepreneur, a driven go-getter and a fashion aficionado. His keen interest in high-street fashion propelled him to start his own brand which co-exists between style and sustainability. The brand has a stacked line-up of ethically and responsibly made homegrown garments in contrast to the mass-produced cookie-cutter ones. 

He also believes that this brand’s youthful exuberance is visible in its style, philosophy and tone. His vision is to make a mark in the global scheme of luxury fashion because it’s time we take India, to the world! Bon Appetit. 

Emirates To Introduce Premium Economy To Five More Cities With Newly Retrofitted A380s Starting From December

* Deploys newly-enhanced A380s with Premium Economy to New York JFK, Auckland, Melbourne, San Francisco, and Singapore; adds Premium Economy seats onto London and Sydney routes

* Airline will scale up flagship A380 operations to 42 cities with over 400 weekly departures, its biggest schedule yet, with 85 Emirates A380s planned for active service by year end

Emirates today announced plans to debut its newly retrofitted A380s featuring its latest Premium Economy cabins to five new cities from December - New York JFK, San Francisco, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore. The airline will also add more Premium Economy seats on services to London Heathrow and Sydney, as its newly enhanced aircraft sporting refreshed cabins roll into scheduled service.

The airline aims to offer customers more opportunities to experience its highly acclaimed Premium Economy product, and its latest deployment plans will also see 85 A380s back in the sky by December, well-timed to serve the year-end travel demand.

Emirates’ enhanced A380s with Premium Economy to New York JFK, San Francisco, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore will operate as follows:

To New York JFK, Emirates will operate with its newly retrofitted A380 on EK203 and EK 204, starting from 1 December.

To Auckland, Emirates will debut its Premium Economy cabin on EK 448 and EK 449, starting 15 January 2023.

From 1 February 2023, Melbourne will become the second Australian destination to be served with the signature Emirates A380 featuring Premium Economy. Services will be deployed on EK 406 and EK 407. 

San Francisco will become the second US destination to be served by the retrofitted A380 with refreshed interiors on EK 225 and EK 226, starting on 15 February 2023.

Emirates’ enhanced A380 with Premium Economy will land in Singapore for the first time on 1 March 2023, operating as EK 354 and EK 355.

Emirates will also update its schedules to London Heathrow, Sydney and New York JFK with its retrofitted A380 aircraft operating on the following services:

From 15 December 2022, Sydney will become the first city in the Emirates network to offer Premium Economy seats on all flights, with the introduction of the airline’s retrofitted aircraft on EK 414 and EK 415.

From 1 January 2023, London Heathrow will receive its third daily service with Premium Economy, with the new product debuting on EK 005 and EK 006.

From 15 March 2023, Emirates will operate its second A380 with Premium Economy to New York JFK on EK 201 and EK 202. 

Emirates will also start A380 services with a Premium Economy debut to Christchurch from 26 March 2023, as an extension of the Dubai to Sydney service, operating with EK 412 and EK 413.

Scaling up A380 operations

With travel demand the strongest it’s been in more than two years, Emirates will provide customers more choice and a better experience as it ramps up A380 services to 42 destinations by the end of March 2023. In tandem, the airline is optimising its network to meet robust demand and enhancing its existing schedules to over 400 A380 departures from Dubai, offering 460,000 weekly A380 seats by March 2023, including 81,000 seats across its premium cabins, offering the very best in customer comfort.

By year end, the airline will be serving close to a third of its network with its flagship on 85 A380s as it unlocks more destinations like Houston, Bengaluru, Perth, Auckland, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, with additional cities to be announced in the coming weeks. With an expanded list of cities, Emirates will have recovered 75% of its pre-pandemic A380 network. The airline is also adding frequencies to popular cities already served by its flagship, bringing greater resiliency and stability to its operation.

Raising the bar for premium air travel

Since Emirates debuted its Premium Economy Class to London, Paris and Sydney, customer response has been overwhelmingly positive with demand exceeding expectations, demonstrating its appeal and willingness of travellers to trade-up and try the quiet luxury and meticulously customised experience it offers.

