AQR Capital Management Establishes Engineering Center in Bangalore, India

AQR Capital Management, LLC has announced the establishment of an engineering center in Bangalore, India. The new Bangalore office will significantly expand AQR’s Engineering team by drawing from the region’s deep supply of highly talented technology professionals. The Bangalore team will collaborate closely with AQR’s U.S. Engineering group on the development of technology central to AQR’s research, portfolio management and trading systems.

AQR’s Bangalore team will be an extension AQR’s global team, which spans offices in the U.S., UK, Hong Kong and Australia. AQR expects to hire approximately150 quantitative engineers and data scientists as it builds out its Bangalore presence. The team will focus on developing and enhancing solutions primarily on a cloud-based platform, including trading systems, data and visualization tools, portfolio analytics, and micro-services to support a variety of front office platforms.

“We are excited to open our Bangalore office, which will substantially grow our engineering capabilities,” said Neal Pawar, Chief Technology Officer at AQR. “As a leading global investment management firm and a pioneer in quantitative investing, technological innovation is at the core of what we do. We believe engaging Bangalore’s top technology talent will fuel our ability to further develop the cutting-edge technology that underpins our investment processes. Bangalore has start-up culture in its DNA and we’re looking to attract the top talent in the region to join our Engineering organization.”

The Bangalore office will be led by Chrys Kattirisetti, Managing Director and India Country Head at AQR. She joined AQR from D.E. Shaw India Private Ltd., where she was a Director overseeing a front office technology group overseeing quantitative development as well as a member of their Operating Committee. With 20 years of front office development experience, Chrys’s immediate focus will be on growing the Bangalore team.

New Research Uncovers $500 Million Enterprise Value Opportunity with Data Literacy

According to a major academic study commissioned by Qlik, on behalf of the newly launched Data Literacy Project, large enterprises that have higher corporate data literacy experience $320-$534 million in higher enterprise value (the total market value of the business).

Corporate data literacy is the ability of a company workforce to read, analyze, utilize for decisions and communicate data throughout the organization. Beyond having a data literate workforce, organizations must ensure these skills are used for decision making across the business to compete in the fourth industrial revolution.

Despite a clear correlation between enterprise value and data literacy, there is a gap between how companies perceive the importance and relevance of data, and how they are actively increasing workforce data literacy. While 92% of business decisions makers believe it is important for employees to be data literate, just 17% report that their business significantly encourages employees to become more confident with data.

Corporate Data Literacy Can Improve Financial Performance

The Data Literacy Index is a rigorous model that scores companies based on the extent to which firms have the necessary data and the capabilities to use data for decision making. When correlated to measures of corporate performance, organizations that rank in the top third of the Data Literacy Index have 3 to 5% higher enterprise value. In addition, improved data literacy appears to have a positive correlation with other measures of corporate performance, including gross margin, return-on-assets, return-on-equity and return-on-sales.

Arun Balasubramanian, Managing Director at Qlik India, concluded, “The world today is inundated with data, and yet organizations are struggling to utilize it to drive better decision-making. Despite India having the most data literate workforce globally, these skills could be underutilized – this could be due to a lack of adequate processes or training within the organization to use data. Qlik has been working towards raising awareness about the critical need for promoting data literacy across the globe, and how it has become a key opportunity area for global enterprises. The findings of the Data Literacy Index merely highlight why business leaders across industries need to take charge of the data evolution of their organizations and the significant value that data literacy brings to the organization. Only by empowering their employees with data literacy can they realize the greater business value and continue to thrive in a fast-changing, hyper-competitive business landscape.”

“This is the first time that data literacy has been measured on a company level, which includes not only the data skills of company employees, but also the use of data for making decisions throughout the company,” said Lorin Hitt, Professor at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “This is important because our research suggests that this broader concept of corporate data literacy represents a mutually reinforcing set of business practices that are associated with higher financial performance.”

To inform the Data Literacy Index, 604 global enterprise business decision makers in 10 geographies were surveyed on their companies’ use of data and approach to data literacy. The research study was defined by Wharton academics and conducted by PSB Research. Other key findings include:

Businesses Not Ready to Pay for Widespread Data Expertise

The majority of business decision makers feel it is vital for employees to be data literate, but just 24% of the global workforce reports being fully confident in their ability to read, work with, analyze and communicate with data.*

Further aggravating this skills gap, while two-thirds of companies (63%) are planning on hiring more data literate employees, the onus is on the individual. Business leaders have been unwilling to commit resources to improve the data literacy of their workforce, with only 34% of firms currently providing data literacy training, and only 36% willing to pay higher salaries to employees who are data literate.

