CXO Outlook – July 2022 – India Edition – 10 Most Inspiring Business Women in India - 2022 by Connecta Innovation

INDIA EDITION

JULY 2022

INSIGHTS. IDEAS. INSPIRATIONS

Amritha Gaddam Founder & CEO, The Tribe Concepts

Pg - 20

Marut Bhardwaj Country Head (India), Potential Project Dr. Priti Warke Director, Cell Biology, Head, Corporate Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, HiMedia Laboratories

Pg - 35

Reeza Sebastian Karimpanal Executive President Residential Business, Embassy Group

Pg - 48

CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, AHAGURU July 2022

IGNITING THE LOVE OF LEARNING IN YOUNG MINDS CXO OUTLOOK

KALKA TO SHIMLA RAILWAY, INDIA

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July 2022

Vol - 3 Issue - 10

Most Inspiring Business Women in India 2022 Head of Advisory Board Dr. Manoj Varghese, Ph.D

Managing Editor Sarath Shyam

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Anuja Mulmule Roshni Rajagopal Suchita Gonsalves

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CXO OUTLOOK July 2020 May 2022

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Why Do We Need More Women in the Leadership Roles?

here has been a significant number of discussions on improving the status of women's leadership in businesses. However, how many of the suggestions raised from these forums are being executed at the board level? The growth has been slow, but it is positive. This seventh edition of the Deloitte Global Boardroom Program’s Women in the Boardroom report shows some interesting facts. It says the worldwide average of women on boards now sits at 19.7 percent, an increase of just 2.8 percent since Deloitte’s last report, published in 2019. If this change rate continued every two years, we could expect to reach a level approaching parity in 2045. Another Industry report by global accounting firm Grant Thornton says that businesses with at least one woman in the senior management increased to 90 percent globally. In India, this stands at 98 percent. As much as 47 percent of mid-market businesses in India now have women chief executive officers, compared with 26 percent globally. So, it is a good sign that companies are now recognizing the importance of women's representation at the top. There are several studies

have also confirmed that organizations with high scores in gender equity gain not only a performance bump but have happier employees. In this issue, we celebrate the success of the women in the Indian business domain who have taken encouraging strides forward in leadership positions. We have identified “10 Most Inspiring Business Women in India - 2022,” who act as powerful agents of change and promote diversity and gender parity in leadership and decision-making. On the cover, we feature Gomathi Shanmugam, CEO and Co-Founder, AhaGuru. From facing hardships at an early age to innovating the award-winning “Lab in a Box” concept to becoming the CEO of AhaGuru, Gomathi’s journey is full of inspiration. Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

C O N T E N T S 6

COVER STORY

14 CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, AHAGURU

IGNITING THE LOVE OF LEARNING IN YOUNG MINDS

AMRITHA GADDAM Founder & CEO, The Tribe Concepts Revolutionising the Beauty & Personal Care Market with Ayurveda-Inspired Sustainable Products

MARUT BHARDWAJ Country Head (India), Potential Project

Harnessing the Full Potential of the Mind of Working Executives

DR. PRITI WARKE Director, Cell Biology, Head, Corporate Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, HiMedia Laboratories A Versatile Leader, Aspiring to Make Cancer Therapy Affordable to the Masses through Biosimilars

REEZA SEBASTIAN KARIMPANAL Executive President - Residential Business, Embassy Group Creating a Breakthrough Revolution in the Indian Real Estate Market

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

C O N T E N T S

Rethinking Pricing Strategies for Cinemas with Dynamic Pricing

EXPERT’S OPINION

Vijeta Soni, Co-Founder & CEO, Sciative Solutions

Talent Acquisition Strategies for Startups in India Radhika Agrawal, Co-Founder, Vavo Digital

72 Major Challenges Faced by NGOs in India - Shortage of Funds and Infrastructure Gargi Vairagare, Founder, RISE (Rising Infinitely for Social Empowerment) for Tails

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

IN MY VIEW

Why Entrepreneurs are Moving Towards Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Businesses?

How Most Professionals Are Switching Jobs Post Pandemic

Aditi Balbir, Founder & CEO, Veekends

Indira Ramachandran, CHRO, AscentHR

LEADERS’ INSIGHTS

The Need for an All-in-One Assessment Platform to Address the Big Picture HR Challenges

Technology Transforming and Reshaping the Future of Make in India Products

Sujatha Kumaraswamy, CEO, MeritTrac Services

Seema Bhatnagar, Regional Business Director, (South Asia) Nexstgo Limited

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

IN MY VIEW

WHY ENTREPRENEURS ARE MOVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES? Aditi Balbir, Founder & CEO, Veekends

ntrepreneurs are smart people. They aren’t philanthropic by nature, because the first goal is to have a business that generates profit. This isn’t as capitalistic as it sounds, for one cannot contribute unless one is self-sustaining. Think of it. Would Melinda Gates be able to push global welfare agenda if Microsoft didn’t earn abnormal gains? Or Mackenzie Scott given away $4.2 billion to end inequality if Amazon wasn’t the Number 2 Fortune 500? And so, it is natural that the first principle of sustainability is “Economic Viability’ that says become profitable first, and then contribute to society. The second breed of relatively new entrepreneurs are those that are creating business that are formed around Sustainable Development

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Goals (UNSDGs). For instance, plantbased products that focus on SDG 13 – Climate Action or renewable energy companies that work on SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy or companies solving for plastic pollution working on SDG 14 – Life Below Water. This really is the new market disruption and each business model is created to generate profit, not based on philanthropy. So where is the need emerging from? 2 clear sources – The Pandemic and the Conscious Consumer. Covid made it startlingly clear that mankind had ruined the planet. Social media was flooded with pictures of clean rivers, animal sighting in cities and clear blue skies.

A whopping 73% of global consumers say they would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment

Aditi Balbi, a woman of all shades is not only the founder of Veekends, but also an angel investor, mentor, and advisor to early-stage start-ups founded by female entrepreneurs. Being an avid traveler, Aditi had for long, known the potential appeal of India’s rich cultural diversity. She further saw a huge gap in what the new-age Indian wanted and what he/she was getting. Combined with her passionate advocacy of sustainable development and community inclusiveness, Aditi translated her vision in micro-level eco-tourism, through her venture V Resorts, offering a confluence of cultures to the evolved traveler while boosting the micro-economies of the local communities simultaneously.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

The traditional hotel chains would procure groceries and food materials from one centralised vendor to maintain quality, citing consumer expectations as the reason

Changing weather patterns and advent of natural disasters confirmed that climate change was real. People started to change, realizing the mad rush to become successful did not mean happiness. They learned how to live slow during the Pandemic. Conversations around mental wellness grew. And consumers understood that they needed to change behaviors – consume less, use only sustainable products, waste less, recycle, upcycle and so on. And here’s the latest statistic by growensemble.com - “a whopping 73% of global consumers say they would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment.” So what does this mean for the entrepreneur? I started by saying that entrepreneurs are smart, and they can obviously see the size of this market and its growth potential. At the same time they (especially the millennials) are driven by sustainable values too, so the conjunction of supply to meet this

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

demand fits perfectly. Let’s look at a few neuvo business models: 1. Plant based products that replace traditional products – eg: The Meat industry The global meat industry has grown alarmingly in the past few years, estimated to value at 838.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, and forecast to increase to 1157.6 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. However, climate change enthusiast argue that Meat consumption is responsible for releasing greenhouse gases such as methane, CO2, and nitrous oxide. And so emerged plant based meat – made from a substitute of wheat gluten that has a savoury flavour and chewy texture. Already, this market is estimated to be valued at USD 4.3 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 8.3 billion by 2025, recording a CAGR of 14.0% (MarketsandMarkets). And companies that figured this out, like Beyond meat and Impossible are already unicorns.