On a four-class Emirates A380, the Premium Economy cabin is located at the front of the main deck with 56 seats laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. In the cabin, every inch of space anticipates customer needs with a generous seat pitch and width for working and relaxing, and customised features that offer function and convenience like in-seat charging points and a side cocktail table. The experience is rounded off with expertly curated in-flight amenities, an inventive menu and extensive beverage options.  

The Emirates A380 experience has long been taking passenger comfort to new levels, with an extensive suite of products that turn the journey itself into a destination, including one of the industry’s largest screens for customers to enjoy the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice. Customers travelling in First and Business Class cabins can enjoy the aircraft’s signature features such as the popular Onboard Lounge and fully flat seats in Business Class, as well as private suites and Shower Spas in First Class.

Emirates recently announced plans to kick-off of its fleet retrofit programme, consisting of a multi-billion dollar investment to ensure customers continue to have the best experience in the sky. Starting from November, the airline will begin intensive work to upgrade and retrofit the interior cabins of 67 Airbus A380 and 53 Boeing 777 aircraft, with one aircraft rolling out into service every 16 days. By 2025, nearly 4,000 new Premium Economy seats will be installed, 728 First Class suites refurbished and over 5,000 Business Class seats upgraded to a new style and design.

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the A380, with 118 double-decker aircraft in its fleet. Since A6-EVF, the first A380 reactivated in 2020 began flying, the operating fleet has clocked in more than 31,000 trips worldwide, carrying over 10 million passengers. 

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.

For more information on Emirates Premium Economy, visit:  https://www.emirates.com/english/experience/cabin-features/premium-economy-class/

About Emirates

Emirates’ 36 years in India have been defined by progressive investment, partnership and growth. In October 1985, Emirates launched flights from Dubai to Delhi and Mumbai which formed the base of its initial route network. Since then, Emirates has grown its India operations to serve a total of nine destinations across India – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. For more information on Emirates’ current operations, network, travel support, guidance, customer and employee safety, visit www.emirates.com

CAMLA, India’s Leading Fashion Clothing Brand, Launches AW’ 22 Collection

When we think of Autumn and Winter fashion, we think of clothes that can keep us warm on cold days but also help us maintain the style quotient. CAMLA Barcelona’s latest Autumn Winter 2022 Collection offers just that for its customers. The premium fashion brand unveiled its latest collection recently and it has been a rage among the young fashionistas.

In its AW’22 collection, CAMLA Barcelona has experimented with a host of different themes and styles which go with the specific moods of the autumn &winter months. Each theme has been carefully designed by the brand’s design team keeping in mind the taste of Indian customers and the global trends.

Here’s a quick look at some of the themes:

Sports Wear: For men wishing to add some playfulness to their clothing, A Bevy of Bold and Quirky Everyday Essentials is a terrific choice. The sportswear line offers active looks for powerful athletes.

Lounge Wear: A selection of high durability and utility details for all-weather use in any outdoor area has been designed for carefree wearing. Unusual ready-to-wear items eloquently explore the idea of fashion as a vehicle for individual expression.

Jungle Safari:Exclusively for nature lovers, showcasing eccentric attire with natural influences. The beauty of the water and the limitless, multi-panelled landscapes of the mountains are depicted via the use of colour play in combination with themed patterns and designs.

Bond Collection:The men's and women's prefill 2022 collection reasserts the language that defines both gender identities. You'll want to wear the dresses and coats, which are all in black styles and infused with the glitz of CAMLA Barcelona.

Romantic Evening: Romantic lifestyles and settings have an influence on CAMLA Barcelona, from the catwalk to your wardrobe. The designer team combines their passion of colour and linearity in a gothic approach, allowing for combining with edgy glittering coats or adorned hand-embroidered clothing that exudes refinement and glitz.

Corporate Look:Whatever the job entails, these outfits for the office are ideal for getting down to business. Our contemporary work wear surely elevates the traditional way of dressing, which is characterised by plaid and solid patterns, whether it's back to the office, the studio, or even a corner of the café.

“When I look at the themes that we have created for our latest collection, it fills me with pride. Our team has worked extremely hard to bring out this collection and everything has been carefully planned. The collection ranges from casual to sports, and from offbeat theme like jungle safari to corporate look. What we have tried to achieve from this collection is to cater to the needs of a diverse set of people. Our customers come from different walks of life with varied tastes. The AW collection has something for everyone,” said Ashish Jain, Director, CAMLA Barcelona.

