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  • What is Viral Marketing? A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

    This article has been contributed by Sri Hari Cuddapah, Chief Business Officer, GenY Medium

    Viral marketing is the powerful form of advertising that uses social networks to quickly propagate messages about the brand. It is about producing a particular type of content which is so appealing that it invites sharing among the target audience in their respective networks. The key to any successful viral marketing is the creation of content that will grab people’s attention and encourage them to share it, turning these people into brand supporters.

    Why is Viral Marketing Important?

    When compared to traditional promotion, viral marketing can reach a large audience at a minimal expense, which makes it important. If the strategy is viral, brand popularity rises, consumer contact levels rise, and brand loyalty is cultivated. This occurs when two individuals purchase the product and, as a result of sharing without any advertising, exchange information. Given the consumer behavioral paradigms of the present as well as the anticipated future trends, global brands have already taken to viral marketing for reaching prospective customers.

    Leading Practices in Viral Marketing

    The scope of viral marketing defined, several leading practices have come out that resonate well with the target audience and lead to brand advocacy. Finding an emotional appeal is always one of the essential components from which the brand advocates earn. But it is also important to realise that viral campaigns do not happen at will.


    How to Measure the Success of Marketing Campaigns?
    Marketing campaigns are built around specific objectives that can include brand establishment, raising brand awareness, and magnifying the rate of conversion.


    Examples of Successful Viral Campaigns

    Mama Earth’s Tree Plantation Campaign

    In the recent past, Mama Earth celebrated its accomplishment of planting over 3 lakh trees by focusing on two distinct groups of people: those who complain about change and those who bring about change. A man planted a sapling during this campaign, but when he woke up, he saw the pot had fallen by the side of the road. A young girl waters the plant and replaces it while he gripes that no one who crossed it cared to do so. The man sees this and decides that rather than whining, he might have done the same.

    #Gymshark66 Campaign

    Another apparent case is the #Gymshark66 campaign, where the brand encouraged all gym-goers to make new year resolutions and post their transformation for the next 66 days. Not only did this campaign reach out to the audience but it also recorded 45 million views on Tikok in just 3 months, revealing the power of collaboration in terms of marketing the brand.

    Mountain Dew’s 3D Hologram Campaign

    In India, Mountain Dew focused on 3D holograms of everyday heroes made with real-time technology as part of a promotional campaign. This innovative concept did not only emphasize courage, but it also enabled the brand to differentiate itself from other market players by not using superstars.

    ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

    In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was one of the most successful viral campaigns, which brought the problem of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) to the public eye. Everybody who participated in the campaign recorded videos in which ice water was poured over them. They then dared other participants either to do the same or to donate to ALS studies. How this technique was able to galvanise people around the world for a charitable cause was unprecedented and incredible.

    Conclusion

    Viral marketing is a unique combination of the creative side of marketing with a strategic approach in the online environment. Learning its core concepts, examining effective campaigns, a brand can attract the interest of the audience and tell the desired story in different forms across social media platforms and times. To make something go “Viral” is not easy. In hindsight, we can attribute certain patterns that have made a campaign go viral but every campaign with those attributes has not gone viral. So to summarize, there are some fundamentals that may increase the probability of a campaign going viral but no one can guarantee a viral marketing campaign.


    The Meme Era | About Meme in Marketing for success
    A meme is an image, video, or text of humorous nature. Sharing Meme is the new marketing trend for business. Know about using meme in marketing.


  • The Inspiring Story of KFC & Its Founder, Colonel Sanders

    The present-day fast food industry is the confluence of companies that sprung up during the mid-90s and 2000s. Multinational companies like Pizza Hut and Burger King are popular around the globe, but KFC enjoys a following of its own.

    Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is the second-largest food chain with presence over 25,000 restaurants across 145 countries.

    The recipe that made KFC marketable and sought-after was a pressure-fried chicken blended with Sander’s 11 spices and recipes. With over 2.83 billion USD in revenue in 2022, Colonel Sanders gifted a delectable delight to chicken lovers through KFC.

    This article talks about the KFC founder’s motivational story of unparalleled success. Learn about Colonel Sanders’s life story, his family, Philanthropy, KFC, and more from this article.

    Colonel Harland David Sanders – Biography

    Name Colonel Harland Sanders
    Born September 9, 1890 – Henryville, Indiana, U.S.
    Died December 16, 1980 – Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
    Age 90
    Nationality American
    Education La Salle Extension University
    Occupation Businessman, restaurateur
    Founded Kentucky Fried Chicken(KFC)
    Net worth ~$3.5 million (at the time of death)

    David Sanders – Founder’s Story
    David Sanders – Family
    KFC’s Rapid Expansion
    David Sanders – Face of KFC
    David Sanders – Life Beyond KFC
    David Sanders – Final Years
    David Sanders – Charity And Philanthropy
    David Sanders – An Inspiration

    David Sanders – Founder’s Story

    Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC and owner of an iconic life story, will be remembered as one of the greatest businessmen and entrepreneurs to have existed.

    Colonel Sanders Story
    Founder of KFC – Colonel Sanders

    The logo and icon of the mega-brand, Colonel Sanders, and KFC owner, had multiple occupations under his belt. He was a filling station operator, insurance salesman, and steam engine stoker before selling chicken from his roadside restaurant during the Great Depression. He sold chicken pieces that were blended with a secret recipe prepared by him. Every successful entrepreneur identifies an object or idea as a manifestation of their thoughts to change the world; Colonel found him in chicken.

    He was paid $0.04 for a single piece of chicken. When his North Cabin restaurant had to be shut down, he was left only with some savings and $105 from Social Security. In dire need, he began to franchise his chicken concept and traveled across the United States in search of restaurants. Talent can not be left unrecognized, as with Harland David Sanders. The tables were turned, and restaurant owners began visiting Sanders as they were mesmerized by his recipe. After recognizing the potential in his recipe, he set up the first KFC restaurant in South Salt Lake, Utah, in 1952. After his North Cabin restaurant debacle, he devoted his time to building and uplifting the KFC brand.


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    David Sanders – Family

    KFC Founder - Family of Colonel Sanders
    KFC Founder – Family of Colonel Sanders

    Colonel Sanders faced many challenges in his family life. In 1908, he tied the knot with Josephine King, and together they had three children: Margaret, Harland Jr., and Mildred. Unfortunately, Sanders struggled to keep a steady job, leading to difficulties at home. The stress became so much that Josephine temporarily left him, taking the children with her. Eventually, the couple divorced in 1947.

    Tragedy struck the family again when Harland Jr. passed away at the young age of 20 due to complications from a seemingly routine tonsillectomy. This unexpected loss deeply affected Sanders and contributed to a period of depression in his adult life.

    In 1949, Colonel Sanders found companionship again by marrying Claudia Leddington, and they remained together until he died in 1980. Despite the challenges and sorrows in his personal life, Sanders continued to build his legacy through KFC, leaving a lasting impact on the fast-food world.

    KFC’s Rapid Expansion

    Jack Massey, Colonel Sanders, and John Y. Brown Jr
    Jack Massey, Colonel Sanders, and John Y. Brown Jr

    Regarding popular food chains, customers tend to frequent restaurants with quality food. Quality is a major differentiator among restaurants. KFC’s finger-licking menu enabled it to expand rapidly through the United States. When Colonel Sanders was 74 years old, he had a successful company with many people working for him, making him a good amount of money. But then, a young lawyer named John Y. Brown, Jr., and his rich friend Jack Massey wanted Colonel Sanders to sell his company.

