AmazonBusiness.in is Wholesaler for Patanjali Ayurved Products in Bengaluru & Mangaluru

Amazonbusiness.in, the wholesale online business-to-business platform from Amazon has announced the availability of a wide range of products from Patanjali Ayurved to its members in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Retailers from the two cities will now be able to order for their preferred Patanjali products at any time of the day and get door-step deliveries through Amazon’s reliable delivery service. Patanjali Ayurved currently sells a wide variety of products from Food & Beverages to Health & Personal care and all products listed on AmazonBusiness.in will be easily accessible to retailers in Bengaluru and Mangaluru.

Commenting on the association with Patanjali Ayurved, Kaveesh Chawla, General Manager, AmazonBusiness.in said, “We are happy to partner with Patanjali Ayurved for their products. We expect this partnership to benefit retailers in Bengaluru and Mangaluru tremendously. We also believe that this partnership will immensely benefit Patanjali by helping them reach out to a larger set of retailers who have seen demand for the Patanjali products but may not have been able to access these products easily through the existing distribution channels.”

 "On announcing this exclusive partnership, Adiya Pittie, CEO of Pittie Group, the modern retail distributors for Patanjali said, "We are extremely happy to partner with Amazon business. Keeping in mind Patanjali's mission of providing quality products to every consumer, this partnership will enable our products to reach a larger customer base."

In less than a year since launch, AmazonBusiness.in now carries thousands of branded products across the following categories- Office Products and Stationery, Cleaning and Housekeeping Supplies, Bed and Bath, Kitchen and Dining, Health and Personal Care, and Food and Beverages, serving businesses in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Members can order from anywhere at any time of the day, pay via multiple payment options provided by Amazon and have the products delivered to their doorstep.

Five Unique Features Drives Tata Motors Hatchback - Tiago in India

By Manu Sharma

With the launch of the Tiago, Tata Motors has moved away from the old Indica design theme to something more functional. It has incorporated some dynamic features usually associated with high-end vehicles. Some of these features include: Multi-drive mode; Advanced Engine Management System (EMS); Advanced 9^th Generation ABS and Corner Stability Control; Rear Parking Sensors and Harman Infotainment System among others.

Tata Motors has announced the commercial launch of its cool new hatchback, the TIAGO in Bangalore on April 18, 2016. It comes with cutting edge design, technology and driving dynamics to create new segment benchmarks in the industry. Some of the unique features include:

Design and Interiors: With inputs from the Pune, UK and Italy design studios, the TIAGO’s appealing exterior design has a dynamic silhouette to emphasize the compact look and sharp design. The new 3-dimensional ‘T’ Logo is placed in a semi vertical position on the signature hexagon grill, giving it a bold, expressive face with a confident, agile stance. TIAGO’s interiors have been crafted with utmost precision for a premium feel. The geometric texture accented with chrome handles, knitted fabrics, colour harmony, layered design theme with a dual tone interior, customisable air vents, premium graphics on the fabric and body hugging seat bolsters all give it an upmarket, inviting feel.

Multi Drive Mode: The stylish design is complemented by enhanced performance and driving dynamics. The TIAGO will be available in petrol and diesel variants with two new engines - Revotron 1.2L (petrol engine) and Revotorq 1.05L (diesel engine). These have been indigenously developed by the company and globally benchmarked for a refined road performance. Both these engines have been designed and programmed to deliver superior fuel economy and a peppy driving experience with a segment-first feature, the Multi-drive mode – City and Eco – making it equivalent to offering two engines in one.

Safety and Other Features: The two drive modes are supported by an advanced Engine Management System (EMS). Tiago’s many safety features include dual front airbags, advance 9^th generation ABS with EBD and corner stability control, rear parking sensors with display on infotainment screen and energy absorbing body structure for superior safety.

Infotainment: Recognising the dynamic consumer world with increasing need for connectivity, TIAGO comes equipped with an infotainment system designed exclusively by Harman. The car comes with new segment-first applications like the Turn-by-Turn Navi app and the Juke-Car app.

Pricing: At a starting price of Rs 3.32 Lakhs, ex-showroom, Bangalore, for the Revotron 1.2L (petrol) variants to Rs 4.89 lakh and Rs 4.08 Lakhs to Rs 5.69 lakh, ex-showroom, Bangalore, for the Revotorq 1.05L (diesel) variants, the TIAGO will be available for sale, across the country in over 597 Tata Motors sales outlets, from April 18, 2016.  

Customer Services: Tata Motors will also take its customer service engagements to the next level with the launch of Tata Motors/Service Connect, a new customer application for TIAGO customers, to make the post-purchase experience easy and stay connected with them at all times for a hassle-free service experience. Besides providing free pick-up and drop service, Tata Motors Service will also offer loaner cars for repair services if it requires the car to be at workshop overnight.  