2. Circular economy models that replace centralised consumption – eg: The Hotel industry The traditional hotel chains would procure groceries and food materials from one centralised vendor to maintain quality, citing consumer expectations as the reason. Meats were imported from New Zealand, fish in coastal zones were imported from the mainland and so on, incurring huge carbon footprint in logistics. And then came the eco-friendly traveller, the one who was happy to eat local, wanted fresh over frozen and expected variation in everything. The new chains now work on sourcing within a 100km radius only, and highlight the differences in cuisine as their USP. Homogeneity is out, you see. And the best side-effect from local sourcing – increasing income for the Small Business Owner. 3. Clean energy industry replacing fossil fuels and making it affordable for retail – eg: EV industry This is possibly the oldest revolution in the sustainability space, as we recognise the dire urgency of it, not so much due

to depleting resources but due to climate change. The EV industry emerged in 1996, when General Motors released the EV1 – the first mass-produced, purpose-built modern electric car from one of the industry's key players. Since then we have seen huge innovation – from EV manufacturers, to battery producers, to charging stations to the latest ride sharing EV companies like Blue Smart. Who will win and who will capture the market is yet to be seen. One thing is for sure, in the next 10 years we would have forgotten Diesel and petrol cars! Venture Funds are already betting on the sustainable industry to drive the next revolution. And entrepreneurs are responding with innovation that is fast and furious to keep pace with the growing needs of consumers. Some of these solutions will change our life as much as the internet did, and if we’re lucky, they will irradicate the climate crisis.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

COVER STORY

CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, AHAGURU

IGNITING THE LOVE OF LEARNING IN YOUNG MINDS

CXO OUTLOOK Sept-Oct July 20222020

CXO OUTLOOK Sept-Oct July 2022 2020

“L

eadership is not about gender; it’s about the strength of your character, your ability to inspire others, and your commitment to excellence,” remarks Gomathi Shanmugam, CEO and Co-Founder, AhaGuru. From facing hardships at an early age to innovating the awardwinning “Lab in a Box” concept to becoming the CEO of AhaGuru, Gomathi’s journey is full of inspiration. Humble Beginnings Gomathi comes from a middle-class family. Her mother considered good education a key to better job opportunities and fulfilling life. Both Gomathi and her sister made their mother proud by excelling in academics.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

The school became a platform that allowed Gomathi to enhance her leadership skills, plan, organize, lead events, and participate in social causes. After graduation, Gomathi joined a non-profit organization called AID INDIA which worked on education for underprivileged children in India. At AID INDIA, she established two schools as Model Schools for innovative teaching pedagogy and learning methodology. “At a later stage, I also developed a concept called “Lab in a Box” along with Dr. Balaji Sampath and Prof. Ravishankar. The box had simple science experiments that children could try and understand science,” shares Gomathi. They were honoured with Lemelson Innovators Award for the “Lab in a Box” concept. The program was a huge success and made her want to work further on science and math education.

AHAGURU WAS INCEPTED IN 2012 WITH A MISSION TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY SCIENCE AND MATH EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE SO THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN

Experience the Difference in Education at AhaGuru “Dr. Balaji Sampath and I wanted to encourage deep learning and skill-building in students. We also wanted to make learning fun and make mathematics and science uncomplicated,” asserts Gomathi. As a result, AhaGuru was incepted in 2012 with a mission to make high-quality science and math education accessible to everyone so that all students have the opportunity to learn. There are currently over 500,000 students using AhaGuru’s free apps, with another 25,000 paying users. It has helped thousands of students top their school exams, JEE, IIT, NEET, Olympiad and other competitive exams and achieve their dream of becoming top-notch engineers and doctors. In terms of offerings, AhaGuru provides three-tiered courses: online classes, mentor learning programs, and self-study courses. “We also allow the student to pick and choose individual subjects to study, thereby keeping their learning period focused and helping them concentrate on their pain areas,” adds Gomathi. Thus, AhaGuru’s course design has helped students pick and choose and build a solid foundation to excel in their exams, both in board and other competitive exams. AhaGuru’s Edge over the Others AhaGuru offers a unique learning experience to its students from classes 5th to 12th. “Our main focus is on concept clarity and real understanding. When learning becomes fun, practice builds perfection,” adds Gomathi. She further elaborates that when complications in understanding are removed, students tend to develop a liking towards the subject which they previously disliked. Altogether, making a student fall in love with their subject is AhaGuru's aim. At regular intervals, the teachers of AhaGuru also identify and fill gaps in student learning. They develop innovative ideas and apply disruptive technologies to enhance their content and course design. For the first time in India, AhaGuru introduced its Flipped Classroom model, where students are provided with study materials beforehand and asked to go through them before they attend the live sessions. In this way, students begin to solve the problems and participate interactively during the live sessions. Due to this unique model, students build confidence, and their performance is improved class after class. “Our unique course content, innovative teaching techniques and personal attention given by mentors to each student set us apart,” proudly remarks Gomathi. Workplace Innovation AhaGuru has a leadership team that is transparent, goaldriven, and outcome-oriented. Moreover, a collaborative

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

environment is created where people are free to share their creative ideas, insights, and suggestions. In terms of investments in the right technology & balancing cost of ROI, AhaGuru has appointed a team of tech professionals who are in sync with the company’s mission, who can help identify technology that aligns with those goals, and will have a positive impact on the business.