    At first, the KFC founder, Colonel Sanders, said, “No way!” But John and Jack kept trying to convince him. They told him he should stop working and enjoy his life. They promised not to change the special recipe for his famous chicken. Even though KFC was like his own baby, Colonel Sanders wasn’t sure about selling. They traveled around, talking to his family and friends.

    Finally, in 1964, Colonel Sanders agreed to sell for $2 million. That’s a lot of money! He got $50,000 right away, the company’s stuff in Canada, and he’d get $40,000 yearly for the rest of his life. But, by doing this, he had to give up the most important thing in his life—his company. And we don’t know if he was really happy with that decision.

    How the Owner of KFC Failed 1009 Times and Became Successful in His 60s

    David Sanders – Face of KFC

    Founder of KFC - Colonel Sanders, the Face of KFC
    Founder of KFC – Colonel Sanders, the Face of KFC

    Sanders remained the face of KFC even after selling it. He traveled over 200,000 miles every year to promote KFC around the world. Sanders’s image was meant to demonstrate his determination and persistence and encourage customers to assimilate the same. He often visited KFC restaurants and used to taste the gravy. Sanders used to proclaim that his self-made gravy was so good that one would throw away the damn chicken and eat the gravy. ‘God-damned slop’ was his phrase whenever he disliked KFC’s gravy at a franchise. The Colonel was a perfectionist and could not withstand compromises in quality. In 1939, Colonel Sanders came up with a new way to cook chicken using a pressure cooker. This method made the chicken less greasy while keeping its flavor, moisture, and texture intact, and it cooked faster. This invention helped his restaurant do really well for more than ten years.

    Colonel Sanders retired from cooking in 1964 and sold KFC to an investment group for two million euros. However, this didn’t mark the end of his career. He continued working as KFC’s public representative. During the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, his face and calm personality appeared in many KFC commercials.

    Sanders also came up with the famous slogan “Finger-lickin’ good” to highlight the quality of KFC’s food. Interestingly, he didn’t hesitate to speak up if something wasn’t right. For instance, if the food at a restaurant didn’t meet his standards, he openly criticized it. In 1975, KFC even sued him to stop his negative remarks, but the lawsuit was dismissed.

    In 1973, he stood up against the dip in the quality of food and sued the parent company, Hueblein Inc., which owned the KFC brand and sold items he had never developed. Hueblein Inc. filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against Sanders for he labeled the gravy ‘wall-paper.’


    Why Did the Founder of KFC Sue KFC for $122 Million?
    Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, is well recognised for his work. But did you know he once sued KFC for $122 million?


    David Sanders – Life Beyond KFC

    Disappointed by the way KFC was being managed, Colonel and his wife reopened their restaurant and started serving the original KFC-styled chicken. They named the restaurant Claudia Sanders, The Colonel’s Lady. Unfortunately, the couple was sued by the owners of KFC. After reaching a settlement, he sold the restaurant, which continues to operate even today. It is the only restaurant that serves chicken prepared from the recipe used by KFC.

    Colonel Sanders has been posthumously a part of various television commercials. His appearances in DC comics and WWE commercials pay homage to his legacy.

    Global Brand Value of KFC
    Global Brand Value of KFC

    David Sanders – Final Years

    Founder of KFC - Final Years of Colonel Sanders
    Founder of KFC – Final Years of Colonel Sanders

    Even though Colonel Sanders had some problems with KFC, he kept working for the company until he passed away. His grandson, Trigg Adams, said that for Colonel Sanders, life was all about work. He had been working for almost 80 years and didn’t want to stop. He continued traveling around the country for KFC, and for the last 20 years, he always wore his famous white suit in public.

    As he got older, he became religious and sometimes appeared on Christian TV shows. Colonel Sanders was generous, giving much of his money to charities like the Salvation Army. Sadly, on December 16th, 1980, Colonel Sanders died at 90 years old from leukemia. People paid their respects to him at the Kentucky State Capitol, and he was buried in Louisville, Kentucky.

    After Colonel Sanders passed away, KFC became hugely successful. It became one of the top fast-food brands in the US, opened thousands of restaurants worldwide, and made a lot of money. But, to reach this success, they kind of changed the image of Colonel Sanders.

    Instead of being a respected figure, he became more like a cartoon used for advertising. At one point, he even became a cartoon character, dancing and playing basketball. The company, which used to be called Kentucky Fried Chicken, changed its name to just KFC. They also tried to distance themselves from the Southern style that Colonel Sanders was known for. His family doesn’t have anything to do with the company now. Recently, KFC has tried to show more respect for Colonel Sanders, but it’s tough to say what he would think of the company today. He was a man who believed in hard work, had his own dignity, and didn’t trust big companies.


    KFC Marketing Strategy: Recipe for Quality and Creativity
    Discover the effective marketing strategy of KFC, which includes innovative advertising, partnerships, event promotions, and targeted campaigns to boost brand visibility and attract customers


    David Sanders – Charity And Philanthropy

    Before Colonel Sanders passed away, he used his money to start a charity in Canada called the Colonel Harland Sanders Charitable Organization. This charity helped hospitals that care for women and children. One part of Mississauga Hospital was named after him because of his big donation. Sanders’s charity also gave a lot of money to other children’s hospitals in Canada.

    David Sanders – An Inspiration

    Even after being fired from legal jobs and facing multiple setbacks, Colonel Sanders always learned from his mistakes and grew as an entrepreneur. He had to take up various occupations in order to sustain a livelihood. Starting from insurance salesman to filling up gas stations, Sanders had done it all. After surviving the Great Depression, he founded a food chain that is an inseparable part of our daily life. The KFC is now part of every country’s food chain. Customer satisfaction is what drove Sanders to criticize KFC. He was named a Kentucky Colonel twice by two different governors of the state. After nearly three decades of his death, his image still finds a place on the posters and magazines. He is, without any doubt, one of the best entrepreneurs who thrived for perfection in his products.


    KFC Interesting Facts | Unknown Facts About KFC
    KFC is one of the most popular food chains in the world. Here are some unknown surprising facts about KFC. Know some interesting facts about KFC.


    David Sanders – Conclusion

    Colonel Harland Sanders has become a known figure for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Colonel Sanders was rejected 1009 times before succeeding. It takes courage and hard work to not give up and keep striving for success. Colonel Sanders is the best example who has shown us to keep working for our dreams without giving up. He is admired by many people who are pursuing their dreams and working hard in their respective careers. His hard work and perseverance have made KFC the world’s most-loved fried chicken franchise.

    FAQs

    What is KFC founder name?

    The founder of KFC is Colonel Harland Sanders.

    What is KFC full form?

    KFC’s full form is ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken.’

    What is the current KFC owner name?

    Yum! Brands is the current owner of KFC.

    Which is KFC owner country?

    KFC is an American brand that originated in Corbin, Kentucky, USA.

    How old was Colonel Sanders when he founded KFC?