  

Variants and Colours: Available in 5 dynamic variants – XB, XE, XM, XT and XZ with optional variants in XE, XM and XT and comes in six exciting colour options - Striker Blue, Berry Red, Sunburst Orange, Espresso Brown, Pearlescent White and Platinum Silver.

Warranty: The car will come with a warranty of 2 Years / 75,000 KM (whichever is earlier) with an extended warranty option of 2 years + 1 year (3rd year extended warranty up to 75,000km) or 2 years + 2 years (3rd and 4th year extended warranty up to 1,00,000 kms).

Guenter Butschek, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tata Motors, said, “The TIAGO reflects our passion and commitment to bring exciting, technology driven cars into the market. Class leading features, advanced driving dynamics, outstanding fuel efficiency, offers a great value for a contemporary, young car.”  

According to Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “The TIAGO is the first car to be launched under our Made Of Great campaign and the first to embody our new IMAPCT Design language. This globally benchmarked car, represents the next big leap in our transformation journey.. We are confident that TIAGO’s strong and distinct character will make it stand out in this highly popular but immensely competitive segment.”

Infosys Finacle Bags Asia Green Development Bank in Myanmar to Provide a Next-Gen Banking Experience to Customers

Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, the product subsidiary of Infosys and Asia Green Development (AGD) Bank, a leading bank in Myanmar, announced the bank’s decision to adopt the Finacle Core Banking, Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, and financial ecosystem solutions. These would provide its customers a next-generation banking experience by enabling seamless transactions, regardless of the channel, the location and the time. Powered by the Finacle suite of solutions, AGD Bank aims to expand its client base, while significantly enhancing productivity and profitability.

 Highlights:

* The Finacle platform will enable a transformational change at the bank by eliminating various manual processes, enhancing productivity, reducing errors, and ensuring 24X7 operations. This will further strengthen the bank’s position vis-à-vis its peers

* Finacle will also help the bank overcome the challenges associated with a legacy distributed system, which made it impossible to review clients’ holdings in a consolidated manner. The new implementation will provide the bank a 360-degree view of customer relationships and transactions

* The built-in analytics capability will help the bank understand customer preferences better and thereby offer personalized products and services

* Finacle’s proven scalability will allow AGD Bank to seamlessly and easily expand scale of operations with growth

Andy Dey, President - Customer and Operations, EdgeVerve says, "The banking industry in Myanmar is witnessing a renewed growth and banks are showing a strong appetite for expansion. A modern banking technology platform is critical to drive growth for Myanmar banks at this stage. With the Finacle suite of solutions, AGD Bank will be able to integrate various channels, effortlessly develop and launch new offerings, create new lines of revenue, and work with greater efficiencies, which is in line with the bank’s long-term growth.”

Htoo Htet Tay Za, Managing Director, Asia Green Development Bank said, “At Asia Green Development Bank, our endeavor is to help our clients fulfill their needs by delivering an excellent banking experience. We believe that the adoption of the Finacle family of solutions will support us in achieving our goal of delivering just that.” 

MasterCard & Singapore Tourism Board Team Up for Priceless Surprises to Indian Vacationers in Singapore

MasterCard and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced a new campaign recently to entice Indian visitors traveling to Singapore. The initiative was launched through a new digital campaign #FulfilAPromise featuring Indian actors’ father-daughter duo Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor.

The MasterCard and STB cross-border campaign offers a chance to fulfil the promise of a holiday to your family by winning a grand prize of a trip for a family of four to Singapore.

With this collaboration, MasterCard and Singapore Tourism Board will target Indian travelers exploring international destinations for their annual vacations and promote Singapore as a preferred travel destination this Holiday season.

“With summer vacations on the anvil, consumers in India get ready for the upcoming holiday-travel season. We wanted to bring the best of experiences and delight for our cardholders that truly money cannot buy. Experiences like such can be shared and enjoyed with people who matter to you,” said Parag Bhatnagar, Vice President, Marketing, South Asia, MasterCard. “We are excited to strengthen our partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board to enhance the Priceless experience for visitors to Singapore. Through the campaign and Priceless Surprises, cardholders will stand a chance to win a grand prize vacation in Singapore to fulfil the promises they have made to their loved ones and create memories that will last a lifetime.”

The recent MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index (APDI) revealed that Asia Pacific cities have increasingly dominated as the fastest growing and most visited destinations in the world. Singapore was ranked the second top destination by arrival in Asia Pacific in terms of arrivals, total night stayed and in total expenditure. With Priceless Singapore, MasterCard aims to surprise and delight its Indian cardholders with exclusive experiences and privileged access, designed to be shared and enjoyed with the people who matter to them. MasterCard’s Priceless Singapore will connect people with their passions –shopping, travel, food and entertainment – and gives select access to a collection of exceptional experiences across the city.

