FEBRUARY 2022
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WATER FOR ALL
interview
BHARAT LAL
Secretary, Lokpal of India
How Jal Jeevan Mission, along with multiple water management programmes, is transforming rural India.
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EDITORIAL
CAN INDONESIA’S $300-MILLION MPF FLY?
MANAGING DIRECTOR Tushar Sahoo tushar@gecmediagroup.com CHIEF EDITOR Arun Shankar arun@gecmediagroup.com EDITOR Shubhendu Parth shubhendu@gecmediagroup.com CEO Ronak Samantaray ronak@gecmediagroup.com GLOBAL HEAD, CONTENT AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES Anushree Dixit anushree@gecmediagroup.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GEC MEDIA GROUP CO-FOUNDER, BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION ASIA Sundip Sibal Sundip@gecmediagroup.com GROUP SALES HEAD Richa S richa@gecmediagroup.com PROJECT MANAGER Anshuman Jyothiprakash anshuman@gecmediagroup.com EVENTS EXECUTIVE Gurleen Rooprai gurleen@gecmdiagroup.com Jennefer Lorraine Mendoza jennefer@gecmdiagroup.com SALES AND ADVERTISING Ronak Samantaray ronak@gecmediagroup.com BUSINESS LEAD Ankit Vats ankit@gecmediagroup.com Ph: +91-9999756403 DESIGNED BY
Creative Lead Ajay Arya Designer Rahul Arya PRODUCTION, CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTIONS info@gecmediagroup.com
Indonesia said goodbye to 2021 with a year-end gift for ‘soonicorns’ or startups that have the potential to soon become unicorns. Welcoming the $300-Million Merah Putih Fund (MPF) President Joko Widodo highlighted that the country had a huge market potential with over 2,319 startups, one decacorn, and seven unicorns. Reports indicate that the MPF will be supported by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and implemented in partnership with venture capital units of the state telecom operator Telkom Indonesia and its mobile subsidiary Telkomsel, as well as state-owned Bank Mandiri, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), and Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI). To qualify for the funding, startups will need to meet three primary criteria, besides the regular business plan, scalability, cash flow, and other fundamentals. One, it should have been set up by an Indonesian or at least one founding member should be a local. Two, it should be based in the country, and last but not the least, it must have a plan to list on the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX). SOE Minister Erick Thohir, whose brainchild MPF is, has stressed that the fund will create a new ecosystem, which will encourage the local private sector and drive Indonesia’s start-up ecosystem. Adding a nationalistic twist he, however, called upon the local industry to “prevent Indonesia from being used as a market by foreign countries”. He also said that the SOEs must assist local startups, particularly those in the digital system, and “prevent” them from moving to Singapore and accessing the foreign fund. While protecting national interest is always paramount, it is also important to understand that protectionism at a time when the country is slowly emerging as a destination for startups and investors can boomerang. That too, when over 52 startups from Indonesia have already raised a record $1.9 Billion (as of September 2021) from the likes of Softbank Ventures Asia, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Falcon Edge Capital, Naver Financial Corporation, Prosus Ventures, Valar Ventures, and others. Minister Thohir’s reason for MPF may also end up becoming restrictive for companies like Kredivo whose parent company FinAccel recently announce a merger with VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings II, a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Victory Park Capital so that it can go public in the US. Experts also point out that since the MPF is eyeing to invest in startups with a minimum of $200 Million valuations, the fund may end up getting minority stakes only; the maximum any company can get in one investment is $30 million, given a 10% concentration limit. Will a later-stage startup be open to restricting their global dreams for a small ticket investment? The other possibility could be Indonesia’s ambition to replicate China’s golden share model, minus the iron grip, to promote local companies develop cutting-edge technology? Let us wait for the time to unfold the story.
Shubhendu Parth shubhendu@gecmediagroup.com
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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2022
06 MANAGEMENT TOP EXECUTIVES NEED TO INFLUENCE AND INSPIRE
08 PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCE EMPLOYEE
10 INTERVIEW “EXACT LOCATION
MEANS BETTER DECISION-MAKING”
PERFORMANCE ORGANICALLY
14
MY JOURNEY
THE NEW WAY OF LIFE
18 HUMAN TRANSFORMATION
POSITIVE HABITS OF DIGITALERA LEADERS
28-35
COVER STORY
32 INTERVIEW
“INDIA LOSES 73 MILLION PERSON-DAYS ANNUALLY”
WATER FOR ALL How Jal Jeevan Mission, along with multiple water management programmes, is transforming rural India.
42
FOOD SERVICES
COOKING SUCCESS
36 CIRCULAR ECONOMY
CREATING BUSINESS WITH A PURPOSE
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44
46
COSMETICS
DATACENTRE
ENVIRONMENT
SUGAR FOR THE BOLD AND INDEPENDENT
DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE OF A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
DX NEEDS SPEED, BETTER BANDWIDTH
50
52
56
66
LINK BETWEEN SUPPLY CHAINS AND FLEET MANAGEMENT
BUILDING A DATA SAFEHOUSE
HARNESS THE POWER OF FIVE
FUN IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS
LOGISTICS
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SECURITY
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
LAST PAGE
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PEOPLE | MANAGEMENT
TOP EXECUTIVES NEED TO INFLUENCE AND INSPIRE
Influence and inspiration will become even more important in a world of highly mobile, remote workers who are unlikely to tie themselves to one organisation.
U
tilities companies should be used to the occasional existential threat. Today, electric utilities are facing an Amazon moment with the arrival of a vast array of digital newcomers and increased complexity, from blockchainenabled electricity trading platforms to smart neighborhoods. Across the board, utilities are facing de-commoditisation that requires them to fight for relevance to the customer. In the short run, one of the major challenges is restoring people’s sense of belonging and connectedness to others at work. Although many have learned to be productive remotely, they are miserable. The number of our close social connections, including those at work, has declined by 20 to 25 percent.
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We recommend that organisations create space and opportunities for immensely human interactions to help their workers with the transition back to the office. In the long run, maintaining and building organisational cultures with a remote workforce will prove to be a monumental challenge. It is useful to start by acknowledging that companies will have a difficult time competing for talent unless they make the remote option available to their employees, at least for part of the week. It is also useful to acknowledge that the decision to offer remote work or not is not always up to the company; it can be influenced by business partners or clients which could be remote. With this in mind, we do not focus on recreating or replacing legacy jobs, roles, and the talent pool
BY MAXIM SYTCH Professor, Management and Organisations, Stephen M Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
using a remote workforce. Instead, we should take full advantage of gaining access to the best talent pool, no matter the location, to leverage this advantage
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PEOPLE | MANAGEMENT
KEY TAKEAWAYS Organisations should create space and opportunities for active human interaction. Companies may have a difficult time competing for talent unless they make remote option available to employees. Do not focus on recreating or replacing legacy jobs, roles, talent pool using a remote workforce. Take full advantage of gaining access to the best talent pool, no matter the location.
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and take our organisation to new heights. This could mean, for example, fusing multiple legacy roles into one to develop one superstar remote worker. We should not chase the next fad just because other companies are doing so. Instead, think of organisational structure and culture as the principal tools to support the execution of organisational strategy. So, executives need to take a closer look at whether the Covid-19 pandemic and economic changes that followed will necessitate changes in their organisation’s strategy. If that is the case, both the formal structure and the culture of the organisation need to be revised accordingly. Top executives need to be strategic thinkers to develop a sound strategy, which often entails a hard set of choices about what their organisation is not going to be doing. Second, they need to be thoughtful organisational architects to understand how to best structure the organisation, what kind of culture to develop, and what types of people they need to recruit, all with an eye on most effectively carrying out the intended strategy. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, they need to influence and inspire people to follow their lead. Influence and inspiration will become even more important in a world of highly mobile, remote workers who are unlikely to tie themselves to one or two organisations for their entire career. This said, it is important to recognise that the environment around us is changing at lightning speed and becoming more complex. So, the cornerstone of being a successful executive now and in the future is a growth mindset and continuous learning. Executives need to create a climate in which it is acceptable and encouraged to acknowledge the prevalence of these issues and how they can affect our mental state. It
Think of organisational culture as principal tool to support execution of organisational strategy.
is often difficult for top executives to admit to having such struggles and seek help; indeed, we expect leaders to be infallible. Strangely enough, one of the silver linings of Covid and the prolonged social isolation it caused is that we all have become more attuned and empathetic to the issues of burnout, stress, and mental health. It is hoped we do not lose this quality and that we continue to make the full spectrum of behavioural health solutions available to executives and other employees. Few organisations will have the massive CIO, CTO-siloed empires that large organisations had decades ago. Instead, technology, information, and security will permeate nearly every facet of organisational activity. As a result, CIO, CTO, CISO organisations will rely increasingly on matrixed and cross-functional design, which will be key to interfacing with numerous and diverse pockets of organisational activity. They will continue to grow their level of engagement with external partners due to the unparalleled dynamism and complexity of the technology space. In such structures, agile teams that effectively leverage informal influence and persuasion rather than formal authority will be the key to a successful operating model.
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PEOPLE | PRODUCTIVITY
ENHANCE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE ORGANICALLY
The fast-changing business environment makes it imperative to place employee satisfaction and emotional well-being on a high priority. Here is what you can do.
T BY VINAY K MAYER Director, Marketing Research & Consulting, Asia Research Partners LLP
he employees of an organisation are its internal customers; therefore, the organisation must prioritise creating an environment that fosters authentic relationships among the employees. The other aspect should be on workplace wellness because employee happiness is imperative for any enterprise to thrive. A good work environment is critical for ensuring the productivity of employees in today’s remote culture. The challenge of making sure employees feel supported working is something that every company faces in its structure. However, providing the team with an open forum and proper
planning will help maintain high productivity levels and keep the employees from experiencing burnout. Here are some tips on how organisations can foster a positive work environment that would motivate employees to continuously maintain a healthy work-life balance. These methods may come as either simple changes or more serious actions that lead towards better employee retention rates in the long run, as well.
#1 TALK THROUGH PROBLEMS
Don’t keep things to your heart. Voice it! As an organisation, you need to ensure that you have established multiple channels of communication within the organisation, where employees
A way of showing your appreciation to employees, based on their efforts and performance, is by giving them testimonials on the social media platform like LinkedIn.
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PEOPLE | PRODUCTIVITY
KEY TAKEAWAYS A good work environment is critical for ensuring the productivity of employees in today’s remote culture. Establish multiple channels of communication within the organisation, where employees can either directly or indirectly express their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. The sandwich feedback approach helps soften harsh criticism by conveying it between two compliments. This involves praise followed by corrective feedback and more praise. Training and capacity building programmes are important tools to boost employee performance and engagement. It also encourages them to do more.
can either directly or indirectly express their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. As part of two-way communication, many business professionals recommend the sandwich approach when providing feedback to employees, as it serves to soften harsh criticism by sandwiching it between two compliments. This feedback method involves praise followed by corrective feedback and more praise.
#2 SET REALISTIC GOALS
Meeting every deadline and keeping on top of the projects
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can be somewhat challenging and can quickly drain the team’s energy if they are not feeling supported enough. One quick tip might be to ensure that the resource assigned to the task has the right skill set to carry it out. A good example is having a cabin crew fly an aircraft. Supervisors should not burden team members with unnecessary workloads just because they have unrealistic targets.
#3 FOSTER POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT
If your employees are stressed out, they will lose motivation and productivity. Monitor your employees to make sure they are on the right track, and that they understand how to continue being productive. This is especially important when you work remotely because it can be easy for team members to feel disconnected from the rest of their team over time – consequences may include decreased productivity over time! The best way to mitigate this is by encouraging everyone in the team to mix up regularly. You can explore employee engagement programmes, put in place reward and recognition (R&R) process. You can also focus on wellness activities with your colleagues every once in a while, including off-site social activity; perhaps when things are more stable and the pandemic situation has improved in the future.
#4 GIVE INCENTIVES FOR IMPROVEMENT
It is important to tell your employees you appreciate them, and when people feel appreciated for their hard work, the sky is the limit on what they will achieve. Employees’ efforts can be appreciated in many ways. It may be anything from gift cards and certificates to vouchers and prizes to acknowledge their achievements. I personally appreciate and leave comments on social media accounts for my employees. A way of showing your appreciation to employees, based
Meeting every deadline and keeping on top of the projects can be somewhat challenging and can quickly drain the team’s energy if they are not feeling supported enough.
on their efforts and performance, is by giving them testimonials on the social media platform like LinkedIn. However, you can also do it differently. As an example, you can reward your team members by sending them personalised emails to let them know how well they are doing.
#5 ENGAGE THROUGH INTERACTIVE TRAINING
One way to ensure that your employee’s performance rises is through the introduction of a training initiative. This may be a viable option for employees who need training to learn efficient methods for completing their day-to-day tasks. It is equally important to keep the employees engaged through a training programme to maintain their morale and encourage them to come back for more if the training was valuable and helpful! Your employees are your number one asset. Whether you are working on your own or in a team, the first and foremost priority should always be to make sure each of the employees within your organisation is happy and fulfilled. Employees who feel appreciated and valued tend to work more efficiently and with more drive.
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PEOPLE | INTERVIEW
BARRY NAGEL CTO, UP42
“EXACT LOCATION MEANS BETTER DECISION-MAKING”
H
e is a man in love with building products and businesses, and thrilled by the thought of turning ideas into reality. A technology enthusiast and software developer by training, UP42 Chief Technology Officer Barry Nagel, started his career in 2005 as a web designer and developer for a small agency before moving into game development at InnoGames GmbH. In 2014, he set up his own development company Discreteer UG, his first taste of
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life as an entrepreneur; coming up with business ideas and making it work. Later he joined BCG Digital Ventures, joining the company’s core developer team. This is where he got the first big break with responsibility to work with electric scooters ridesharing venture Coup. In his own words, it was a wild journey that started with an idea. He along with the team quickly built a prototype and soon saw the company signing up with a fleet of 1000 scooters, expanding operation from Berlin to Paris, Madrid and Tübingen. After a year of working as an engineer
on the project, Nagel was made the CTO of Coup. As the CTO of UP42, Nagel works closely with the product teams to define the general architecture and direction of the company’s geospatial platform, covering the core elements from data discovery and access to large scale processing. In an interview with Shubhendu Parth, he talks about the role of geospatial technology and data in the digital-era normal, the benefits of adding locational context to already existing massive data, the Asia scenario, technologies and use cases. Excerpts:
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like increase in forest fires or floods. These require a swift turnaround time on decisions so that people can start doing something about it. The sheer number of satellites now makes it possible to capture image of any spot on the earth multiple times per day. In addition, advancements in ground segment tasking and processing mean image products can be delivered within hours of acquisition by the satellite. This combination of more frequent revisit combined with faster product turnaround is powering an exciting new spectrum of monitoring applications that have long been promised but were previously not possible. Thanks to digitalisation, companies are already inundated with an avalanche of data. How does adding the location context help? An exact location means better decision-making, especially when it comes to critical intervention in disaster management or risk assessment. Similarly, in agriculture a localised satellite view of a field from 600 kilometer above can help farmers understand the root cause of disturbances without resorting to generalised pesticide use, hence considering the impact of human intervention on the entire ecosystem.