    In 1952, at the age of 65, when most people were looking at slowing down and retiring, Harland David Sanders began Kentucky Fried Chicken.

    How rich is KFC’s owner?

    Dropped out of school at age 12. Died with an estimated net worth of 3.5 million dollars. Opened his first KFC franchise at the age of 64. His company, Kentucky Fried Chicken, has an estimated net worth of 15 billion dollars as of 2013.

    How many times did KFC fail?

    KFC founder Colonel Sanders was rejected 1009 times before finding a taker for his chicken recipe.

    What was KFC founder age at the time of his death?

    KFC founder Colonel Sanders was 90 years old at the time of his death.

    What is KFC net worth?

    In 2024, the brand value of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was $6.7 billion.

    Who bought KFC from Colonel Sanders?

    Brown Jr. and Jack Massey bought Kentucky Fried Chicken from Col. Harland Sanders for $2 million. In 1971, Brown sold KFC to Heublein for $285 million. In 1986, PepsiCo acquired Heublein and became the owner of KFC. In 1997, PepsiCo spun off its restaurant chains into a separate company named Tricon Global Restaurants, later renamed Yum! Brands. Since then, KFC has been a subsidiary of Yum! Brands.

  • Harsh Jain: The Visionary Behind Dream11’s Rise to Success

    Harsh Jain is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-founder of India’s biggest Fantasy Sports platform, Dream11. Harsh co-founded Dream11 with Bhavit Sheth in 2008, which has 60 million plus users today. Dream11 became the first Indian gaming company to enter the Unicorn Club in April 2019. Under his leadership, the company became a leading name in fantasy sports in India.

    Let’s look at the biography of Harsh Jain, the Founder and CEO of Dream11. We will discuss his early life, personal life, education, investments, and more.

    Harsh Jain Biography

    Name Harsh Jain
    Born 1986
    Birthplace Mumbai, Maharashtra
    Nationality Indian
    Education University of Pennsylvania; Columbia Business School
    Profession Entrepreneur
    Position CEO & Co-founder, Dream11
    Marital Status Married
    Spouse Rachana Shah

    Harsh Jain – Personal Life
    Harsh Jain – Education
    Harsh Jain – Professional Life
    Harsh Jain – Co-founder of Red Digital
    Harsh Jain – CEO of Dream11
    Harsh Jain – Awards and Achievements

    Harsh Jain – Personal Life

    Harsh was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He has an immense passion for gaming, sports, and technology. He is an ardent Fantasy Cricket and Soccer player.

    Harsh Jain married Rachana Shah, a dentist, in 2013. They have a son named Krish. In 2021, Harsh and Rachana became very famous after they bought a luxury apartment worth Rs. 72 crore. The apartment is spread across two floors, the 29th and 30th, in one of the most expensive areas in India. It is located near Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia, which is worth Rs. 15,000 crore. This news was widely covered in the media.

    Harsh Jain – Education

    Harsh has completed his primary education at Greenlaws High School. He studied IB from Sevenoaks High School for three years (2001-2003). He went to the University of Pennsylvania for five years (2003-2007) in Philadelphia to study Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Electric Engineering, Mathematics, and Economics.

    He was a sports freak and took part in the Upenn Cricket Club and Intramural Football (Soccer) while studying at the university. In 2012, he pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School in New York.


    Dream11 Company | Founders | Business Model | Success Story
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    Harsh Jain – Professional Life

    He has worked as a Summer intern for Microsoft. As a part of this role, he worked on the feasibility and commercial benefits for Microsoft to enter the Push-To-Talk (PTT) marketplace. He cordially worked there for three months i.e., from June 2006 to August 2006.

    He worked as the Manager of Marketing at Jai Corp Limited for one year i.e., from June 2007 to June 2008. He was employed at the Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone division as a liaison for investors.

    He co-founded a Social Media agency focusing on building strategy for digital marketing, Red Digital in 2010. However, the company was acquired in 2013.

    He then served as the President of the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports since 2017. He is currently positioned as the CEO and Co-founder at Dream11, which was founded in June 2008.

    Harsh Jain – Co-founder of Red Digital

    Harsh was the co-founder of Red Digital, which was acquired within three years of the company’s establishment. Red Digital is a specialized Social Media firm that focuses on social media management, digital marketing, app development, and online reputation management.

    Red Digital was launched in July 2010. Within two years, the company signed up marquee brands in India and Internationally, such as Dell, PepsiCo, Mumbai Indians, BMW, Parker Pens, Adidas, PVR, Godrej, Berger Paints, Reliance Foundation, Educomp, Citibank, ICC, and the Discovery Channel.

    The company thus expanded nationally with offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata. Red Digital was later acquired by Gozoop in 2013.


    Dream11 Business and Revenue Model | How Dream11 Makes Money?
    Discover how Dream11’s business and revenue model works. Learn how the fantasy sports platform generates income through various revenue streams.


    Harsh Jain – CEO of Dream11

    Dream11 Logo

    Dream11 is India’s biggest Fantasy Sports platform with 220 million users playing Fantasy Cricket, Football, Kabaddi, Hockey, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball & Baseball. The company has cordially partnered with national and international sports leagues & bodies with reputed Indian and International cricketers as well.

    The convenient mobile app of Dream11 allows its users to virtually make their own team of real-life players from the forthcoming matches, score points based on their on-field live performance, and compete with other virtual players. Thus, sports enthusiasts and fans actively engage and display their knowledge of sports.

    Harsh, with his friend Bhavit Sheth, launched the freemium Fantasy game in India for cricket fans. Dream11 ranked 9th in India’s Great Mid-Size Workplace-2018. It has been also declared as one of the top 10 startup innovative companies in India by Fast Company in 2019.

    Indian Cricketer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the brand ambassador of Dream11 and launched the “Dimag Se Dhoni” media campaign during the 2018 Indian Premier League. Kartik Aaryan and Samantha Prabhu joined the company as brand endorsers in 2022.

    The company first decided and brought in commentator Harsha Bhogle in 2017 as its brand ambassador. In the 2019 IPL, the company signed seven cricketers and partnered with the IPL franchise as part of its marketing.

    Dream11 has become very popular in India. It had 100 million users in 2020, 140 million in 2021, and over 200 million users by 2024. This is amazing growth from just 2 million users in 2016. In April 2019, Dream11 became the first Indian gaming startup to join the Unicorn Club. It has reached many big milestones, including sponsoring the 2020 Indian Premier League. Right now, it is also the main sponsor of the Indian cricket team.

    Dream11 won the sponsorship of the 2020 IPL for INR 2.22 billion after which Vivo withdrew in the year 2020. The BCCI officially declared Dream11 as the official partner of the IPL in March 2019. Along with that, Dream11 also conducted the Official Fantasy Game of the IPL.

    In 2018, Dream11 declared its partnership with the ICC, Pro Kabaddi League, International Hockey Federation, WBBL, and BBL. In 2017, it also partnered with three leagues namely, the Hero Caribbean Premier League, the Hero Indian Super League, and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

    Dream11 is the flagship brand of Dream Sports, which also has brands like FanCode, a multi-sport aggregator platform, Dream X, a sports accelerator, and DreamSetGo, a sports experiences platform. These brands were founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth.