Apart from these unique themes, the AW’22 collection also features various other themes. The brand caters to the western fashion needs of both men and women and has been a huge success since its inception.

CAMLA Barcelona’s latest collection is available in its exclusive stores along with popular e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Myntra, etc. Customers can also place their orders through brand’s exclusive website, glamly.com.

About CAMLA Barcelona

CAMLA Barcelona was launched in the year 2015 and its first store opened in Gurgaon’s Ambience Mall to a huge reception by the public. Currently, the brand boasts of an exclusive business outlet in Rohtak, Jodhpur to name a few, while the brand is present via shop-in-shop format at 19 stores of MADAME and via 50+ multi-brand outlets.

Additionally, CAMLA Barcelona’s products are also available on online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Ajio, Myntra, Tata Cliq, and its own e-commerce platform glamly.com.

Afcom Holdings Takes Delivery Of Its First Boeing 737 Freighter Aircraft

* Plans to add two more Aircrafts to its fleet by year end

Afcom Holdings Private Limited, a professionally managed international cargo airline headquartered in Chennai, reiterated its commitment to the ASEAN region by taking delivery of its first Aircraft - Boeing 737 Freighter. Afcom has been operational since September 2021 through its strategic alliance with its commercial carrier Partners.

The addition of this Aircraft will support Afcom’s current capacity with its airfreight partners, thus enabling a faster and more reliable delivery service. The company plans to add two more Freighter Aircrafts to its fleet by the end of this year.

Commenting on the developments, Deepak Parasuraman, Chairman, Afcom Holdings Private Limited said, “Afcom is committed to provide efficient, secure, and quality services to our customers. We strongly believe in working closely with our customers by providing them Tailor-made logistic solutions. We see ourselves not just as a cargo airline but an end-to-end cargo solutions provider. Air cargo is today a key enabler of flexibility and speed in global supply chains. We foresee good and rising demand for air cargo going forward, and we are fully geared up to infuse the required capacity in the market.”

Afcom presently serves between India, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei. In addition, it will commence services to Hanoi (Vietnam) and Bangkok (Thailand) sectors in its endeavour to service destinations across ASEAN countries. More new services are also in the pipeline, with the aim of providing faster delivery options to support the industry requirements.

Zetwerk To Appoint Sanjiv Rangrass To Its Board of Directors

* Sanjiv Rangrass is the former CEO of ITC Ltd Agribusiness division

* Rangrass will be instrumental in shaping the company’s culture and policies and making it a world-class organization

World’s largest contract manufacturing platform Zetwerk Manufacturing Businesses, said it would appoint Sanjiv Rangrass to its board as an Independent Director and Board Member.

Rangrass has had a long and illustrious career of 40 years at ITC Ltd, where he joined as a trainee and became the CEO of the company’s agribusiness unit before retiring in June 2022 as the conglomerate’s Group Head for R&D, Sustainability and projects. He is also an active investor and has an envious track record of making angel investments in a few unicorns, including Zetwerk.  

Commenting on the development, Amrit Acharya, Co-founder & CEO, Zetwerk said, “We are excited to announce that Mr Sanjiv Rangrass will be joining Zetwerk’s board of directors. Mr Rangrass has witnessed Zetwerk’s journey from its initial days and thoroughly understands the company’s business, growth and culture. As Zetwerk marches forward on its mission to become the world's most preferred contract manufacturing platform, Mr Rangrass will shape the company’s building blocks into long-term, sustainable engines of organizational growth. ”

"I am thrilled to share that I will join Zetwerk’s incredible team as an Independent Director & Board Member. I am thankful for working with a brilliant and talented team and a sharp set of investors. It is an opportunity to be a part of transforming a growth-stage startup into a world-class institution," Sanjiv Rangrass said about his appointment.