There seems to be a surge in the demand for geospatial data analytics in the new normal. What is driving the adoption of geospatial data supply, solutions, and tools? Earth observation (EO) helps us measure and assess our planet’s natural and human-made environments and apply derived data and insights to solve critical issues such as climate change, deforestation, food security, and natural disasters. Think about the consequences of climate change
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From the Asia perspective, where does the region stand vis-a-vis rest of the world in terms of using geospatial technology (GT) and data for driving business innovation and growth? According to a recent report by Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), many countries in the APAC region have been taking significant steps from as early as 2005 to integrate geospatial information in their national policies and strategies – Indonesia being the first to
A satellite view of a field from 600 kilometer above can help farmers understand the root cause of disturbances without resorting to generalised pesticide use.
develop a long-term national plan through 2025. As geospatial technology grew exponentially, these countries have been opening up to international cooperation, proving that the socio-economic benefits of earth observation insights are pursued globally with an equally strong commitment. Asia is widely recognised as a growing hub for innovative startups. This is the perfect storm for a region with growing needs and greater resilience. Several agencies including ESCAP have strongly advocated the use of geospatial technology for meeting 2030 SDG objectives. How do you see GT helping the Asian economies meet their obligations? If necessity is the mother of invention, we can objectively say that this pandemic has pushed many countries to invest more heavily in innovation to overcome some of the toughest challenges of our times. COVID-19 has exposed the deepest cracks in our society and environment, particularly in regions with a long history of inequality and disaster. From inaccessible flooded areas to
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PEOPLE | INTERVIEW
From inaccessible flooded areas to polluted rivers to citizens below poverty line, earth observation data and analytics are invaluable to locate, monitor, and plan interventions.
polluted rivers to citizens living under the poverty line, earth observation data and analytics are invaluable resources to locate, monitor, and plan interventions. The ESCAP report indicates natural resource management, disaster risk reduction and resilience, and social development as the top three priorities where advancement in geospatial technology applications could make a difference in APAC. This is set to possibly accelerate the race of Asian countries to achieve the 2030 SDG objectives. And how ready are the Asian countries in terms of their policy framework to benefit from GT? We are generally witnessing a thirst for more data and insights for better decision-making, and concrete steps have already been taken in the region to facilitate and expedite the integration of geospatial technology in national strategies. In India for example, three policy drafts on Space-Based Remote Sensing Policy of India-2020, National Geospatial Policy-2021, and Satellite Navigation Policy-2021 are currently being reviewed. According to the recent report ‘Geospatial Artha: Indian Geospatial Market, Economy and Industrial Development Strategy,’ the country’s geospatial economy is expected to touch INR 63,000 crore (USD 232 Billion) by 2025. The government’s recent decision to liberalise mapping technologies and establish a collaborative geospatial ecosystem through Indian Space Association (ISpA) is a tangible proof that the country is not only ready but fully invested in the sector. Since you mentioned India, do you think the steps to unlock the space sector and allow private sector participation
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in the country are adequate to democratise geospatial data for use by organisations across sectors, as well as start-ups? Satellite imagery is assuming a larger role on the world stage as governmental organisations increasingly rely on Earth observation technology as a costeffective and unbiased information provider. In some cases, government policies explicitly call out the need for satellite imagery, while in other applications, it is simply the only viable data source to address the issue at hand. The ISpA is building publicprivate partnerships and advocating policies that leverage India’s space technologies for that nation to become a leading player in the global space arena. As a growing startup and active member of this ecosystem, we are definitively excited to see more government initiatives that will drive satellite image demand at a global level. On the technology side, businesses are already benefitting from the analysis of data from ERP, CRM, social media, and mobile applications, etc. How do you see the information from OT, DT, and GT converging in the days to come? Geospatial technology (GT) provides a different perspective, brings extra context, and enables the understanding of localised business challenges. We believe that data fusion is a key driver to unlocking detailed insights and laying the foundation of innovation. From a technology standpoint, it requires the democratisation of geospatial technology, including the ease of access to relevant data, corresponding processing algorithms to streamline business operations. How can organisations integrate these data sets, particularly geospatial data with business data? Does it require a major change in
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PEOPLE | INTERVIEW
the way an organisation works? We believe that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are critical technical capabilities that will unlock the downstream impact of Earth Observation. Machine Learning allows people to quickly and automatically process large amounts of data. At the same time, AI and ML cannot solve all problems effectively, and understanding their role is of utmost importance. A solution provider needs to deliver solutions to an end customer by wanting to automate the flow of data and analytics as much as possible. It is critical that a marketplace and platform offer access to the required data and analytics in a way that enables automation. A key feature of the UP42 platform is making these resources accessible via API.
In APAC region, natural resource management, disaster risk reduction, and social development are three areas where advancement in geospatial technology can make a difference.
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So, what technologies can help organisations access highquality geospatial data and analyse it? We believe that a neutral onestop shop for data and analytics can be the perfect solution for businesses looking for an easy and flexible way to access and work with big data. UP42 has been designed with this principle in mind: a developer platform and marketplace. This model offers extensive data sources such as satellite and aerial imagery, weather data, and digital elevation models, together with processing algorithms to identify objects, detect change, and find patterns. Through a very simple pay-as-you-go model, customers cost-effectively purchase just the data needed to cover their area of interest and leverage the platform’s cloud computing power to process and analyse the data sets. We are an API-first platform, which makes our platform actionable by automating the flow of data and analytics all the way through to our customers.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are critical technical capabilities that will unlock the downstream impact of Earth observation.
The general perception is that only large corporations and governments have the wherewithal to access and benefit from high resolution data information. Can technology help it make more accessible? In 2019, UP42 was launched with the goal of democratising geospatial technologies by creating a unified online platform where users can access all the resources needed to extract meaningful information from raw data without making any major investment in software and computing infrastructure. This has successfully lowered the financial and technical barriers to entry, enabling businesses of all sizes to impact the commercial market. Our growth is not just an isolated phenomenon but the result of a general trend in an industry that has expanded tremendously in the last decade. With dozens of new remote sensing satellites launched later this year and more to come in the near future, geospatial users of all sizes and in all sectors have more data sets than ever to choose from.
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PEOPLE | MY JOURNEY
THE NEW WAY OF LIFE The journey in the art world shaped her life. It also changed the way she looked at the world, allowing her to step away from the race, and convert a hobby into work. BY SHUBHRA CHATURVEDI Artist & Photographer
W
hen you dream of the concept and how to execute it and it wakes you at night so much that you open your sketchbook and capture the thought; when you are walking through the hills and you see the charred wooden log and take a photo of it because its texture and colour is what you want to bring out in your work; when you are served a soup in a ceramic bowl in a fine dining restaurant and you think wow that is a lovely glaze… that’s when art has got internalised. For me, art is a way of life and totally synced with who I am and what I stand for. However, I wasn’t like this always. About 13 years ago, I switched from being a senior manager in a large media house to a full-time artist. I have been a freelancer and I have been on my own since then. And this did not happen overnight.
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PEOPLE | MY JOURNEY
I grew up as the eldest child from a middle-class family, in the city of Kanpur. I was ambitious but my goals were small and often focused on one thing at a time. In school, the goal was to get out of Kanpur and study at Delhi University. I pursued B. Com and then my next goal was to get into a reputed MBA institute. I went to Pune, did my MBA in HR, and the next goal was to get a good job in a decent organisation.
BEGINNING OF A TRANSFORMATION
My corporate career started in 1997. My little goals continued from job to salary hike, promotion, shifting from owning a house to owning a bigger house, and bigger car, etc. I call these goals run-of-themill and I was no different. In 2004 however, I saw the first signs of change. I had this new mantra, “use yourself before your expiry date”. I started living by it. I had started painting when I was doing my MBA in Pune and I began to pursue it more seriously. I joined my mentor and started weekend classes with her. Art kept me going when I was busy fulfilling my little career goals. In 2008-09, the tide turned and my small goals in the corporate world saw big hurdles, the office politics, new boss, and global recession all hit me at the same time. While I strategised how to get out of the situation, my canvasses kept lighting up with colourful expressions. I had never imagined a day when I will cease to be part of the corporate machinery but it happened. Due to unavoidable circumstances, I had to quit my job, and owing to the ongoing recession I never got one immediately. Those were the most depressing days of my life. The more I was down in the pit, the more I painted. And one day, after many months, during
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a conversation with someone, I just decided to say bye to the corporate world. My friend told me, take care of painting and painting will take care of you. I took to it like how...
CHANGE, CHALLENGES, AND CANVAS
For me, art didn’t happen as a career choice early on in life. It came much later, first as an interest and then grew to be a passion and ultimately became a way of life. That is when I submerged myself into it totally. This is what I do full time and this is what gives me the most joy. However, people wonder how the journey has been and has it been easy. My answer is no. It’s been very challenging and a relentless struggle, but one that is totally worth it. There were struggles of various kinds. The first and foremost was to cut down expenses and readjust the living standard. The fund flow stopped immediately and one had to manage with one’s savings. I sold my big car and shifted to another house in a farther area to save on rent. Getting adjusted to working alone was another challenge. Art is a lonely vocation. Only you can do what’s inside your head and you have to walk that last mile yourself. Making art was a matter of daily practice but selling art? Well I had no experience of it. To connect to the galleries, to meet people who were from the art world, to book exhibition space, all of these tasks were daunting at the first go. It is easier to sell someone else’s service or work. To go out and sell your own work did not come easy at all. One had to be hard-skinned, had to accept rejections, and then get up and try again. The solace came when I was in the studio and worked on my canvas. I never went to an art college and never learned all the skills that the institutes equip
KEY TAKEAWAYS Freelancing meant struggles of various kinds. The first was to cut down expenses and readjust living standards because the financial cushion of a job was gone. Being your own boss means a person has to continuously push one’s limits and get beyond the comfort zone of familiar work. Practice is the key to a successful career. The going may be good or the going may not be good, either way, one cannot stop practicing the art that one does.
you within a graduate program. My work was spontaneous and I learned a lot of things as I experimented and explored different mediums, styles and techniques. I never got a ready network or platform that other artists were privy to when they got out of an institute. I had to make my own connections and I had to show my work to as many people as I could. With the advent of social media things became easier at one level because the entire world is your target but got tougher and tougher,
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PEOPLE | MY JOURNEY
Embrace, 2014; mixed medium and acrylic on canvas
millionaire for a day, till the funds got disbursed to the vendors.
To go out and sell your own work did not come easy at all. One had to be hardskinned, had to accept rejections, and then get up and try again.
because the social media space wants you to boast about your work and yourself on a daily basis; if you are out of sight, you are out of mind. The toughest challenge, however, was in making the ends meet. There were months when I had had no money to pay the next month’s bill and then there were times when my account was credited with more than a million rupee (owing to few Delhi Metro projects) and I was happy to be a
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BEING ONE’S OWN BOSS Life as a freelancer took away from me the financial cushion of a job and the security of an organised life. However, it taught me to value resources, to enjoy each situation no matter how hard. I have had sleepless nights. I cried many times when there were rejections and when the money was not in sight. I borrowed funds from family and friends to survive during tough times. On the upside I created and created a lot of work. I experimented with clay, metal, paper pulp, scrap along with the usual paints. I expressed, spoke my mind and engaged with the viewers. I taught art and enabled people to discover their creative side. I exhibited in solo and group shows and I also did some commissions including the public
art projects for the Delhi Metro. To see your work as an integral part of a public space, where people stand and take selfies was a high of a different kind. In this last decade or more I learned how by being part of the corporate world, I had become a consumerist. I was part of the race where we were all contributing to the top line of many companies and feeding a false sense of self-worth. I never questioned why I am buying
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something or more so, why I am throwing something. My journey in the art world not only shaped my work, it also shaped my worldview. It allowed me to step aside from the race and view myself in a new light. The last two years of the pandemic were tougher than most other years and the only solace was I am not the only one. It helped me to reach out to people grappling with the uncertainty that is so part of my DNA now. I offered much hope through art. Using art as a means to de-stress and get cantered. Like other entrepreneurs, my story of struggle will not get over with one big break or one successful workshop. It is a never-ending saga where one needs to continue inventing and reinventing ideas. Being your own boss means a person has to continuously push one’s limits and get beyond the comfort zone of familiar work. Art is penitence and is only good if it’s always in practice. So riaz (practice) is the key to a successful career. The going may be good or the going may not be good, either way, one cannot stop practicing the art that one does. I have to make sure whatever I create lasts me out. That to my mind is the biggest transformation that has happened in my life. It is not so much about turning into an artist from a manager but internalising something in a way that from a weekend passion it became a way of life.
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PEOPLE | HUMAN TRANSFORMATION
POSITIVE HABITS OF DIGITAL-ERA LEADERS
Mantras for executive leader to follow as they face challenges of the future and work to deal with the ever-changing and transforming business needs.
T BY EKTAA SIBAL India’s number one Inner-self Transformation Specialist, International Meditation Expert, Global Executive Leadership Coach and Gifted Energy Healer with inborn intuitive abilities
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he world is on the cusp of the greatest period of transformation where the global leaders, whether in the professional arena or in the political arena, have to embrace a new way of thinking and working. This shift in mindset is what will help leaders to harness the brilliance to drive change and transformation, to build resilient and future focused practices. What does this mean for the
evolution of leadership in future? While leaders are supposed to have all the key traits and skills required for running and leading the organisations, it’s imperative that they possess some additional aspects required to transform an organisational setup. Leadership is bound to transform radically in the near future as they balance the short-term needs of the business with the long-term vision and strategies. Currently, all leaders are trying to ascertain the
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PEOPLE | HUMAN TRANSFORMATION
KEY TAKEAWAYS Leaders need to have key traits and skills required for managing the organisation. It is also imperative that they possess qualities required to transform an organisation. In an effort to manage the long-term impact, leaders are compelled to find ways to make the organisation not just adapt the new normal, but also thrive in it. Future leaders must build a culture of wellness through regular talks on mental wellbeing, mind strengthening activities, including meditation as a practice.
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temporary effects of the pandemic on the business and the impact which have caused complete business shift. In an effort to manage the long-term impact, leaders are compelled to find ways to make the organisation not just adapt the new normal, but also thrive in it. So, what are the mantras an executive leader can follow to face the challenges of the future and thrive in the new normal?
INNOVATIVE, ADAPTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE
In the current times, the changing landscape means executive leaders need to adapt and find innovative ways to take advantage of their own skills and abilities. These innovative ways were previously not considered crucial. However, they have now gained attention and value such as incorporating meditation as a practice in the workplace to bring forth hidden capabilities and skills. Future leaders will need to be both more open to new ideas and aware of their own limitations so as to collaborate with their teams in out of the box activities that will uncover innovative ways to create a safe space to express curiosity
Future leaders will need to be both more open to new ideas and aware of their own limitations so as to collaborate with their teams in out of the box activities.
and encourage teams to think beyond what is currently out there.
COMPASSION, EMPATHY AND RESPECT
Exceptional executive leadership needs to be driven by factors such as compassion, kindness, being empathetic, and displaying respect. Here, self- regulation is the key, as a leader who is or has gone through a challenging time will need to show up at his/her best for others. It is vital for leaders to share perspectives with their members about the fact that we all have gone through our own personal crisis and have come out of it so there is nothing that can break us. Such words with real meaning can give your team the right amount of hope for a better tomorrow. Check your ego, as it is not just about you but also about your team; collaborate and work together with your team. Express care by listening in and checking in with your team to understand each person’s situation and need. Start meetings with a personal
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PEOPLE | HUMAN TRANSFORMATION
touch. Bring appropriate humor to your conversations as levity is the key to strengthen the bond that the leaders of the future can build upon.
RESILIENCE AND ADVERSITY QUOTIENT
Exceptional executive leadership needs to be driven by factors such as compassion, kindness, being empathetic, and displaying respect.
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Presently, people are searching for meaning in the time of crisis more than any other time. While many are overthinking and it’s become extremely noisy right now inside their heads; hence people need clarity on what is most important. As a leader, one needs to bring it back to what matters most. Future Leadership requires creating a culture of wellness in the organisation. Mental health is what matters most. To be ready for any adversity, it calls for us to create inner strength in each member of the team so that we can build resilience not just to cope up with the current situation but be ready for whatever comes in front of us. Leadership in the future will not only be about putting out fire with a reactive approach but it will compel the leaders to
prepare their team to be equipped, empowered and prepared in the most proactive manner. Future leaders must insist on building wellness culture in the organisation by incorporating regular talks on mental wellbeing, mind strengthening activities that incorporate meditation as a practice and much more. Such actions will accentuate the adversity quotient of individuals and enhance the spiritual quotient of leaders which will build resilience. The leader’s resilience must be made as a way of living so that members can learn and incorporate into their lifestyle. To conclude, as the new normal becomes apparent, the clarity of what it means to lead others in future will evolve. A pragmatic and a proactive outlook of leadership through transformative times will seem especially relevant. In the approaching times we will have a choice. Will we regress back to old ways of leadership, or will we become conscious about forming new positive leadership habits? Here I’m reminded of Marshall Goldsmith’s axiom: What got you here won’t get you there. A thought to ponder!
