Intuit Appoints Sanket Atal as VP and Managing Director of the India Development Center

Intuit Inc. has announced the appointment of Sanket Atal as Vice President and Managing Director of the India Development Center (IDC). Sanket will play a strategic role in Intuit’s mission of powering prosperity around the world, strengthen IDC’s position in India and ensure it is future ready to take advantage of game-changing opportunities. In this role, he will also be working closely with Vijay Anand who has expanded his role to lead Intuit’s Global Development Centers (GDC). 

Speaking on the announcement, Vijay Anand, Senior Vice President and Head – Intuit Global Development Centers said, “We’ve been in India with our Development Center for more than thirteen years and today it is a thriving microcosm of Intuit delivering end-to-end product outcomes and strategic capabilities with an ownership mindset. We have a robust and growing India leadership team and Sanket will be instrumental in driving the next chapter of growth for our India journey. He is a visionary leader with a passion for customer centricity, talent development, innovation and global growth.”

Over the last two years, Vijay Anand has supported Intuit’s Global Development Centers (GDCs). One of his key focus areas has been actively partnering with the team in Israel to grow the center, build a strong One Intuit culture and ensure long-term success in Israel. “Our Intuit GDCs are significantly growing in impact and we have a huge opportunity ahead to leverage the combined strength of our sites as we determine higher level vision and purpose for our global centers.’ Added Vijay Anand.

Sanket brings in a wealth of experience leading and growing global development centers. In his previous role with Oracle Corporation he was responsible for the R&D organization in Bangalore, NCR, Pune and St. Petersburg in Russia. He had founded the global program, Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator (OSCA) by establishing its first center in Bengaluru in April, 2016 and lead the expansion of the program to nine centers in seven countries and added a virtual accelerator program.

“I am very happy to be a part of a mission driven organization that continues to deliver customer driven innovation. The number of innovation awards and patents won by Intuit India is a testament to the capability of the1000 strong talented team.  I am excited to take IDC on its next stage of growth; leading with new technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence and data sciences that creates a powerful ecosystem for Intuit’s 46 million customers.

India provides a unique opportunity for us, especially with the emergence of IndiaStack to leverage the best from this thriving ecosystem to deliver cutting edge product innovation. I am confident that we will continue to achieve industry defining and company-first outcomes.  As well as renew our commitment of creating a workplace where we can do the best work of our lives” said Sanket Atal –Vice President and Managing Director, Intuit India Development Center on his recent appointment.

Sanket’s background is in Systems Engineering and has managed large organizations. He started his career in August of 1991 at Sequent Computer Systems on a joint project with Informix Corp.  He has been associated with industry stalwarts like Informix Corp, Oracle, CA Technologies and MakeMyTrip.com

Sanket holds an MBA from University of Oregon and an MS in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin, Madison. His undergraduate studies were at Cornell University where he studied Computer Science and Mathematics.

Subex Takes Home Three Pipeline Innovation Awards at Nice, France

Subex, a leading telecom analytics solution provider, has announced that it has been recognised by Pipeline publishing for innovation in three categories: Big Data & Analytics, Managed Services and Security & Assurance. The Award function was held at Nice, France on May 14, 2018.

The ‘Innovations in Big Data & Analytics’ award recognized the capabilities of Subex’s ROC Insights advanced analytics solution which helps organizations be data-driven through the democratization of data science. For the ‘Innovations in Managed Services’ award, Subex successfully showcased its Managed Services offering which helps CSPs globally to stay on the growth path while driving business outcomes and protecting revenues backed by strong domain, technology, and operational expertise.

In terms of the ‘Innovations in Security & Assurance’ category, Subex demonstrated how its IoT Security solution, Subex Secure, offers comprehensive IoT security coverage from real-time discovery and monitoring to response and recovery. The solution leverages a one-of-its-kind honeypot network that combines physical devices and device emulations to generate IoT / ICS signatures.

"Pipeline is happy to see Subex recognized by the 2018 Innovation Award judges for its ongoing innovation in Big Data and Analytics, Managed Services, and Security,” said Scott St. John, Managing Editor of Pipeline. “The Pipeline Innovation Awards are exclusively judged by a panel of technical executives from service provider and analyst companies, and this year included experts from Telenor, Singtel, Windstream, and Analysys Mason; which only further validates Subex’s continued innovation in these areas by key stakeholders in the industry and, in particular, by those that leverage innovative technology products to deliver the most advanced communications services around the world."