Data Skills Are Not Leading to More Data-Driven Decision Making

Nearly all business leaders acknowledge that data is important to their industry (93%) and in how their company currently makes decisions (98%). Shockingly, just eight percent of firms have made major changes in the way the data is used over the past five years.

In fact, data-driven decision making has the lowest score of the three dimensions of corporate data literacy measured. Even companies that have data-literate employees across every business unit are likely not turning data into useable information as effectively as possible.

European Companies Show the Highest Data Maturity

Europe holds the highest data literacy score of any region, with the UK, Germany and France among the most mature nations for corporate data literacy. Slightly lower, the US and APAC regions were not statistically different from one another, although Singapore is the most data literate nation globally.  

This reflects a greater recognition that European business decision makers have for the value of data, with 72% affirming that it is “very important,” compared with just 60% in Asia Pacific and 52% in the US.

Mixed results in Asia Pacific

Asia Pacific recorded the highest increase in the importance of data in the last 5 years – moving faster than the US and EMEA. Despite that, only one in ten (10%) companies have made changes in the way they use data and only 20% are willing to pay higher salaries to employees who are data literate – revealing a severe disconnect between the state of affairs and how enterprises are dealing with it.

Singapore emerged as the most data literate nation globally, with the highest Corporate Data Literacy (CDL) score of 84.1 compared to 81.3 in the United Kingdom and 72.6 in the US. Within Asia Pacific, India had a score of 76.2; Australia had a score of 72.4; while Japan had a score of 54.9. The banking and finance industry led the way in terms of achieving the highest average CDL score in Asia Pacific.

Industries with Higher Data Literacy

There are far greater differences in corporate data literacy between industries than between regions. The healthcare, retail and real estate industries underperformed on data literacy (with respective data literacy scores of 67.1, 69.2 and 70.7), while the administrative, technical services and finance industries performed more consistently (81.1, 80.2 and 77.4 respectively).

Commenting on the findings, Jordan Morrow, Global Head of Data Literacy at Qlik said: “With the greater presence of automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, the fourth industrial revolution is looming. Data will be its universal language and those companies that master it will reap the rewards.”

“Yet, while companies pay strong lip service to the relevance and importance of data literacy to their business, their willingness to commit resources for data literate employees and evoke change to allow for data-driven decision making is lacking.”

“Within just five years, the winners of the data revolution will be clear. The Data Literacy Index is not merely an eye opener. It is a call to arms for business leaders to defend their market share.”

The Corporate Data Literacy Index was created by Qlik on behalf of the Data Literacy Project, a new global community dedicated to igniting richer discussion and developing the tools we need to shape a confident and successful data literate society. Founding partners include, Cognizant, Qlik, Pluralsight, Experian, the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Data to the People.

Samsung's Campaign – #VoiceForever – Showcases Meaningful Innovations Using Transformative Future Technologies

Samsung India has launched a digital campaign showcasing the capabilities of its digital voice assistant – Bixby through a powerful narrative that strikes a chord with viewers. The film is inspired by the life of a Motor Neuron Disease (MND)/ALS patient Sonal (name changed) who agreed to let Samsung work on a pilot project to help preserve her voice forever for her daughter.

The campaign shows a loving mother who is diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND)/ALS and is losing her voice and ability to move, and how Samsung customizes its AI enabled Bixby technology to keep her voice alive on a Samsung smartphone so that her loved ones can continue to hear her voice.

For this project, Samsung Research Institute, Bangalore (SRI-B) worked with a company which specializes in core speech technologies. We recorded an independent voice, and using TTS (Text To Speech) technology tested that voice for compatibility on Android OS (Samsung Smartphone). Testing on Tizen OS (Refrigerator, Television) is under progress. This phase led to the discovery of Asha Ek Hope Foundation, the first registered NGO for MND/ALS in India. It is a non-profit organization supporting people with motor neuron disease (MND) and their families. It’s striving to infuse hope and positivity in their life, which will empower them to overcome the illness.

“At Samsung, we are focused on transforming people’s lives with innovative technologies. The endeavor is to solve real-life problems of consumers through meaningful innovations. This film depicts how Samsung can make the seemingly impossible, possible by using its AI voice assistant, Bixby to preserve the voice of a mother who is diagnosed with MND,” said Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung India.

Link to the campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OhJ00an0mI

In the film, the daughter is seen reading out an essay at school where she describes the beautiful relationship with her mother. She crafts a narrative which celebrates the mother daughter bond through activities, just the two of them spending time together, listening to and laughing with one another. As the video continues streaming, the mother is missing from the picture and we see the daughter speaking to a phone with her father in the backdrop.