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CHINA
Meituan expands scope of digital Yuan payment Meituan, a Chinese e-commerce platform providing life services, recently announced it has further expanded the range of digital yuan payment to more than 200 offline consumption scenarios, including catering, fresh food retailing, ride-hailing, hotels, tourism and entertainment. Previously, Meituan allowed users to pay with the digital Yuan in a few online and offline consumption scenarios like food delivery, bike-sharing, grocery shopping and movies. It is now offering digital yuan payment services in a more comprehensive set of scenarios and allowing users to receive exclusive consumption subsidies. During Meituan’s implementation of China’s digital yuan pilot program, nearly 90% of its digital Yuan wallets have been used in everyday life consumption scenarios since January, with small-value transactions below CNY 30 ($4.71) accounting for the largest proportion of the total, thus promoting the development of various types of people’s livelihood consumption and offline small businesses, the company said. As of 31 December 2021, the number of scenarios
Courtesy: chinadaily.com.cn
for China’s digital Yuan pilot program had exceeded 8.08 million. A total of 261 million individual users have opened digital yuan wallets and the transaction value had reached CNY 87.57 Billion, Zou Lan, Director, Financial Market Department of People’s Bank of China stated at a news conference.
HONG KONG
Alt Farm unveils 3D food printing technology in Asia Hong Kong-based technology startup, Alt Farm has announced the debut of first-ever 3D food printing technology for high-quality and creative food with the patented nozzle design in Asia that achieves a level of product quality comparable to high-quality dessert and plant-based food. The new technology will result in more efficient, sustainable, and ethical way to create foods without compromising on quality, the company stated. Having the startup idea in 2019, three HKUST alumni Kenny Fung, Christy Cheung and Joanna Hui have developed 3D food printing technology with its mission to expand the application of 3D food printing for different kinds of food through chemical processing. They started Alt Farm with their own 3D printer with bio-reacting nozzle and will continue to work on biochemical engineering research and collaborate with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to incorporate 3D food
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From left to right: Christy Cheung, Prof. Marshal Liu, Kenny Fung, Joanna Hui
printing technology for other traditional food. With its first patent granted in December 2021, Alt Farm specialises in carrying out specific enzymatic reaction in the nozzle to generate the fibrous texture of foods. On top of the traditional 3D food printing on altering temperature profile, the patent nozzle can facilitate chain aggregation and gelation to mimic different kinds of food in constructing different 3D structure. Their target is to mimic fibrous structure in food with the help of economical scaled 3D printing technologies, and this would be achieved with the help of the HKUST Bioengineering team.
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INDIA
ISRO makes breakthrough in hack-proof quantum communication
India’s space agency ISRO has announced that it has achieved a major breakthrough in hackproof quantum communication. According to reports, scientists from its Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre and Physical Research Laboratory have demonstrated quantum entanglement by using realtime Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and conducted hack-proof communication between two places separated by 300 meters. During the demonstration,
scientists managed to create an atmospheric channel on the ground to enable sharing of quantumsecure text, image transmission and quantum-assisted two-way video calling. The experiment was conducted between two buildings separated by 300 meters at the Space Applications Centre. “This experiment and demonstration were repeated over several nights to ensure the repeatability and robustness of an indigenously developed QKD system capable of seamlessly generating and
utilising secure keys for various applications,” ISRO said in a statement. The space research organisation also said that to achieve the feat, scientists developed various key technologies like robust and high brightness entangled photon source (EPS), BBM92 protocol implementation, NavIC enabled synchronisation, polarisation compensation techniques, among others. A cryptographic application software suite with integrated quantum security has also been developed and demonstrated for text, image, video encryption and decryption. The latest breakthrough comes on the back of an earlier demonstration of quantum secure video-conferencing in free space, over a distance of 300 meters in March last year. Quantum communication is one of the safest ways of connecting two places with high levels of code and quantum cryptography that cannot be decrypted or broken by an external entity. If a hacker tries to crack the message in quantum communication, it changes its form in such a manner that would alert the sender and would cause the message to be altered or deleted.
INDIA
Fynd launches real money social gaming app Frolic Reliance-backed technology company Fynd has launched Frolic, a competitive play-to-earn gaming app with live battle mode and immersive social community. The play-to-earn gaming app comes with over 25 games across different categories including action, arcade, sports, adventure, and puzzles. The app is more than just a gaming portal, it is also a social networking zone for people to share photos and videos, interact with each other, post memes, and be a part of the gaming community, the company stated in a press release. “Frolic is an immersive gaming experience with an opportunity to earn real money. Gaming has leveled up and it is more than just a way to kill
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time, it is a community, a way to earn an income, to relax, to experience the latest in technology, it is a door to another universe and of course, it is a lot of fun,” Farooq Aadam, Co-founder of Fynd said. The app allows players to pre-decide the reward, challenge friends, and strangers to a live battle and earn actual money. While the app allows players to play and win in Indian Rupee at present, Fynd is planning to launch its own cryptocurrency FRO as well. The app has also integrated all major payment options including UPI, PhonePe, Gpay, Paytm, and net banking.
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INDONESIA
Indosat, Cisco to provide 5G connectivity security solutions Indonesia based Indosat Ooredoo and Cisco have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop next-generation connectivity solutions for businesses of all sizes and across various industries. The two companies plan to develop applications that enable new services for digital transformation across various industries. The MoU states Cisco’s intention to work closely with Indosat Ooredoo to provide secure agile connectivity solutions for businesses and to strengthen its mobile and fibre network for more commercial launches of 5G and high-speed connectivity services. Announcing the partnership, Indosat Ooredoo President Director and CEO Ahmad Al-Neama said: “The strategic partnership would play an important role in supporting the government to accelerate digital transformation in Indonesia, as the country welcomes more commercial launches of 5G services.” He further said the collaboration would help the communication company’s transition to 5G as it forms the foundation
for future solutions, including smart cities, the internet-of-things (IoT) and other vertical services. It will also enable capabilities such as low-latency, as well as managed WiFi and SD-WAN technology services to differentiate Indosat Ooredoo’s offerings and position in the 5G era, he said. Speaking on the partnership, Cisco System’s President for Asia Pacific and Japan, Service Provider Business Sanjay Kaul said, “Our collaboration with Indosat Ooredoo will see the best of both companies come together to deliver the next-generation network infrastructure powered software-defined routed optical networks, which will enable service agility and digital value plays for small, medium and large enterprises in the 5G era.”
JAPAN
Ultimaker 3D printers power University of Tokyo T-BOX project Netherlands-based 3D printer-manufacturing company, Ultimaker has announced its engagement with the University of Tokyo for utilisation of digital fabrication tools in its new innovation hub, T-BOX. The company announced that University of Tokyo Sekisui House - Kuma Lab is using six Ultimaker 3D printers to understand the future of architecture. The Ultimaker 3D printers and Digital Factory software help students of the architecture department to improve their craft and explore other avenues for growth, such as learning about manufacturing or digital fabrication, the company stated. “The purpose of T-BOX project is to provide the full potential of development for each learner, where they explore the 3D printing system and Ultimaker Digital Factory for product development, prototype and architectural models printing, turning their vision into reality,” Sekisui House – Kuma Lab Director and Project Assistant Professor Toshiki Hirano said. He also added that the unlimited material range of the printers allow students the opportunity to experiment with advanced polymers
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1/10 size 3D printed model of the installation work exhibited at the Design Biennale in London.
and composites to meet the demands of the real world. One especially eye-catching print to come out of T-BOX is a 3D printed model of the installation work exhibited at the recent Design Biennale in London. T-BOX scanned various iconic objects in the cities of Tokyo and London, converting them into 3D data. The 3D models were then printed using Ultimaker 3D printers, shipped to London and assembled for the display.
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MALAYSIA
Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia selects UK cloud fintech to build its Islamic digital bank
Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia (ARBM) has announced that it has selected UKbased Thought Machine, a cloud native core banking technology firm, to power its next-generation digital bank and strengthen the company’s position in Islamic
banking. “We are launching a state-of-the-art digital bank, which will be differentiated by its high levels of innovation, customer convenience and reliability. We are tapping into the vast potential in technology offered by our key
partners to help advance towards our vision of becoming the #1 Islamic finance innovation bank in Malaysia,” the bank’s CEO Arsalaan Ahmed said. ARBM embarked on a multi-year digital transformation in 2021 and will deploy Thought Machine’s core banking engine, Vault, to launch a new digital bank in 2022 with a range of sophisticated retail and SME financial services, such as savings and financing products. “The unique design of the Vault platform will enable ARBM to deliver on their ambitions and launch an end-to-end next-generation bank. The bank will harness Vault’s universal product engine to design, launch and manage a full suite of products on a single, clear architecture,” the company stated. The bank is also building a full suite of Shariah-compliant products and Vault’s product-building capabilities will be instrumental and critical in allowing the bank to build and offer services tailored to their customers’ individual needs.
SINGAPORE
INFT launches Buy Now Pay Later service Singapore-based IN Financial Technologies (INFT) has announced the launch of its Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution that will help encourage competitiveness in businesses with easy payment methods and higher turnover rates while getting paid upfront. “Using this form of short-term financing credit will allow businesses to reach out to a wider target audience, remain competitive and foster consumer loyalty,” the company stated adding that with INFT, organisations will be able to boost sales by enhancing customers’ experiences and reducing cash flow strain. INFT’s BNPL solution offers flexibility with six easy payments that come with a maximum transaction size of up to SGD 5,000, while featuring transparent fees with no interest rate. By breaking the price into more manageable, interest-free payments, businesses can make the cost more palatable to customers. “This service is the perfect
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win-win situation for businesses and business customers alike,” INFT said in a press release. BNPL enables business customers to make purchases through instalment plans has seen a high traction recently. However, these are often tied to tedious credit assessment, documents requirements and hefty interest with fine print, resulting in much debt that often goes unpaid for far too long. “With INFT BNPL, businesses can now be more competitive and gain higher sales volume, while their customers get the products with 0% interest instalment payments,” the release said.
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SINGAPORE
Bybit launches NFT marketplace with 100 artworks
Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has announced the launch of the its NFT Marketplace, a non-fungible token (NFT) platform that aims to streamline digital ownership and support the development of blockchain gaming and the metaverse. The NFT Marketplace allows users to conduct multichain transactions, making it easy for everyone to participate
in the exciting NFT, GameFi, and metaverse marketplaces, Baybit stated. “The secure and reliable infrastructure means that NFT collectors can verify the authenticity and the chain of custody of their favourite NFTs, making it easy for users to authenticate its origin and value,” it added. The company further highlighted
that it plans to make Bybit NFT Marketplace a one-stop shop that can bring together artists, creators and collectors. Bybit users will not be required to link their personal wallet addresses to the platform. Instead, they can buy, sell or trade NFTs on the Ethereum ERC-721 standard through their Bybit spot accounts, opening the door to digital ownership to collectors of all knowledge and skill levels. “While some may be sceptical of the investment value of NFTs, it remains a fact that NFTs not only make it possible for everyone to participate in and appreciate digital ownership, but also enable artists and creators to exercise control over the ownership of their work,” Bybit Co-founder and CEO Ben Zhou said adding, “We are excited to provide a premier NFT platform for Bybit users, so they can be part of the creation of a new marketplace and new world called the metaverse.” The first series from ONBD on the Bybit NFT Marketplace features more than 100 unique NFT artworks from nine artists from around the world.
SOUTH KOREA
Joby Aviation to launch air taxi service in South Korea California-based electric vertical take-off and landing startup Joby Aviation as chalked out plans to offer air taxi service in South Korea. The company has tied up with SK Telecom (SKT), one of the country’s largest telecommunication companies to provide better integration between land and air travel. The air taxi service will leverage the T Map Mobility platform, an SKT-spinoff that provides subscription-based mobility-as-a-service consisting of rental cars, parking, ride-hailing and other transportation-related services. The partnership also enables Joby to leverage UT ridehailing service, a joint venture formed between T Map and Uber last year. In a joint statement, the two companies also expressed support for the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Roadmap, which sets a goal
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of commercialising limited UAM services by 2025 in order to reduce traffic congestion in major cities. “The plan is to begin with one or two routes in the Seoul metropolitan area and get up to 10 air taxi terminals by the end of the decade, all of which would connect to local buses, subways and other forms of mobility,” the companies stated. SKT is a member of UAM Team Korea, a government-led consortium of private sector stakeholders, like Hyundai, Korean Air and Incheon International Airport Corporation, to push for the early stabilisation of domestic UAM. “With more than 42 million people living in urban areas, South Korea offers a remarkable opportunity for Joby to make air travel a part of daily life, helping people to save time while reducing their carbon footprint,” Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt said.
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COVER STORY
WATER FOR ALL
The Jal Jeevan Mission, along with multiple water management programmes, is transforming rural India. Here is what Asia can learn from it.
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asia.biznesstransform.com
COVER STORY
BY BY RAJESH MEHTA
W
ater is not just the source of all life that prevails but also the harbinger of culture, trade, and human civilisation. Indian rivers, albeit being revered as mothers and goddesses, are few of the filthiest across the world. Realising this necessity of ensuring efficient water governance to ensure water security, India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti has come up with interventions at multiple levels to address individual elements of water management, bringing about the much-needed change.
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Water governance in India is now one of the most successful projects undertaken by the Narendra Modi government and led by minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Determined with the resolve to ensure clean tap water in every district of India and ameliorate the conditions of river bodies, the country’s government decided to undertake several mid- and longterm endeavours, which have truly been a game-changer in ensuring water governance in India. With flagship programs like Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Swachh Bharat Mission, Namami Gange, PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, and Atal Bhujal Yojana, the Government of India is working towards developing infrastructure for in-village piped water supply infrastructure across all villages, including remote and backward regions, as well as augmentation of existing water sources by cleaning river bodies to provide long term-sustainability.
QUEST FOR WATER SECURITY
Besides decreasing water tables and reducing water availability, the degrading quality of our water bodies in India has been a reason
for concern. In addition to agricultural practices leading to fertilizer-induced toxicity and contamination in aquifers, rivers are also being contaminated because of industrial waste disposal. Toxic elements discharged by industries and pollutants like fertilizers and pesticides have also led to widespread contamination of groundwater, making it unfit for consumption in more than half of the total districts. Another crucial aspect of the water crisis identified by the government was the muddled administrative and management structure that governs the water system in India; water governance was crippled by the enormous multiplicity of organisations, inadequacies of revenue generation, and policy gaps. To solve this problem of multiple government bodies managing and monitoring the water resources without any organised coordination, two ministries, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation were brought under the Jal Shakti Ministry in 2019. Immediately after the formation of the new Ministry, Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched in 256 water-stressed districts to drive water conservation with participation from local people and district administration. The ambitious public work programs targeted major silos of water conservation and rainwater harvesting, focussing on rejuvenation of water bodies, watershed development, and reforestation. This laid the foundation for the JJM which aims to provide potable water supply to 192.7 million rural households by 2024. Launched on 15 August 2019, when only 17% of rural households in the country had access to tap water in their homes, JJM has come a long way adding 57.11 Functional
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COVER STORY
A native of Umla village is all smiles. Umla is the 12th village of Leh to get tap water supply for the first time in all 25 households, even in sub-zero conditions. (Photo: NJJM)
Household Tap Connections (FHTCs); up from 32.36 million to 89.48 million households, at the time of writing this article.
WATER GOVERNANCE IS THE KEY
For a country as vast as India, with vast topographic and climatic variation, achieving a nearly 176% growth in 18 months is a remarkable story. This achievement, as pointed out by Lokpal Secretary Bharat Lal (former JJM Mission Director) has been made possible by engaging stakeholders up to the Gram Panchayat (village council) level, including sub-
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committee like Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) and Pani Samiti (water committee), that have played a key role in making provisions for assured service delivery. What also sets the mission apart is the fact that it is being implemented in a decentralised manner, following a bottom-up approach where-in local village communities are being empowered to shoulder the key responsibility of the planning, implementing, managing, operating, and maintaining their in-village water supply system. (see interview) For robust water governance, besides the legal and policy
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COVER STORY
framework, the government has also put in place several agencies, institutions, and autonomous bodies to work on several water-related issues coherently. The paucity of water security in the agricultural dimension of our nation is also being acknowledged with policies targeted to alleviate the problem. When it comes to agriculture, water wastage is caused by twin problems of wrong crop planning and a poor irrigation system. Realising that improvement of water productivity was a crucial element of ensuring water
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security, given that agriculture uses nearly three fourth of the overall water usage, the government had decided to launch Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) as early as 2015. The objective was to plug wastage of water due to agriculture and significantly improve the water table. The initiative also served as a crucial stepping stone of water security and the ultimate goal of providing clean tap water regularly to 100% rural homes. The PMKSY has helped in a big way in meeting the irrigation needs of every agriculture field and improving water-use efficiency as part of the More Crop Per Drop mission. The Atal Bhujal Yojana on the other hand, with a budget outlay of INR 60 Billion and a target coverage of 78 districts, is a programme aimed at improving groundwater management through community participation. Yet another initiative towards potable water sufficiency and security was the efforts towards cleaning important rivers in India, particularly rivers Ganga and Yamuna that have been polluted to a level that they can no longer sustain marine life. The two rivers were brought within the purview of urgent action through the massive Namami Gange programme. The program strives to maintain water security in the entire Ganga basin, with numerous policies and programs on demand-side management, floodplain protection, conservation of wetlands and springs, improving groundwater through aquifer recharge, reuse, and recycling, and improving water use efficiency. The projects under this programme have been completed at a rapid pace over the last few years and an integrated approach has been adopted to achieve optimality. This truly has been a game-
changer for Indian policy-making and execution, so much so the Namami Gange Program is now being extended to cover every other river body of the country.