Vinod Kumar, CEO and Managing Director, Subex said, “It gives us great pride and honour to be recognised at the prestigious Pipeline Innovation Awards for our work in Analytics, Security and Managed Services. The Pipeline awards continue to be a fantastic platform for us to showcase our spirit of innovation and technical expertise, and the validation we have received signifies our commitment towards ensuring our customers a smooth digital transformation journey.”

New Surge Free App Service Unveiled in Mumbai by Logistics Firm Bharat Freight

New app-based service S3 Cabs have been rolled out in Mumbai and were inaugurated by Sudhakar Deshmukh, MLA for Nagpur West. The service is an initiative by the Bharat Freight, a logistics company.

S3 service does not have surge pricing or night charges; the cabs are available at a flat rate. Sahayadri Smart Safe Private Limited – the company behind the cab services thought that flat pricing will be a good respite for riders traveling in the peak hours and for regular and corporate travelers. Also, passengers who do not have the application downloaded or without a smartphone, have the option of booking the cab through service representatives designated at different parts of the Mumbai region and also through a phone call. A separate service application has been developed to enable this service. New and innovative ways of deploying SOS service has been planned for the safety of passengers. Not only SOS but the riders will also be able to customize the trip using language options, tourist guide option, etc. 

 At the time when complaints are rampant from drivers against other dominant players of the cab service industry for various reasons, S3 has already drawn strategies around the pain points. Sohel Kazani, Director, Sahayadri Smart Safe Pvt. Ltd. also said the service gave a higher commission to drivers and took their safety and well-being seriously. “Both the drivers and the riders are offered 24/7 phone support, and that drivers are not allowed to spend more than 10 hours driving for S3, in order to prevent driver fatigue. In-cab entertainment options are also being explored and will be rolled out soon.”

Sudhakar Deshmukh speaking on the development said, “Government was trying to create a similar application and that I am very happy to know Bharat Freight Company has taken a CSR initiative and the state will extend its full support for the same. I am also of that opinion that we should give sufficient training to drivers to enhance the standard of taxis and improve the quality of life of the drivers and their families. The company should explore our skill development program to meet the desired objectives.” Actor, screenwriter, producer and director Akbar Khan were also there for the launch along with corporator Harshala More. The idea was the brainchild of Prafulla Shinde, son of a retired police officer from the Mumbai Police. Prafulla is now a director with Sahayadari Smart Safe Pvt. Ltd.  

Prafulla exclaimed, “We are going to charge 3% towards facility charges from drivers on a daily earning of up to ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 and 10% on any amount above it, as opposed to 20-25% charged by others. We have set up a call center. Complaints can be made via mail, WhatsApp, and on the helpline number. Drivers can also be rated,” he said. The app is available on Android and IOS platforms. S3 also developed a service app for restaurants, hotels, bars, etc. who can use it to book cabs for their customers. Shinde said S3 also plans to launch a parcel service in July and they are already in talks with two online shopping companies.

S3 has deployed the most updated technology platform that will greatly reduce the booking v/s delivery turnaround time for customers. It will also minimize the response time for customer calls. The chauffeurs are called, are well-trained in the use of the technology and soft skills. The venture is expected to generate 5,000 direct jobs.  

Vijaya Bank Tags Anil Ambani Group - Reliance Naval as NPA from March Quarter of 2018

The state-run Vijaya Bank has classified the Anil Ambani group-led Reliance Naval & Engineering, whose auditors had recently expressed doubts about the company’s ability to continue as a “going concern”, as non-performing asset from the March quarter.

The company, which was earlier known as Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering, was bought over by Anil Ambani group in 2016 and renamed it as Reliance Defence & Engineering. It owes over Rs 9,000 to over two dozen banks mostly state-run, led by the troubled IDBI Bank.

