upGrad and IIIT-B Mark 3rd Graduation Ceremony at the IIIT-B Campus

upGrad and IIIT-B mark their 3rd graduation ceremony with 864 Data Science graduates at the IIIT-B campus. This also marks the first graduation ceremony for 189 Machine Learning and AI graduates along with 44 Software Development graduates. The graduates were dominantly from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. Learners from the graduating batches transitioned into companies like Paytm, Pepperfry, Philips, Network 18, Deloitte, HSBC, etc. with a significant raise. Mayank Kumar, Co-founder & MD; along with Ronnie Screwvala, Co-founder & Chairman, upGrad, graced the event with their presence. Notable educationalists like Prof. S. Sadagopan, Director, IIIT-Bangalore, Tricha Anjali, Associate Professor & Associate Dean (Continuing Professional Education) and Chief Guest, Rishikesha Krishnan, Professor, IIM Bangalore, ex-Director IIM-Indore also graced the ceremony.

Zendesk Expands Amazon Web Services Support to Make Customer Data More Actionable

Zendesk, Inc. announced the Zendesk Events Connector for the newly launched Amazon Web Services (AWS) service Amazon EventBridge. The Zendesk Events Connector allows companies to quickly and easily connect customer experience data to the AWS services that developers already use to improve their understanding of the customer journey.

Modern customers expect their interactions with companies to be easy, personalized and responsive – all of which relies on accessing and understanding customer data. Built on the cloud, the Zendesk Events Connector is an easy, scalable, and secure way to stream near real-time data changes (events) from Zendesk into AWS. This seamless experience is achieved through Amazon EventBridge, a serverless, highly available, and scalable event bus service that allows applications to communicate with each other using events.

“Customer experience teams will no longer be let down by disconnected and siloed systems that don’t share a complete picture of the customer,” said Adrian McDermott, president of products, Zendesk. “We are excited to work with AWS to further the movement towards  companies having open access to all data, in a simple, safe and secure manner.”

This new capability from Zendesk provides companies with a near real-time understanding of customer interactions. With this data and the power of AWS, companies can build better, more innovative customer experiences by enhancing customer information with machine learning (ML), security and compliance tools, or custom analytics and business intelligence through services such as AWS Lambda, Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), Amazon Kinesis, and Amazon SageMaker.

“Customer information shouldn’t only be used to resolve tickets, it should become a part of a company’s competitive advantage,” said Dustin Lawler, VP of Technical Services, Datadog. “By integrating Zendesk into Datadog through the AWS EventBridge, we are able to leverage this important source of data throughout the entire organization in real time.”

In November last year, Zendesk announced Zendesk Sunshine, an open and flexible CRM platform focused on utilizing the power of AWS to seamlessly connect all customer data. The Zendesk Events Connector is part of the larger effort for Zendesk Sunshine to further accelerate the ability to free customer data and allow developers to build out functionality with the tools they love – entirely on open standards with the security, scalability, and reliability of AWS at its core. Zendesk Sunshine has already seen over 1,000 customers enable the platform.

Tata Motors SOUL Announces it’s 2nd Edition of the Iconic Ladakh Drive, Mountain Trail, July 2019

Tata Motors SOUL (SUV Owners United League) announced the commencement of its upcoming  SOUL “Iconic Ladakh Drive, Mountain Trail, Spiti-Ladakh” from 13th to 25th July 2019. As one of the most sought after drive of the calendar, the SOUL members are all set to experience the unparalleled beauty of Pangong Tso & Panamik coupled with an adventurous drive across Khardund La – one of the highest motorable mountain pass located at 17,500+ feet. During the drive, the members will also get a chance to visit the ancient monasteries in Kaza & Nubra Valley. 

Speaking about the Iconic event, Mr. Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “Since its beginning, the SOUL events have been a unique adventure for its members. The SOUL platform offers specially curated drives & experiences which are known to a very few. This edition in particular has been curated to provide our SOUL members with the toughest and the most challenging escapade as they take on the elements to get to the heart of the valley. With each passing edition, our number of participants has grown exponentially as the SOUL community forms everlasting bonds of Brotherhood. Accompanied by their fellow adventurers and Tata SUVs, this SOUL drive will give members a chance to visit some of the most incredible and uncharted areas in and around Ladakh.”

Flagging off from Chandigarh, 31 participants will travel in a convoy of 10 Tata SUVs, in the Iconic Drive, designed to give the Tata SUV owners an experience of a lifetime. These adventure seekers will get a chance to drive more than 1600 kilometres, along the breath-taking, scintillating landscapes of Himachal Pradesh to the Land of the mystic Lamas – Ladakh, through mesmerizing valleys & lakes of Spiti. Their driving mettle will have to be in top form as they drive on one of the most challenging dirt roads of the region and make bonds for a lifetime.