AHAGURU HAS A LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS TRANSPARENT, GOAL-DRIVEN, AND OUTCOME-ORIENTED. MOREOVER, A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT IS CREATED WHERE PEOPLE ARE FREE TO SHARE THEIR CREATIVE IDEAS, INSIGHTS, AND SUGGESTIONS

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Beating the Odds Gomathi’s professional journey has not been a cakewalk. She has faced a lot of scepticism from people, be it her lack of a degree in marketing or fancy education. They even went ahead and showed mistrust in her ability to become the CEO of her company. However, these remarks did not damper her spirits nor her focus. It lit

a fire in her instead to prove them wrong. “I took that challenge head-on and steered AhaGuru from 9 lakhs in 2012 to 33 crores in 2022—and we did it all without burning money,” reveals Gomathi. Today, if you ask her about her proudest career moments, Gomathi shares, “I’m proud of my strengths and accomplishments, and I’ve worked really hard to get where I am professionally.” A Day in the Life of a Leader Gomathi’s day at AhaGuru begins with a stand-up meeting with her team where work updates, plans for the day, and impending issues are discussed and resolved. These morning group meetings help keep the entire team focused on their goals throughout the

day. She further credits her team for their dedication and commitment to work and considers them the brand ambassadors of AhaGuru. As the CEO, most of her time is taken up by running, planning, and strategizing future goals for AhaGuru. “There are many good companies, but only a few great companies and AhaGuru is definitely one of them,” coyly adds Gomathi. She also makes it a point to identify which team members are assets and which are liabilities. If a team member is not adding value, they are removed quickly so that the company stays focused on its goals. She also believes in openly communicating with each team and providing regular feedback so everyone is operating on the same page. But even leaders such as Gomathi encounter low energy days filled with a lack of motivation. During such

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

not-so-happy times, she seeks solace and inspiration from Jim Collins's book, Good to Great. It always gets her out of the clouded zone and redirects her focus on the work at hand. Another of her go-to book is Go Kiss the World by Subroto Bagchi. “But my real motivation, however, is from our students who come back to us and tell us what it meant for them to be with AhaGuru for two or three years of their lives,” shares Gomathi. Pandemic Gave Time for Positive Introspection AhaGuru is built so that people who work with the foundation do not consider it a job. For them, it is more about creating a positive impact on a child’s life. Hence, even during the lockdowns, the entire team of AhaGuru led by Gomathi continued to work at full strength and didn’t take a single day out. Sharing one of the instances during the pandemic, Gomathi asserts, “In fact, they were motivating me to work on different ideas. One such idea was to launch a free webinar for students who wanted to understand Trigonometry, and to our delight, over 15,000 students benefited from it.”

Additionally, new mentors were recruited at AhaGuru who could speak to the parents and the students and help them adapt to the online scenario. Multilingual teachers were also appointed who could cater to the needs of the diverse student population. Online coaching for 7th and 8th were added on popular demand, and crash courses were introduced. “At the end of the day, we had proven that no pandemic can stop our dream of supporting a child to acquire knowledge and skill,” says Gomathi. Present Goals & Future Plans Currently, Gomathi led team of AhaGuru is working on leveraging AI-based coaching to help the students learn effectively. Additionally, they are set to launch a series of apps for helping school curricula. Revealing her future plans for AhaGuru, CEO Gomathi says, “We are planning to be fully online post-pandemic with contact sessions for our students from around 18 cities.” New courses for children from class 6 will be introduced to help them with their school exams. Her future goal also includes growing AhaGuru to 100 crores by 2025.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

LEADER’S INSIGHTS

THE NEED FOR AN ALL-IN-ONE ASSESSMENT PLATFORM TO ADDRESS THE BIG PICTURE HR CHALLENGES Sujatha Kumaraswamy, CEO, MeritTrac Services

Sujatha Kumaraswamy is the Chief Executive Officer of MeritTrac – a UNext company. Sujatha Kumaraswamy has 21 years of experience in incubating and running new businesses and functions across multiple divisions. Ms. Kumaraswamy’s wide range of experience in managing global, large-scale teams in various sectors has led her in multiple strategic imperatives across different revenue groups. Her focus is on setting the long-term goals, strategies, plans and policies of MeritTrac, with a strong focus on its execution.

job posting on LinkedIn receives over 250 applications at any given time, and Unilever receives approximately 1.8 million applications per year for a meagre 30K positions. Manually sifting through a mountain of resumes is a herculean task and very often leads to flawed hiring decisions. A bad hire results in lost time if the employee is unable to perform the job successfully. Even though the organisation may be investing the same amount of money in the employee, the productivity is likely to be far lower. Companies need more resources, recruiters, and teams to even the odds with the influx of job applications.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Need for a new assessment solution Amid the expanding digital transformation across sectors, changing to an AI-driven end-to-end data approach has become necessary to recruit the right candidate. It will not only eliminate ground HR challenges but will also improve the efficiency of the recruitment process. In order to keep up with the advancements, recruiters today prefer adopting automation and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for hiring operations. From small-scale to large-scale hiring, an end-to-end assessment platform is a solution to the big-picture HR challenges.

In order to keep up with the advancements, recruiters today prefer adopting automation and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for hiring operations

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Currently, every organisation aims for onboarding such talents who can perform from day one. Thus, it helps the organisation build a skilled workforce

A "full cycle" or end-to-end assessment solution attempts a multi-stage hiring process in which the best candidate is selected based on their skills, qualities, and other important traits that are most appropriate and compatible for the position.

An end-to-end assessment has six stages: 1. Preparing 2. Sourcing 3. Screening 4. Selecting 5. Hiring 6. Onboarding As businesses navigate the competitive currents of the constantly changing digital world, organisations of all sizes are now implementing end-to-end recruitment processes to hire the best candidates, thereby accelerating organisational growth. How does an all-in-one assessment platform help devise a growth-oriented recruitment process? Implementing an all-in-one assessment platform is pivotal for the growth-oriented recruitment process in any organisation. Following are some advantages of using an all-in-one assessment platform for recruitment. End-to-end recruitment strategy: From sourcing to onboarding, an all-in-one assessment platform helps organisations use a single platform for all recruitment processes. As it automates many processes and selects candidates based on their qualities, a recruiter can eliminate many painstaking stages. Reduces turn-around time: As AI and data-driven decisions play a key role in the recruitment process, the

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

turn-around time for hiring the appropriate candidate will marginally reduce. For example, the AI-enabled platform crawls the job portals and skims through profiles to select the most suitable candidates for the required job roles, thereby eliminating the need for inviting applications, waiting for receiving applications and selecting candidates for interviews. Helps in building a quality team: An all-in-one assessment platform is key in identifying the best candidate for a particular position. Productive individuals are crucial for the future of any organisation. Currently, every organisation aims for onboarding such talents who can perform from day one. Thus, it helps the organisation build a skilled workforce. Assist in devising workforce development: Most of the time, the onboarded candidate may lack a few requisite skills or may need to improve on them. The AI-powered assessment platform can identify the strengths and weaknesses of each employee and indicate specific training programmes to improve workforce capacity. This way, organisations can ensure holistic workforce development. Final thoughts A holistic assessment environment will bring together previously absent elements of the employment process. As a result, a next-generation digitally led end-toend assessment revolution will enable businesses to produce a more efficient workforce, improve decisionmaking quality, and play a significant role in the development of new business processes and concepts. It will also reduce the turn-around time in the recruitment process drastically.