About Zetwerk:

Valued at $2.7 billion, Zetwerk is a managed marketplace for contract manufacturing. Zetwerk partners with the world’s leading industrial and consumer enterprises to get their products manufactured via a global network of small manufacturers, where Zetwerk helps with supplier selection, pricing and fulfilment of orders. Zetwerk offers manufacturing solutions across a diverse range of industries such as Oil & Gas, Renewables, Aerospace, Infrastructure, Apparel, Electronics and Retail. For customers, Zetwerk’s global manufacturing network ensures products are manufactured faster, at competitive prices and with world-class quality. In addition, Zetwerk’s in-house Manufacturing Operating System software, ZISO, enables digital selection of supply, real-time tracking across stages, visual updates of products getting made, seamless communication across stakeholders and quality assurance of the final product, thereby offering customers peace of mind. For manufacturing partners, Zetwerk drives higher utilization of manufacturing capacities and offers various portfolio services (including logistics, raw material procurement, working capital access) to drive revenue growth and optimize manufacturing costs.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Sells 14959 Units During August 2022

* Registers 17% growth in wholesales when compared to wholesales in August 2021

* Cumulative wholesales in the period from April to August witnesses 68% overall growth

TKM today announced that the company sold a total of 14,959 units in the month of August 2022, thereby registering a growth of 17% over wholesales in August 2021. For reference, TKM had sold 12,772 units in the month of August 2021. Cumulative wholesales in the period April to August in 2022, has also witnessed a promising growth of 68% when compared to the corresponding period last year.

Commenting on the month’s performance, Mr. Atul Sood, Associate Vice President, Sales, and Strategic Marketing, TKM said, “Last month our segment leading models like the Innova Crysta, Fortuner and the Legender witnessed unprecedented customer orders, further reiterating the strong appreciation that Toyota models enjoy in these segments. The cool new Glanza and the Urban Cruiser continue to garner customer interest as well as robust customer orders. Toyota’s luxurious yet sustainable offering in the premium MPV segment, the Vellfire has performed exceptionally well, registering a growth of close to 120%. Similarly, the Camry Hybrid has garnered very encouraging customer orders last month.

In August, we also conducted the first media drive for the brand-new vehicle from Toyota, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The response towards the first strong self- charging hybrid electric model in the B SUV segment has been phenomenal, thus reinforcing customer’s faith and trust in Toyota’s advanced technology prowess. Furthermore, with the onset of the festive season, we hope the Urban Cruiser Hyryder along with the upcoming Limited Edition Crysta Gasoline, and all other vehicles in the Toyota line-up will further aid us in catering to the myriad mobility needs of our Indian consumers,” he concluded.

Capillary Announces Strategic Alliance Partnership With KPMG On India To Deliver Leading Loyalty And Customer Engagement Solutions

Capillary Technologies (a B2B SaaS platform for customer engagement and loyalty) today announced its strategic partnership with KPMG in India for loyalty and customer engagement solutions. Focused on delivering AI-based cloud native loyalty and customer engagement solutions to businesses, the partnership will include a certified and trained team of KPMG consultants.

In an increasingly changing world, brands are looking for new ways to interact and engage with customers by understanding their ever-evolving behavior, preferences and expectations. To support them through this navigation, the Capillary-KPMG in India alliance partnership will help businesses to look beyond discounts, offer differentiated customer experience and keep their customers delighted at every touchpoint.

Empowering marketers to execute exceptional experiences

Anindya Basu, National Managing Partner, Head of Advisory, Clients & Markets, KPMG in India shared, “Organizations are increasingly focusing on innovations in providing a personalized customer experience, and leveraging digital solutions to generate insights, drive engagement and customer growth. Through our alliance with Capillary Technologies, we will together help clients achieve their growth ambitions and drive front office transformation.”

Combining KPMG in India's breadth of consultative services with Capillary's diversified product suite, the partnership will further enable clients to realize true business value faster by accelerating time-to-market, replacing ineffective systems and thereby amplifying growth. With oil and gas, CPG, conglomerate and retail as the targeted sectors, KPMG in India will assist Capillary in assessing the industries, defining KPIs and performance metrics as well as enabling clients to implement and scale their marketing strategies with Capillary solutions. Overall, the collaboration aims to create impact in the loyalty landscape across Dubai, Vietnam, Malaysia and parts of Europe, by offering these agile solutions to brands that are looking for an exponential growth trajectory.

Aneesh Reddy, Executive Director and CEO of Capillary Technologies further echoed the same thought as he said, “Establishing this strategic alliance partnership with KPMG in India has been a major milestone achieved for Capillary. As brands recognize the importance of integrated loyalty and customer engagement solutions, we look forward to leveraging KPMG in India’s deep functional and industry vertical experience to accelerate adoption of Capillary solutions, and together, we will deliver substantial growth to our customers in their loyalty and marketing journey.”