INDIA IS NOT ALONE
The CEO of NITI Aayog, India’s premier policy think tank, Amitabh Kant in an interview with Business Transformation Asia had highlighted that any solution that the country finds for its 1.3 billion people can be the template to solve the problems for the next five billion people of the world. And the water security problem is no exception. Reports indicate that the global demand for fresh water in the world has been soaring steeply with supply becoming more uncertain, while one out of six people or more than a billion people are yet to get adequate access to safe water. According to the United Nations, by 2025 half of the countries worldwide will face water stress or outright shortages. By 2050, as many as three out of four people around the globe could be affected by water scarcity. According to the Asia Society report, water-related problems are particularly acute in Asia. The report also highlights that although Asia is home to more than half of the world’s population, it has less freshwater; just 3,920 cubic meters per person per year. It is also interesting to note that almost two-thirds of global population growth is occurring in Asia, where the population is expected to increase by nearly 500 million people within the next 10 years. While India’s effort towards ensuring better water governance and driving water security for all is still a few years away, the country has taken the correct step forward; a model that may help other countries, especially in Asia and Africa. The author is a consultant and columnist working on market entry, innovation, and public policy.
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COVER STORY
“INDIA LOSES 73 MILLION PERSON-DAYS ANNUALLY DUE TO WATER-BORNE DISEASES”
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man with a mission, Bharat Lal has been working in the drinking water and sanitation sector, both at the state level in Gujarat and at the central government level, where he was involved in driving reforms in 1999. His big break came when he was asked to set up the Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO) in 2002, in the aftermath of the Gujarat earthquake, to provide potable tap water to every household. In 2019, when the Government of India decided to launch the nationwide Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide clean tap water to every household and public institution by 2024, Lal was asked to take up the responsibility as its first Mission Director. In an interview with Shubhendu Parth, he elaborates on the nuts and bolts of JJM, the preparation and groundwork, the framework for community engagement, and how deep technology is driving the transformation. Excerpts:
BHARAT LAL Secretary, Lokpal of India and former Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission
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COVER STORY
How will you like to describe the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)? Is it an infrastructure project or a service delivery project? Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide potable tap water supply to all rural households and public institutions by 2024. Under the Mission, every household will get 55 litres per capita per day of assured clean tap water supply adhering to the BIS 10:500 standards. JJM also has the mandate to ensure that each Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) has the right pressure and receives an adequate quantity of potable water, on a regular and longterm basis. To achieve this goal, water supply infrastructure is to be built, which includes the development of drinking water sources, putting up water treatment plants, water distribution networks, greywater collection and treatment for its reuse, and regular operation and maintenance. However, even though JJM may appear to be a massive infrastructure project given the massive outlay of INR 3.60 lakh crore ($51 Billion), the real emphasis is on decentralised, demand-driven, and community-managed implementation by building responsive and responsible leadership at the grassroots level. The goal is not to just provide tap water connections but to ensure a clean tap water supply on regular basis to bridge the urban-rural disparity in quality of life and bring improvement in public health. So, how is the Mission handling it in terms of engaging the community? A project of JMM size requires humongous effort and people engagement. To ensure community leadership, Village Water Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) and Pani Samitis (water committees) have been
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formed and made functional in 454,000 of the 605,000 villages. Each VWSC has 10-15 members and is a sub-committee of the village council, the Gram Panchayat (GP). These committees are mobilising the local village community to prepare a fiveyear Village Action Plan (VAP). The VAP includes a plan for a sustainable drinking water source, water supply, greywater management, and operation and maintenance. These onetime action plans provide a roadmap and direction to the local leadership to ensure longterm assured tap water service delivery. So far, more than 345,000 villages have already prepared for the VAP. We have also put in a lot of thought on the capacity building of the stakeholders and 5% of the JJM fund has been reserved for training, awareness, behavioural change campaigns, and skilling of local community members to set up and sustain the water supply systems. To drive the initiative, we have also engaged 184 UN and other agencies as sector partners to help in research, information dissemination, education, and communication campaigns. They will also help in monitoring and evaluation, advise on the use of deep technologies, and in setting up pilots. Also, 104 institutes have been roped in as Key Resource Centres to impart training and enhance capacity, while 13,700 NGOs, Communitybased Organisations, and Selfhelp Groups have been engaged as Implementation Support Agencies to handhold local communities in rolling it out. What transformation do you expect the JJM to bring in India’s rural economy and how will it impact the country’s overall growth? Universal access to a regular and safe drinking water supply lies at
The goal is to ensure clean tap water supply on regular basis, bridge the urbanrural disparity in quality of life and bring improvement in public health.
the foundation of a healthy nation. The economic burden of poorquality drinking water is enormous. Studies suggest that about 21% of communicable diseases in India are water-related. The economic cost of water-borne diseases is huge. It leads to a loss of over 73 million person-days every year. Research has established the adverse effect of prenatal and early childhood exposure to contaminated water on cognitive abilities. Moreover, inadequate access to water for sanitation purposes, physical and psychological stress on women on account of fetching water from long distances leads to an increase in the rate of preterm birth and low birth weight. Functional tap connection is relieving women from this drudgery enabling them to spend time on improving household income or for rest and leisure. It is also helping improve the attendance of girl students in schools. The massive capital investment under JJM has a direct impact on the economy. While it is creating employment opportunities at the local level, it is also driving the demand for cement, steel, pipes, valves, pumps, and faucets, as well as services like survey and
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COVER STORY
Source sustainability is the foundation on which the success of JJM lies. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan provided us a head start on this front.”
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designing, and construction activities. The mission has also spurred demand for newer technologies like sensor-based IoT solutions and portable water quality testing kits. JJM is a massive transformative project, perhaps one of the largest to achieve SDG 6. What preparation and groundwork did the government do before launching it in August 2019? At the time of the announcement of JJM on 15 August 2019, only 17% of rural households had access to tap water in their homes. Thus, the task at hand was humongous with 160 million households to be provided with FHTCs in five years. Further, every year, around 2.7 million new households are added. In addition, all existing water supply systems and tap connections were to be made JJM compliant in terms of service delivery standards and longevity. Before Jal Jeevan Mission was formally announced, the Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan in 256 water-stressed districts and 1,592 blocks covering all states. The objective was to make water conservation an agenda in everyone’s life. Under this, many water conservation activities were taken up and completed and each of the work was geo-tagged. We also used ISRO’s remotesensing expertise to assess the outcomes of the programme in terms of groundwater recharge, surface water conserved through rejuvenated waterbodies, soil moisture, and watershed interventions. To understand the long-term availability of reliable drinking water sources, a detailed analysis of data from the Central Ground Water Board was undertaken. This helped us with information on sources of sufficient quantity and good quality groundwater. Analysis of all these data helped
us decide the kind of scheme to be taken up, investment plans, and timelines. The department also prepared Hydro-Geo Morphological (HGM) maps for the entire country to locate the groundwater occurring areas with quantity, quality, and depth of occurrence. We also conducted an extensive analysis of all ongoing programmes to understand the nature of work that was ahead of us. This included retrofitting, augmentation, and asset replacement work. It also involved designing new initiatives, including solar power-based schemes for remote areas and regional schemes for droughtprone and desert areas. Does JJM’s scope of work also include expanding the source of water and improving its quality? As you may be aware, India extracts more groundwater than the combined extraction by the United States and China. As per our internal assessment, based on the data obtained from CGWB, about 50% of blocks have either groundwater quality or availability issues. Source sustainability is the foundation on which the success of JJM lies. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan provided us with a head start on this front. The mission has provision for convergence with all the schemes that have water conservation as their objective at the village level. In many states and UTs, exemplary work is being done on rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge. However, as we continue to focus on groundwater recharge, the dilution of geogenic contaminants is also taking place. Hence, we insist on testing every drinking water source for quality. India has vast topographic and climatic variation, including regions that are nearly inaccessible and some that have a sub-zero temperature. How is the Mission handling it? The mission has successfully
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COVER STORY
We are addressing the issue of sustainability of source in multiple ways using converging funds from multiple schemes for water conservation at the district level.
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overcome several geographical challenges and ensured tap water connections to some of the remotest villages in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal, Meghalaya, and Uttarakhand. Some of these villages are near international borders and people living there have seen tap water for the first time in their life. One of the biggest challenges is to ensure the materials required to set up the tap water infrastructure reach these places. This is being done at times by using boats, on the backs of mules or elephants, physically carrying the halved cement bags, cutting the standard pipe lengths by half for enabling ease of carriage, using four-wheeldrive vehicles in hilly fairweather roads, using helicopters to transfer materials in remote areas like Ladakh. Taking skilled manpower to execute the engineering works, larger than the usual material requirement for remote locations of households, etc. are other challenges. At some places, the cost of transportation is at least two to three times the cost of the material. In areas affected by water quality, there is a need to provide contamination-specific water treatment technologies. We are also addressing the issue of sustainability of source in multiple ways using converging funds from multiple schemes for water conservation at the district level. In hard rock and desert areas, locating sustainable sources is challenging and conjunctive use of groundwater-surface water is being resorted to. A lot of work is being done along with Swachh Bharat Mission and MGNREGS to address the health challenges that may emanate due to a higher quantum of rejected water. Greywater management work is being undertaken for recycling and reuse of the discharge in agriculture and other nonpotable uses. This will reduce
pressure on freshwater sources. A project at this scale cannot be executed without an adequate monitoring mechanism. How are you monitoring it? It is important to note that 2% of the JJM fund is meant for water quality monitoring and surveillance so that we can ensure a potable tap water supply to all homes. On the quality front, 2,015 laboratories across states, districts, and blocks are being standardised and upgraded. These labs have been opened to the general public so that they get their water samples tested at a nominal cost. Five women in each village are being trained to undertake water quality tests using Field Test Kits (FTKs) and upload the result on the JJM-Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQMIS) portal. So far, 8.65 lakh women have been trained across the country. Today, each asset created under the mission is being geotagged. We also have data from the last 20 years in our Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), which includes information on investments made in each village, the progress and status of the programme. The data can be viewed at the state, union territory, district, and up to the village level. The online JJM dashboard has been put in the public domain to ensure transparency, accountability, and to make water everyone’s business. The future is digital governance with online real-time service delivery monitoring and the Mission has already sanctioned an R&D project to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for sensor-based IoT monitoring in selected villages. After the successful pilot in 14 villages to monitor water supply quantity, quality, regularity, the monitoring project has been scaled up to another 100 villages covering 10 states. It took us a year-andhalf to roll out this innovative monitoring project, which I strongly believe will change the future of the sector.
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PROCESS | CIRCULAR ECONOMY
CREATING BUSINESS WITH A PURPOSE It is time that organisations redouble their efforts to live their purpose and look for sustainable ways to drive success.
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any years ago, when I had just started my career, I had the opportunity to learn from my friends, who were blessed and fortunate to go to business school, about the merits of following the hallowed footsteps of Philip Kotler’s model of 4 Ps. The importance of the focus on Product, Price, Place and Promotion were not lost on me. I spent many years trudging the streets, across the length and breadth of the territories that I served, to unearth the needs and wants of customers in my patch. If only, I could figure out what the customer
actually wanted, would it not be easy for me to map the features of my product to those specific needs and then armed with this “enlightenment,” find the opportune time to highlight the benefits of my offerings, in the hope of making the proverbial sale? In the end, the results were a mixed bag indeed. What if I had a flexible set of offerings that could meet every need and want and the right price point? Would that not be fun? But, if that happened, would selling still remain the enigmatic art and science that it is. The world has changed a lot over the last several decades, so have markets, customer needs and the impact of technology on decision
BY MANOJ CHUGH IT Industry Expert
making, resulting in changes in the fundamental ways in which organisations do business. In an increasingly complex world, winning is getting tougher. As I started to lead sales territories, I recognised how
I devised a simple mechanism to measure key parameters that would help me remain oncourse; my own 4 Ps: Pipeline, Performance, Partnering and Productivity.
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PROCESS | CIRCULAR ECONOMY
KEY TAKEAWAYS There is a higher goal that every organisation strives for. It is this purpose that drives the culture, which in turn helps build the foundation for organisational strategies. New-gen customers pay more for products and services of organisations that choose very public paths in articulating how they are reducing carbon footprint. Technology plays a key role in enabling sustainability; a critical center stage piece of ensuring that we have a habitable planet in the future.
important it was to make the quarter numbers happen. In order to make sure that I remained on course, I devised a simple mechanism to measure key parameters that would help me remain on-course. Again, greatly inspired by Kotler, I chose my own 4 Ps: Pipeline, Performance, Partnering and Productivity. As I moved from organisation to organisation, these 4 Ps stood the test of time and our teams did amazingly well, delivering top quartile performance.
SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES
The pandemic has been the
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single most important catalyst driving the adoption of digital across sectors. Every business is now a technology business. Traditional brick and mortar firms are trying hard to leverage digital technologies to rapidly automate their processes and take out costs. There is a mad rush to find ways in which one can deliver superior experiences. New businesses are no longer constrained by limits of geography. Digital has converted Geography into History. In fact, in today’s world, survival depends on the ability of an organisation to leverage digital to provide unique products and services quicker and better than ever before and certainly much quicker than competitors. Every business begins with a purpose. Over time, this fundamental purpose gets lost in the humdrum of life and in the mad rush of making the quarter happen. There is a higher goal that every organisation and institution strives for. It is this purpose that drives the culture of the organisation, which in turn helps build the foundation for the strategies that are pursued. Purpose shows the path and answers the “Why”. Given the focus on sustainability and the heightened concern around climate change and the big question mark on the survival of our planet, every organisation has to choose a purpose that factors this important aspect. New-gen customers pay more for products and services of organisations that choose very public paths in articulating how they are reducing carbon footprint, while producing and delivering their wares. Saving the planet is just not a “nice slogan” to put on marketing material, but is indeed a matter of survival.
TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD
For many years of my work life, I have been associated with
organisations whose core purpose has been to leverage technology to improve standards of living. Technology plays a key role in driving productivity which in turn is an important catalyst of higher GDP. If technology can help drive GDP growth at 10% a year, one can create a doubling effect on the standards of living in a short period of seven years. Millions of people around the world will be uplifted from poverty and a better quality of life enabled, making existence on our planet worthwhile. Technology also plays a key role in enabling sustainability; a critical center stage piece of ensuring that we have a habitable planet in the future. A core purpose, encapsulating sustainability is indeed welcome. Decades ago, when I was in my final year in college, some of us went to our Head of the Department (HOD) and requested him to include a futuristic elective. We argued that doing a course in Environmental Engineering was better than spending time on steam engine design. Our HOD put two conditions. One, there should be at least three students who should be interested in taking the course, and two, there has to be a faculty member who is willing to design the curriculum and teach. My two lab-mates and I were able to motivate a relatively new joiner to be our faculty to teach and the rest is history. Scantily did we know at that time, the relevance of the new course that we had pushed for and its potential impact and importance during our own lifetime. In the next issues, I hope to bring stories of some very interesting businesses, which are re-inventing the way in which we have looked at traditional problems, while creating a positive impact on livelihoods and standards of living.
The author has four decades of IT industry experience. The views expressed are his own.