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Higher Education Digest October 2020

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Amritha Gaddam

Chahat Aggarwal

Founder and CEO, The Tribe Concepts

Founder and CEO, Impact Study Biz

Website: https://thetribeconcepts.com/

Website: https://www.impactstudybiz.com/

Headquarters: East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi

About the Company:

The Tribe Concepts aims to provide natural alternatives to skin & hair care by bringing ancient wisdom to the modern world.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

About the Company:

Impact Study Biz is a strategic consultancy with expertise across startup businesses, leveraging technology and data science to provide customised and unique strategies.

Gomathi Shanmugam

Marut Bhardwaj

CEO and Co-Founder, AhaGuru

Country Head, Potential Project

Website: https://www.ahaguru.com/ Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu About the Company:

Ahaguru is changing how high school students learn science and mathematics by helping thousands of aspiring engineers and doctors achieve their dreams.

Website: https://www.potentialproject.com/ Headquarters: New York, United States About the Company:

Potential Project is a global consulting and professional services firm that partners with organisations to create a more human world of work.

Dr. Prakriti Poddar

Dr Priti Warke

Managing Trustee, Poddar Foundation

Director, HiMedia Laboratories

Website: https://poddar.foundation/

Website: https://www.himedialabs.com/

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

About the Company:

Poddar Foundation is a registered trust which focuses on the causes of mental health problems and creates awareness around the issues prevalent in India.

About the Company:

HiMedia is the pioneering and revolutionising organisation in Biosciences, currently having a strong portfolio of over 4500 novel and unique products.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Reeza Sebastian Karimpanal

Sargam Dhawan Bhayana

Executive President - Residential Business, Embassy Group

Founder & Director, Tressmart Marketing Pvt. Ltd

Website: https://www.embassyindia.com/

Website: https://www.tressmart.com/

Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi

About the Company:

Embassy Group has been at the forefront of India’s real estate development for over three decades, with operation spans across Indian and international markets.

About the Company:

Tressmart has become one of the leading online beauty stores with thousands of happy and satisfied customers, and it is a one-stop destination for revolutionary beauty products for the Indian market.

Sarita Digumarti

Sonarika Mahajan

Chief Learning Officer, UNext Learning

Founder, Humanitive

Website: https://u-next.com/

Website: https://www.humanitive.in/

Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi

About the Company:

UNext aims to solve for improving access, increase affordability, provide good quality content & pedagogy and enhance outcomes for the student/learner community in the higher education space by leveraging technology.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

About the Company:

Humanitive is a luxurious gifting brand which effectively merges gift giving and donations together in a very transparent, impactful and artful way.

SlimYoo

slimyoo.com

Digital First Magazine

istockphoto.com/DanielBendjy July 2022

AMRITHA GADDAM FOUNDER & CEO, THE TRIBE CONCEPTS

Revolutionising the Beauty & Personal Care Market with Ayurveda-Inspired Sustainable Products

hat do you call an MBA graduate who initially started a career as a commercial finance manager but later, after experiencing a health issue, decided to venture into the beauty and personal care market with Ayurveda-inspired sustainable products? An inspirational beautypreneur. This is Amritha Gaddam’s, Founder & CEO, The Tribe Concepts, journey depicting her passion, devotion, and a deep-rooted desire to bring ancient wisdom to the modern world. This is How it all Began After getting diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), Amritha started facing extensive hair fall and peeling skin issues. To cure them, she used several

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

chemical-based products from international brands and synthesised quick-fix solutions. None of them, however, did any good. “Later, figuring I had nothing to lose—I decided to take a step in another direction and gave Ayurvedainspired solutions a chance that other women around me were resorting to on a daily basis to aid my damaged hair and skin,” shares Amritha. The results of using these products were a revelation to Amritha. It further promoted her to educate her near and dear ones about the benefits of using extremely basic yet effective Ayurvedic, non-fancy, non-fragrant solutions. They, too, were spellbound by its positive effects. “That is when I decided that I have to take this wealth of knowledge out there, research more, and share it with the world,” continues Amritha.

I am proud to share that women have been a quintessential part of the journey, where 94% of The Tribe Concepts’ team & board today are women

Amritha Gaddam Founder & CEO, The Tribe Concepts

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

An All-Natural, Ayurveda-Inspired Brand The Tribe Concepts is a leading beauty brand which offers natural alternatives and high-performing products through the foundation pillars of potent Indian ingredients, sustainability, and timeless traditions. The company’s core ethos lies in ensuring that everything— from sourcing to formulating to packaging is done in a manner that contributes to minimal waste and provides maximum benefits to customers. The Tribe Concepts started its journey with its flagship product—a 90-day miracle hair oil. Amritha,

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

the Founder & CEO of the company, had invested more than a year in this product's research, literature review, and testing process. Soon after its launch, the product received a stupendous response from the consumers since it was able to arrest hair fall issues in just a couple of regular applications. From then, there was no turning back for Amritha and The Tribe Concepts. Today, The Tribe Concepts provides a range of products that can be incorporated into an everyday skincare routine, including daily face brightening cleansers, exotic glow masks, acne spot correctors, extra

virgin coconut oil, ubtan body cleansers, and collagenboosting kits. For hair specifically, the beauty brand offers daily hair cleansers, 90-day miracle oil, anti-dandruff hair masks, hair grow kits, and root strengthening conditioner and mask.

The Tribe Concepts does not tamper with its natural powders or cold-pressed oils with preservatives to give them a more pleasing fragrance or a texture like other products available in the market

What gives The Tribe Concepts an Edge Over Competitors? One of The Tribe Concepts’ key USPs lies in its 100% natural & organic product range. The brand does not tamper with its natural powders or cold-pressed oils with preservatives to give them a more pleasing fragrance or a texture like other products available in the market. Instead, primary emphasis is given to maintaining the potency of ingredients that ultimately drive results. Furthermore, Amritha and her team ensure that the products fulfil the ever-changing & growing demands of their customers. Citing an instance, Kumkumadi Thailam, originally made up of ghee or cow’s milk, was converted into a dairy-free version by The Tribe Concepts to appease the consumers who are turning toward vegan skincare. Likewise, the entire range of products of The Tribe Concepts has been ideated, curated, designed and packaged, keeping in mind today’s consumers and their preferences.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

“We are in the heartland of Ayurveda and Indian ingredients, and I take immense pride in our idea as a brand to aggressively work towards pushing not so famous but highperforming Indian ingredients to the world,” shares Amritha. Advocating the ‘Women in Business’ Notion In 2019, when Amritha embarked on the journey of establishing her venture, ‘The Tribe Concepts’, she wanted to provide meaningful opportunities to women to become financially independent and confident and join the decision-making process in the boardroom. And so, it turned out the first team ever at The Tribe Concepts