About Capillary Technologies

Founded in 2012, Capillary Technologies has a presence across the United States, India, Middle East, and Asia, in particular, Southeast Asia. Capillary Technologies offers end-to-end loyalty programs, a comprehensive view of consumers and unified, cross-channel strategies that deliver a real-time omnichannel, personalized, and consistent experience for customers. Powering a diversified product suite of end-to-end loyalty programs, across 30+ countries, Capillary Technologies works with 250+ brands as of October 30, 2021, including Asics, PUMA, Shell, Tata, Fossil, Hoya, Pantaloons, GKB Opticals, Indian Terrain, Fossil, Vishal Megamart and many more from verticals such as apparel, footwear, supermarkets, conglomerates, manufacturing and electronics, pharmacy and wellness, fine dining and QSR, luxury and jewelry, entertainment, oil and gas, travel and hospitality. With a massive reach of 875 million+ consumers and processing 1.97 billion+ transactions in Fiscal 2021, Capillary Technologies’ promoter i.e., Capillary Technologies International Pte. Ltd. has the backing of Swanland Investment ltd. (an affiliate of Warburg Pincus), Sequoia Capital India Growth Fund II Ltd., Avataar Ventures Partners I, and Filter Capital Fund I Ltd. Capillary Technologies has also been featured in multiple reports by Gartner and Forrester. For more information, visit www.capillarytech.com.

About KPMG in India

KPMG entities in India are professional services firm(s). These Indian member firms are affiliated with KPMG International Limited. KPMG was established in India in August 1993. Our professionals leverage the global network of firms, and are conversant with local laws, regulations, markets, and competition. KPMG has offices across India in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Vadodara, and Vijayawada.

KPMG entities in India offer services to national and international clients in India across sectors. We strive to provide rapid, performance-based, industry-focused, and technology-enabled services, which reflect a shared knowledge of global and local industries and our experience of the Indian business environment.

Zoomcar Mobilizes Zoho CRM For 150% Increase In Conversion Rates

* The company has many active licenses across several departments and manages 15,000 customers using Zoho CRM

Zoho Corporation announced today that its fast-growing enterprise customer, Zoomcar, has achieved a 150% increase in conversion rates, which is directly proportionate to the company's revenue. This increase follows Zoomcar's adoption of Zoho CRM, a unified platform that brings sales, marketing, and customer service activities together in one unified and intuitive platform.

The company's increased benefits are four times higher than its investment in Zoho CRM. Among those benefits, 60% are direct, and 40% are indirect (including streamlining various internal processes and minimizing human resources).

Zoomcar has been able to implement Zoho CRM in only a month and a half, and has experienced a smooth onboarding process with zero hurdles. With several workflow rules in place and the company's dedicated use of various CRM integrations, the turnaround time for lead conversion has been reduced by 30%.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bengaluru, India, Zoomcar employs over 300 people and operates in 50 cities across India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Egypt. It is the leading marketplace for car sharing in emerging markets, with over 25,000 cars on its technology-driven platform. Until recently, the company was maintaining its sales information on multiple grids. Without an effective CRM system in place, leaders worried the company was vulnerable to funnel drop-offs and lead leakages. Its data was scattered and unorganized, providing no clear view of leads to the Zoomcar sales teams. Zoomcar sought a solution that would minimize manual tasks and optimize automation. It chose to adopt Zoho CRM, owing to its functionality, cost-effectiveness, and level of customizability.

"Our team never had any governance that allowed us to see what was happening with various leads that were flowing in. This led to multiple leakages, and leads used to get dropped. Additionally, we wanted to automate the follow-up process through various channels like WhatsApp and SMS. Zoho CRM offered us exactly what we were looking for," said Akshay Bhama, Senior Business Manager for Zoomcar.

"Zoho is thrilled to partner with Zoomcar to streamline and automate their sales processes, thereby driving better lead conversion rates. Zoomcar has been continually adding value to the car rental marketplace, and now, by leveraging Zoho CRM, they can enhance customer experiences by aligning their teams across functions, and establishing greater customer centricity," commented  Mani Vembu, COO of Zoho

Key benefits Zoomcar achieved using Zoho CRM:

* Automation through workflow rules

The sales process is automated using workflow rules, eliminating the need for manual intervention.