“India is an important growth market for us. Having seen a steady increase in tourist numbers from India over the last decade, we crossed the million mark in terms of Indian visitor arrivals in 2015. We want to continue to make every trip to Singapore a memorable one, and are excited to partner with MasterCard to provide exclusive privileges to Indian travelers to enhance the Singapore experience,” said Chang Chee Pey, Executive Director, Singapore Tourism Board.

As part of the campaign, MasterCard invited its cardholders to submit entries on the MasterCard India and/or Singapore Tourism Board Facebook page by sharing their stories on the promises they have made to their families and how they would like to fulfill these promises in Singapore. The campaign will be held till May 6, 2016. One grand prize winner of the campaign will get a curated stay experience in Singapore and 10 minor reward winners will be awarded with a three night’s getaway in Singapore. The minor rewards will be announced for every week of the campaign period and a grand prize winner will be announced in the second week of May 2016.

Echoing his thoughts, Anil Kapoor, Actor and Producer said “I am delighted to be a part of the campaign as it easily captures the struggle of working parents and their responsibilities towards their families. The campaign is a gentle reminder to all the parents who are busy with their work life and are unable to keep up their promises they make to their families.”

“As a kid, I remember how disappointed I felt when a much awaited vacation was cancelled due to my father’s busy schedule. The campaign will make the working parents realise that before it’s too late and you regret what you have missed with your family, it’s time to make each moment count and fulfil the promises you have made to the people you love.” said,  Sonam Kapoor, Actress and Anil Kapoor’s daughter.

Accenture & Leading Financial Institutions Call for Applicants for the Asia-Pacific FinTech Innovation Lab 2016

Applications are open for Asia-Pacific’s third annual FinTech Innovation Lab, Accenture’s 12-week program that helps early- and growth-stage financial technology (fintech) companies accelerate product and business development by gaining exposure to top financial institution executives. Applications can be made at www.fintechinnovationlab.com and close on May 31, 2016.

Investments in Asia-Pacific fintech companies are on the rise:  during the first quarter of 2016 investments totalled $2.7 billion, representing 51% of the $5.3 billion invested into fintech companies globally, according to a recent Accenture study, FinTech and the Evolving Landscape,

“We’re having fintech discussions at financial institutions across Asia, as executives want to know about the latest cutting edge fintech solutions to invest in, develop or buy that can streamline services for customers,” said Jon Allaway, senior managing director at Accenture and the executive sponsor of the FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific. “That is why in our third year of the lab we have increased the number of financial institutions in the lab to 20 from 12, increased the number of participants we’ll accept in the program to 12 from seven and expanded to include insurance.”

The FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific is a program for entrepreneurs that are developing cutting-edge and disruptive technologies for the financial services sector – particularly in the areas of big data; analytics and cognitive computing; security and identity management; risk management and compliance; digital marketing and social media; cloud; payments; blockchain technology; talent management; and, Internet of Things applications.

Chief technology officers and senior technology executives from the financial institutions will selecttwelve of the applying fintech companies to participate in the Lab through a competitive process and will then provide them with intensive in-person mentoring in Hong Kong. 

The twelve principle financial institutions are: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Credit Suisse, Generali, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Maybank, Morgan Stanley, Sun Life Financial and UBS. In addition, supporting banks include: China CITIC Bank International, China Construction Bank (Asia), Macquarie, Nomura, Standard Chartered, Siam Commercial Bank, Societe Generale, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG).

Applicants must have a working beta version of their technology. The Lab, which begins in August 2016, will partner the chosen fintech entrepreneurs with senior-level bank and insurance company executives and leading technology entrepreneurs, to help them fine-tune and develop their technologies and business strategies through a series of workshops, panel discussions, user-group sessions, networking opportunities, one-on-one meetings and presentations. Cyberport will provide work space to participating entrepreneurs, and J Plus Hotel by YOO will assist with accommodations. The Lab culminates in November 2016 with a Demo Day presentation by selected participants in front of an audience of venture capitalists and financial industry executives.

According to FinTech and the Evolving Landscape, a report issued by Accenture in early April, the value of fintech investments globally rose to more than $22 billion in 2015, with Asia increasingly capturing a larger share of the market.

"With more than $5 billion in investments in Q1 we’re on track to see a similar level of fintech investments as last year,” noted Beat Monnerat, senior managing director and head of Accenture’s financial services business in Asia-Pacific. “The Lab, now in its third year, is helping financial services executives across the region harness the potential of fintech for the industry.”

Participants in previous labs have, for example, gone on to work with some of their mentees and mentors.