    Dream Sports Investors

    • Tiger Global Management
    • D1 Capital Partners
    • Footpath Ventures
    • Chrys Capital
    • TCV
    • TPG Growth
    • Steadview Capital

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    Harsh Jain – Awards and Achievements

    Harsh Jain has received the following awards:

    • Young Entrepreneur Award by the All India Management Association (AIMA) – April 2022.
    • Fortune India 40 under 40 – June 2021.
    • Indian Express Newsmaker of the Year – December 2019.
    • The Economic Times 40 under Forty – 2019.
    • Red Herring Global 100 Award – January 2013.

    Conclusion

    Harsh Jain, a fan of Manchester United Football Club, Mumbai Indians, and the Indian Cricket Team brought together his love for sports, gaming, and technology. Harsh founded online fantasy sports in India, Dream11, and is completely focused on making sports better for sports fans all over the world. He is planning to make Dream11 go public in the near future after building a large user base for the sports technology company.

    FAQs

    Who is Dream11 owner?

    Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth are the co-founders, and CEO & COO respectively of Dream11 parent Dream Sports.

    What is Harsh Jain education?

    Harsh Jain studied IB from Sevenoaks High School for three years (2001-2003). He went to the University of Pennsylvania for five years (2003-2007) in Philadelphia to study Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Electric Engineering, Mathematics, and Economics.

    What is Harsh Jain date of birth?

    Harsh Jain was born in 1986. He is 34 years old.

    What is Dream11 net worth?

    Dream11 is valued at INR 65,000 crore as of 2024.

    What is Dream11 owner, Harsh Jain net worth?

    Harsh Jain’s net worth is $8 million approximately.

    Does Dream11 give real money?

    Dream11 gives you real money by playing fantasy games online. The site offers free and paid contests. You need to pay a certain fee to join a contest that lets you win real cash.

    What is the minimum amount to withdraw from Dream11?

    You can withdraw a minimum of INR 100 and a maximum of INR 2,00,000 in one go. IMPS withdrawals can take up to 3 workings days to get credited.

  • In December, UPI Transactions Reached a Record 16.73 Billion

    The volume of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions increased by 8% month over month to reach 16.73 billion in December, the largest amount the digital system has seen since becoming live in April 2016. Additionally, the value rose from INR 21.55 trillion in November to INR 23.25 trillion, an 8% increase.

    In 2024, there were approximately 172 billion transactions, up 46% from 118 billion in 2023, according to data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Compared to INR 183 trillion in 2023, transactions grew by 35% in value terms to over INR 247 trillion throughout the course of the year.

    Rise in Transactions in Various Segments

    A growth in person-to-merchant transactions (for purchasing products or services) caused the transactions to climb over the course of the year. UPI recorded 16.58 billion transactions in October, totalling INR 23.5 trillion, which was both its largest volume and value to date. The value was INR 20.64 trillion in September, with a volume of 15.04 billion.

    The daily transactions also went up from 516 million to 540 million in December compared to November. As a result, the daily value increased from INR 71,840 crore in November to INR 74,990 crore. Compared to December 2023, the December figures showed a 39% increase in volume and a 28% increase in value. Transactions through the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) increased by 8% in December to 441 million, compared to 408 million in November and 467 million in October. Compared to INR 5.58 trillion in November and INR 6.29 trillion in October, this was an increase of 8% to INR 6.02 trillion in value terms. This represented a 6% increase in value over December 2023 and a 12% drop in volume compared to the previous year.

    December 2024 had 14.23 million daily transactions, up 5% from 13.6 million in November. This amounted to a daily transaction value of INR 19,405 crore, compared to INR 18,611 crore in November 2024.

    Growth in FASTag and AePS Transactions

    Compared to 359 million in November and 345 million in October, the amount of FASTag transactions increased by 6% to 382 million in December. In comparison to INR 6,070 crore in November and INR 6,115 crore in October, the value also rose by 9% to INR 6,642 crore. Compared to December 2023, this represented a 13% increase in value and a 10% increase in volume. December saw a 3% month-over-month growth in daily transactions, reaching 12.32 million.

     Transactions through the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) increased by a small amount, from 92 million in November to 93 million in December. A slight increase in transaction value was also observed, reaching INR 24,020 crore from about INR 23,844 crore in November. The value was INR 32,493 crore, and the volume was 126 million in October. In November and December, there were 3.08 million and 3.02 million daily transactions, respectively. The volume and value of AePS transactions decreased by 1% and 5%, respectively, from the same period last year.


    Tata-Owned Air India to Expand International Routes
    Tata-led Air India is planning a major international expansion to increase its global presence, signaling a new era of growth for the airline.


  • Tata-led Air India Plans to Expand Internationally

    Air India CEO Campbell Wilson announced on January 1 that the airline, which ordered 100 additional planes at the tail end of 2024, will undergo massive expansions and boost its worldwide coverage in 2025. In his New Year’s greetings, Wilson announced that the Air India Group fleet has grown to 300 aircraft thanks to mergers and new aircraft deliveries. He also promised that the airline’s global coverage will continue to expand in the years to come.

    In late 2024, the four Tata airlines merged into one, becoming Air India, and another, Air India Express, which offered low-cost flights. Wilson announced that the former Vistara planes are currently flying internal routes connecting major cities as well as important international trips to places like Frankfurt and Singapore. The fleet size of the Air India Group has increased to 300 aircraft as a result of these mergers and new aircraft deliveries. The new addition of 100 aircraft to Air India’s order book, enhancing the earlier promise for 470 announced in 2023, will no doubt contribute to Air India’s further expansion in global coverage in the years to come, as per Wilson.

    Further Expansion Plans

    From Delhi to London and New York, over a hundred brand-new planes are taking to the skies, including the first Airbus A350 in India. These are a portion of the one-third of Air India’s twin-aisle aircraft that will be upgraded in a similar fashion over the course of the next two years. The company’s single-aisle fleet, which flies to local and short-haul foreign destinations, is undergoing an interior renovation that will be finished by mid-2025, according to Wilson.

    Adding More Training Centres

    In addition to the recently opened training centre in Gurugram, which is 800,000 square feet, the largest in South Asia, Wilson mentioned a brand-new 12-bay maintenance facility and training school in Bengaluru and a new flight school in Amravati, both of which would support the new aircraft. Wilson went on to say that other major cities will quickly follow Bengaluru’s new premium class lounge in 2025, with another opening in Delhi the following year, and so on. According to him, every part of Air India‘s operations is being upgraded as part of the company’s transformation. This includes systems, processes, infrastructure, equipment, and people.

    Marking Three Years of Service, Air India-Tata Group

    According to Wilson, Air India will celebrate its third anniversary of returning to the Tata Group in January 2025, which is a major milestone in the company’s history. Meanwhile, Air India is in the midst of its Vihaan.AI transformation initiative, a five-year endeavour that will hopefully see the company become a top-tier international airline with a uniquely Indian flavour.


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    Tata Sons plans to infuse fresh capital into its digital arm by mid-2024, aiming to enhance its digital capabilities and expand market reach.