* Generation of leads from various sources:

By integrating Zoho Social with Zoho CRM, leads across social media platforms are automatically captured in CRM.

Increased adoption through customization

The CRM system has been completely customized to suit Zoomcar's unique business requirements. With the degree of customization Zoho offers, Zoomcar saw a 70% increase in the CRM adoption rate.

* Ease of qualifying and following up with leads:

The sales team qualifies leads with Zoho CRM's integration with Ozonetel, a cloud telephony and auto-dialing software platform.

* Reduced lead turnaround time:

With several workflow rules in place, and the company's dedicated use of various Zoho CRM integrations, the turnaround time for lead conversion has been reduced by 30%.

* Transparency:

In terms of tracking resources on the ground, the company went from having absolutely no visibility to 100% visibility.

"There's a huge difference between using speadsheets to manage sales data and using a CRM. Managing 15,000 customers was impossible. Opting for Zoho CRM has truly aided us in managing our leads and closing deals. We're no longer facing our main concerns from before—none of the leads are missed and no leakage happens," said Akhil Pippala, Associate Program Manager for Zoomcar

About Zoomcar

Zoomcar is the leading marketplace for car sharing in emerging markets, with over 25,000 cars on its technology-driven platform across India, Southeast Asia, and the MENA region. Zoomcar empowers host entrepreneurs to safely and easily share their cars to earn additional passive income. Guests in the Zoomcar community enjoy a diverse, affordable selection of cars to unlock memorable driving experiences with friends and family. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bengaluru, India, Zoomcar employs over 300 people and operates in 50 cities across India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Egypt. Uri Levine, co-founder of mobility unicorns Waze and Moovit, currently serves as Zoomcar’s Chairman of the Board.

About Zoho

With over 55 apps in nearly every major business category, Zoho Corporation is one of the world's most prolific technology companies. Headquartered in Chennai, India, Zoho is privately held and profitable with nearly 11,000 employees. For more information, please visit: www.zoho.com/

VMware Cloud And Edge Infrastructure Innovations Enable Breakthrough Efficiency, Flexibility And Performance Gains

 
* VMware Introduces VMware vSphere 8, VMware vSAN 8 and VMware Cloud Foundation+

*  VMware Edge Portfolio Delivers Edge Compute Stack 2, Adds Private Mobile Network 

Today at VMware Explore 2022, VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) unveiled cloud and edge infrastructure solutions featuring breakthrough innovations to help organizations better run, scale and secure the broadest range of enterprise workloads across private and public clouds and at the edge. 

VMware research shows 580 million modern workloads are expected to run on diverse, distributed environments spanning public cloud, on-premises, edge, telco clouds and hosted clouds by 2024.(1) Businesses are aiming to match their diverse enterprise application portfolios to the most optimal environments based on technical, business or strategic needs and low total cost of ownership (TCO). This is driving businesses to embrace multiple public clouds while continuing to invest in their on-premises environments and deploy services at the edge.

“In highly distributed environments, customers need cloud and edge infrastructure that enables them to scale their operations with consistency, availability, and security—wherever their workloads are running—and at the lowest possible TCO,” said Mark Lohmeyer, senior vice president and general manager, Cloud Infrastructure Business Group, VMware. “With our multi-cloud and edge portfolio, VMware serves as the trusted foundation for customers seeking flexibility and choice to run their workloads where they’re best suited to run.” 

Significant Advancements Across Core Platform for Private and Public Clouds 

VMware today introduced VMware vSphere 8 and VMware vSAN 8—major new releases of VMware’s compute and storage solutions—helping customers run the broadest set of workloads in the environments of their choice. The innovations across these common building blocks for the private and public clouds and edge will help customers dramatically improve how they run, manage and secure their enterprise applications. The continued advancement of VMware Cloud further provides customers with consistent infrastructure with value-added capabilities. 