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PROCESS | COSMETICS
SUGAR FOR THE BOLD AND INDEPENDENT From being a digital-only company to 35K+ outlets across 500 cities, Sugar Cosmetics and its founder Vineeta Singh have covered a lot of ground. BY BTX CORRESPONDENT
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hen Sugar Cosmetics started its operations in 2015, the company’s goal was to celebrate inclusivity. In the words of Vineeta Singh, Co-founder and CEO of the company, the vision was to offer makeup of choice for bold, independent women, who refuse to be stereotyped into roles. However, back in 2014, the beauty industry
in India was dominated by multinational brands, very few of whom had a range suited for the Indian complexion. “This is why the conscious customer sourced makeup and beauty products from abroad, while many others ended up with incorrect shades that would not pair with Indian skin tones. Our inspiration to launch Sugar was to provide India women with products exclusively curated for them, rich
Sugar Cosmetics app has more than two million downloads on the Google Play Store with a constant 4.5+ rating. It is also #2 in the beauty category.
VINEETA SINGH Co-founder and CEO, Sugar Cosmetics
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in pigment and in shades to suit their skin tone and undertones, and was long-lasting so that that they did not have to keep reapplying their makeup during the day,” says Singh. Singh along with Sugar cofounder Kaushik Mukherjee had had launched a beauty subscription company Fab Bag in 2012. The 200,000 women who shared their detailed beauty preferences with us at Fab Bag was at the heart of her pivot to Sugar Cosmetics as the company launched a direct-to-consumer makeup brand in 2015. Since then, the company has emerged as one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in India and is on its way to clock INR 300 crore (3 Billion) revenue during FY 2021-22. While the journey has not been easy, the brand has its presence across over 35,000 outlets in more than 500 cities. “We also have a robust digital presence through our brandowned website, app, and major partner portals, which gets over 50+ million items shipped online. Besides, we have the highest-rated beauty app. Sugar Cosmetics app crossed two million downloads on the Google Play Store with a constant 4.5+ rating. It is also #2 in the beauty category,” she says while explaining how the digital amplification of the brand has helped build on the brand. Building on the success, Singh and her team at Sugar are now planning to further expand the brand website, app and social media channels using content marketing
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PROCESS | COSMETICS
strategy. The company also has plans to investment towards building an immersive online shopping experience.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Sugar Cosmetics began operation as a direct-toconsumer brand harping beauty subscription company Fab Bag’s network of 200,000 who had shared their detailed beauty preferences. From the day one Sugar decided to go strong on influencer and digital marketing with digital campaign like #MySkinMyChoice and ATL campaign like #BoldAndFree with actor Tapsee Pannu. The company focused on retail marketing and visual merchandise at physical stores, and invested in OOH ads across tier 1 and 2 cities. Sugar created a signature packaging using vibrant low poly design that has evolved as an essential part of its identity and a clutter-breaking persona for the brand.
BUILDING THE BRAND
The economy is constantly changing, which is why it’s crucial for a brand to be extremely hands-on and to take advantage of all sorts of avenues that are available and viable in today’s fast-paced world. Sugar decided to tap its audience through the avenues they use in everyday life, using a mix of traditional and new media options. “Sugar was digital-only till 2017, present through our website and other leading marketplace partners. From the day one we decided to go strong on influencer and digital marketing. We also focused on our core strength of building solid content to garner consumer engagement. Hence, our content marketing game was always strong with solid campaigns such as #MySkinMyChoice,” Singh points out. The company was, however, clear that the retail play was imperative for building a large business. The solution was to use the strong content to launch high-decibel ATL activity. The outcome was its television campaign #BoldAndFree with actor Tapsee Pannu. “We have also been doing big in retail marketing, visual merchandise at stores, and building exclusive merchandise for our customers. Additionally, we invested in OOH ads across tier 1 and 2 cities along with a smaller chunk in print and radio,” the CEO explains.
BEING A RESPONSIBLE COMPANY
While Sugar was conscious about creating the brand that would appeal to independent women using vibrant low poly designs that has now become an essential part of the company’s identity, it was
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Sugar crossed international borders with its entry in Middle East, Russia and the USA, and recently picked up majority stake in ENN Beauty, a natural skin and hair care brand.
also clear about being a company with conscience and meeting its ESG – environmental, social, and corporate governance – goals. Beside crafting the perfect match for every Indian skin tone across seasons and around the calendar and providing trendy, richly pigmented, high color payoff, and long-lasting products, the company decided to offer only cruelty-free products. “Our core target audience, GenZ, and Millenials, prefer products that are paraben-free, cruelty-free, sustainable, and inclusive so we ensure to take care of each of these. In terms of sustainability, we launched BB Cream Refills to reduce packaging waste,” Singh highlights. Another important aspect of the Sugar brand was its focus on creating a signature packaging. “It was not just about selling colour cosmetics but building a distinct individuality for the brand,” Singh elucidates adding that keeping this in mind the company decided to define the brand’s persona. With inputs from extensive market survey, the company decided to use vibrant low poly designs on
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packaging and a clutter breaking persona for the brand.
COVID AND ITS AFTERMATH
Like most other businesses, Sugar too faced a tough time during COVID-19 and the lockdown that followed. Before the pandemic hit, almost 60% of SUGAR’s sales came from its offline channels. With the lockdown in force, the company face tough times during the first quarter (March-May) of 2020. Soon after the lockdown was announced, the company’s ware-houses, retail operations, and logistics came to a halt and the new launches coming from international manufacturing units were also stalled. “As restrictions eased, we first focused on hygiene and safety for our customers and employees. Our team was supportive enough to double down, work harder, rent waivers, and reshuffle job. We focused on adaptive strategies, clear communication and remaining prepared so once the lockdown was lifted, Sugar could hit the ground running,” Singh says. By the end of
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October-December quarter, the company was back on track with revenues jumping 150% of the pre COVID levels. The company has also added new products to its portfolio and extended its SKUs, including Power Clay Mask Stick, Lip Zip Matte Topper and Eye Love Jelly Eyeshadow. In addition to this, the company is expanding its number of stores and outlets, as well as its available brand options for customers and shoppers. It also expanded the retail presence by launching brand-owned highstreet stores along with the existing exclusive brand outlets, kiosks, and presence in outlets like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Pantaloons, and Central. Sugar also crossed international borders with its entry in Middle East, Russia and the USA, even as it strengthened the online presence touching over 1.8 million followers on Instagram, while its YouTube channel got over 410,000 views on the content clock every day. Recently, the company also picked a majority stake in ENN Beauty, a fast-growing natural skin and hair care brand that is targeting to cross INR 100 crore (1 Billion) in annualised sales in the next two years. Going ahead Sugar and Singh have their plans clearly chalked out. The company aims to expand across its divisions to keep up with the demands of new markets and different consumer needs. “As our next steps, we plan on building and expanding across our core pillar, the retail footprint by enhancing the marketing and visual merchandising experience, including product line and product distribution,” Singh informs adding that the company will also adopt a strong omnichannel approach to grow the brand. “We aspire to make Sugar one of India’s top three brands in the overall color cosmetics category, employing more than 10,000 women and an IPO,” she says summing up.
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PROCESS | FOOD SERVICES
COOKING SUCCESS Here is what restaurants and chefs must do to get in sync with changing demographics and to survive the growing impact of the pandemic.
T BY AKSHAT PARIHAR Corporate Chef
It is also critical to follow a strict quality process during cooking so that ingredients are fresh, safe throughout its storage, as well as throughout the delivery process.
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he Full-Service Restaurant (FSR) industry has been dealt a huge blow due to the pandemic. While it has been hard for restaurateurs and chefs to recover from it, they are still doing what they can to bring back customers and ultimately survive this difficult phase of their business. The global restaurant industry has been seriously impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic with consumers avoiding dining out due to COVID protocols, social distancing measures, and general caution being practiced in public places. Globally, the number of sit-in diners in restaurants decreased by 18% in 2021, according to a Statista report. Since consumers were uncertain regarding the potential dangers posed by COVID-19, they attempted to stay protected and adjusted their spending habits accordingly. One of the changes we noticed is that more people were guarding their dining budgets in case they were exposed to germs during improper handling of food. Due to the recent economic instability, and since everybody was confined to their home, a lot of people started experimenting and also pursued cooking as a hobby since they felt uncomfortable spending too much money on eating out when they could make it themselves. It is estimated that the hospitality industry may take until 2023 or even later to return to its pre-COVID-19 levels. The setback has been severe with many food facilities closing down during the pandemic and fewer social events
due to public scrutiny. With no option of opening and servicing through full-service restaurants, the industry saw a decline in overall sales. Moreover, the rush of COVID-19 had also caused people to be scared and not go out, which in turn, had a huge influence on their purchasing behavior, resulting in challenges for the FSR industry. Following the
KEY TAKEAWAYS The global restaurant industry has been seriously impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic with the number of sit-in diners in restaurants going down by 18% in 2021. The setback has been severe with many food facilities closing down during the pandemic and fewer social events due to public scrutiny. Restaurants need to recognise trends in healthy eating and design menus to satisfy the new demographic, which is looking for meals with more complex and interesting flavors, but lower caloric content.
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The power of cloud kitchen lies in the fact that it has been designed to work seamlessly with every aspect of modern business, including social media and online marketing.
the taste trend without stepping too far away from tradition, and without increasing the price to match the quality. Like fine dining, full-service restaurants have seen a major decrease in people coming in to dine, while takeaways are seeing an increase in clientele. While the decrease can be mostly attributed to the uncertainty of the economy, people have also begun to enjoy eating out less often and instead choosing healthier types of food for themselves. Reports indicate that the global online food delivery is likely to grow to over $154 Billion by 2023 as per the stats. Restaurants need to recognise the trend towards healthy eating and design new menus to satisfy this new demographic, which is looking for meals with more complex and interesting flavors, but lower caloric content. They must also follow the four basic principles.
#1 ENSURE HYGIENE COMPLIANCE
lockdown, people also avoided eating out as much as usual and went for quick, easy dishes without being prepared, causing significant sales declines within this cuisine category.
FOOD SECTOR CONTINUES TO BE VULNERABLE
It is interesting to note that while sales of many restaurants dwindled due to a harsh economic downturn, several others experienced growth in demand for dinner time options. The ones that managed to float and make money were those that changed their menu and developed new recipes to fit
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A reason people don’t prefer eating out during the ongoing pandemic is due to their concern about hygiene. To address their needs, restaurants must ensure that their chefs and staff adhere to proper hygiene standards. It is also critical that the managing team follows a strict quality process during cooking to ensure that ingredients are fresh, time-efficient, and relatively safe throughout its storage, as well as throughout its delivery process.
#2 SERVE FOOD FROM THE CLOUD
Cloud kitchen is a cloud-based, fully integrated platform that makes business management easier than ever before. The solution is both intuitive and easy to use, allowing all restaurant employees to work from any location, at any time. The power of cloud kitchen lies in the fact that it has been designed from the ground up to work seamlessly with every aspect
of modern business, including social media and online marketing. It also offers a range of reports and analytics, allowing you to keep track of business performance in real-time. One of the most beneficial businesses to invest during the pandemic was the cloud kitchen modules. This form of dining offers food that is convenient, fast, and costeffective, something that is very important in times of scarcity. It’s also more appealing because it provides people with a sense of security because their food is served to them safely and hygienically since they’re not required to leave their homes or offices when they order in.
#3 GO FOR NEW DIGITAL AVENUES
Restaurant owners and chefs alike should work on developing backup strategies in order to make sure that their business survives. Making use of digital platforms is also a good idea, where not only will users be able to enjoy the recipes, but it would also create the opportunity for them to learn about food. There can be different platforms like online food classes and tutorials where users can learn how to cook a certain dish which they can easily do at home!
#4 WORK FOR IMPROVING THE CX
Customer Experience (CX) is the most important factor when it comes to hospitality, restaurants, and even small food stalls. Customer experience is relative to every industry, and no matter what kind of business you’re running, you need to give a lot of thought as to how you can connect with your clients and first-time customers through developing great relationships! As a business owner you need to be aware of what your customers want and expect, and make sure that there is something for everyone when it comes to your services.
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TECHNOLOGY | DATACENTRE
DX NEEDS SPEED, BETTER BANDWIDTH The latest trends and drivers in digital transformation and fibre technology options available to support a seemingly unstoppable need for faster networks.
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he need for greater bandwidth to support data traffic continues to increase as our world becomes more and more digital. According to forecasts, the total amount of data created in the world will touch 180 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025. To put that into perspective, 1 ZB of data is equivalent to a billion terabytes (TB) or a trillion gigabytes (GB). The key drivers for this development are emerging technologies and applications that generate more data and at the same time demand additional compute power, bandwidth, and low-latency transmission. Large enterprise intelligent building and Industry 4.0 initiatives for example are generating increasing amounts of data from internet of things (IoT) and
One way of supporting greater data rates is to increase the amount of fibre per cabling link. Parallel fibre optic technology (multi-fibre) is now a valuable consideration.
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industrial IoT (IIoT), with the number of connected devices projected to exceed 30 billion by 2025. These businesses are also adopting artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and advanced data analytics that require extreme low latency and 50Gb/s and 100Gb/s server connections in cloud datacentres. Certain vertical markets are following this trend as highdefinition MRI images and virtual telehealth in healthcare and high-frequency trading, online banking and data analytics in finance are further driving bandwidth demands and the need for near realtime transmission. Across the professional media and gaming industries, uncompressed highresolution video, computer animation and visual effects are driving file sizes higher than ever seen before. One hour of video content at 4K requires upwards of 100GB of storage whilst one hour of 8K raw video content amounts to more than 7TB. Also, 5G mobile technology and edge computing are placing new demands on datacentre environments with edge datacentres requiring ultra-high-density cabling and connectivity solutions to support high-density equipment and high-speed, low latency transmissions. Lastly, the widespread adoption of work-from-home
BY PREM RODRIGUES Director – Middle East, Africa & India/SAARC, Siemon
strategies, distance learning, online retail, and video streaming are changing work patterns, buyer behaviours, and business processes that demand advanced processing requirements.
THE NEED FOR SPEED
Undoubtedly, the pressure on datacentres to cope with these trends and developments grows. Enterprise datacentre switches are currently running 1Gb/s or 10Gb/s server speeds with 10Gb/s or 40Gb/s uplink speeds whilst cloud datacentre switches are at 10Gb/s or 25Gb/s to the servers with 40Gb/s or 100Gb/s uplink speeds. But with enterprise businesses embarking on digital transformation and adopting these emerging applications they are now driving the need for up to 400 and even 800 Gigabit applications in cloud datacentre uplinks and in enterprise data centres we are expecting switch uplink speeds up to 400Gb/s.
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TECHNOLOGY | DATACENTRE
KEY TAKEAWAYS Datacentre professionals need to be equipped with cabling and connectivity solutions that can support the current speed requirements. Base-8 MPO solutions allow adoption of multimode and singlemode fibre, which can be determined by the link length (distance) that needs to be covered inside the datacentre. Datacentre managers can also use WDM technology where transmitters introduce multiple wavelengths and signals into the fibre to increase data transmission volumes.
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CAPTION: Migration path for enterprise and cloud datacentres
Datacentre professionals will need to be equipped with cabling and connectivity solutions that can support the current speed requirements whilst at the same time facilitating the transitioning to the next speed level. One way of supporting greater data rates is to increase the amount of fibre per cabling link. Parallel fibre optic technology (multi-fibre) is now a valuable consideration with many of the current parallel fibre optic technology options utilising 8 fibres in connection with multi-fibre push-on connectivity (MPO/MTP fibre connectors). These Base-8 MPO solutions allow the adoption of either multimode or singlemode fibre, a decision which can be determined by the link length (distance) that needs to be covered inside the datacentre. Alternatively, datacentre managers could consider WDM technology where transmitters introduce multiple wavelengths and signals into the fibre to increase data transmission volumes. Either way, both technologies enable links to ‘grow’ as data centres migrate to higher speeds whilst different options for fibre media selection remain available. Whether a datacentre opts for a multimode or a singlemode fibre solution will largely depend on the required link lengths, over 100-150 metre in enterprise datacentres and up to 500 metre in large cloud facilities. Singlemode ‘short range’ applications, however, are now
Singlemode ‘short range’ applications are now becoming a serious option for enterprise datacentres that historically require shorter link length.
also becoming a serious option for enterprise datacentres that historically require shorter link length and are currently providing a serious alternative to deploying a multimode fibre solution. To provide an easy migration path and take advantage of 100Gb/s and 400Gb/s technologies, enterprise datacentres are advised to utilise a Base-8 MPO OM4 cabling solution whilst for cloud datacentres a Base-8 MPO singlemode cabling solution will be a viable option for easy migration to 400Gb/s and 800Gb/s speeds and beyond.