The Bengaluru-based Vijaya Bank said the action was necessitated by the February 12 changes that the Reserve Bank had brought to the NPA resolution framework, which while scrapping all the existing frameworks, including debt restructuring, asked banks to consider even one-day delay in payments as default which if not cleared in 180 days should be sent to NCLT for bankruptcy proceedings.

“A few accounts, including Reliance Naval, were under various restructuring schemes like the SDR and S4A by all the lenders. With the February 12 circular, the RBI made it clear that all those accounts where restructuring could not happen by then, have to be treated as NPAs. Reliance Naval was under restructuring (SDR), but the implementation could not happen, and so, it slipped into NPA from the March quarter,” a senior Vijaya Ban official told the agency over phone from Bengaluru over the weekend.

The official further said the bank has made adequate provisions for the Reliance Naval account in the March quarter without disclosing how much is its exposure and how much it has provided for. A mail sent to the company last evening did not elicit a response till the time of transmission of this story.

Reliance Naval is the second firm from the Anil Ambani group to become NPAs after its once flagship but now bankrupt Reliance Communication, which is already at the Mumbai NCLT. RCom owes over Rs 45,000 crore to 31 banks apart from a China Development Bank.

Defence Naval, which is into defence ship-building, has also been tagged as NPA by state-run Union Bank of India, according media report, which also said the account was tagged as SMA2 by all the lenders since the past many quarters. But PTI could not verify it with the city-based lender.

An account is called SMA 2 if it is in default for up to 60 days bit if it remains so for another 30 days then it has to be tagged as an NPA account and the bank has to make provision and since the February 12 RBI circular, should be sent to NCLT for bankruptcy provisions. As of March 2017, Reliance Naval had an outstanding borrowings of Rs 8,753.19.38 crore.

In the March 2018 quarter, it reported a threefold jump in net loss to Rs 408.68 crore from Rs 139.92 crore in the previous 12 months period. For the full year to March 2018, its net loss almost doubled to Rs 956.09 crore from Rs 523.43 crore in previous year.

In the March quarter, the IDBI Bank-led lenders consortium recalled their loans to the company and invoked the pledged shares as well as the guarantees available with them. In a note in the FY18 earnings statement, its auditors Pathak HD & Associates had raised doubts about the company’s ability to “continue as a going concern“.

Auditors listed cash losses, net worth erosion, loan recall back by secured lenders, mounting current liabilities which are substantially higher than assets and winding up petitions by a few operating creditors to raise its doubts. Ambani had picked up controlling stake in Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering in 2016 and renamed it as Reliance Defence & Engineering. Last year, it was renamed again as Reliance Naval & Engineering.

Indian Hotels Expands Taj Vivanta by Adding 220 Extra Rooms in Bangalore

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) on Monday announced a major expansion of Taj Bangalore, adding 220 guest rooms along with additional facilities. The hotel opened its doors in December 2015, with 154 rooms.

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IHCL said, “This expansion is in line with Aspiration 2022. I am delighted that Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) has expressed its vote of confidence in us and will invest in enhancing capacity..”

IHCL has eight hotels in Bangalore across its brandscape.

Department of Telecom Approves Bharti Airtel, Telenor India Merger

The Department of Telecom (DoT) on Monday approved the merger of Telenor India with Bharti Airtel, according to an official source.

“The DoT has approved merger of Telenor India with Bharti Airtel this morning,” the official source said.

The Supreme Court last week rejected DoT’s petition for security deposit of around Rs 1,700 crore from the companies and directed it to approve the merger.

The guarantee included Rs 1,499 crore for one-time spectrum charge for the radiowaves allocated to Airtel without auction, and over Rs 200 crore for spectrum payment which Telenor has to make.

The merger will bolster Airtel’s spectrum footprint in seven telecom circles, with the addition of 43.4 MHz spectrum in the 1800 MHz band.

Telenor India runs operations in seven circles -- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP (East), UP (West) and Assam. DoT has asked Airtel to reduce it market share based on adjusted gross revenue (money earned from telecom services) in Bihar service area to the limit of 50%, within one year from the date merger of two companies is approved.