VMware vSphere 8: Ushers in a new era of heterogeneous computing by bringing DPUs (Data Processing Units) into the fold along with CPUs and GPUs—making the future of modern infrastructure accessible to all enterprises. vSphere 8 will deliver key innovations to help customers supercharge workload performance while lowering TCO, accelerate innovation for DevOps teams, improve operational efficiency and IT productivity, and bring the benefits of the cloud to their on-premises infrastructure. 

vSphere 8 will introduce vSphere on DPUs, previously known as Project Monterey. In close collaboration with technology partners AMD, Intel and NVIDIA as well as OEM system partners Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo, vSphere on DPUs will unlock hardware innovation helping customers meet the throughput and latency needs of modern distributed workloads. vSphere will enable this by offloading and accelerating network and security infrastructure functions onto DPUs from CPUs. Customer applications that need high network bandwidth and fast cache access such as in-memory databases can expect:

Up to 20% CPU cores saved while achieving similar or better performance—resulting in higher workload consolidation and lower TCO by using saved cores;(2)

Up to 36% higher transaction rate(2) at 27% lower latency(2) by leveraging freed CPU cores and better cache locality to drive more workload traffic, while benefitting from vSphere DRS and vMotion.

By running infrastructure services on DPUs and isolating them from the workload domain, vSphere on DPUs will boost infrastructure security. Additionally, now in beta, NSX Distributed Firewall will offload to DPUs to scale customers’ security operations by securing East-West traffic at line rate without the need for software agents. 

vSphere 8 will dramatically accelerate AI and machine learning applications by doubling the virtual GPU devices per VM, delivering a 4x increase of passthrough devices, and supporting vendor device groups which enable binding of high-speed networking devices and the GPU. For DevOps teams, vSphere 8 will include VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid 2.0(3)—expanding Kubernetes capabilities to include multi-availability zones for improved resilience as well as simplified cluster lifecycle and package management. The new Cloud Consumption Interface service(3) in vSphere 8 will provide developers and DevOps engineers a Kubernetes-based common API endpoint and UI that offers fast, easy access to IaaS services across VMware Cloud. Learn more in the vSphere 8 announcement blog.

Ecosystem Support: Read what partners are saying about vSphere with DPUs

VMware vSAN 8: Through a next-generation storage platform optimized for modern hardware with hyperconverged infrastructure, vSAN 8 introduces breakthrough performance and hyper-efficiency. Built from the ground up, the new vSAN Express Storage Architecture™ will enhance the performance, storage efficiency, data protection and management of vSAN running on the latest generation storage devices. vSAN 8 will provide customers with a future ready infrastructure that supports modern TLC storage devices and delivers up to a 4x performance boost.(4) Additionally, customers will experience up to 40% lower TCO (4) through highly performant and efficient data protection and enhanced data compression with up to 4x greater efficiency.(4) Customers will also see increased availability due to a new storage pool construct that provides smaller fault domains, faster resync times, and native snapshots delivering up to 100x faster operations.(4)

VMware Cloud Foundation+: Introduces a new cloud-connected architecture for managing and operating full stack HCI in data centers. Built on vSphere+ and vSAN+, VMware Cloud Foundation+ will enable customers to gain greater operational efficiencies through easy management of VM and container-based enterprise workloads across hybrid and multi-cloud deployments. Customers will be able to streamline maintenance windows and gain immediate access to new features and cloud services. VMware Cloud Foundation+ follows the recent introductions of vSphere+ and vSAN+.

VMware Cloud for Hyperscalers: VMware and its public cloud partners continue to innovate in support of customers migrating and running enterprise workloads in the public cloud of their choice. VMware and AWS are showcasing the continued innovation and customer value the companies are delivering together. New capabilities in the jointly engineered VMware Cloud on AWS help customers accelerate enterprise cloud transformation. [read the press release] ] VMware also announced that customers will now be able to purchase Azure VMware Solution as part of VMware Cloud Universal program. [read the press release] Google Cloud VMware Engine will offer the option for running both VMs and containers on the same infrastructure with VMware Tanzu Standard Edition, provide new enterprise capabilities, continue to expand regionally, and more. [read the post] Oracle Cloud VMware Solution features new capabilities will include the newly validated and supported VMware Tanzu Standard Edition and introduce single host SDDCs. [read the post]