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TECHNOLOGY | ENVIRONMENT
DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE OF A SUSTAINABLE WORLD Technology can play a vital role in making agriculture more environment friendly and waste management greener and efficient.
S BY PARUL SONI Founder and Global Managing Partner, Thinkthrough Consulting
teady depletion of the environment has been a global concern for the past few decades and has precipitated a climate emergency. This is especially true for countries like India where the sheer size of population increases the magnitude of the challenges of balancing development and ecology. As the world’s second most populous country and a powerhouse economy, India has multi-dimensional challenges that lead to poor environmental outcomes. Considering that fulfilling a need as fundamental
as food is the duty of the state and agriculture is a well-known source of pollution, fostering the practice of sustainable agriculture will remain critical in meeting the sustained demand for nutrition while adapting to the climatic changes, and securing the livelihood of farmers who make up about 43% of income-generating Indians. By the same criterion of population, India is also at risk of becoming the junkpile capital of the world, unless well-thought out and calibrated measures are taken to establish the processes to pivot it into a circular economy. It is intriguing to see that technologies like plastics or pesticides that were once indicators of development and were deemed necessary for a better life have turned into the major contributors to pollution, affecting all aspects of human life. There is, however, little doubt that in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, technology will play a vital role in mitigating the socio-economic concerns caused by environmental degradation. Technology has to be the mainstay of this transition, whether to fill the gaps or to promote innovation.
SUSTAINABLE AGRI, NUTRITION AND INCOME SECURITY
India has traditionally been an agrarian country and is among the top 10 agri-produce exporters, providing a fairly large amount of rice, cotton, soya beans and meat to the world. This ensures nutrition security globally and income generation for farmers locally. However, agriculture is threatened
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TECHNOLOGY | ENVIRONMENT
by the changing climatic patterns like the untimely rainfall and rise in sea level that increases the challenges of farmers, while increasing the demand for climate-resilient seeds. Agriculture is an inputintensive activity where use of water for irrigation, fertilisers and pesticides, farm machinery and tilling add to the adverse environmental impact. Besides, it is also an established source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A report by the International Energy Agency states that India emitted 2,299 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2018, contributing about 7% of the global emissions. Of this agriculture and livestock contributed over 18% or more than 400 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Making agriculture sustainable will encompass using less chemicals and reducing the intensity of use of natural resources like water, and smart, frontier technologies like internet of things (IoT). Use of IoT in farming not just enables remote monitoring of farm conditions and infrastructure, thereby saving time and labour on routine activities, it also helps transform information into data and improve decision making by analysing them. It also generates faster and quicker insights from data across the value-chain, and helps farmers respond to market needs. Besides, use of IoT can help improve efficiency in food production by reducing wastage and ensuring safe and sustainable food through better traceability, improving farmer’s overall income. According to an IBM estimate, IoT may help farmers increase food production by 70% by 2050. Apart from better pest management and weather
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forecasting, IoT, with the help of sensors, could save up to 50 billion gallons of water every year by optimising water usage. IoT can be used for a host of other agricultural activities as well. Irrigation and water quality management: IoT can be a critical ingredient in optimising water use for irrigation in farming and related activities. The four factors that can nudge farmers to adopt smart irrigation systems include integration of real-time weather forecast data, enabling synchronisation of the systems with moisture sensors installed in the farm, control of the system from anywhere in the world, and reducing farmer’s input cost while helping to conserve limited water resources. When combined with sensor nodes powered with wireless communication, it can help monitor the water quality as well. Such a system can measure the physical and chemical parameters of the water such as temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, and the data can be viewed on Internet-powered devices using cloud services. Integrated pest management: Though agrochemical use by Indian farmers is far less than the global average, most of the farmers are unaware of which fertilizer or pesticide to use for which crop and at what stage. This often leads to problems like residue or contamination of water bodies. While the government has proposed methods like Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), the uptake across India has been sporadic. Hence, adopting integrated pest management (IPM), an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on controlled use of pesticides and fertilizers, becomes imperative. Integrated pest management can help increase the quality of the crop even as it reduces the
Access to advanced technologies to mitigate environmental concerns is almost always affected by the lack of knowhow and funds, and user scepticism.
input cost for farmers. However, implementing integrated pest management requires real-time information on pest infestation. IoT infrastructure can play an important role by collecting disease and insect pest information using sensor nodes, and processing the data for enabling action. Even in cases where farmers are not comfortable handling devices on the system, local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) can be connected on the platform to inform farmers about pest infestation status of their farms and guide them about the type and of pesticides they need to use. Soil quality monitoring: The quality and fertility of soil are dependent on factors such as soil temperature, soil moisture, and microbial diversity. However, seemingly unrelated factors such as air temperature may also impact the quality and fertility of soil. Sensors connected to IoT systems can monitor the parameters and help farmers make informed decisions on sowing the seeds, use of irrigation or harvesting the crop, thereby reducing manual effort and water
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TECHNOLOGY | ENVIRONMENT
While IoT can enable 70% increase in food production by 2050, sensors can help save up to 50 billion gallons of water annually by optimising agri water usage.
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usage, thus controlling cost and environmental impact. They are also easy to install and low maintenance. IoT systems can be used for backup data securely, review historical or instant data to track trends or predict irrigation needs, and set up reminders. It also makes overwatering or underwatering of crops less likely and may arrest depletion of groundwater by promoting water conservation. Advanced technologies for sustainable agriculture: Tractors are one of the best friends a farmer can have. It reduces the effort to prepare the ground for sowing. However, a tractor can weigh anything between 1700-2600 kg and exert intense pressure on the soil. This may lead to compaction of soil, affecting its ability to hold water and making water and nutrients available to the plant. Deploying small robots instead of tractors can prevent soil’s exposure to this pressure as well as help farmers to take care of their crops better. These robots can be fitted with geotaggingenabled cameras, equipment for precise broadcasting of pesticide, and planting saplings. Adopting genome editing can also help in better practice of sustainability in agriculture. Genetic modification of select crops, e.g., fruits, can have twin benefits of saving them from being plucked too raw and use chemical ripening agents for making them consumable and preventing them from rotting naturally. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates, more than 40% of food produced in India is wasted, costing the country an estimated $14 Billion every year. Genome editing can help fruits like banana, which releases ethylene gas upon ripening that leads to ripening of other bananas in the proximity, to produce less of the plant hormone and remain healthy looking without any brown patches. Owing to the
volatile public sentiment towards GM crops and genome editing, a transparent and robust governance framework is necessary before implementing such measures.
MANAGE WASTE FOR BETTER ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY
It is not startling to realise that India is home to 17.7% of the world population and as per a 2016 estimate, generates more than one-tenth of global waste. India produces an estimated 277 million tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, of which 77% is disposed in the open or end up in landfills, 18% is made compost and 5% is recycled. Inefficient management of solid municipal waste and poor implementation of existing regulations have made it a major source of air and water pollution in India. New-age, smart technologies can help integrate waste management, monitor collection and disposal, and minimise the environmental impact due to waste mismanagement. Integrated waste management systems, powered by Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) monitoring systems, can monitor automatically, and operate from a centralised control station to ensure efficiency and will require minimum manual intervention, reducing margin of error. These smart technologies can be used in multiple ways. Waste segregation: Despite several attempts, instilling a culture of segregated waste disposal remains a dream in India. Technology can help improve the situation with innovations like smart bins. These sensor-powered, pre-programmed bins can enforce waste segregation and trigger a warning when the wrong type of waste is dumped in it. The bins may also come with interactive screens to guide users on next steps for a safe disposal of that type of waste. Improving waste segregation at
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TECHNOLOGY | ENVIRONMENT
KEY TAKEAWAYS Agriculture is an inputintensive activity where use of water for irrigation, fertilisers and pesticides, and farm machinery can add to the adverse environmental impact. Making agriculture sustainable will encompass using less chemicals and reducing the intensity of use of natural resources like water, and technologies like the IoT. India produces an over 277 million tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, of which 77% is disposed in the open, 18% is made compost and 5% is recycled. New-age, smart technologies can help integrate waste management, monitor collection and disposal, and minimise the environmental impact due to waste mismanagement.
source is at the heart of efficient management and will play a vital role in optimising the whole chain. Waste collection: Currently, trucks carrying dumpsters to landfills are powered by fossil fuel, particularly diesel. This makes the waste disposal process a double jeopardy. While landfills themselves are a source of pollution, emissions from the trucks add to the pollutants in the air. Deploying a fleet management technology, common in the logistics sector, can optimise the waste collection step in the chain.
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Fleet management technologies use a network of sensors connected through GPS to create and analyse data to identify the best route for the fleet or individual vehicles, as required. This will help trucks to avoid traffic and not only reduce emissions but also enable maximum trash collection in less time. Besides, using vacuum suction to empty garbage bins through a network of underground pneumatic tubes can help in increasing the speed of waste collection and disposal. Advanced collection and disposal technologies: Advanced economies have made substantial effort to improve their waste management measures, some of which may prove useful for India as well. One such innovation is a solar-powered waste compactor. This is a smart device that registers the bin’s fill level in real time and activates an automatic waste compaction. The compactor-bin has effectively increased a normal trash bin’s capacity by up to 5-8 times. A similar technology is an ultrasonic trash can sensor that regularly informs the user on how full is the container and helps in reducing the cost of overfilling a skip. Another similar intervention is an image-based trash can sensor that is connected through GPS and automatically monitors both fullness and contents. The sensor also determines which containers need service each day, schedules routes and allocates jobs to drivers. Waste-to-energy generation: This is a well-known technology for recycling residual waste that uses combustion to provide heat and power, and in turn, reduces the speed of landfills that dot the fringes of all metropolitan and smaller cities in India. Though waste-to-energy is around for some time, the uptake has remained a challenge. There is little doubt that increasing the uptake of this technology
will substantially reduce waste disposal to landfills and generate clean, reliable energy from a renewable fuel source, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emission. However, the technology faces hurdles in India due to various operational and design problems, lack of segregation of waste at source being the primary one.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
The prevailing discourse on environment-friendly technology often overlooks their hidden harms. Besides, most of these technologies are capital-intensive in nature. While COVID-19 has pushed the world to think about the environment with commitment, harnessing only capital-intensive solutions can cause ‘greenflation’ and affect overall productivity and growth of the country. For low-and-middle-income countries in Asia, like India, access to advanced technologies to mitigate environmental concerns is almost always affected by the lack of knowhow, adequate funds, and scepticism on part of the user. These can be addressed by focusing on easy-to-use and cost-effective technologies as well as right policy and regulatory interventions, and their implementation to promote adoption of technological solutions. However, when it comes to environmental challenges, there is no better way to save the planet than to prevent the damage. Interestingly, though sustainable agriculture and waste management are India’s bigger trouble, they overlap when it comes to food waste. Therefore, in addition to sourcing or developing technologies to address the environmental challenges at hand, it is equally urgent to create awareness about the pitfalls of irresponsible consumption and nudge for behavioural change in consumers.
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TECHNOLOGY | LOGISTICS
LINK BETWEEN SUPPLY CHAINS AND FLEET MANAGEMENT Operators, fleet managers, drivers who are attuned to the health of their vehicles will understand which aspects are holding them back.
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ourneys are longer, timescales are shorter, environmental restrictions are tougher and customer expectations are greater than ever. Truckers and fleet managers cannot afford to be held up by any one of these challenges. As we have all seen throughout the last year, strong supply chains are integral to the health of our nations and the strength of our economies. Any disruption to them can have catastrophic repercussions for us all. To avoid this, fleet managers must ensure each vehicle performs at peak ability for as long as possible. With the right expertise, training and tools, fleet managers can be confident they are making
the right options to achieve peak efficiency, long-term. After all, a healthy vehicle fleet pays dividends. Owner operators, fleet managers and drivers who are attuned to the health of their vehicles will understand not only which aspects are holding them back, but also what is to be gained by optimising vehicle health. They have a vision for what the fleet looks like when It is running perfectly. But how do they gain this understanding? There could be a myriad of aspects to understand and issues to diagnose, so expert help is a great solution to grow your confidence in making assessments. With guidance, mangers can:
BY FAUSTO LUPONE Automotive Sector Expert, Petronas Lubricants International
One of the best investments any fleet manager can make in the health of their vehicles is to invest in themselves.
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TECHNOLOGY | LOGISTICS
Conduct a fleet survey to understand business goals and assess how far your existing fleet can meet them. l Discover which lubricants each part of the system requires to perform at its peak. l Regularly test used oil from your vehicles to develop a deep understanding of the holistic health of the system to reduce maintenance costs and maximise uptime. Powerful analytical and technical tools are on fleet managers’ sides when it comes to boosting vehicle health. For instance, a value calculator can show how fleets can significantly reduce operating costs and improve efficiency, while tank-level telemetry systems can give full remote visibility of lubricant and fuel levels across the stock – and even top them up automatically. Once they have established what it will take to increase the health of the fleet, it is time for managers to act. Focussing upon creating efficiencies while striving for targets will enable them to optimise performance. Take your vehicle’s performance to the next level by mitigating much hotter sump and turbocharger temperatures, and higher air temperatures, which can lead to faster oxidation. By resisting oxidation and wear through high quality lubrication that maintains its viscosity, these fluid technologies can inhibit the production of harmful deposits which can slow down performance. Meet ever-tighter emissions regulations which are getting tougher by the year. For example, Euro VI 2013 demands a reduction in Nitrogen Oxide of 95% since 1992. As emissions targets continually evolve, fleet managers must be able to rely upon technologies specifically designed for long-term sustainability and emissions reduction. To satisfy this requirement, oil with a strong but thin fluid film can extend drain intervals – thus l
KEY TAKEAWAYS By resisting oxidation and wear through high quality lubrication, fluid technologies can inhibit the production of harmful deposits. Analytical and technical tools are on fleet managers’ sides when it comes to boosting vehicle health. A value calculator can show how fleets can significantly reduce operating costs and improve efficiency. Tank-level telemetry systems can give remote visibility of lubricant and fuel levels across the stock.
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limiting the amount of stopstarting at garages, and limit emissions. Overcome the challenges of evolving standards by targeting specific issues including Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur and fuel consumption. Having technologies at their fingertips that maintain fuel efficiency, contribute to better overall engine strength, and sustain performance is what fleet managers need to meet this high bar for vehicle performance. One of the best investments any owner or fleet manager can make in the health of their vehicles is to invest in themselves, in education, training and skills. This can help develop the diagnostic mindset to foster a resilient fleet in the long term. Gaining this expertise for themselves pays dividends in the high quality of service they can then guarantee to valued customers, without reservation. Many tools exist to help maximise understanding, online and in person. E-tools, technical data sheets, academy training and online hubs all exist to help enrich knowledge and improve day-to-day business acumen. To really jump in feet first, take part in training academies designed to familiarise teams with the solutions available, examples of best practice and a vision of what’s possible with a totally healthy, resilient, and sustainable fleet. Ultimately, the key to boosting vehicle performance without breaking the bank lies in confidence; the ability to anticipate issues, to know where to seek help, and to trust in the technologies that can protect the engines at the heart of the trusty vehicles that keep our supply chains moving. It is challenging out there, but the reassurance of a fleet with long-term resilience is what powers drivers and fleet managers to go the distance.
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TECHNOLOGY | SECURITY
BUILDING A DATA SAFEHOUSE As data across enterprise value chain increases, IX platforms have a bigger role to play in shielding networks from malicious and accidental security incidents.