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

comprised 5 employees, of whom 4 were women. This is how a women empowerment drive began where it counts the most: at work! It takes a strong and courageous woman like Amritha to create a path for other women folks. “I am proud to share that women have been a quintessential part of the journey, where 94% of The Tribe Concepts’ team & board today are women,” states Amritha. A Sky-High Growth from the Start The Tribe Concepts witnessed aggressive growth from the beginning, thanks to its Ayurveda-backed and zero

chemical product range. “In our first year of operations, we clocked in a revenue stream of around Rs. 2.25 crores, and now in our third year running, we are looking at closing a turnover of Rs. 50 crores—reaching almost five lakh customers globally,” reveals Amritha. As per the latest reports, the Indian skin care market is valued at USD 129 and is expected to rise to USD 190. Amritha shares that these figures are very encouraging for her venture and feel that The Tribe Concepts has entered a high-pressure zone. To maintain its high momentum, The Tribe Concepts will soon launch 10 new products and exciting new tools for skincare.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Influence of Tech-innovations on the Future Going ahead, the skincare category will also see a rise in the use of tech innovations that will connect multiple metrics, products, and ingredients to support both product lines and the customer's skin care needs. As a result, there will be many innovations in product launches, tools, and trends. As for The Tribe Concepts, the idea to go for plasticfree packaging is in line with the brand’s promise of sustainability inside and outside the box. “We wish to continually seek out new natural ingredients and utilise technology in such a way that our products can be the best version of themselves. We are so happy to be on this journey with our customers towards a more sustainable future,” asserts Amritha.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

A Day in the Life of a Beautypreneur Amritha’s typical day consists of meetings with her team, vendors, collaborators, and clients. She is focused, driven, and ready to take on challenges. What makes Amritha’s day stress-free and calm is working with her family members. She also ensures to stay updated with the latest trends in the beauty industry and connects with her mentors and peers. While navigating through her hectic schedule and routine tasks, Amritha keeps on solo brainstorming over new ideas, new markets, new challenges, and what’s next for her and The Tribe Concepts. “After work, I unwind by spending time with my family, watching Netflix, reading a book or best—planning my next travel,” shares Amritha with glee.

In 2019, when Amritha embarked on the journey of establishing her venture, ‘The Tribe Concepts’, she wanted to provide meaningful opportunities to women to become financially independent and confident and join the decision-making process in the boardroom The Pandemic was like a Roller-Coaster Ride Amritha calls the COVID-19 pandemic a mixed bag of experiences. One of the challenges that The Tribe Concepts team faced was a delay in receiving authentic raw materials from the vendors due to strict nationwide lockdowns. Other than that, the entire team stood by each other and supported a fellow employee facing personal turmoil. An experience such as this connected them together on a significantly deeper level.

“But the one incredible thing that really happened was that people started giving Indian skincare products such as ours a fair chance. Instead of looking down on Ayurveda as a thing of the past – with regular usage – people actually started seeing the benefits of something 100% natural that is tailor-made to the Indian hair and skin type,” mentions Amritha. Planning to Establish a New Narrative in the Offline & Online Market This year, Amritha, the CEO & Founder of The Tribe Concepts, has created a roadmap to some inspiring goals; one of them is establishing an offline presence in the market. “Our vision is to launch our Tribe experience stores wherein our customers can sample the products while learning about the thought behind making each of our products,” reveals Amritha. Along with her team, she is also planning to create a strong brand presence on online aggregators like Nykaa, Amazon, and Flipkart and partner with offline spaces that are custodians of sustainability. In the coming days, The Tribe Concepts will also cater to the eco-conscious and Ayurvedainfluenced consumers in the international markets. Besides these, The Tribe Concept is set to launch its sister brand, ‘The Tribe Veda,’ which will focus on providing natural alternatives for health. To begin with, The Tribe Veda will launch a range of health mixes and herbal teas for the customers.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

IN MY VIEW

HOW MOST PROFESSIONALS ARE SWITCHING JOBS POST PANDEMIC Indira Ramachandran, CHRO, AscentHR

recent Bankrate survey (in August 2021) finds most Americans (55%) in the workforce are likely to search for a new job in the next 12 months. According to the study, among those who are employed and looking for work, more than half (56%) say work flexibility (i.e. working hours and/or the ability to work remotely) is important to them. Another study conducted by a SaaS company WorkInSync suggests that 54% employees might consider quitting if not allowed hybrid work. The reasons for this attrition are multifold. Employees who did not want to quit in 2021 due to pandemic-induced uncertainty in the job market,

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

are now looking to explore new opportunities as the job market is opening up. The pandemic not only disrupted businesses and impacted the way we work, it has also slowed down and stalled employees’ career advancement. This sense of stalled career growth and other factors might drive employees to switch jobs in order to bring their career aspirations back on track. Other contributing factors for switching jobs include: unrevised pay, addition or changes in responsibilities (which might not be in-line with their skill sets), and employees’ changed expectations towards their career. Moreover, the needs and expectations of the employees post-pandemic has changed.

Today, employees expect their organization and managers to tailor unique workplace flexibility options that suit their specific needs and circumstances.

Indira Ramachandra is an experienced Human Resources professional with a track record of successfully handling HR strategy and operations in the information technology and services industries – with exposure to diverse culture. With over 25 years of experience in HR and business roles, has vast experience in the areas of designing, leading, and implementing best practices & HR processes in employee relations, staffing, Org development, and change management. She has been a trusted advisor and coach in providing solutions across strategic and operational issues impacting business delivering strategies and compliance norms, apart from managing all aspects of scaling up operations.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Organizations across sectors and segments are accelerating their automation and digitalization strategies to keep pace with the changing business landscape and to maintain a competitive edge.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Today, employees expect their organization and managers to tailor unique workplace flexibility options that suit their specific needs and circumstances. In other cases, employees are defining and aligning their core values as they reboot their career in the post-pandemic world. They are trying to seek employment with organizations that have the type of culture, the career and learning opportunities, and the meaningful work that suits their core values. For instance, if an employee’s values flexibility over their work to achieve work-life balance, they will look for an organization that offers different types of flexibility in the workplace. It is important to note that the concept of flexibility has now acquired a multifaceted meaning that factors in not just where the work can be done, but how it can be done, and when it can be done. The attrition is also fueled by the demand for top talent with high technological competencies. Organizations across sectors and segments are accelerating their automation and digitalization strategies to keep pace with the changing business landscape and to maintain a competitive edge. As a result, companies that provide IT and ITeS services have projects to work on and these IT companies need resources to work on these IT projects. The talent war in the IT sector has led to rising competition in terms of providing higher salary hike percentages, attractive perks and benefits, as companies fight to attract the top talent. This has also encouraged attrition to some extent. As the pandemic continues to make its impact, albeit in various forms, the job turnover scenario is likely to continue. Now that the economies are showing signs of recovery and employees having tasted the flexibility of working remotely, employees’ expectations are still in flux. Employees are rethinking their careers, work conditions, and evaluating their long-term goals. While it is important for the organizations to consider employees seeking such flexibility, it is also important for employees to understand the compulsions of organizations as a result of specific operational activities and extend cooperation to the values shared by organizations. This would eventually turn out to be a new win -win situation for employees and organizations.