“As part of the new financial services ecosystem, HSBC is pleased to deepen its collaboration with the fintech community, which will help us to improve customer experience,” said Raymond Cheng, HSBC’s chief operating officer for Asia-Pacific. “Fintech start-ups bring creativity, agility and new technology, which we can mentor, test, refine and apply at scale. For example, last year, we adopted the FinSuite automated financial spreading product across 27 countries, which sped up the approval of loans for our commercial banking clients.”

"This year", continued Cheng, "our intention is to explore more opportunities to use fintech products in our strategic locations like the Pearl River Delta to provide simpler, better and faster financial services to our customers."

"Our participation in the lab and the collaboration with HSBC that followed, has helped propel FinSuite from a small Australian startup to a global fintech participant, currently expanding into MENA and the US," said founder and CEO Bart Jesman.

The FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific is modelled on a similar program that Accenture co-founded in 2010 with the Partnership Fund for New York City, the US$115 million investment arm of the Partnership for New York City (www.pfnyc.org). In 2012, Accenture and a dozen major banks in London launched the FinTech Innovation Lab London, with support from the city’s mayor and other government bodies.  In 2014, Accenture launched FinTech Innovation Labs in Asia-Pacific and Dublin, Ireland. Globally, the Labs’ alumni companies have raised more than US$335 million in financing after participating in the programme. Four companies from the New York FinTech Innovation Lab have been acquired, two in 2015 alone, including Standard Treasury and BillGuard.

Inox Wind Bags Two Projects to Install 50 MW Each in MP & Gujarat

Inox Wind Limited, further strengthening its position as the country’s top wind energy solutions provider, has bagged two orders for a cumulative capacity of 100 MW from one of India’s leading renewable energy independent power producers.  The turnkey orders comprise of a 50 MW project to be set up in Gujarat and a 50 MW project to be set up in Madhya Pradesh. The projects once commissioned will provide power to 50,000 households, curtail 0.15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and further consolidate Inox Wind’s leading position in the two states. 

As part of the turnkey projects, Inox Wind will provide end to end solutions from development and construction to commissioning and providing long term operations and maintenance services.  The orders involve supply and installation of 25 units of Inox Wind’s 100 meter rotor dia Wind Turbine Generator for the Gujarat project and 25 units of the company’s 113 meter rotor dia WTG for the Madhya Pradesh project.  The 113 m rotor dia WTG is the newest variant of the company’s market leading 2 MW platform and has been tested to have one of the highest Generation Performance per kilowatt of all WTG variants available in India.

Inox Wind offers its clients total wind power solutions including wind resource assessment, acquiring land, developing the entire site infrastructure, building the power evacuation system, supplying the WTGs, erection and commissioning services, long term operations and maintenance services as well as post-commissioning support.      

“These orders have further boosted Inox’s strong order book with major IPPs in India. Orders from a leading renewable energy IPP prove the competitiveness of wind power in the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and ensure that Inox Wind continues to play a key role in further developing the wind energy industry in the two states .” said Kailash Tarachandani, Chief Executive Officer of Inox Wind Limited in his statement.  

NASSCOM & Symantec Collaborate for Cyber Security Courseware

National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) along with Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and leading security software company Symantec launched the National Occupational Standards for ten cyber security job roles with the corresponding Qualification Packs (QP) in line with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). Several other organizations across IT/ITeS, Financial services and Consultancy Advisory services have provided necessary feedback and guidance to define the ten new job roles and Qualification Packs (QPs).

The event was conducted in the presence of senior functionaries across government, industry and academia, and witnessed the felicitation of women, on their way to becoming certified cyber security professionals.

With an objective of providing cyber security skills training and certification to women professionals in India, Symantec has also instituted scholarships to 1,000 women undertaking the cyber security certification by SSC NASSCOM. Last year, the organizations had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the launch of Cyber Security Skill Development Initiative.

Talking about Symantec’s on-going association with NASSCOM, Sanjay Rohatgi, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Symantec said “Building the next generation of cyber professionals is key to securing India’s critical information infrastructure, battling cybercrime and making the ‘Digital India’ initiative successful. As the global leader in cyber security, Symantec partners closely with governments and law enforcement agencies around the world. Leading on from our commitment in 2015, we continue to work closely with NASSCOM to build a cadre of world class, skilled and certified cyber security professionals in India, with a special focus on youth and women."

R Chandrashekhar, President, NASSCOM, speaking on the occasion said, “This initiative has a two-pronged approach – it contributes to containing the spurt of cybercrime and also enhances the employability of the workforce. With collaborative efforts, we are glad to announce the launch of ten QPs & the courseware for QP Analyst - Application Security, which is the collective effort of the industry and is going to be a landmark in empowering women while fighting a major issue like cybercrime.”

The launch of the ten new qualification packs/job roles focuses on streamlining the cyber security skills development initiative, and also enhances the relevance and standards for talent development in the cyber Security community within India.