“Samsung, the leader in innovations, is always looking for ways to help people do the impossible. We are developing the first ever personalized AI voice assistant - Bixby to help people affected by Motor Neuron Disease leave their voices for their loved ones before they lose it. Cheil team set out to present a simple yet moving film showcasing the endless possibilities that Bixby can bring to the family coping with this unfortunate condition. We are delighted to see the heartwarming response that the film is getting and we are looking forward to perfecting the technology and inspiring many others.” added, Josh Seokjin, Sr. Art Director & Alberto Rodriguez, Sr. Copywriter from Cheil HQ Global Creative Division.

Samsung believes in delivering connected consumer experiences across its spectrum of products and has been focused on cutting edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual Reality (VR), Machine learning and 5G mobile networks. It spent more than $14 billion on R&D globally last year and has more than 65,000 engineers and designers working to innovate and, bring the best products and solutions for our consumers.

The launch of the world’s largest mobile factory in Noida is testimony to its strong commitment to Indian consumers. Following the launch of the factory, was the opening of the Company’s largest mobile experience centre in Bengaluru’s iconic Opera House. This centre showcases differentiated product experiences that revolve around transformative technologies such as VR, AI and IoT, which Samsung is pioneering globally. The customized Bixby voice solution is another example of Samsung’s commitment towards its consumers.

First of its Kind, All in One Shaving System called Trazor Launched by a Delhi Based Startup

Trazor was born as a result of everything that could be fixed with the current wet-shaving systems. The inspiration came from a Swiss Army Knife kept side by side with a shaving razor. 

Trazor is the first shaving system in India which serves both as a shaving gel and aftershave, into the handle. The Trazor's gel eliminates the need for harmful, non-environmentally friendly shaving foams and alcohol-based aftershave. Each Trazor shaving handle dispenses the gel that is free of parabens and alcohol.  Trazor allows you to choose from 25 + popular blades, giving the user freedom to choose blades of his choice. 

The mandate for the Trazor team was simple – A design with unlimited possibilities-  An incredible design to fall in love with, ergonomic to minimize slips and cuts, and an inbuilt natural shaving gel and after-shave free of harmful chemicals and alcohol with minimum use of water (Trazor Gel). A design that would work equally well for him and her, young and young at heart, that is also easy to carry and easy to use.

How it all started

One afternoon back in 2015 two old friends met after 15 years at a coffee shop in Noida and discussed shaving and all the things that could be fixed for 3 hours, consequently a new shaving system was born that would completely revolutionize the shaving world. 

The journey started back in 2015 – From a humble two-person operation gradually some of the smartest design engineers and innovative minds from around India were brought together, who put in 1000's of hours of painstaking labour, designing, building and rebuilding dozens of prototypes, failing multiple times, before finalizing on the current version of Trazor.

Why the Trazor shaving system was created:  

The major razor companies that make most shaving systems in the market charge exorbitant prices for blades, and to protect their fat margins, they ensure the blades fit only their handles. They have gone one step further by charging even more from women.

You will never again be locked to a handle that only accepts a certain type of expensive blade. Not only that, Trazor comes with its own signature five-edge stainless steel razor blade for a smooth and comfortable shave.

Trazor is designed to offer you the ultimate in shaving experience.

Trazor is one compact system for home and away-from-home use - take it with you wherever life takes you. With Trazor, shaving will be a hassle-free and convenient experience, be it in the washroom of your home, workplace, gym, hotel, anywhere.

NIMHANS Uses Simulation from Dassault Systèmes to Improve Efficacy of Medical Treatment through Neuromodulation

Dassault Systèmes has announced that National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), the apex center for mental health and neuroscience education in India, has deployed Dassault Systèmes’ SIMULIA applications to predict the efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive clinical treatment for schizophrenia patients, virtually before the clinical procedure. The announcement was made at Dassault Systèmes’ first ever local edition of its global event Science in the Age of Experience in India that aims to showcase the company’s simulation applications in transportation, aerospace and  life sciences verticals.

NIMHANS’s adoption of SIMULIA applications powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a first-of-its-kind deployment, where psychiatrists at NIMHANS will be able to leverage simulation technology to forecast challenges and outcomes of the treatment procedure for disorders such as schizophrenia. With SIMULIA applications, the team envisages the potential to develop a conceptual non-invasive method for Deep Brain Stimulation.

Dr. G. Venkatasubramanian, MD PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Head, Department of Clinical Neurosciences at NIMHANS, “Computational modelling and simulation technologies allow mathematical reconstruction of the impact of tDCS in the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders. . With multiphysics simulation capabilities on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, under the WISER Neuromodulation Program at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, patient-specific finite element models of the brain are used to accurately estimate the likely impact of electrical stimulation for treating the symptoms of schizophrenia, which, in turn can facilitate personalized neuromodulation.”