  • In the Race for Electric Two-Wheelers, Bajaj Auto has Surpassed Ola Electric

    There has been a dramatic change in the competitive landscape of India’s two-wheeler electric vehicle (EV) market, with Bajaj Auto surpassing Ola Electric in December 2024 to become the dominant competitor. The government’s Vahan portal reports that Bajaj Auto’s market share in the two-wheeler electric vehicle segment increased by 3% in December 2024, hitting 25% from 22% in November. The market share of Ola Electric, on the other hand, dropped 5% from 24% to 19% in the past month.

    Sales for Ola Electric fell from 29,196 units in November to 13,769 units in December, resulting in a decrease in market share from 24.7% to 18.78%. Regardless, the company maintained its position as the leader in annual sales, capturing 35.5% of the market for the year thanks to robust sales in March and July. Total sales for the corporation fell from 119,654 units in November to 73,316 units in December, marking a decrease from the previous month.

    Other Players’s Performance in this Sector

    Ather Energy’s market share increased by 3% in December from 11% in November, following Bajaj’s 3% gain. The market share of Hero MotoCorp fell sharply by 5% in December, from 6% in November, while that of TVS Auto was steady at 23%. The two-wheeler electric scooter market is seeing greater competition as businesses like TVS and Bajaj introduce more inexpensive and sophisticated models, putting Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric to the test. To tackle the severe competition, Ola Electric has planned that by April of 2025, it will be launching its own electric scooter batteries.

    Every Player Floating New Ideas to Expand their Growth

    Bajaj Auto has unveiled a new platform that boasts cutting-edge tech features and a 45% reduction in costs, both of which are projected to boost the company’s profit margins. With the I-Qube electric scooter, TVS Auto has increased its reach from 250 to 4,000 retailers, thereby expanding its reach. Important EV markets in North India, including Gujarat and Maharashtra, have been driving growth for Ather Energy.

    Ola Reaches a Milestone of 4,000 Stores

    Ola Electric announced on 26 December that it now has 4,000 stores nationwide, a four-fold increase from the 800 stores that were previously disclosed on December 2 of this month. In less than a month, the firm reported adding 3,200 additional stores to its current network.

     The corporation stated that it was dedicated to promoting widespread EV adoption, which would allow for wider penetration into practically every town and tehsil in India, going beyond tier-1 and tier-2 cities. The business has now fulfilled its promise. Bhavish Aggarwal, chairman and managing director of Ola Electric, stated that this is a major turning point in India’s EV journey as the company extends its network to every city, town, and taluk.

    Aggarwal added that Ola has entirely redesigned the EV buying and ownership experience with its recently launched stores that are also service centres, setting new standards with its “SavingsWalaScooter” campaign.


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  • The Market Cap Deadline for UPI Apps has been Extended by NPCI by 2 Years

    The deadline for imposing a transaction volume cap on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) apps has been extended by two years, to December 31, 2026, by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The NPCI has extended this deadline for the second time.

    The industry giants PhonePe and Google Pay, who handle the majority of UPI transactions in the nation, are anticipated to receive much-needed relief from the most recent development. According to NPCI data, the two handled roughly 47.8% and 37.02% of UPI transaction volumes in November, respectively. The deadline for current third-party application providers (TPAPs) to comply was extended by an additional two years by the apex payments authority after “considering various factors.” This occurs during a period of explosive rise in transaction volumes for the real-time payments system.

    Rise in UPI Transactions

    As of November, UPI had recorded 155.44 billion transactions to date this year, up 32.2% from 117.58 billion transactions in CY23. In November 2020, the NPCI first suggested a 30% cap on the number of transactions that UPI apps may handle. The current players were given two years to comply with the volume cap. In order to address possible issues like the risk of concentration among leading businesses, the apex payments authority sought to implement market cap. UPI apps, meanwhile, have expressed concern that a quota may restrict both their and UPI’s growth.

    Players Welcomed the Move

    “I firmly think that this market cap problem will be resolved by the market itself within the next two years.” According to Vishwas Patel, head of the Payments Council of India (PCI) and joint managing director of Infibeam Avenues, preventing the expansion of incumbents is not the best course of action and would have undoubtedly hindered the growth of UPI.

    “Since we firmly believe that customers will select from among the dozens of new UPI apps available, we applaud the NPCI’s extension of the market cap deadline for UPI apps. Paytm is making a comeback to regain its market share,” stated Patel. While elaborating further, Patel added that a number of innovative apps, like Cred, WhatsApp Pay, Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), and Navi, are expanding rapidly. In August 2024, the NPCI split off BHIM to become NPCI-BHIM Services Ltd. (NBSL).

    The NPCI also removed the UPI user onboarding cap for WhatsApp Pay, the messaging juggernaut WhatsApp’s UPI platform. All Indian users will now be able to access the messaging giant’s UPI services. “WhatsApp Pay may now offer UPI services to all of its users in India thanks to this development,” the apex payments authority said in a statement released on 1 January.

    “We’re dedicated to making WhatsApp payments easy, dependable, and safe. Through a variety of use cases, such as bill payment, ticket booking, and shopping, we hope to improve users’ lives and make them more convenient,” the release stated further. A WhatsApp representative stated, “We want to continue supporting India’s digital and financial inclusion strategy while also accelerating the use of digital payments and UPI.


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  • Easy Trip Planners’ 1.4% Shares is Sold by Promoter Nishant Pitti for INR 78 Crore

    Travel tech giant EaseMyTrip’s cofounder, former CEO, and promoter, Nishant Pitti, sold off 1.41% of the company, or 5 Cr shares, in a block deal on December 31. After the transaction, Pitti still owns 12.80% of the business. According to NSE statistics, Pitti sold 4,99,52,163 shares for INR 15.68 each, for a total transaction value of INR 78.3 Cr.

    According to the data, Arunaben Sanjaykumar Bhatiya paid INR 15.86 per share for 2.4 Cr of the company’s shares. Amid rumours that Pitti was selling his entire ownership in the company, shares of Easemytrip fell as much as 10% during intraday trading earlier in the day. Pitti was scheduled to sell his remaining 14.21% interest in EaseMyTrip in a block deal valued at INR 780 Cr, according to a media report.

    Second Time Pitti Offloading Shares of EaseMyTrip

    The fact that this is Pitti’s second share sale of this kind in recent months. The cofounder sold 24.65 Cr of the company’s shares for INR 920 Cr in several block deals in September of 2024. The company’s third bonus issue was approved by the board earlier this year in a 1:1 ratio. The board also authorised a preferential offer of equity shares this month, raising INR 234.03 Cr from seven investors. Despite all of this, the business keeps adding new products to its lineup. Through an equity share swap valued at INR 39.20 Cr, the travel major acquired a 49% stake in Planet Education Australia, an Australian supplier of study abroad consultant services, in November.

    Nishant Pitti Leaves his Position as CEO of EaseMyTrip

    The parent firm of online travel aggregator EaseMyTrip, Easy Trip Planners Ltd., said that Nishant Pitti has resigned with effect from January 1 for personal reasons. According to an exchange filing, Rikant Pitti, the company’s CFO and Nishant’s brother, has been cleared by the board of directors to take over as CEO with immediate effect. Nishant Pitti, Rikant Pitti, and Prashant Pitti launched EaseMyTrip, which is run by Easy Trip Planners, in 2008. In recent months, the firm has taken a number of noteworthy actions.