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BY DR THOMAS KING CTO, DE-CIX
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s enterprises exchange more and more data along their digital value chains, they need to take a closer look at how to protect their connections to trusted partners and to their digital resources in the cloud. As operators of Internet infrastructure, an Internet Exchange (IX) is tasked with making sure that they provide a
service that customers are happy to trust. Although operating Internet Exchanges is clearly a B2B business activity, in the end, what is important is the trust of the endusers sitting in front of their laptop or cell phone. For Internet infrastructure operators, it is vital to strengthen and maintain trust in the world wide web. For an IX, continual research and development, security
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TECHNOLOGY | SECURITY
audits and certifications, and developing and maintaining best practices are as central to the process of ensuring network security as the provision of additional security services to shield against wilful and accidental damages. Increasingly, we see that interconnection customers today look not only at the kind of on-top security features an IX provides, but also how the interconnection platform is operated. They want to see evidence that operations follow certain criteria and best practices, to know that an IX is operating in a secure and reliable way. Enterprises are used to vetting their business partners
on security and policy-related topics. Large enterprises rely heavily on their infrastructure partners to provide services and ensure low levels of risk for their own operations. Some of the largest customers connect not only at one IX location but also other locations globally, using the same operator, wherever possible. Regardless of the kind of network, all have a basic need for routing security, like being effectively shielded from IP hijacks through the use of Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI).
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Protection against DDoS attacks is a different story because not all networks are necessarily interesting targets for attackers. Customers who run or host game servers for their end-users, for example, usually feel the brunt of a lot of DDoS. This is a group of customers who use blackholing heavily and can benefit from recent innovations and advances in blackholing service provision. At the same time, enterprises tend to have a greater interest in security services because their operations and products often exist in real-world spaces. Take car manufacturers: digital automotive services are becoming more and more important, and they need to make sure that the cars do not become inoperable or defective due to either an attack or a misconfiguration. Let us explore what organisations can do to shield their networks from vulnerabilities over an IX. DDoS attacks: Probably the best-known attack type that can be mitigated at an IX is the volumetric DDoS attack. The goal of a DDoS attack is to stop a certain destination from communicating with the Internet. For instance, you have a webshop hosted on a web server, and your competitor hates your shop because you are more successful. A DDoS attack on your webserver will mean that your webshop is no longer accessible to your customer. This also means that all your customers will go elsewhere to shop, most likely to your competitor. When it comes to DDoS, amplification attacks have been very strong in the last couple of years, and a new emerging threat is ransom DDoS. However, despite increasing growth in the number of attacks and the volume of attacks, DDoS attacks are currently not developing as aggressively as they have done previously. There has been a lot of work done to fix new
A DDoS attack on your webserver will mean that your webshop is no longer accessible to your customer. This also means that your customers will go elsewhere to shop.
vulnerabilities as they emerge. Added to this, the free and open availability of DDoS mitigation services from network security companies has also helped to solve the issue to some extent. Do not get me wrong, though: we are still seeing these attacks on a daily basis. So, how do we mitigate DDoS? We used to use standard blackholing. If you have blackholing, you can protect an IP address so that you stop traffic being sent to it while it is under attack. The good thing is that there is no collateral damage for the networks in the firing line. But the disadvantage is that the destination still is unable to communicate, meaning that, through the mitigation measure, the attacker has ultimately achieved the original objective. The key to the Blackholing Advanced services is to not only limit the data being sent to an IP address but limit it to certain TCP and UDP protocols. Because if you talk about amplification
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TECHNOLOGY | SECURITY
Digital automotive services need to make sure that their cars do not become inoperable or defective due to either an attack or a misconfiguration.
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attacks, we can look at which TCP/ UDP source and destination ports specifically need to be blocked. We just block this particular port, and all the other ports are still accessible, meaning that the network can still communicate. The new technology also ensures that blackholing is no longer simply a binary switch between “data is flowing” or “no data is flowing”. It can now limit how much traffic is going to the destination, aka. ratelimiting – rather than hundreds of gigabytes of traffic, and reduce it to just 10, 15 or 20 Mbits, so that the destination is not completely overwhelmed. The destination can still handle the load that is coming in, they can sort out the garbage, and allow legitimate requests to get in and be answered. Communication and service are thus still possible. IP Hijacking: Another risk to networks on the Internet is routing insecurity through IP
hijacking. Let us say you, as a malicious actor, want to wiretap the traffic that goes to an IP destination somewhere on the Internet because you want to steal the credit card details of the shop’s customers. You can start announcing the IP space of the webshop and if you do it right, you can receive all the requests which go to the webshop. You can either drop the traffic so that the orders from the customers do not get answered, or you can just pass it on to the webshop, having gleaned the information you wanted. This kind of IP hijacking can occur either by accident or on purpose. There have been incidents in the past where people have presumably done it on purpose – rerouting traffic from a bank, for instance, or also from the Bitcoin blockchain. But other incidents have certainly been accidental. YouTube was taken offline by Pakistan Telecom in 2008 because someone misconfigured something. They completely overloaded the network, because Pakistan Telecom’s network was not big enough to handle all the load of queries going to YouTube. With the increased number of networks and amount of IP space connected to the Internet, the increasing dependency of society on digital infrastructure, and also the value of the data being shared, it stands to reason that we can expect IP hijacking, whether malicious or unintended, to be growing. There are simply more players on the field. In fact, the Internet Society MANRS project found that, from the year 2019 to 2020, there was in fact close to a 40% increase in IP hijacking incidents, which is certainly worrying. Technologies like RPKI Origin Validation and IRR filtering can be used to mitigate the problem. The function of RPKI is origin validation because it makes sure that it is not so easy to accidentally announce the wrong IP space
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TECHNOLOGY | SECURITY
KEY TAKEAWAYS The goal of a DDoS attack is to stop a certain destination from communicating with the Internet. Blackholing Advanced services ensures that it is no longer a binary switch between “data is flowing” or “no data is flowing”. It can now limit how much traffic is going to the destination. Technologies like Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) Origin Validation and IRR filtering can be used to mitigate IP Hijacking problem. By hijacking someone’s Autonomous System Number (ASN), one can pretend to be somebody else. Hence, companies must keep an eye on their ASN, even if they are currently not using it.
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through a typing mistake or similar. It makes it possible to check whether you are allowed to announce this IP space, and if not, we can filter out the announcement very easily. Internet Routing Registries (IRR) filtering, on the other hand, is used to prevent the propagation of incorrect routing information. This filtering is already deployed in the Internet infrastructure for years, whereas RPKI Origin Validation has only become available recently. Added to this, there is the forthcoming BGPSec, a standardisation activity that is ongoing at the IETF. If you were to have origin validation based on RPKI together with BGPSec, which also uses part of the cryptographic building blocks of RPKI, then you would have full safety against hijacks. However, BGPSec is still in standardisation, and unfortunately, it has one major drawback: It is very resource intensive on the Internet routers. Besides, it is still at least a couple of years away from deployment, if ever. So it is certainly not a shortterm fix. ASN hijacking: Every network that wants to be part of the Internet needs an Autonomous System Number (ASN). By hijacking someone’s ASN, you can pretend to be somebody else. This can be used maliciously, mainly for sending unwanted stuff like spam and carrying out DDoS attacks. We have seen ASN hijacking in particular with companies that have registered an ASN but, for whatever reason, are currently not announcing it to the Internet. It is very difficult to really ascertain who is behind the number, the legitimate owner or a malicious actor. It looks as if the legitimate owner is behaving badly, which can result in them being blocklisted or experiencing far worse reputation problems. Therefore, I really encourage companies to keep an eye on
The Internet Society MANRS project found that, from the year 2019 to 2020, there was in fact close to a 40% increase in IP hijacking incidents.
their AS number, even if they are currently not using it.
HOW TO OPTIMISE NETWORK COMMUNICATION?
From a different angle, although it is not new, bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) has for some reason not yet become well-established. This is a shame because it is very interesting for optimising network communication. Basically, if two networks or pieces of infrastructure have a link and want to make sure that data is flowing in both directions, there is the so-called BFD protocol. Without BFD, it takes a couple of minutes to detect that there is an issue with a link, and in the meantime data you thought you were exchanging is being dropped on the floor, so communication is not happening. With BFD, an issue can be detected in a range of seconds or even milliseconds, so the parties can stop sending data over the broken link, and take an alternative route. Networks would be well advised to use BFD so that they can easily detect any issue and automatically reroute traffic.
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EXECUTIVE CORNER TECHNOLOGY | DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
HARNESS THE POWER OF FIVE There is no stopping for organisations undergoing digital transformation. Companies, however, need to focus on five key elements to reap benefit from it. BY VIMARSH BAJPAI
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t won’t be wrong to say that digital transformation saved the world during the pandemic by providing continuity and allowing businesses and governments to function during the lockdown. It kept organisations afloat and employees engaged during the pandemic. However, this rapid move to transform businesses gave insufficient time to technology and business leaders to put together a formidable strategy that can help navigate short- and longterm challenges. While there are many aspects that deserve considerable attention, let us focus on the
One of the biggest challenges in unlocking the full potential of digital transformation in some sectors is the limited availability, quality and usability of data.
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five key elements that have a significant bearing on how digital transformation will eventually pan out for any organisation.
employees to innovate, managing ambiguity by laying out a clear vision, prioritising tasks and effectively communicating hits and misses.
NEW AGE LEADERSHIP
THE TALENT POOL
The corporate landscape is being swept by digital transformation at an unprecedented pace. However, what differentiates the digital business environment from the traditional one is its leadership. New-age organisations need a vibrant culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. According to a recent report by McKinsey, “successful transformations start with the CEO and top leadership reimagining their business in a digital age. These are bold visions to generate transformative value—think new business models, entry into new markets, and monetisation of data-based assets.” Successful leaders invest time to understand the nuances and long-term impact of new technology. They are also inclined to communicate frequently with the workforce about the benefits of transformation that will reach customers and stakeholders within the organisation. Keeping employees ahead of the curve by conducting training sessions and aligning skill sets needed to drive this change is crucial for the success of any digital transformation initiative. A few common traits of digital leaders include delegating responsibilities, encouraging
Digital transformation is as much about talent as it is about technology. Before the pandemic, it was hard to visualise that organisation, whether big or small, will have to jump on to the digital bandwagon at such a rapid pace. However, buying technology is only half the battle won because without talent and skills, digital transformation will not pick up steam. The most important common barrier to digital transformation was missing skills. According to a survey by Capgemini, 77% of the companies cited skill challenges in a wide range of areas. Putting the right team together in domains such as technology, data, cybersecurity and process automation would be the single most important step for companies contemplating digital transformation. The war to hire and retain digital talent is already underway. To tide over the talent crunch, organisations need to engage in both short-term and long-term planning to ensure they have a sustainable workforce and talent strategy that can address current needs as well as those which arise in future. Several companies have decided to centralise new digital skills such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain in the shared unit. Training and
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TECHNOLOGY | DIGITALEXECUTIVE TRANSFORMATION CORNER
KEY TAKEAWAYS Start the organisation’s transformation journey with the CEO and top leadership reimagining business in a digital age. Ensure that employees are ahead of the curve; conduct training and programmes to align workers skill sets to drive change needed for digital transformation. Set up digital committees within the organisation to focus on breaking down silos, fostering collaboration, streamlining efforts and minimising duplication.
knowledge sharing is another way that digital units build skills across the enterprise. In a recent global management survey, conducted by MIT Sloan, 93% of workers across industries and geographies affirmed that being digitally savvy is essential to performing well in their role. The idea that effective digital transformation delivers agility, adaptability, and customer centricity is now both managerial mantra and leadership inspiration.
GOVERNANCE MATTERS
As digital disruption came to the fore, many organisations made huge investment in technology and talent to drive digital transformation. However, not all organisations could reap the benefits largely because these digital initiatives weren’t adequately thought
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through and were marred by poor governance. These include issues relating to alignment between business processes and assigning ownership for change efforts. According to research by MIT Sloan, a well-governed digital program must satisfy different stakeholders across an organisation and be flexible enough to accommodate multiple types of initiatives, while ensuring enough rigidity to achieve strategic alignment and efficiency. The research lays out a few key governing principles that are linked to successful digital business transformation. These include moving from centralised to decentralised governance of digital initiatives as digital maturity grows; making sure that KPIs measure the real impact you want to achieve with each initiative; and evaluating different scenarios to proactively steward digital initiatives toward fullscale impact. One of the ways to effectively manage governance issues is to set up digital committees within the organisation that focus on breaking down silos, fostering collaboration, streamlining efforts and minimising duplication. Besides
these, empowering a faster go-to-market by streamlining support for standards, solutions, and common skill-sets for the organisation would also fall in the purview of governance structure.
DATA QUALITY AND USABILITY
Data is extremely valuable as it plays a key role in both digitisation and automation of business operations that improves efficiency, spurs innovation, and unleashes new business models. Thanks to the availability of granular data, businesses today are well-equipped to drive a business-centric approach to transformation. However, one of the biggest challenges in unlocking the full potential of digital transformation in some sectors is the limited availability, quality and usability of data. According to a report by Forrester, firms make fewer than 50% of their decisions based on quantitative information as opposed to gut feeling, experience, or opinion. Even so, 85% of those surveyed want to improve their use of data insights in their decision making, but 91% report that improving the use of data insights in decision making is challenging. Besides, with the power of AI and machine learning,
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EXECUTIVE CORNER TECHNOLOGY | DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION New-age Leadership: Must have the ability to understand the nuances and long-term impact of new technologies, and reimagining digital-age business. Security & Data Privacy: Create safe customer experience by improving risk management and building cybersecurity directly into businesses’ value chains.
Data Quality & Usability: Draft a comprehensive strategy that can help discover organisationwide data, analyse it, and generate meaningful insights.
THE DT ESSENTIALS
Governance Structure: Design a digital program that is flexible enough to accommodate multiple initiatives and rigid enough to achieve strategic alignment and efficiency. organisations can put together a comprehensive data strategy that can help discover data, analyse it and generate meaningful insights. This begins by clearly defining KPIs, focusing on a few use cases for validation and building a strong feedback look that involves all relevant stakeholders.
CYBERSECURITY AND DATA PRIVACY
Technology leaders today are facing an uphill task of identifying and mitigating risks associated with data sets that comprise sensitive customer information.
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Digital Talent Pool: Engage in short- and long-term measure to put together a team in domains such data, cybersecurity and process automation.
Cybersecurity is the backbone of a successful digital transformation strategy. Fuelled by the remote work culture and increase in the adoption of cloud, data breaches are becoming costly and difficult to manage. As businesses digitise and operations automate, cyber-risks are growing at an unparalleled pace hitting brand reputation, critical assets and valuations. Companies today are vying to create more digital customer experiences and this enhances the need to ramp up and align their teams to manage security, fraud prevention and product development that loops in design controls such as authentication that are both secure and easy to
use. Technology leaders today are facing an uphill task of identifying and mitigating risks associated with data sets that comprise sensitive customer information. Another challenge relates to effectively managing bot credentials as companies deploy robotic process automation for speed and efficiency. On a global scale, according to the Allianz Risk Barometer 2021, cyber incident is ranked as top three among the greatest business risk by companies. According to McKinsey, if cybersecurity teams are to avoid becoming barriers to digitisation and instead become its enablers, they must transform their capabilities along three dimensions. They must improve risk management, applying quantitative risk analytics. They must build cybersecurity directly into businesses’ value chains. And they must support the next generation of enterprisetechnology platforms, which include innovations like agile development, robotics, and cloudbased operating models.
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NEWS
CAMBODIA
Cambodia plans waterway link to bypass entry through Vietnam
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport in Cambodia plans to create a connection between the Bassac River and the sea in Kep province to provide a viable alternative for waterway passenger and freight traffic. This will help international traffic to enter Cambodia without passing through
Vietnam, and hence spur economic growth. The Bassac River is a distributary of the Tonle Sap Lake and Mekong River that starts in the capital and flows south to Kandal province’s Loeuk Dek district, crossing the border into Vietnam. Quoting ministry spokesman Vasim Sorya, media reports
indicate the ministry experts are presently conducting research for the project in collaboration with foreign partners, and setting out the major considerations for the job. The ministry will soon carry out an impact assessment and determine the overall cost of the project, which aims to ensure that tourists and goods can enter the Kingdom without crossing from Vietnam on the Mekong River via the Ka’am Samnor border checkpoint in the eponymous commune of Loeuk Dek in southern Kandal. “We have also studied this project with the Ministry of Water Resources to examine the legal aspects as per the Mekong River Commission,” Public Works and Transport Minister Sun Chanthol said, suggesting that impact would likely be minimal. Besides initiating a host of similar works such as a deep-sea port in Ream Bay and tourism ports in Kampot province, the project will also facilitate freight and tourist flows in and out of the capital, he noted.