Tata SUV Owners United League (SOUL) is an Owners community program from Tata Motors that brings together the Tata SUV owners through adventurous drives traversing across some of the most breath-taking landscapes. Since its inception in 2012, the community has grown to close to 13000 proud members. Along with the new SOUL Rewards Program, the SOUL program also provides exclusive offers to customers on Tata

Motors Genuine Accessories, extended warranty and insurance, to further enhance the ownership experience of their Tata SUV.

Accenture Appoints Julie Sweet CEO and Names David Rowland Executive Chairman, Effective Sept. 1, 2019

Accenture’s board of directors announced that Julie Sweet has been appointed chief executive officer. David Rowland, currently interim chief executive officer, has been appointed executive chairman. Marge Magner, currently non-executive chair of the board, will resume her role as lead independent director. These changes are effective Sept. 1, 2019.

Sweet is currently chief executive officer of Accenture’s business in North America, the company’s largest geographic market with revenues of approximately $18 billion for fiscal 2018, serving more than 70% of the Fortune 500. Previously, Sweet was Accenture’s general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer. As a member of Accenture’s senior leadership team for nearly a decade, she has played an integral role in the company’s business and investment strategy. Prior to joining Accenture, Sweet was a partner for 10 years in the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Upon assuming the role of chief executive officer, Sweet will join the company’s board of directors.

“Julie is the right person to lead Accenture into the future, given her strong command of our business and proven ability to drive results in our largest market,” said Rowland. “We are on a positive growth trajectory at Accenture and are very well-positioned to continue building on our strong momentum. I am so pleased and proud that Julie will lead our company, and I am excited to work with her — along with our entire senior leadership team — to ensure a seamless transition and on Accenture’s next phase of growth and market leadership.”

Magner said, “Julie has the leadership track record and breadth of business experience we believe are critical to lead Accenture, including the ability to forge major client relationships, a strong focus on leading with innovation, commitment to our people and core values, and a focus on delivering value to shareholders. Speaking on behalf of the board, we look forward to working closely with Julie as chief executive officer.

“At the same time, we are delighted that we will continue to benefit from David’s experience in his active role as executive chair. He has been an exemplary leader as interim chief executive officer during this time of transition, with a steadfast commitment to driving Accenture’s business and building on our strong momentum. We are grateful for his leadership and stewardship. With Julie as chief executive officer and David as executive chair, Accenture has a powerful advantage in the marketplace.”

As executive chair, Rowland will continue to play a key role and be actively involved in Accenture’s business. He will chair the board of directors, act as an advisor to Sweet and be involved in Accenture’s long-term business strategy. He will also continue to represent Accenture with clients around the world and with key external groups.

“I am truly honored to lead our extraordinary company as Accenture’s chief executive officer,” said Sweet. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with our exceptional senior leadership team, along with David, as our executive chairman, and our entire board of directors. Accenture has the most talented people and group of leaders in our industry. Together, we will capture the next waves of growth for Accenture by remaining laser-focused on serving our clients, creating significant value for our shareholders and providing the best career experiences for our people.”

Accenture confirmed that there is no change to the business outlook for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2019 that the company provided as part of its third-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings announcement on June 27, 2019.

Julie Sweet

Julie Sweet, 51, is currently chief executive officer of Accenture in North America, the company’s largest geographic market, representing almost 50% of Accenture’s global revenues. As a member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee for nearly a decade, Sweet has played an integral role in the company’s business and investment strategy. Sweet was Accenture’s general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer for five years, serving as principal counsel to senior leadership and the board of directors, and was actively involved in executing the company’s M&A strategy and many of its largest and most complex commercial transactions.

Outside of Accenture, Sweet is a leader on topics including innovation, technology’s impact on business, and inclusion and diversity. To address the critical skills gap in America and to create an inclusive innovation economy, she is working with leaders in business, education and government to create a national professional apprenticeship movement.

Sweet serves on the board of directors of Catalyst and is a member of the TechNet Executive Council. She is also a member of the Business Roundtable, a group of chief executive officers of major U.S. corporations formed to promote pro-business public policy, and previously served on its board of directors and as chair of the Technology Committee.

Prior to joining Accenture in 2010, Sweet was a partner for 10 years in the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School.

David Rowland

David Rowland, 58, was named interim chief executive officer of Accenture on Jan. 10, 2019. Throughout his 36-year career with the company, Rowland has held significant leadership roles and played a major role in shaping Accenture’s growth strategy. Prior to his appointment as interim chief executive officer, he served as Accenture’s chief financial officer since July 2013. Rowland is a longstanding member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee, and served on the board and as Audit Committee chair for Avanade, a joint venture of Accenture and Microsoft. Prior to being named chief financial officer, Rowland served for more than six years as Accenture’s senior vice president of Finance and chaired Accenture’s Operations Council.