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NORTONLIFELOCK.COM CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

MARUT BHARDWAJ COUNTRY HEAD (INDIA), POTENTIAL PROJECT

Harnessing the Full Potential of the Mind of Working Executives

n today’s business environment, the modern workforce demands a healthy working culture that recognises diversity and inclusion and opens its arms for employees to bring their whole selves to the workplace. However, a large number of companies are unable to inspire their employees to achieve their fullest potential. As a result, they struggle to retain them for the long term. Marut Bhardwaj, the Country Head (India) of Potential Project, addresses this issue by helping organisations and leaders to bring humanity, kindness, and opportunity to real people in the workplace.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

The Story Leading to the ‘Home Journey’ Marut began her corporate career by working with numerous reputed organisations that were strongly peoplecentric (Marketing and Branding) for over 24 years. “But the entrepreneurial spirit in me continued to push me to launch my own business, hence started, ‘The Brand Weavers’, a brand communication agency, serving global clients,” shares Marut. Along the way, Marut also developed a deep meditation practice that helped her stay calm and focused even during the biggest of crisis situations. Having faced a complete burnout at one point in her career, mindfulness

By suggesting strategies for incorporating compassion in everyday work, I have been able to facilitate many leaders and employees to find a safe place at work, where they can collaborate, ideate, and, thus, innovate freely

Marut Bhardwaj Country Head (India), Potential Project

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Potential Project is a global research, leadership development, and consulting firm that partners with organisations to uncover the power of the mind – how it is wired and how to rewire it for new behaviours and different outcomes

meditation was and continues to be her true solace. After practising mindfulness for more than 12 years, Marut understood the potential of its endless benefits and endeavoured to pursue mindfulness leadership and the humanisation of the corporate world. Meanwhile, she didn’t find any institution that helped leaders and teams to understand and manage their minds which is where all the potential for great things begins. This realisation led her to build a new network of corporate executives through annual ‘Mindful Leadership Summits’ in India for three consecutive years from 2016 -2018. During one such deep session, Marut met Rasmus Hougaard, the Founder & MD of Potential Project, and instantly connected with him. “I started what I like to call my ‘Home journey’ as Potential Project’s Country Director, India, and then as global facilitator and solutions lead for Potential Project International,” shares Marut.

Delivering the More Human World of Work Potential Project is a global research, leadership development, and consulting firm that partners with organisations to uncover the power of the mind – how it is wired and how to rewire it for new behaviours and different outcomes. It is a semi for-profit company driven by a deep sense of mission and passion. Looking at its growth over the years, Potential Project has helped over 350,000 individuals and more than 500 clients to adopt new ways of working and leading. The company’s solutions are pragmatic, immediately applicable, and delivered globally in 28 countries in 17

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022 2022

languages in-person or digitally by an expert team of experienced facilitators who have spent decades in the corporate environment. These figures depict Potential Project’s upward growth trajectory and how fast it has merged as the gold standard in leadership facilitation all around the globe. Overcoming Challenges with Grit & Resilience “When I took up the responsibility to build Potential Project in India, I was starting from ground zero. It was an uphill challenge introducing my company and our work to the core business-driven industry in India,” states Marut. However, through consistent efforts and sheer willpower, Marut defeated the challenges along her path and turned them into opportunities. Today, Potential Project collaborates with renowned organisations such as CISCO, Accenture, KPMG, BCG, Microsoft, Genpact, Capgemini, and many more. This successful feat is achieved due to Marut’s entrepreneurial spirit, her never-say-die attitude, and mindful passion for being of service to clients.

Driving a Culture of Innovation in the Workplace One of Potential Project’s main objectives is to create a culture of innovation, creativity, and collaboration in the workplace. Therefore, as the Country Head, global facilitator & solutions lead, Marut has focused on achieving an innovative work environment by emphasising honest communication, the necessity of psychological safety, and the need to deliver the very best for many client companies across diverse industries. Moreover, for someone who has been a part of the corporate landscape for over two decades, Marut strongly feels that only when employees can show up in their full selves, only when they align with the company’s purpose and its value, only when they genuinely care about the people they work with, can they give their best to every problem and come up with solutions that may go unseen by someone who is only there to tick off their hours at work. She continues by saying, “By suggesting strategies for incorporating compassion in everyday work, I have been able to facilitate many leaders and employees to find a safe place at work, where they can collaborate, ideate, and, thus, innovate freely.”

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Milestones that Matter the Most For Marut, successfully organising the first Mindful Leadership Summit in India in 2016 was her first significant milepost as a leader. As a highly-skilled growth & transformation facilitator, Marut has assisted many multinational companies such as Microsoft, Accenture and Cisco in re-engineering the concept of people engagement to enhance and internalise conscious awareness as a human superpower through her research- and neuroscience-backed training. She has also helped many executives develop a growth mindset based on sensible optimism, emotional intimacy, and human connection. As a result, over the last four years, Marut has educated nearly 3000 people from many organisations, including many Fortune 500 businesses, to disrupt authoritative leadership throughout the whole corporate spectrum and create an entirely new work culture narrative. However, her most significant achievement to date has been to instil a recognition of each other as humans in the proverbial steelhearted corporate world. Practising Mindfulness to Reduce Stress & Anxiety For a long time, Marut’s go-to calming mantra has been practising mindfulness. “No matter how stressful or nervewracking my day may get, I know that I can always depend on the inner peace I find within myself when I take a moment to unplug,” shares Marut. It helps her take charge of her

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

emotional being, live and cherish the present, and respond to challenges with awareness instead of reacting impulsively. Even during the thick and thin times, a caring presence and a compassionate outlook have always guided Marut in reducing stress and anxiety in her personal and professional life. Beating the Pandemic Times & Planning Ahead At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the corporate workforce began facing stress, burnout, and extreme mental overwhelm, leading to the Great Resignation trend. During such critical times, Potential Project utilised its longstanding expertise in leadership development and partnered with many organisations. “We practically sprinted to provide effective virtual solutions to tackle these challenges and helped leaders continue to provide compassionate care to their teams while maintaining effective services to their clients,” mentions Marut. Operating in the post-pandemic world, Potential Project’s immediate plan is to curb this wave of Great Resignation that has been afflicting organisations worldwide. As a global expert facilitator, Marut shares that the key to tackling this issue is to help leaders and employees recognise the significance of purpose, connection, vulnerability, and selflessness; especially to prepare them for a new future in which employees’ expectations have altered for good and where organisations can no longer take a top-down view to decision-making and growth and development.