Deploying and Operating Edge-Native Apps Across Multiple Clouds 

Edge computing is the next evolution of the distributed digital enterprise with the fastest growing segment of workloads, with worldwide spending expected to be $176 billion in 2022 according to IDC. (5) VMware enables organizations to run, manage and better secure edge-native apps across multiple clouds at both near edge and far edge locations. At VMware Explore 2022, VMware is introducing new and enhanced edge solutions purpose-built for edge-native apps and their unique performance, autonomy and latency requirements, including: 

VMware Edge Compute Stack 2: A fully integrated edge platform to operate modern, existing, and future edge-native applications, VMware Edge Compute Stack 2 will help customers address the needs of simplicity and scale at the edge. New capabilities will include support for smaller cluster sizes—1 control node and 1 worker node—to run containers efficiently on smaller COTS (commercial, off the shelf) hardware. Additionally, the release will also offer higher performance with GPU passthrough support to enable AI/ML use cases. Both of these features will be enabled by new functionality in VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid 2.0—helping bring simplicity and scale to the enterprise edge. Today, VMware Edge Compute Stack supports x86 hardware only. In a future release, VMware, for the first time, will introduce initial support for non-x86 processor-based specialized small form factor edge platforms to simultaneously run IT/OT workloads and workflows on a single stack. Read the VMware Edge Compute Stack 2 blog post.

Customer quote: “Audi is revolutionizing factory automation with its rollout of Edge Cloud 4 Production,” said Henning Löser, head of Audi's Production Lab. “Based on hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), Edge Cloud 4 Production servers in combination with virtual clients will replace countless expensive industrial PCs helping us save time and effort, particularly where software rollouts, operating system changes, and IT-related expenses are concerned. VMware Edge Compute Stack is helping us transform our shop floor environment with a scalable edge infrastructure that provides the foundation for Audi to continue transforming and consolidating shop floor applications.”

Managed Edge Solution with NTT: VMware and NTT are announcing an expanded partnership that will define, create, and bring to market a fully-managed edge compute solution with private 5G connectivity, delivered by NTT across its global footprint and powered by VMware Edge Compute Stack. The joint offering will give enterprises the ability to deploy, manage and monitor applications closer to the edge than ever before. Read the NTT press release.

VMware Private Mobile Network (Beta): Delivered by service providers, this new managed service offering provides enterprises with private 4G/5G mobile connectivity in support of edge-native applications. VMware will empower partners with a single PMN orchestrator to operate multi-tenant private 4G/5G networks with an enterprise-grade solution. Building on VMware Edge Compute Stack, the service is seamlessly integrated with existing IT management platforms and incorporates VMware’s industry leading compute, network, security and edge intelligence solutions.

Availability

VMware Cloud Foundation+, VMware vSphere 8, VMware vSAN 8 and VMware Edge Compute Stack 2 are all expected to be available by October 28, 2022 (the close of VMware’s Q3 FY23). VMware Private Mobile Network is expected to be available in beta in VMware’s Q3 FY23.

VMware Cross-Cloud™ services Helps Customers Navigate the Multi-Cloud Era 

At VMware Explore 2022, VMware is unveiling new and enhanced offerings for VMware Cross-Cloud services to help customers navigate the multi-cloud era with freedom, flexibility and security. VMware Cross-Cloud services is a portfolio of cloud services that deliver a unified and simplified way to build, operate, access, and better secure any application on any cloud from any device. VMware Cross-Cloud service pillars include 1) App Platform 2) Cloud Management 3) Cloud & Edge Infrastructure 4) Security & Networking, and 5) Anywhere Workspace. For the latest news and more on how VMware is delivering a faster and smarter path to cloud for digital businesses, visit the VMware Explore 2022 media kit. 

About VMware Explore

VMware Explore is an evolution of the company's flagship conference, VMworld. VMware Explore aims to be the industry’s go-to-event for all things multi-cloud. This year, it will feature industry-led solution and technical sessions, an extensive ecosystem of 90% of the top cloud partners, a thriving marketplace of multi-cloud ISVs and several networking events. To learn more about VMware Explore, visit: www.vmware.com/explore.html. 

About VMware 

VMware is a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. As a trusted foundation to accelerate innovation, VMware software gives businesses the flexibility and choice they need to build the future. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to building a better future through the company’s 2030 Agenda. For more information,  visit www.vmware.com/company.