Renault Announces Nationwide “Monsoon Camp” Across Indian Market

Renault India, the number one European automotive brand in India, in continuance of its commitment to enhance customer satisfaction with a superlative brand ownership experience, has announced the commencement of a nationwide after-sales service initiative, 'Renault Monsoon Camp' till July 14, 2019 at all Renault Service facilities across India.

The week-long Monsoon camp will offer a comprehensive check-up for all Renault cars across 450+ service touchpoints. Trained and well-qualified service technicians would provide utmost care and expert attention that is needed for the vehicles. As per the guidelines stipulated by Renault India, the seven-day Monsoon camp will include a detailed examination of all key functions of the car to ensure necessary actions can be taken for optimal performance of the vehicle.

Renault India will also offer exclusive benefits to its customer under the Monsoon camp. Renault customers can avail up to 50% discount on select accessories, 10% discount offers on select parts, 15% discount on labour charges and other value-added services. Renault India will also provide 10% discount on ‘Renault Secure’ which offers Extended Warranty and Roadside Assistance. The company will also offer an exclusive plan on ‘Renault Assured’ to facilitate the customers with insurance renewal solutions.

In addition to the check-up facilities and free car top wash, Renault India will provide a host of other value-added benefits like special discounts on tyres (select brands) and 5% discount on engine oil replacement. Also, MyRenault app registered users will get additional 5% discount on select parts & accessories during this period. Several fun-filled activities will be organized for customers with assured gifts, making it a memorable and cherishing experience for them.

Ratnadeep Opens its First Super Retail Outlet in Indira Nagar; Plans to Open 6 More Outlets in the City

Ratnadeep opened their 1st store in Bengaluru, at Indira Nagar. The store was inaugurated by Sandeep Agrawal, MD and the film actor Kajal Aggarwal. The Hyderabad-based brand is unique and special in the supermarket store format as they have better advantage in terms of product navigation and customer friendly visual representation of the products on display. They currently have 54 operational stores and many more in the pipeline.

The store offers superlative customer convenience and a pleasant shopping experience to Bangaloreans. The imported fruits, vegetables and products stocked in the regular segment come with the assurance of best quality and price ‘‘The imported assortment, Stock Keeping Units and quality merchandise are an added advantage with easy availability and proven authenticity of different brands compared with what is available in the general market and other stores’’ said Sandeep Agarwal Managing Director, Ratnadeep Supermarket.

By the end of 2020, they aim to establish an addition of 10 – 12 stores in Bengaluru along with 25 stores in the twin cities. Talking about the growth of Ratnadeep, Sandeep Agrawal said, ‘‘In 3 years only, Ratnadeep has opened 30 stores and aims to have a total of 100 stores nation-wide by 2020. The company will be employing over 4000 people out of which 60% of their employees will be women. Ratnadeep is expecting to reach a 1000cr turnover with a CAGR of 30% by the end of 2020.’’

MSI Announces Attractive Discount Schemes on Amazon.in and Flipkart.com Up to Rs 25,000 on Gaming and Laptops

Finding a good laptop that fits into the configuration and features’ checklist and doesn’t burn a hole in the pocket can be quite a task. Be it the gamers, who are looking for speed and quick cooling fixes or the creators looking to complete that perfect portrait; the Gaming and Prestige series laptops by MSI are the one-stop solution.

MSI, the world leading gaming brand and the most trusted name in gaming and e-Sports industry, has announced attractive discounts on its laptop portfolio as part of Amazon Prime Days Sale & Flipkart’s Big Shopping Day Sale.

‘We are pleased to be a part of one of the most anticipated sale days of the biggest e-commerce platforms in the country. This participation is one of our key steps as we look forward to open more stores in India and tie-up with more retailers to make our latest products available and accessible for the Indian consumers. As MSI’s brand value and dedication leverage the most innovative products for its customers, we look forward to create one of the most trusted brands in India looking at its immense potential and rapid growth in the gaming sector’, commented Mr. Green Lin, Regional Marketing Manager, MSI.

The upcoming Amazon Prime Days Sale is one the most anticipated two days for prime members.  For the third time in a row, to give its customers an experience and choices of its virtual collection, Amazon is offering users to experience the products they plan to purchase in VR ahead of Prime Day 2019. Customers in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata are able to see products in virtual reality already and can make their respective purchases on the days of the sale.

With a wide variety of laptops to choose from, MSI offers a true value for its product.