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EXPERT OPINION

Rethinking Pricing Strategies for Cinemas with Dynamic Pricing Vijeta Soni, Co-Founder & CEO, Sciative Solutions

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

I A woman in tech leadership and a dynamic powerhouse, Ms. Vijeta Soni is the CoFounder & CEO of Sciative Solutions. She is an alumnus of the prestigious IIM Bangalore and the University of Houston, Texas, USA. Vijeta is a proud member of Goldman Sachs 10K Women Entrepreneurs and an exceptional leader with over 16 years of experience in digital transformation, technology adoption, and client relations across retail, ecommerce, manufacturing, and education sectors. She has played a pivotal role in driving some of the largescale projects in India and has worked with industry giants like Overstock.com (USA), Reliance Industries Ltd., Jio Institute etc.

n today's competitive market, companies face several operational dilemmas while trying to meet their customers’ demands. One way to cope with such issues is the implementation of successful revenue management strategies. Dynamic pricing is common in many capacityconstrained industries such as airlines, hotels, travel and can be effective for companies that are facing unpredictable market demand and high fixed costs. At a time when the movie theatre industry is attempting a revival after having suffered a year of financial losses from the pandemic, highly flexible costs on products and services taking into account competitor rates, supply and demand could be the way forward. When we look at the challenges being faced by cinemas today, changing consumer behaviour and the advent of online streaming services have led to attendance loss from young audiences in many cinemas. With cinemas now opening, attractive prices in bundles can help bring in the audiences again. Coming to optimizing pricing strategy for high demand times as opposed to low demand times, generally weekends and evenings end up attracting more movie goers than weekdays and mid-day. By adjusting dynamic pricing, the demand can be shifted to off times, and revenue can be increased at peak times. Understanding the audience's preferences to know the critical price points for movie tickets is where the answer lies for exhibitors. Everyone knows that if tickets are priced too high, the cinema risks poor attendance in theatres; conversely, if the ticket is priced too low, it might not even be able to cover the costs. With the right pricing strategy, cinemas can hence: Leverage the price insensitivity of solvent and spontaneous customers for high-demand movies, and increase the overall revenue Devices strategy for offering attractive prices at off-peak times, to shift demand and aid in the reduction of the impact of fixed costs at those times Enhance online sales via special discounts and collect more customer behaviour information, to get better planning security and increased cost-reduction Thus with the help of dynamic pricing, analysis can be conducted of historical data which would result in continuous price optimization per ticket, per person per region and automatic ticket pricing, which would include forecasting and price recommendations. With the right price optimization strategies, cinemas typically see results such as 5%-15% increase in attendance during off-peak times 5% - 10% increment in the overall revenue 5% - 10% increase in the share of online sales With shifting consumer behaviour, cinemas today have to adapt to stay in the game. Dynamic pricing will give a customer the ability to purchase and get a broader range of prices, depending on variables such as movie life cycle, time of day, day of the week, venue, size of screens, film title, amenities, etc. where the number of seats in every price category for each film can be based on the demand conditions at the time of purchase. Analyzing internal and external factors that influence the demand for moviegoers can provide a comfortable situation for setting prices that reflect a customer's willingness to pay. Thus, price optimization gives a competitive advantage to cinemas rather than posing a challenge.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

LEADER’S INSIGHTS

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMING AND RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF MAKE IN INDIA PRODUCTS Seema Bhatnagar, Regional Business Director, (South Asia) Nexstgo Limited

Seema Bhatnagar is the Regional Business Director (South Asia) at Nexstgo Company Limited. At the front-running laptops’ and IoT products’ brand, she spearheads the sales targets and policies, new investments, product launches, acquisitions, and restructuring. As an adept professional with numerous areas of expertise, Seema also manages client relationships, identifies emerging market trends, develops new partnerships, and looks after the sales and marketing strategies. With close to 25 years of experience, Seema’s career is replete with several milestones and achievements. In 1.5 years, she helped launch new products and set up the brand and dealer network across India for Nexstgo. She also revived the plummeting operations division from bankruptcy and turned it around into a success story in Phillips Display and AOC TV.

he Indian market is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world and considering the fact that we have a population of over 1.3 billion people, it doesn’t come as a surprise. Increased urbanisation and a rise in purchasing power among people are expected to spur unparalleled demand in the country for finished goods. Due to its immense size, growth rate, and potential, the Indian market is increasingly becoming one of the most attractive destinations for international businesses and investors. The same has been visible

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

with almost $339.55 billion worth of FDI (foreign direct investment) flowing into the country in the last 5 years. As India continues on this growth trajectory, it’s become crucial to identify sectors that can further boost the economy and adapt to the changing times. This is why the government is focusing a lot of its attention on the booming tech industry in India as it is a major contributor to India’s rapid economic development and transformation. We are slowly showing signs of global dominance with a substantial increase in domestic

As India continues on this growth trajectory, it’s become crucial to identify sectors that can further boost the economy and adapt to the changing times

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

manufacturing and the rise of unicorn startups, which have recently crossed the 100 mark. These fast-growing startups are disrupting traditional industries such as retail, healthcare and transportation by using data analytics along with innovative business models. Going forward it will be crucial for both established companies and startups to adapt and continue investing in new technology in order to survive challenges, be it in the form of competition or market disruptions. The need for digital adoption has become even more prominent after the covid crisis, which affected businesses across verticals. Industries like healthcare and pharmaceuticals,

The fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 as its commonly referred to, is also gaining steam due to rapid improvements made in the cyber-computing capabilities in the last few decades BFSI, e-commerce and retail and manufacturing have been increasingly adopting emerging technologies like AI, ML, blockchain, digital assistants, IoT, and digital twins among others to lead the charge towards market revival and growth. Industries that are able to focus on digital transformation through the implementation of cutting-edge technologies will become the gamechangers in their respective sectors and be well-prepared to deal with future shocks. The fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 as its commonly referred to, is also gaining steam due to rapid improvements made in the cyber-computing capabilities

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

in the last few decades. The gap between the virtual and the real world has been narrowed thanks to advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and others, which have created an interoperable platform between Information Technology (IT) and actual physical operations. Industry 4.0 is already influencing sectors like manufacturing, supply chain management, construction, shipping etc. and soon it might also impact aspects of our day-to-day lives. It is truly being considered a disruptive technology and has fast-forwarded Indian industries by almost 10 years. On top of it, the Indian government has been implementing various policy schemes such ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, ‘Make in India’ and the ‘PLI’ initiative among others specifically targeted at smart manufacturing. These schemes have done wonders and are expected to support Indian industries in the time to come. These government measures are helping India climb to the top of the global electronics supply chain. For instance, the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme, which came into effect last year with the aim of incentivising manufacturing, is estimated to attract a CAPEX of approximately ₹4 trillion in the next five years and has the potential to generate employment for over 3 million people in India. In the electronics manufacturing segment alone, the government has pumped nearly Rs 2.3 lakh crore under this program and as a result, many homegrown electronics companies are expanding their IT hardware manufacturing capacity with factories being set up for manufacturing laptops, and tablets, personal computers and all-in-one servers among other things. Furthermore, the sector is expected to see a 30 per cent growth in the next fiscal with a market capitalisation of nearly Rs 7 lakh crore. The government’s idea behind the highly discussed production linked incentive scheme has been rather simple. These schemes are primarily implemented to boost the production of a certain category of goods whose demand in the market is not great but is expected to increase substantially once production reaches mass scale and the prices for the finished goods go down. PLIs are essentially rolled out as incentives for manufacturing companies in order to boost production. These could be in the form of tax rebates, import and export duty concessions, or maybe easier land-acquisition terms. Generally, the benefits of a PLI scheme are passed on to the final consumers of the goods in terms of lower prices. It is an old and popular tool and has been used by governments across the world to spur the production of goods that are necessary for either social, tax, or employment-generation reasons.