    Co-founder Rikant Pitti was instrumental in the development and prosperity of EaseMyTrip in 2008. Having worked in the travel and tourist sector for more than 16 years, Rikant has a thorough awareness of consumer demands and market trends, which puts him in a strong position to guide the business into its next stage.

    Expansion Plans of EaseMyTrip

    The company’s plan to enter the hospitality industry was supported by the acquisition of the Australian brand. The business said earlier this year that it had partnered with the Jeewani Group and had set aside up to INR 100 Cr to construct a five-star hotel in Ayodhya. As part of its drive into medical tourism, EaseMyTrip said in September that its board had approved plans to purchase a 49% investment in Pflege Home Healthcare Centre LLC for INR 30 Cr and a 30% stake in Rollins International for INR 60 Cr. In the meantime, the company’s consolidated profit after tax (PAT) for the second quarter of FY25 decreased 42.8% from INR 46.9 Cr to INR 26.8 Cr.


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  • OYO Business Model | How OYO Makes Money

    OYO is a global platform involved in technology for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry to enhance their revenue and operations. It is a means to provide affordable, easy, and trusted accommodations to guests around the world. OYO has more than 40 integrated products and services that comprise more than 157,000 hotels and homes in 35-plus countries, including India, Europe, and Southeast Asia around the globe.

    The man behind the business is Ritesh Agarwal, who is also the first Asian resident to take up the Thiel Fellowship. OYO converts the existing and independent hospitality spaces into branded, technology-enabled assets that promise better revenue potential for the owners. These technology tools are offered through Co-OYO and OYO OS and provide features like digital onboarding, revenue management, and business management.

    Booking can be done on OYO properties through the OYO app and website, apart from other third-party platforms. The OYO app has over 100 million downloads and provides services such as digital check-in, easy booking, and pre-post-stay services. With a membership base of about 9.2 million, OYO Wizard is the second-largest travel and food brand loyalty program in India.

    About OYO

    An innovative startup founded in 2013 by Ritesh Agarwal, OYO Rooms has seen an amazing journey through hospitality-treading its meteoric rise and coming across several hurdles on its way. OYO Hotels and Homes was launched as Oravel Stays in 2012, a website that showed budget accommodations and then rebranded as OYO (“On Your Own”) to set up a standard pool of budget hotels across the country, before finally being launched as Oravel Stays. At first, OYO had only five hotels in Gurugram, India, but growth was fabulous online bringing small-budget hotels into the purview.

    By 2015, OYO had enlarged to 230 cities and was operating with a consolidated network of over 70,000 rooms. The year 2016 started into a new era for OYO international offerings, starting from Malaysia, and had joined the company in the other package that was to become an international company spreading into China, the United Kingdom, and the USA by 2019, with an estimated presence of around 800 cities in more than 80 countries. However, because of COVID-19, the travel industry went haywire; hotel demand slashed, saw massive layoffs, and many hotel partners closed operations or went out of business. OYO is presently caught up in litigation regarding mismanagement and has seen its valuation dip from $10 billion in 2019 to just $3 billion by 2020. However, OYO is focusing on recovery by integrating initiatives like VaccinAid and OYO Workspaces to keep up with the changing market conditions.


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    OYO Business Model

    Incorporating a distinctive model that blends between franchising and aggregation, OYO Rooms has established itself. Initially, OYO rented Hotel Rooms which it then standardized under its brand and subsequently ensured that these would be consistently serviced through an agreement with partner hotels. Bookings can be made through the mobile app or website. Over the years, this business model has changed into a purely franchising model where the hotels now use OYO’s brand without having to lease. This has helped partners to create revenues that could even reach a “double bottom line.”

    OYO has a range of ancillary services that should be able to address different customer needs. The partner hotels are also influenced by OYO standards in their services, thus, assuring quality and consistency. OYO Flagship thus leases and directly manages hotels to better control them. OYO Townhouse, provides further treatment to young travelers, blessing them with modern rooms, meeting space, kitchens open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and digital enhancements like Netflix-enabled TVs. OYO also has a Studio Stay for long-term residents like professionals and students. Event Stay is perhaps their newest segment for weddings or cofunction events. OYO’s clients can also find Commercial Spaces for coworking and office use. Finally, its loyalty program OYO Wizard offers subscribers exclusive discounts and deals.


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    How OYO Makes Money | OYO Revenue Model

    OYO Rooms has always been a multistream revenue model, which inherently varies with time to ensure constant growth. On the other hand, the company makes revenue from a commission-based model it charges its hotel partner between 20%-30% of the gross booking value (GBV) for each booking made through the platform. The collation varies according to the services offered by hotels and booking frequency. 

    Today, OYO earns a sizable share of revenue from the franchise model, which now accounts for almost 90 percent of earnings. Under this business model, OYO partners with hotels to run their operations under the OYO brand, thus growing the network without property ownership and having standardized and equable services. Other value-added services provided by OYO, apart from the reservation fees which few add with a markup over the base room rate that they charge and OYO Wizard, are also factors contributing to OYO’s revenue. 

    Other ways of monetization for the OYO include the revenues from advertising and partnerships, where companies could promote their brands on the OYO platform. A significant number of bookings are not done through third parties, as they have developed direct-to-customer websites and mobile applications, such as OYO, with the resultant loss of dependence and better margins.

    OYO Revenue

    OYO Financials FY23 FY24
    Operating Revenue INR 5464 crore INR 5389 crore
    Total Expenses INR 6800 crore INR 5726 crore

    OYO made a profit of INR 158 crore in the second quarter of FY25, ending in September, as shared by the founder Ritesh Agarwal in a town hall meeting, according to sources. OYO’s parent company, Oravel Stays Ltd, had a loss of INR 50 crore during the same period last year in FY24. In the first quarterof FY25, OYO’s profit after tax was INR 132 crore, bringing its total profit for the first half of FY25 to INR 290 crore ($35 million). This is a big turnaround from the INR 91 crore net loss in the same period last year. OYO’s revenue in Q2 FY25 also grew to INR 1,578 crore, up from INR 1,413 crore in Q1.

    OYO Revenue Y-o-Y

    Year Revenue (In INR crores) Profits/Loss (In INR crores)
    FY 2019 6,329 -2,364
    FY 2020 13,168 -13,122
    FY 2021 3,961 -3,943
    FY 2022 4,781 -1,940
    FY 2023 5,464 -1,287
    FY 2024 5,388 229

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    OYO Unique Selling Proposition

    OYO has transformed the budget hotel category by providing guests with standardized, high-quality spaces with bathrooms and charges for free wi-fi and breakfast, including other services, without compromising on price. The technology-driven online platform creates unprecedented seamlessness in booking, dynamic pricing, and real-time inventory management. For modern travelers, features like 24-hour check-in and excellent customer support address travel needs.

    OYO now operates in over 80 countries and still manages to blend global coverage with localized service and standards for rigorous checks on quality. It provides marketing, technology, and access to large distribution networks to help small hotel partners increase occupancy levels in many locations. It offers a very diverse range of unique accommodation options from vacation homes to more premium Townhouse stays complemented with dynamic pricing and a customer-centric philosophy that engenders monopolistic loyalty.

