Posted on 2009 under Communications |
8
Sep
Yahoo vet Brad Garlinghouse, the author of the infamous Peanut Butter Manifesto, is back in the portal business—and in a big way. Garlinghouse, who left Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) last year (part of that company’s brain drain), is joining AOL (NYSE: TWX) as president of Internet and Mobile Communications, spearheading the portal’s global efforts to expand the reach of AIM/ICQ, e-mail and SMS services. His role on CEO Tim Armstrong’s team doesn’t stop there: he’ll head AOL’s Silicon Valley operations from its Mountain View campus and also will be the West Coast lead for AOL’s VC arm, AOL Ventures. The latter fits in with his most gig as senior adviser at Silver Lake Partners.
Communications is one of AOL’s newly devised five strategic areas and, until now, also one of the most glaring gaps in the top exec ranks. Garlinghouse’s background makes him almost uniquely qualified for the job: nearly six years at Yahoo, starting as VP-communication products and leaving as SVP of Communications and & Front Doors. His responsibilities at Yahoo including Yahoo Mail and overseeing Flickr and Yahoo Groups. Before Yahoo, he was CEO of Dialpad.com, general partner at @Ventures.com and worked at @Home Network as well as SBC Communications.
—Moving from peanut butter to … In the Peanut Butter Manifesto, the four-page 2006 memo that wound up in the Wall Street Journal, Garlinghouse explained why PB isn’t a great way to describe a company: “I’ve heard our strategy described as spreading peanut butter across the myriad opportunities that continue to evolve in the online world. The result: a thin layer of investment spread across everything we do and thus we focus on nothing in particular. I hate peanut butter. We all should.” The blunt memo made Garlinghouse a folk hero of sorts, someone who was willing to say the emperor is naked. Now he gets the chance to put his own management ideas to work—within Armstrong’s construct, of course. Can he move away from the “jack of all trades, master of none” approach that too often afflicts portals?
Posted on 2009 under Communications |
8
Sep
Until now, most of Tim Armstrong’s hires since he joined AOL (NYSE: TWX) as CEO have been in advertising or the business side, including a number from his former employer Google. Newest hire Brad Garlinghouse is a switch in both cases: a product guy from portal competitor Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO). Garlinghouse was exploring companies big and small as possible landing points, working as a senior adviser at Silver Lake Partners, when Armstrong called with an unexpected opportunity just weeks ago. Tuesday, he’ll be introduced as AOL’s president of internet and mobile communications. He spoke with paidContent on the eve of the announcement. Some excerpts follow:
What’s your remit for AOL? When I came in to run Yahoo Mail a long time ago, it was #3 in the industry, their messenger products were #2 in the industry. Today, they’re both #1 in their segment. Obviously, that’s part of the remit—hey, how can we go revitalize and really create wow, great consumer experiences around AOL’s core communications properties. But also it’s broader than that: how do we do that in mobile products, how do we do that participating at a very senior level in product discussions? …
I believe very much in the viewpoint that great products come from great teams. AOL certainly has its challenges attracting and retaining talented people. One of the things that impressed me the most during my interview process and the diligence I did is Tim has done an amazing job getting throughout that organization excited and the morale trend line at AOL is actually really positive and that’s incredibly hard to achieve. People are incredibly excited at all levels … People believe in authentic leadership with clearly articulated ‘here’s where we’re going’ and Tim brings that.”
One of the things that helps is Tim hasn’t had to do a massive cutback. That’s fair but by the same token he has been transparent. … He has said to his team, ‘We have to make sure our cost structure is aligned with our business opportunity.’ And he has said, ‘We’re going to have to look at that.’ He has gone on the record on that topic. … One of the things I’m impressed with in the opportunity here is as this spins out from Time Warner, instead of being managed to numbers for Time Warner, which really was harvesting it for cash flow, all of the sudden it’s like, hey, listen, let’s make this thing hum. Let’s really revitalize it and rebuild a lot of the products and the consumer experiences. Some of those things will be AOL branded, some won’t.”
If Yahoo’s peanut butter, what’s AOL? “I’m going to work on that. I don’t know my answer to that yet.I’ve been there not even 10 minutes. Some of the challenges I articulated, which (new Yahoo CEO) Carol Bartz has been proactive in trying to address, I feel like I see already a kindred spirit in the leadership that Tim has brought to bear on AOL in his first 100 days.”