CHINA
Shell starts hydrogen electrolyser in China’s Hebei Global energy giant Shell plc has started operations at the power-to-hydrogen electrolyser in China’s Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. The electrolyser, Shell’s first commercial hydrogen development project in China, is providing about half of the total green hydrogen supply for fuel cell vehicles at the Zhangjiakou competition zone during the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Shell project is part of a joint venture between Shell China and Zhangjiakou City Transport Construction Investment Holding Group Co Ltd, formed in November 2020. The 20-megawatt power-to-hydrogen electrolyser and hydrogen refueling stations in Zhangjiakou are Phase 1 of the joint venture. The companies have plans to scale up to 60 MW in the next two years under Phase 2. Utilising onshore wind power, the project is supplying green hydrogen to fuel a fleet of more than 600 fuel cell vehicles at the Zhangjiakou
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competition zone for the Winter Olympic Games. Later, the hydrogen will be used for public and commercial transport in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. “We see opportunities across the hydrogen supply chain in China, including its production, storage and shipping,” Shell’s Director of integrated gas, renewable and energy solutions Wael Sawan said, adding that the company want to be the trusted partner of customers and help them decarbonise in China. Shell is one of the multinational corporations in China that has been actively laying out plans to further tap the potential of hydrogen, together with Siemens, Thyssenkrupp, Toyota, Ballard and Hyundai, which have all been actively laying out hydrogen business plans in the country, eyeing the potential of the sector’s future development.
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NEWS
INDIA
Jio Platforms acquires 25% stakes in AI company Two Mukesh Ambani-led Jio Platforms has announced that it has picked up a 25 per cent stake in Silicon Valley-based deep tech start-up Two Platforms for $15 million. Founded by Pranav Mistry, Two Platforms is an artificial reality company which focuses on building interactive and immersive AI experiences. The two companies have joined hands to fast-track adoption of new technologies and build disruptive technologies such as AI, metaverse and mixed realties, Jio Platforms said, in a statement. Speaking on the investment, Akash Ambani, Director of Jio Platforms, said, “We are impressed with the strong experience and capabilities of the founding team at Two in the areas of AI/ ML, AR, metaverse and Web 3.0. We look forward to working together with Two to help expedite development of
new products in the areas of interactive AI, immersive gaming and metaverse.” Two platform enables real-time AI voice and video calls, digital humans, immersive spaces and lifelike gaming. It plans to bring its interactive AI technologies first to consumer applications followed by entertainment and gaming, as well as enterprise solutions including retail, services, education, health and wellness.
INDONESIA
Axiata, XL agree to acquire Link Net for $606 M
Marlo Budiman, President Director & CEO, Link Net
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One of Indonesia’s biggest cable TV operators and fixed broadband internet provider, Link Net has informed that Malaysian multinational telecommunications conglomerate Axiata is buying a controlling stake in the company. The estimated $604 Million investment will help the company expand in the country’s untapped fixed broadband market. Link Net’s two largest shareholders, Asia Link Dewa and First Media, a subsidiary of Indonesian diversified conglomerate Lippo Group, said in a statement they had signed a share purchase agreement to sell their combined 66.03% shares in the company to Axiata Investments and its sister company XL Axiata, a local mobile operator. “The successful completion of the transaction will provide significant opportunities for Link Net together with our new partners, to provide converged fixed-line broadband
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and mobile service propositions to both our residential and enterprise clients,” the company’s President Director and Chief Executive Officer Marlo Budiman stated in a statement. “Indonesia’s highspeed broadband market remains deeply underpenetrated, and the ability to provide a wider and more comprehensive product offering is expected to contribute to future growth and benefit all our stakeholders,” Marlo said. Lippo Group Executive Director John Riady said Link Net sale was part of the group’s ongoing consolidation and transformation strategy to strengthen the balance and raise fresh funds for other future investments. Riady added that John despite recording a healthy financial performance with zero debt, said Link Net needed an expansion strategy that would bring it further into the digital market in the country, which synergy with XL Axiata could provide.
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NEWS
LAOS
LDX, Bitqik get approval to run crypto trading platform Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL), the central bank of Laos, has issued licenses to two cryptocurrency trading platforms, Lao Digital Assets Exchange (LDX) and Bitqik. While LDX is a joint venture between the AIF Group and the Phongsupthavy Group, Bitqik is a subsidiary of the Simuong Group. The two companies are the only licensed and regulated entities in Laos that can offer full brokerage and trading services in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Both platforms are expected to provide full services from April this year. BOL Governor Sonexay Sitphaxay said that the central bank had put a lot of time and resources into establishing a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency,
consulting with the business community, stakeholders, and government agencies. “The central bank will now monitor the two licensed platforms’ activities to ensure investor protection and
improve existing regulations,” he added. Interestingly, BOL had issued a notice in August last warning the public about the use of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether. The central bank had explained that cryptocurrencies are not a real currency and are unregulated in Laos. The BOL had also urged investors to consider the risks associated with cryptocurrencies before investing in them. Later in September, Laos authorised mining and trading of cryptocurrencies with the office of the Prime Minister informing that six companies had been authorised to mine and trade cryptocurrency while regulators were working to establish a full regulatory framework for crypto.
MALAYSIA
AirAsia X partners with Geodis to expand its cargo footprint In an effort to increase cargo capacity and boost revenues, ailing airline AirAsia X (AAX) has announced a partnership with global leading transport and logistics provider Geodis. Under the agreement, AAX will provide regular dedicated scheduled cargo flights between Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, Chennai, Shanghai, and Sydney for Geodis. The agreement came into effect for an initial period of six months from January 2022 with provision for extension of the term. Geodis, a global logistics provider headquartered in France, has an extensive footprint in the Asia Pacific, through its hub and spoke model, including the ability to switch transport modes at the Kuala Lumpur facility. AAX will also benefit from GEODIS’ expansive road network ensuring that cargo from its flights to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are able to be transported across the whole of Southeast Asia, the company stated. For the logistics company, the new intra-APAC flight routes represent its sustained commitment in bringing customers highly reliable and cost-
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effective solutions, allowing them to fully optimise the e-commerce boom. CEO of AirAsia X Malaysia, Benyamin Ismail said: “We expect that our cargo operations moving forward will contribute at least 40-50% of our total revenue. Importantly we are now perfectly hedged to take advantage of the huge surge in air transport demand. Furthermore, passenger revenue will offset any drop in the cargo rates when we start normal scheduled flights again.”
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NEWS
PHILIPPINES
Philippines allows 100% FDI in public services
The Philippines Senate has passed the third and final reading of Senate Bill (SB) 2094, amending the Public Service Act to enable 100% foreign
ownership of public services, such as telecommunications, airlines, shipping, and railways. The bill SB 2094 makes a clear distinction between the definition of public
services and public utilities since under the 1987 Constitution, only firms that are at least 60% owned by Filipinos were allowed to operate as a public utility. Experts point out that the decision to liberalise the economy will enable the Philippines to attain similar traction in foreign investment as received by other ASEAN states. It is important to note that of the $137 Billion in foreign direct investment received by ASEAN in 2020, only $6.5 Billion went to the Philippines. The decision is also seen as an effort by the government to drive recovery from the pandemic. The country’s government ad also implemented the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE Act) in March 2021, making foreign companies eligible for a 5% reduction in corporate income tax rate (CIT) from 30% to 25% until 2022. From 2023 onwards, the CIT rate will be reduced by one percent every year until it reaches 20% by 2027.
SRI LANKA
Kelani Tyres to expand radial tyre capacity Kelani Tyres has announced that it will be partnering with Ceat Limited, an Indian multinational tyre manufacturing company owned by the RPG Group, to invest LKR 3.2 Billion in Sri Lanka. The investment will be made through Ceat-Kelani joint venture. Under the capital expenditure programme, Kelani will be able to increase the manufacturing capacity of steel-belted tyres for passenger cars, SUVs, UVs, and light vans from 51,000 to 61,000 per month. The investment will also be used to add capacity in the motorcycles segment, from 41,000 to 57,000 tyres per month. The company also informed that it will be utilising the investment to replace old tyre manufacturing machines with new ones with a larger capacity and the most recent technological improvements. Ceat will also be able to produce 17-inch rim size tyres, as well as high-speed (H and higher) tyres with reduced rolling resistance. Ceat-Kelani had seen a
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surge in demand after imports were banned as money was printed to enforce lower interest rates, creating a balance of payments crisis. “The investments shall also enable future expansion for production to reach up to 100,000 passenger car, SUV, UV, and light van tyres per month with further investments in balancing downstream tyre manufacturing equipment and required infrastructure and without any additional or minimal upstream (high cost) equipment,” a stock market filing by the company stated.
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NEWS
SINGAPORE
Citigroup to exit Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam Citigroup Inc has decided to sell its consumer banking franchises in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam and exit most of its retail operations in Asia. The move is aimed at freeing up the bank’s resources so that it can focus more on wealth management and corporate services. The company also announced that Singapore-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) will be acquiring its consumer banking franchises in the four countries. The transaction includes retail banking and credit card businesses but excludes the bank’s institutional businesses in all four countries. The agreement covers all related Citigroup staff, with approximately 5,000 consumer bank and supporting employees expected to transfer to UOB upon close of the proposed transaction. UOB will pay Citigroup cash consideration for the net assets of the acquired businesses, subject to customary closing adjustments, plus a premium of SGD $915 Million ($690 Million). Upon closing, Citi expects the transaction to free approximately $1.2 Billion of allocated tangible
common equity, as well as an increase to tangible common equity of over $200 Million. Peter Babej, CEO, Citi Asia Pacific CEO said, “We are confident that UOB, with its strong culture and broad regional ambitions, will provide excellent opportunities and a long-term home for our consumer banking colleagues in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Focusing our business through these actions will facilitate additional investment in our strategic focus areas, including our institutional network across Asia Pacific, driving optimal returns for Citi.”
THAILAND
Thailand signs MoU with Austria to help build smart cities Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Austrian Technology Corporation (ATC), the trade group for Austrian tech companies, to ramp up technology exchange and drive smart city development. The MoU was signed as part of the launch
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of Austrian Technology Days Southeast Asia 2022, a threeday online event that promotes Austrian tech for the ASEAN market. Informing this, DEPA President and Chief Executive Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin said that the agency will work together with ATC to raise public awareness about the
digital economy and its ecosystem as well as smart city development by forming a network of key stakeholders and interested parties. It also plans to push ahead with joint pilot projects and a proof-of-concept project on improving the industrial competitiveness of both countries. “In the coming years, DEPA is confident the collaboration will be effective and fruitful,” he said. DEPA has also outlined its missions in 2022, including a list of digital services for government procurement, the dVenture programme aimed at accelerating the growth of startups through its public and private network, smart city ambassadors, the eatsHUB delivery platform, as well as its d-Station sales agent for startups’ products. The agency has been tasked with establishing guidelines and recommendations for Thai smart city roadmaps and blueprints as the secretariat of the National Steering Committee on Smart City Development.
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LOOKING GLASS
A YEAR OF INVESTMENT
India witnessed an unparalleled growth in the start-up ecosystem during 2021. With technology, innovation and entrepreneurship driving investments despite the pandemic, the country saw emergence of highest number of unicorns after the USA and China, and 11 initial public offerings (IPOs) with a collective market capitalisation of $47 Billion. According to the NASSCOM-Zinnov report, the year also saw nearly twice the number of M&As as compared to 2019 and 2X increase in private market valuation. And the growth in investments in India spans across sector, from BFSI, edtech, enterprise tech, retail and retail tech, healthtech, foodtech, SCM, and logistics.
THE TECH START-UP ECOSYSTEM 25,000 – 26,000 40%
42
Total number of Indian tech start-ups founded between 2011-21
New unicorns added in 2021
Share of start-ups following B2B business model
THE UNICORN TALLY USA
China
India
Israel
UK
Germany
Total number of active unicorns
444
301
70
57
40
23
Number of unicorns added in 2021
260
146
42
35
22
16
750+
2,250+
39%
Innovation cluster1 with at least 1 unicorn
38
20
7
3
6
4
Active institutional investors in 2021
Number of tech start-ups founded in 2021
Cumulative growth rate (10-year CAGR) of India start-ups
Average time to unicorn (years)2
6-8
5-7
5-7
6-8
6-8
5-7
12%
$24.1 Bn+
Share of India start-ups leveraging deep technology
Total equity investments raised by Indian start-ups in 2021
Source: Indian Tech Start-up Ecosystem: Year of the Titans, 2021; NASSCOM-Zinnov
Source: Indian Tech Start-up Ecosystem: Year of the Titans, 2021; NASSCOM-Zinnov
Note: 1. Towns and cities have been combined into clusters. For instance, Silicon Valley cluster includes Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Jose, Mountain View, etc. Similarly, Delhi-NCR cluster includes Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram. 2. The time to attain unicorn status is calculated from the year on inception.
HOW THE SECTORS STACK UP
Source: Indian Tech Start-up Ecosystem: Year of the Titans, 2021; NASSCOM-Zinnov Note: 1. Others include events tech, cybersecurity, energy and utilities, legal tech, security and surveillance, sports tech, environment tech, aviation,
maritime and defence, telecom and government tech. 2. Analysis is done on tech start-ups founded between 2011-21.
The overall start-up ecosystem in India continues to be diversified with entrepreneurs tapping at over 25 unique industry sectors.
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LOOKING GLASS
WOMEN-LED START-UP GAIN GROUND
Source: Indian Tech Start-up Ecosystem: Year of the Titans, 2021; NASSCOM-Zinnov
Note: 1. Sample size of 8,000+ startups founded between 2011-21 was considered for women entrepreneur analysis. 2. The data does not include women entrepreneurs from unicorns that raised IPO (Nykaa and MapmyIndia) and were acquired (Shopclues). The year 2021 saw women-led start-up success stories becoming more common and compelling.
DRIVING INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY
Source: Indian Tech Start-up Ecosystem: Year of the Titans, 2021; NASSCOM-Zinnov
Success stories along with deep initiatives are driving the inclusion and diversity flywheel in India.
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LAST PAGE
FUN IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS
The big-ticket acquisition of the Wordle puzzle reminds us that there are lucrative opportunities in what people do when they are not making money.
BY ASHISH MEHTA
S
ome of the best business ideas, you might have noticed, did not start out as business ideas. They were fun projects. This is true, especially, for the digital world. Facebook began as a pastime among students living in a dormitory of Harvard University. Zuckerbeg and friends, like any other nerds, wanted to use their coding knowledge to have a different kind of entertainment. The last thing they had in mind was any blueprint to build one of the biggest corporations in world history. The platform grew and became available to normal people in 2004. That seems like yesterday even if you now have difficulty imagining life before it. That year, a ubiquitous search engine had announced a new mail service and many of us queued up to get an invite for its beta version; today Gmail is one of the essential elements for life. By 2012, Facebook had got a billion people addicted
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to it, sharing vacation photos and recipes and most intimate details with one and all. Another billion joined them in mere five years. Making connections is among the most basic human tendencies, and users got others to join the platform. All Zuckerberg had to do was to devise a platform, just watch users multiply by themselves and find a way to monetise your incessant digital search for that college sweetheart. This past week, just as FB faced its first-ever jolt (a drop in the monthly users, going by its Feb 2 earnings announcement), the idea of fun as a non-trivial business model found another proof. A developer named Josh Wardle, who devised a word game called Wordle, has made money – something in “the low seven figures”. The New York Times (NYT) acquired the game that began as a diversion shared on his family WhatsApp group and released in public, for free, only in October. The puzzle about guessing letters of five-letter words in six attempts has been so addictive that it has attracted millions of enthusiasts. Wardle wanted it to be just fun, not wishing to make money out of it.
After barely a quarter of making waves for free over social media, the NYT made him an offer he could not refuse. This is in the fitness of things. Wardle got his brainwave from the NYT’s famed stable of crosswords, puzzles and other diversions. The newspaper plans to keep it available for free for a while, and then it will go behind the paywall. The paper has indeed made good money from digital subscriptions after many false starts, and Wordle should contribute to its revenues further. Granted, not all personal hobbies are potential business ideas. But often there is a demand lurking in places where few would bother to look. Take hiking, something a few individuals indulged in. Of late, however, it has turned into an organised sector activity, with well curated and professionally managed treks luring young and old alike. The morale of the story for the rest of us mortals is that business success, like a nagging fly, may be difficult to capture when you pursue it relentlessly. Yet, an aimless quest for pure passion may bring it close to you, like that fly landing on your nose. In other words, take your passions seriously.
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