    OYO SWOT Analysis

    OYO SWOT Analysis
    OYO SWOT Analysis

    OYO Strengths

    • Standardized Quality: OYO sets the provision of all the amenities and services across its locations such that they become unified into one experience in every property for the customers.
    • Extensive Global Network: Spread wide to include over 85000 hotels worldwide, OYO boasts of diversification, which greatly widens its market penetration.
    • Asset-Light Model: The company works with existing hotels and does not have any property by it; hence, the company has the possibility of speeding up in most of the cases where flexibility is given to investments made into real estate.
    • A Range of Accommodation Types: There are many offerings for customers’ different needs of budget hotels, vacation homes, co-living spaces, and even high-end accommodations.

    OYO Weaknesses

    • Heavy Dependence on External Financing: It is becoming very dependent on venture capital for its future growth which brings the proposition about the sustainability of the business model and long-term profits in the shift into a self-sustaining business.
    • Brand Equity Problems: The speed with which operations grow often leads them to become quite inefficient and mishandle customer experience, which negatively affects the equities of the brand in a few markets and customer faith.
    • Regulatory Complexity: This diversity within the market operations provides for some further complications in laws and compliance under which these sporadic disputes and operating impediments take place.

    OYO Opportunities

    • Emerging Markets: Emerging markets are cast in spotlight areas on the continents that include Africa and South-East Asia, which presently concern increasing underdevelopment with respect to hospitality.
    • Technological Integration: Technological arm in creating applications by innovations like artificial intelligence and IoT in which customer services will be improved, operations streamlined, and the experience with these intelligent technologies further focused on the guests.
    • Green Initiation: Since greener hotels are preferred by travelers, the same is financially beneficial for OYO once it becomes sustainable as a claim within this segment mind of travelers.
    • Strategic Alliance: This is the development of an engine, joined with a travel agent and a local business network adding plenty more revenues into the company in exclusive packages for the customers.

    OYO Threats

    • Highly Competitive Market: Competition is quite a challenge for OYO as it is a competitor with established hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton, and the likes of Airbnb, all betting for the same space in the market. 
    • Economic Sensitivity: Economic downturns entail cutting back on travel budgets, leading to reduced demand for budget-friendly accommodation and inexpensive lodgings.
    • Concern for Safety and Innovation: Safety standards are maintained, which sustains consumer trust; keeping up with rapid developments will, however, ensure constant disruptive competition.

    Conclusion 

    OYO is growing steadily in the global hospitality industry. It has grown phenomenally, become dynamic over the years, and continues to develop. Having an entirely different business model, based on the principles of standardization and low-cost budgets, has allowed OYO to occupy a market open for competition in one of the existing highly competitive markets. OYO holds certain advantages that will contribute to success, primarily, an extensive network of properties, brands, and technology.

    Among the major challenges facing the company will include an economy of scale, brand reputation issues, complex governmental regulations, and some stiff competition from international and local chains of hospitality and a new generation of platforms. Tackling some of its weaknesses and taking off opportunities from developing markets, emerging technologies, and sustainability would create commercial value in OYO. Above all, the place and customer experience will matter for the gradual growth and sustainability of the business as it will involve an ongoing evolution and change according to the dynamics of the market.

    Particularly, adopting these principles will prove critical in business continuity, optimization of performance post-COVID, and ensuring that OYO handles growth and profitability consistently well. Indeed, in the coming years, it will probably be fine to discuss whether this company has a future in hospitality.

    FAQs

    What is OYO?

    OYO is a global hospitality company founded in 2013 by Ritesh Agarwal. It provides affordable and standardized accommodations, including hotels, homes, and vacation rentals, across multiple countries. OYO uses technology to simplify booking and improve guest experiences.

    How does OYO make money?

    OYO earns money through commissions from hotels, franchise fees, room bookings, leased properties, and extra services like food and event spaces.

    What is OYO USP?

    OYO’s USP is affordable, standardized, and tech-enabled accommodations with easy booking, consistent quality, and wide availability across locations.

  • Vishakha Mulye: A Transformational Journey of ABCL’s First Women Director

    Vishakha Mulye is a trailblazer in India’s financial sector. She has reached here with her transformative impact on the financial services industry, leadership, and strategic vision. Mulye has shattered glass ceilings for women in business. She is the first woman to join the Aditya Birla Management Corporation board. She has been on a roll of tremendous achievements since she started her career. She has come a long way from being a Chartered Accountant to becoming the CEO of Aditya Birla Capital. She is known for driving the company to grow, being digital and customer-first.

    This StartupTalker story explores Vishakha Mulye’s leadership journey, which has led her to where she is today. We’ll examine how she built her legacy at ICICI Bank and discuss how she managed and transformed ABC into a tech-driven powerhouse.

    Vishakha Mulye’s story is one of resilience, a reputation for excellence, and vision. In this article, we will learn about her achievements, net worth, controversies, interesting facts, and more.

    Vishakha Mulye – Biography

    Name Vishakha Mulye
    Education Chartered Accountant
    Position CEO, Aditya Birla Capital
    Net worth $96 million
    Website Adityabirlacapital.com

    Vishakha Mulye – Career
    Vishakha Mulye – Aditya Birla
    Vishakha Mulye – Controversies
    Vishakha Mulye – Awards and Recognitions
    Vishakha Mulye – Interesting Facts

    Vishakha Mulye – Career

    Vishakha Mulye’s stellar career demonstrates her exceptional leadership capacities and powerful strategic acuity in the Indian financial space. Mulye has been able to innovate and inspire excellence in the changing world of finance. This is possible only because of her foundational years at ICICI Bank and her transformative role at Aditya Birla Capital.

    Vishakha Mulye started her professional life at ICICI Bank. She reached the top because of her analytical skills and strategic sense. Having graduated as a chartered accountant, she executed her strategies and helped ICICI build its position in the banking ecosystem.

    She played key leadership roles in ICICI Bank. She was positioned as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at ICICI Bank. Financial restructuring, corporate strategy, and operational improvements have been a part of her organizational growth.

    Mulye transformed the private equity arm of ICICI Ventures into a powerhouse as the Managing Director and CEO. Under her, it steered bold investments, diversified into new sectors, and put the stakeholder’s best interests front and center.

    ICICI Ventures sustained growth despite challenging economic conditions because Mulye identified high-potential opportunities. She introduced new investment strategies in ICICI. Moreover, she improved ties with global partners and defined the firm as the private equity leader.

    Vishakha Mulye, the general insurance arm of ICICI Bank, proved herself versatile. Beyond understanding financial risk management and operational excellence, her deep knowledge of the company contributed much to its market dominance.

    Her time at ICICI has allowed her to navigate regulatory landscapes. Moreover, she introduced technology-driven solutions and improved customer satisfaction.

    In 2022, Vishakha Mulye, the CEO of Aditya Birla Capital (ABC), led the company towards a new chapter. She became the financial services arm of the Aditya Birla Group, Aditya Birla Capital. This arm consists of businesses ranging from life insurance to asset management, private equity, and lending services.

    Mulye brought her experience, strategic vision, and leadership skills to strengthen ABC as a leader. Her charge was to steer the organization through a dynamic competitive landscape while focusing on sustainable growth and innovation.