Posted on 2009 under Communications, News |
2
Sep
WWW.CMAI.ASIA
Press Release
Venugopal N Dhoot appointed Chairman CMAI
Ravi Sharma is Executive Chairman
CMAI announces new appointments
Communications and Manufacturing Association of India (www.cmai.asia) announced appointment of Sri Venugopal N Dhoot as its Chairman and Sri Ravi Sharma as its Executive Chairman .
CMAI, is a Telecom Industry Association working for the Telecom sector as a whole representing all stake holders including Operators , Manufacturers , Infrastructure providers and operators , System Integrators , Value Added Services providers etc. CMAI is the only association of its kind having an integrated approach and covering all segments and technologies related with Telecom Sector in India .
CMAI has signed more than 30 MOU with different countries and associations including associations in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Slovakia, Uzbekistan, Morocco, France and with IEEE USA, CEA USA, CTO UK, IETE India, Cambridge Wireless UK and East of England UK.
On this occasion Mr. Dhoot said , ” India always needed a Telecom association , which represents all stakeholders of Indian Telecom Industry together and CMAI perfectly fits in that role . I feel honored in assuming the responsibility of CMAI Chairman . I am also happy to announce the appointment of Sri Ravi Sharma as Executive Chairman. We shall work together with all stake holders for further enhancing the image of Indian Telecom sector.”
E 24 SF, GK II Enclave, New Delhi 110048 : Tel:41638766 Website: www.cmai.asia Cell: +919811129879
About CMAI
Communications and Manufacturing Association of India (CMAI), a professional registered association, is involved in policy formulations with Government and other stake holders for technology innovations, indigenous manufacturing and communications sector and for policies concerning environmental, pollution and health. It cultivates generally good values in public and general awareness and protection in the field of health effects, synthetic and polluted environment and also the significance of natural environment and rural areas as a whole in an integrated way and manner and global peace. CMAI was actively involved in telecom policies for 3G, spectrum, licensing etc. CMAI provides a forum where telecommunications companies can unite to advance the industry’s concerns and provides exceptional value through advocacy and business opportunities, networking and continuous interaction with Government, Telecom operators and manufacturers and opinion makers.
CMAI Activities
CMAI organizes several events, delegations across telecom and IT sector. CMAI is the only association in India having more than 30 MOU with different countries and associations including IEEE USA , CEA USA , CTO UK , IETE India, Cambridge Wireless UK , East of England UK. CMAI also has MOU with associations in China , Japan , Korea , Taiwan , Canada , Singapore , Malaysia , South Africa , Slovakia , Uzbekistan , Morocco , France and various Indian associations.
Recently on 24th July, 2009 CMAI with Business World INFOCOM announced National Telecom Awards, 2009, which were presented by Sh. Gurudas Kamat, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications and IT along with Dr JS Sarma, Chairman TRAI and Sh. Sidharth Behura, Secretary DOT. The program was attended by about 850 delegates.
CMAI regularly takes part in Exhibitions and trade delegations for Korea , Taiwan , China , Japan , Bangkok , Singapore , USA , and UK etc. CMAI offers complimentary exhibition space as also participation in delegations. CMAI is also publishing with IKBPF a monthly magazine in Korea Asia Pacific Business and Technology.
www.cmai.asia
Contact Details : NK Goyal , President CMAI
nkgoyals@yahoo.co.in, cmai.imf@gmail.com , +91 98 111 29879
Sri Venugopal N Dhoot
Shri Dhoot is Chairman of Videocon Industries Ltd. Mr. Dhoot is a renouned businessman and has held several positions in the Industry forums including ASSOCHAM , where Mr. Dhoot was president in year 2008.
Videocon is a conglomerate across the verticals of consumer electronics and home appliances, office automation, telecom, power, crude oil and natural gas. Videocon’s major breakthrough came when it received one of the first licenses to manufacture color televisions in India in the early 80′s. The company has now become the largest manufacturer of color picture tubes and CPT glasses in the world, with operations across Mexico , Italy , Poland , China and India .
Armed with an uncanny foresight and a global outlook, Mr. Dhoot has successfully acquired the color picture tube operations of the Thomson Group and the Indian operations of AB Electrolux, Sweden thereby enhancing its capabilities in both India and overseas. He has led Videocon to foray into exploration and production of Oil business in India and participated in a JV in the Ravva Oil Fields and recently acquired Brazil ‘s Encana Brazil Petroleo Limitada jointly with BPCL.