At the announcement, Samson Khaou, Managing Director, India, Dassault Systèmes said, “The biggest challenge faced today by the healthcare sector in India is the absence of a standard procedure to predict the effectiveness of a treatment for various chronic diseases. As the life sciences industry moves towards more ‘personalized healthcare’, custom-made simulations allow for more precise analyses and predictions of human body dynamics. With Dassault Systèmes’ SIMULIA and BIOVIA applications on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, we aim to bridge this gap by enabling our customers develop new and innovative methods for patients treatment.”

Historically, simulation has not played as large a role in life sciences as it has in more traditional engineering industries like automotive or aerospace. In addition, the simulation of human systems and their interaction is considerably more difficult and less evolved than the simulation of metal components. Human tissue response is complex and not easily simulated with simplified models. SIMULIA applications contain a wide variety of materials, procedures and load types to simulate the human body, medical and surgical equipment, and the manner in which the equipment is used.

Fullerton India’s Second Edition of Finnovatica Enters the Appathon Round

Fullerton India Credit Company Limited (Fullerton India), a leading non-banking financial company with a strong pan-India presence, launches the Appathon round or the second round of this year’s Finnovatica programme. This is the second year the Company is hosting the Finnovatica programme, a platform that seeks to leverage the ideas of talented young students to develop innovative digital solutions that may redefine the landscape of retail and rural lending in India. The initiative is in alignment with Fullerton India’s agenda of continued focus on digital innovations to improve consumer experience.

Finnovatica comprises of three stages – i) Genesis, where ideas from students are received; ii) Appathon, where the shortlisted teams are first mentored by senior executives of Fullerton India and subsequently, the ideas are presented to an eminent jury and iii) The Final Arena, where the shortlisted teams give  a demo of their fully functional prototypes, post which the winners are announced. This year, the programme has received an active participation of almost 200 students from six premier engineering institutions across the country. During the Appathon round, the aspiring teams will be mentored and counselled on the business viability of their ideas, by senior executives of Fullerton India, having more than a decade of experience. The ideas presented by the participants will facilitate the use of new technology to enhance customer experience, explore new channels for customer acquisition, and introduce innovative ways to redefine business processes.

Commenting on the programme, Rajashree Nambiar, MD & CEO, Fullerton India said, “We launched Finnovatica last year to boost entrepreneurship skills among promising students and encourage the young minds to bring in new ideas that can help improve efficiencies in our day-to-day business. We are delighted to witness a 33% increase in participation this year. We will continue to support these bright minds to create new technological solutions and guide them to transform their ideas into scalable business models. This initiative is a part of our overall agenda of being a digitally-driven organisation to offer enhanced consumer experience.”

Fullerton India has been committed to improve customer experience and expand its reach through the development of digital assets using unique initiatives to ensure quick and hassle-free loan processing.

Tata Motors Announces the ‘Festival of Gifts’ Campaign in India

Bringing in the joyous festive season, Tata Motors has announced a special festive campaign for car buyers in the country – ‘Fes tival of Gifts’. As the name suggests, through this campaign, the Company is offering assured gifts like Tanishq Vouchers, iPhone X, Tablet, 32” LED TVs and much more, worth up to Rs 1 lakh on every purchase of a new Tata car, making this festival season more gratifying for its customers. Additionally, the Company is also providing its customers with a chance to win a brand new Tata Tigor, on purchase of any passenger vehicle from the Company.

Commenting on the offer rollout, S.N Barman - Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Customer Support, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “With the onset of this auspicious festive season, it is an exciting time for us to be a part of our customers’ celebrations by providing them with various offers. To provide our customers with the maximum benefit this year, we have rolled out the ‘Festival of Gifts’ campaign. Through this campaign, we have tried to make an effort to bring a smile on every customers face by providing each and every Tata car buyer with an assured gift on his/ her purchase till October 31st. We firmly believe that this proposition will provide a huge boost to the buyer morale, thus cultivating for them a strong sense of association with our brand. We wish all our customers and partners greetings for the season.”

While winning the Tigor is valid on every purchase through a luck draw every week, customers also stand a chance to win an assured gift through a scratch coupon, which they will receive on delivery of their car. For assured gifts, customers will need to download the ‘Festival of Gifts’ app from the Play Store.

PRODUCT PRICE BENEFITS
Tigor  5.06  73000
Nexon  6.23  57000
Storme 10.9  87000
Hexa  12.57  98000
Zest   5.54  83000
Tiago   3.4  40000