    Transformative initiatives have characterised Vishakha Mulye’s tenure at Aditya Birla Capital:

    • Mulye has been working on expanding ABC into India’s markets. Her plans include especially the underserved regions. She has championed inclusive financial products and services that reach a broader customer base.
    • Mulye knows that technology plays a vital role in modern finance. She has strived to digitize ABC’s operations to make its employees and customers happier. She’s taken ABC to the forefront of digital transformation, using advanced analytics and AI-driven customer solutions to achieve this.
    • Mulye has overseen ABC’s diversification of offerings. New products and increased emphasis on existing portfolios in life insurance and more were being offered.
    • She has transformed ABC’s core strategy to integrate sustainable and global best practices, with a keen eye on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.
    • She also leads the ABC culture of excellence. She has invested in building talent, collaboration, and organization.

    ABC under Vishakha is not about numbers and financial performance. She’s one of the most respected leaders in the financial services industry. Thanks to her ability to inspire her teams and drive impactful results.


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    Vishakha Mulye – Aditya Birla

    Vishakha became CEO of ABCL in 2022. Since then, she has helped transform the company’s course. ABCL, the Aditya Birla Group’s financial services arm, is the conglomerate’s cornerstone. Moreover, under Vishakha’s leadership, it has undergone a complete turnaround.

    Her journey into leadership at ABCL has been a relentless focus on transformation. She planned to do all this by integrating data, digital capabilities, and technology. This strategic vision has accelerated growth momentum and increased profitability of the company’s diverse business verticals, making it even more dominant in the market. Vishakha has reimagined the company’s business model. Furthermore, she made ABCL a genuinely modern, customer-centric organization. Under her leadership, ABCL never failed to provide financial solutions precisely and efficiently.

    Vishakha’s digital-first, customer-first approach leads this transformation. She has led the development and launch of Aditya Birla Capital Digital (ABCD). ABCD is an omnichannel D2C solution that combines the group’s full suite of financial services. This platform has grown with a massive investment of INR 100 crore. Moreover, this makes it a much-needed platform to unify the customers’ experience. The platform offers a single interface for loans, investments, insurance, and payments. The accompanying mobile app was built to be intuitive and user-friendly. Moreover, it mimics a seamless digital-first solution to meet evolving customer expectations.

    Besides improving the individual customer experience, Vishakha has prioritized supporting the MSME sector. Moreover, she launched Udyog Plus, a pioneering digital B2B lending platform. This initiative provides seamless lending and value-added services to the specific needs of micro, small, and medium enterprises. Aditya Birla Group encompasses over 250 million customers across 14 ABCLs. Moreover, it is a trusted partner to businesses and individuals alike.

    Vishakha’s managerial leadership has been focused on digital innovation and making significant strides in business growth and fundraising. Marquee investors who have invested in the company have bolstered its capital base. Her efforts have resulted in ABCL seeing its profitability improve across its operations. Moreover, its status as a market leader in the financial services sector is reinforced.

    Vishakha is a key figure in the Aditya Birla Group. Moreover, she is a member of the board of directors of ABCL’s operating companies. The ABCL’s operating companies include:

    • Aditya Birla Finance Limited
    • Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited
    • Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited
    • Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited
    • Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Limited

    She also leads the strategic direction at ABC Foundation and NPCI International Payments Limited.

    Vishakha launched ABCL’s omnichannel architecture, which reflects her commitment to digital reinvention. The company has blended the physical and digital by allowing customers to interact on their preferred channels. Moreover, this enables frictionless acquisition and retention of customers at scale. Her vision is born from a profound knowledge of the changing financial landscape. She is committed to delivering on customer needs with precision, simplicity, and innovation.

    Aditya Birla Capital has become an innovative and forward-looking organization under her leadership. Her strategic focus has revitalized ABCL, its customer-centric ethos, and bold initiatives. Moreover, she re-energized ABCL and established a benchmark for the financial services industry. Aditya Birla Capital is ready to take its journey as a leader in economic innovation. Furthermore, bringing unparalleled value to its customers and stakeholders under Vishakha’s leadership.


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    Vishakha Mulye – Controversies

    During Vishakha Mulye’s tenure as managing director and CEO of ICICI Venture, the private equity firm became controversial when investing in Subhiksha, a now-bankrupt South-based retailing company. The focus of scrutiny was this investment: It was a question of what due diligence and risk management processes were undertaken before committing capital.

    The widely discussed case in the Indian financial sector was of Subhiksha, whose financial collapse left creditors and investors with losses. The retail company went into insolvency, and its entire story is controversial. However, according to ICICI Venture, it made a financial profit from the transaction. The fallout, however, led to discussions over the obligations of venture capital and private equity firms when backing high-risk ventures.

    Vishakha Mulye, well known for her strategic leadership and clear-eyed approach to challenges, did not comment extensively on the Subhiksha matter, saying it was sub judice (under judicial consideration). Her stance on the matter was so reserved that it spelled out her adherence to legal and ethical propriety.

    From a philosophical point of view, Mulye looked at the whole venture capital private equity space and the fact that not all investments add net worth to the investor. She said that in the sector, for every five successful decisions, there could be one misstep, which is the nature of the business. Her pragmatic outlook revealed her to be more attentive to the volatility and complexities of financial markets.

    Although she never faced scrutiny regarding the Subhiksha controversy, she contributed brilliantly to ICICI Venture and the ICICI Group. She did many notable things during her time, such as navigating complicated financial environments and carrying out large fundraisings and mergers. In her illustrious career, the Subhiksha case was a learning moment about her ability to navigate difficult situations while always keeping her eye on long-term value creation.


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    Vishakha Mulye – Awards and Recognitions

    • Awarded with the title of Young Global Leader in 2007 by the World Economic Forum
    • ‘India CFO Award’ in 2006 from IMA India for ‘Excellence in Finance in a Large Corporate’
    • ‘CA Corporate Leader Award’ 2008 from the Institute of Chartered Accountants. 
    • ’Most Powerful Women’ in Indian Business’ by Business Today 
    • ‘Most Powerful Women’ by Fortune India. 
    • Inducted into Business Today’s ’Hall of Fame’ 
    • Received the ‘GR8! Women Awards’ from the Indian Television Academy in 2012 
    • Received Mukta Sanman In 2019 at News 18 Lokmat’s award ceremony
    • Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’s CA Corporate Leader Award, 2008
    • World Economic Forum’s Young
    • IMA India’s CFO Award, 2006

    Vishakha Mulye – Interesting Facts

    • Vishakha Mulye is the first woman in the Aditya Birla Group. She joined the Aditya Birla Management Corporation board, the group’s apex decision-making body.
    • As a chartered accountant by trade, she brings expertise to her leadership positions. Before ICICI Bank, she worked on the front-end needs of different monetary territories. Moreover, she focused on domestic and foreign value-driven universal banking.

    FAQs

    Who is Vishakha Mulye?

    Vishakha Mulye is a prominent Indian business leader and the CEO of Aditya Birla Capital Limited. She has over three decades of experience in banking and finance.

    What is Vishakha Mulye net worth?

    Vishakha Mulye net worth is $96 million (December 2024).

    What was Vishakha Mulye’s previous role before joining Aditya Birla Capital?

    Before joining Aditya Birla Capital as CEO, Vishakha Mulye served as an Executive Director at ICICI Bank.