Mr. Dhoot has a vision to lead Videocon and make it a Fortune 500 company in the next five years. The company intends to launch its mobile services on pan India basis targeting large subscribers in the next four years. Videocon strategies to strengthen its focus in oil and natural gas and, is pursuing opportunities in Oman , Australia and Timor Sea near Indonesia .
With his passion to make a powerful social impact, Mr. Dhoot has established a charitable hospital specializing in cancer and heart surgery for the underprivileged people.
Sri Ravi Sharma
Ravi Sharma is an accomplished Professional having Over 10 years as CEO and a total of 25 years experience at policy as well as operational level with Telecom and Satellite Industry in India and Asia . He is Founder & CEO of Phi Televentures with an objective to be “Angel Partners” of MNCs , VCs and PEs in India .
Ravi had held various responsibilities in sales, corporate strategy, customer support, project, business development and general management before becoming one of the youngest CEOs of Telecom MNC in India at the age of 37 years.
Before founding Phi Televentures , Ravi was CEO of Datacom, a company having pan India license to Operate GSM services.
Prior to Datacom , as CEO of Alcatel-Lucent in South Asia, Ravi was instrumental in turning around the company and achieving over 20 times business growth in 4 years thus making it one of the largest equipment suppliers in India .
Ravi has also worked with Europe *Star – A satellite JV of Alcatel and Loral, BT and UB Group. From starting up a new Indian company (The UB Group’s Telecom venture) to starting up Indian operations of MNCs (BT and Europe*Star) and from Joint Venture creation(UB Goldmine, Bharti BT and Alcatel’s Wimax JV) to turnaround of a company (Alcatel South Asia), Ravi has worked with entire spectrum of Telecom and Broadcasting spectrum .
An IIT alumnus with a Masters in Business Administration, Ravi has also been a state level Sportsman (Badminton), key member of Dramatics team at University, Student Editor of University Magazine and a TV presenter of a National TV channel.
Regards
N K Goyal
President Communications & Manufacturing Association of India (CMAI)
Member Governing Council, Telecom Equipment & Services Export Promotion Council, Govt. of India
Director NFL National Fertilizers Ltd., Govt. of India
Chairman India Trade Promotion Services, Dubai UAE
Chairman Emeritus, TEMA
Posted on 2009 under Communications, News |
2
Sep
The current economic climate calls for a new approach to outsourcing relationships
Study commissioned by Logica and the London School of Economics (LSE)
- identifies the need for behavioral and contractual step changes in outsourcing relationships that move towards a shared risk and reward approach
- stresses the importance of collaborative leadership to enable innovation and business value add
- warns companies of failure to build their business for the future if the focus is solely on cost cutting/cost efficiency measures
- identifies ‘collaborative innovation’ as the new wave in outsourcing
02 September, 2009: Logica, a leading IT and business services provider, today announced the findings of an extensive study conducted in partnership with LSE’s Outsourcing Unit on outsourcing relationships entitled ‘Step change – Collaborating to Innovate’. The study calls for a sustainable change in the way businesses interact with the external services market to enable them to move their relationships from contract administration and outsourcing management to a new phase of collaborative leadership. The paper underlines the importance of new forms of contracting – contracts that share risk and reward in ways that incent innovation, collaboration and high performance to achieve common goals – as the key to success. When collaborative innovation plays a key role in outsourcing relationships, businesses truly leverage IT as a competitive advantage.
The paper draws its key findings from in-depth interactions with businesses across a spectrum of industries including companies such as Michelin, Spring Global Mail, Heathrow Terminal 5,(BAA), KPN and StatoilHydro among others. The paper classifies outsourcing relationships into four phases – contract administration, contract management, supplier management and collaborative innovation. Businesses in the fourth phase of collaborative innovation are positioned best to ride out the economic recession with the ability to build their businesses for the future.
Companies today expect more from their partners and suppliers. As Piet Koetsier, Manager, Business Process Outsourcing at KPN says “A pro-active partner is aligned in thinking with you and comes up with new ideas and innovation. They think for me.” The paper sets examples of how relationships are changing and the impact collaborative relationships have on performance.
Commenting on the importance of collaborative innovation, Kate Hanaghan, senior analyst, Bathwick group*, says, “Innovation has to be a joint effort as true innovation demands a proactive, timely and effective service to customers. There need to be processes in place that bring suppliers and customer teams together. Simply assuming or hoping that this will happen of its own accord is not enough. Collaborative leadership that leads to innovation has to be a conscious effort. This research paper will help guide companies and suppliers think of different ways to bring innovation to the forefront.”