World’s Largest Commercial PC Manufacturers Introduce AMD Ryzen PRO Mobile and Desktop APU Powered Systems

AMD has announced unprecedented adoption of its AMD Ryzen PRO processors – including new notebooks and desktops powered by Ryzen PRO processors with built-in Radeon Vega graphics now available from the world’s three largest enterprise PC OEMs. AMD Ryzen PRO APUs for premium commercial desktop and notebooks provide commercial PC buyers with new levels of choice and innovation and enable Dell, HP, and Lenovo to create a range of business systems, from sleek enterprise notebooks to powerful commercial desktops. Combined, these systems make up the broadest portfolio of AMD processor-based enterprise PCs in the company’s history.

“Our mission with AMD Ryzen processors is to deliver more performance, features, and choice to users. We’ve fulfilled this promise over the last year across the premium consumer desktop and notebook markets. Now, we bring those same principles to a full range of commercial notebooks and desktops,” said Jim Anderson, senior vice president and general manager, Computing and Graphics Business Group, AMD. “The new enterprise platforms introduced by Dell, HP and Lenovo mark an important milestone for AMD, demonstrating that we are addressing the needs of the premium commercial market from top-to-bottom. Ryzen PRO mobile processors can enable all-day battery life[i] up to 16 hours of use, world-class productivity performance, and sensational graphics built on Radeon technology.”

Ryzen PRO processors are designed to meet the fast-changing requirements of today’s business PC users, including both commercial workloads and rich multimedia capabilities that are becoming more typical as the traditional boundaries between work and personal computing merge. Offering desktop-class performance in an ultrathin notebook, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700U offers more system performance than the competition[iii] and up to 16 hours of battery life to enable all-day productivity1. In desktop, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200G delivers world-class performance on heavily graphics-intensive commercial and workstation-grade workloads ranging from graphics design to 3D CAD to medical imaging, while also excelling at general office productivity tasks.

Designed specifically for the commercial market, all Ryzen PRO processors provide security, reliability and performance with the award-winning AMD “Zen” architecture. Armed with AMD GuardMI technology, Ryzen PRO processors with Radeon Vega Graphics offer state-of-the-art security at the silicon level from power-on to power-off. Commercial-grade quality and reliability help ensure platform longevity, and open-standard manageability helps safeguard businesses from being locked into proprietary solutions.

Global OEM & Partner Support

During an event in front of global press and industry analysts last week, several top global PC OEMs unveiled a breadth of commercial platform offerings including light but powerful enterprise notebooks, robust enterprise desktops, compact enterprise micro towers and small form factor desktops, all powered by Ryzen PRO processors with Radeon Vega Graphics.

“We’re proud to introduce our first Ryzen PRO based Latitude 5495 laptop that delivers outstanding performance in a beautiful design,” said Andy Rhodes, vice president & general manager, Dell Commercial Mobility Solutions. “The Latitude 5495 complements the OptiPlex 5055 desktop PC and provides our customers with another compelling AMD Ryzen PRO option within the world’s most secure, manageable and reliable commercial portfolio.”

“HP is redefining the commercial PC experience as the traditional boundaries between work and life blend. Our latest offerings with AMD Ryzen PRO processors integrate powerful processing and graphics into innovative solutions built with a focus on design, security, and collaboration to power the modern workforce.” Lorena Kubera, Global Head of Commercial Product Management, HP Inc.

“For more than 25 years, the ThinkPad brand has been defined by simplicity, function, and reliability. And as the digital transformation advances with exponential speed, Lenovo maintains a relentless quest to deliver a no-compromise customer experience,” said Jerry Paradise, vice president, Lenovo global commercial portfolio & product management. “Expanding that portfolio to include the latest Ryzen PRO processors in our ThinkPad A series notebooks and ThinkCentre M715q & M725s desktops helps us to further support our enterprise customers and their ever-evolving business requirements.”

“Modern workers are changing how they work and play – always on-the-go, multi-tasking from basic office productivity work like emailing, word processing, editing spreadsheets and presentations, to web browsing and livestreaming multimedia content all at the same time,” said Roanne Sones, general manager, strategy and ecosystem for Windows at Microsoft. “The new multi-core design of Ryzen PRO processors delivers amazing performance on Windows 10 PCs, while the ‘Vega’ graphics architecture enables a smoother and richer visual experience, ideally suited for today’s modern commercial environments.”