The change in expectations from partner/supplier relationships is clearly outlined by Pascal Zammit, in 2008 Michelin’s head of business solutions, “We want our suppliers to jointly create a ‘polar star’ for us.” Michelin embarked on a CRM project in the fleet management area. Logica was part of the co-management of the project showcasing a relatively new way of working with collaborative leadership. Michelin showed leadership in its sourcing strategy by deciding on multiple vendors but experimented with the co-managed route with each of its partners for the implementation of the project. The case study clearly outlines how Michelin used collaborative leadership with its partners to ensure success of the project, highlighting a robust organisation and governance structure.
The paper concludes with four fundamental shapers and components for effective collaborative innovation – Leading, Contracting, Organising and Behaving. Of these, Leadership is primary and plays a vital role in shaping the environment to facilitate right contracting, organising and behaving.
Abhay Gupte, CEO, Logica India, says “While the debate rages around innovation, outsourcing and collaboration, this paper helps businesses decide the best way forward for them. It’s becoming increasingly crucial for organisations to work together, combining skill sets and sharing risks in order to stay competitive, thrive and build robust innovative businesses of the future. We do hope that this paper will motivate businesses to relook at the components that shape their outsourcing relationships.”
Professor Leslie Willcocks, Director of the Outsourcing Unit, LSE and lead author of the paper, said, “The findings of this paper are a culmination of our new research and further analysis of our database representing 17 years of combined research into over 1600 organisations. In the last four years we have seen an increasing number of mature outsourcing relationships capable of achieving technological, business process and even strategic innovations. Moreover the economic environment forces people to work together and we are seeing some organisations with the right type of leadership, contracting relationship, teaming and behaviours, achieving with their suppliers a positive and lasting impact on performance. Collaborative innovation is outsourcing’s new wave.”
To download the full white paper, visit: http://www.logica.com/outsourcingenterprise. To view a video of the authors explaining the findings of the paper, please visit < insert Logica TV>
* The Bathwick Group, founded in 1997, researches how businesses actually buy and apply IT to their business, how they innovate using technology, and how IT is supporting changes in market and organisational models.
Notes to Editors
The Outsourcing Enterprise series
This research paper is the fifth to be released as part of The Outsourcing Enterprise series of white papers targeted at CEOs that draw on a series of interrelated research studies conducted by Professor Leslie Willcocks and his co-authors – all leading authors on outsourcing. The findings are sourced from over 1600 organisations located throughout Europe, the USA and Asia along with ongoing, unpublished research. The Outsourcing Enterprise series, sponsored by Logica, provides leading edge thinking from the perspective of the Chief Executive and suggests the nature of the involvement the CEO should have, as well as those issues which should be considered in order to ensure the success of an IT or business process outsourcing decision. The four previous white papers in this series are:
1. “ Building core retained capabilities”, published November 2007
2. “The CEO role in delivering strategic advantage”, published July 2005
3. “The power of relationships”, published November 2005.
4. “The CEO guide to selecting effective suppliers”, published September 2006
These papers can be viewed on www.logica.com/outsourcingenterprise along with the special edition ‘Outsourcing in Difficult times’ released in April, 2009
About the authors
Professor Leslie Willcocks
Leslie Willcocks has an international reputation for his research and advisory work on outsourcing, information and communications technologies and organisational change. He is Professor of Technology Work and Globalisation and Head of the Information Systems and Innovation Group at the London School of Economics and Political Science UK. He is also Associate Fellow at Templeton College, Oxford, Visiting Professor at Erasmus and Melbourne Universities, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Information Technology.
Andrew S. Craig
Andrew S. Craig heads the IT leadership and governance stream of Carig Ltd and is also a director of Board Coaching Ltd. In addition to coaching he teaches at Ashridge and Warwick business schools on leadership and is a visiting Senior Research Fellow at the LSE. Current assignments include coaching the CEO of a FTSE-250 leisure company and working with the Board. He is also working with individuals and teams in the Defence Procurement Agency, Balfour Beatty, HSBC and finance and fund management companies.
About Logica
Logica is a leading IT and business services company, employing 40,000 people. It provides business consulting, systems integration, and IT and business process outsourcing services. Logica works closely with its customers to release their potential – enabling change that increases their efficiency, accelerates growth and manages risk. It applies its deep industry knowledge, technical excellence and global delivery expertise to help its customers build leadership positions in their markets. Logica is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Euronext (Amsterdam) (LSE: LOG; Euronext: LOG). More information is available at www.logica.com.
Press Contacts:
Sabrina Mukund
Communication Manager- Logica
+91 96633 81233;
mukund.sabrina@logica.com
Tanuja Singh
Genesis Burson-Marsteller
+91 99863 62428
tanuja.singh@bm.com
Warm regards,
Susan John
Genesis Burson-Marsteller
THE HOLMES REPORT, 2008 CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR
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Posted on 2009 under Communications, News |
1
Sep
For immediate release
Shriram Life Insurance Launches Shriram Pension Plan
§ A unit linked regular premium plan with features of ‘Zero Sum Assured’, ‘Auto Transfer Option’ and two new funds: ‘Tyaseer’ and ‘Secure Plus’
§ Shariah compliant investment option
§ Auto transfer option reduces investment risk
§ No life cover required, pure savings vehicle
Mumbai, September 1, 2009: Shriram Life Insurance Co. Ltd. the Joint Venture between the Shriram Group and Sanlam, a leading insurance company of South Africa, today, announced the launch of Shriram Pension Plan to help its clients ensure comfortable paychecks for themselves post-retirement. The Pension Plan approved by IRDA, is a Unit Linked Premium Plan with features such as ‘Zero Sum Assured’ (no life cover provided), ‘Auto Transfer Option’, also offers low risk fund like ‘Secure plus’ (a debt linked fund for those desiring stability) and ‘Tyaseer fund’, a Shariah friendly investment fund.
The Shriram Pension Plan also gives its clients a unique feature that no life cover is provided, which provides clients who do not require further life cover (or do not qualify for life cover for medical reasons) with the option of a savings only vehicle and a better focused investment approach.
Mr. Gerhard Joubert, Chief Executive Officer – New Channel, Shriram Life, said, “With Shriram Pension Plan the Company aims to provide its clients varied options to invest their money so that they can receive maximum returns in their future. The client can choose a combination of funds in a fixed percentage according to the changing market conditions. Our product is only for pension seekers and should not be confused in any manner with a life insurance cover concept, therefore no life insurance cover is provided, it is a savings only vehicle.
The Shriram Pension Plan gives clients an option to invest not less than 90% in stocks and shares. The client can also switch from one fund to another fund twice a year without any charge. Our constant motive is to allow our clients to live their post retirement period in peace and comfort. We have devised various tools that will help our clients gain maximum benefits out of our diverse investment fund portfolio.”
The plan also offers the ‘Tyaseer fund’ which is a Shariah friendly investment fund that looks to maximize the potential return from investments in stocks and shares but adhering to ethical guidelines and restricting investments to stocks included in the Nifty Shariah Index.
The second major feature under the plan is ‘Auto Transfer’, which reduces the risk of investing the full premium into a fund with a volatile NAV by allowing premiums to be invested in a low risk fund (‘Secure Plus’) and gradually transferring the money into the chosen investment portfolio. This works as follows: the client can choose 6 to 12 month Auto Transfer Option to invest regular premiums. If the client for example opts 12 Months Auto Transfer Option, 1/12th of the allocated premium will be invested in chosen fund and the balance will be invested in the Secure Plus Fund. One month later 1/11th of the fund in the Secure Plus fund will be transferred to the chosen fund and the process will be continued until all funds in the Secure Plus Fund are transferred. This process will be repeated as and when premium is received.
The plan allows the client to choose the premium amount, frequency of payment and payment term, flexibility of reducing premiums within limits or adding top-up premiums as and when one wishes. The premium amount can be paid yearly, half yearly, quarterly and also by monthly mode through ECS in accordance with the convenience of clients. Furthermore, it also offers a wide choice of investment options which can be beneficial for clients in a long run.
The Shriram Pension Plan offers clients an option to withdraw their units partially after the third policy anniversary. The units withdrawn should be at least Rs 10,000 and this facility is available twice a year without any charge (after 5 years from policy inception).
Being a pension plan, clients will also enjoy tax benefits under section 80 CCC of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
About Shriram Life Insurance Co.Ltd. (SLIC)
SLIC, a joint venture with Sanlam of South Africa, commenced its life insurance operations in India in February 2006. At the end of three years of operations, as on March‘09, the top line in terms of cumulative APE achieved is Rs.443 crores. This makes SLIC the 4th company among 14 players in India with reference to a comparison of the performance of the life insurance companies in the first three years of their operations.
For further information please contact
Stuti Singh/Dhara Rajput
Vaishnavi Corporate Communications
9867035866/ 9867554172