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CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

DR. PRITI WARKE

DIRECTOR, CELL BIOLOGY, HEAD, CORPORATE QUALITY ASSURANCE & REGULATORY AFFAIRS, HIMEDIA LABORATORIES

A Versatile Leader, Aspiring to Make Cancer Therapy Affordable to the Masses through Biosimilars

r. Priti Warke is the Director of Cell Biology, the Head of Corporate Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs at HiMedia Laboratories. From a technically oriented scientist to a strong woman leader, her professional journey is a source of inspiration to many. Today, Dr. Priti has carved her name in the biosciences industry through her relentless hard work, passion, and vision. Educational Background & Career Path Dr. Priti completed her MBBS degree from B.J. Government Medical College, Pune, and later pursued MS in Cellular & Molecular Biology from the Catholic University of America, Washington DC. She embarked on her professional journey in R&D by working as an

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

assistant scientist and performing bench-level work for many years. At that time, her division was in its infancy stage, so she readily took on and fulfilled numerous responsibilities. She has been responsible for handling the highly qualified team involved in R&D and operational and administrative activities of the Cell Culture and Plant Tissue Culture business divisions. She has also played an instrumental role in starting the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine division at HiMedia. “Over the last 20 years, I have donned many hats from day-to-day operations to product development to process optimization to sales and marketing. It has been an exciting journey so far and has not allowed me a moment of complacency,” says Dr. Priti with a smile.

Over the last 20 years, I have donned many hats from day-to-day operations to product development to process optimization to sales and marketing. It has been an exciting journey so far and has not allowed me a moment of complacency

Dr. Priti Warke Director, Cell Biology, Head, Corporate Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, HiMedia Laboratories

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

HiMedia Laboratories Established in 1976, HiMedia Laboratories is the largest Indian life science company, providing products and customized solutions to over 150 countries worldwide with an all-inclusive product range catering to microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology, plant tissue culture, biochemicals, consumables, and instruments. Initially incepted with the vision of ‘Make in India’ to help the Indian scientific fraternity, HiMedia now has a global mission to alleviate human suffering by helping facilitate research and make newer therapeutic modalities affordable. What makes HiMedia unique in the industry is that it has made science affordable and within reach of the common scientist and students. Today, almost every small college and institute in India involved in R&D uses HiMedia products and services.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

While commenting on the performance of HiMedia Laboratories over the years, Dr. Priti says, “HiMedia has delivered a stellar performance over the last few years and was successful in maintaining an 18% CAGR for a decade. During the pandemic, HiMedia launched its COVID-related testing diagnostic and transport products, due to which the company witnessed an 80% growth in its revenues.” A Powerhouse of Tech Innovations HiMedia Laboratories is run by a team of technocrats with vast years of industry experience. Under their leadership, HiMedia has become a powerhouse of innovation and technology. Furthermore, Dr. Priti continues to interact with the customers directly, which gives the company a clear perspective on their requirements and issues. “I

prefer going for developments within our bell curve rather than going out of the comfort zone. This entails the risk of sometimes missing the big bus but ensures a steady growth rate and ROI,” states Dr. Priti.

What makes HiMedia unique in the industry is that it has made science affordable and within reach of the common scientist and students. Today, almost every small college and institute in India involved in R&D uses HiMedia products and services

Tackling Challenges Head-On As a leader, Dr. Priti has encountered many challenges over the years at HiMedia, be it organizational challenges of culture and differences in opinion between key decisionmakers, to unexpected daily operational challenges to personal challenges of balancing work and family and constantly being short of time. The list is never-ending. However, Dr. Priti believes that overcoming challenges is not just about decision-making and strategy but going against the grain and taking the calculated risk once in a while. She also feels that one must do everything with a deep sense of conviction and for the cause of the greater good. After becoming a mother of two children, one more thing deeply impacted Dr. Priti’s outlook towards work and people. “Motherhood has taught me to multitask, become an efficient time manager, and also understand that you have to accept your people with the ‘good, bad, and ugly’ in them to foster trust and loyalty,” mentions Dr. Priti. Leadership Perspectives According to Dr. Priti, one of the key attributes that a leader must possess is humility. It takes a lot of courage and self-confidence to say, “I don’t know” but this attitude accelerates learning and bolsters team members' confidence. She explains, “To inspire and motivate people, you need to show them who you are, what you stand for, and what you can & cannot do. It's also about sharing yourself with skill and showing that you are as human as they are.” Having excelled in the leadership role for two decades, Dr. Priti opines that when leaders enable team members, they enable themselves. Even though she is constantly adapting to the newer challenges thrown sometimes by the market or competition or by the organization itself, the one firm belief she stands by is, ‘Right People at the Right Place with the Right Process.’ “Rather than just giving my best, I endeavour to bring out the best in others,” continues Dr. Priti. Prioritizing Work Schedule At HiMedia, Dr. Priti initially had an open-door policy. This often resulted in people coming in and out of the office with problems, turning her day into chaos and reducing productivity. It also created a burnout situation for her. Instead of falling prey to it, Dr. Priti decided to take matters into her hands and made suitable changes that worked best for her. She stopped the open-door policy and restricted it to certain hours in a day. “It has taken me a couple of

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

years, but now a typical day is compartmentalized into two hours for operational work and the rest of the day in tactical planning and implementation with my key team members,” shares Dr. Priti. In this way, from a daily operational firefighting mode, she has channelled her actions towards more long-term impactful goals. As for unplugging from work, Dr. Priti loves hitting the gym in the evening, dissipating all the stress built during the day. She is also consciously increasing her social network of professionals from different fields who can enrich her life and give different angles to her thought process. Leading through the Pandemic Crisis During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Priti took on the hand’s-on leadership approach at HiMedia to support motivate and inspire her team. Being a people person, she was not only able to address her team’s fears but also support them emotionally. A simple thing like working shoulder to shoulder in the factories on the production lines gave them confidence. She also boosted the morale of her team members and helped them find their purpose and the greater impact their work had. In addition, Dr. Priti shares that the pandemic made her revisit the organizational culture and rethink work plans and productivity. She elaborates, “It embarked me on my two pet projects presently, lean management and

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

making our organization come in India’s ‘Top 50 Great Places to Work.’ By lean management, we would like to significantly improve productivity, efficiency, cycle time, and cost-efficiency.” A Roadmap Towards a Brighter Future The HiMedia Laboratories team is currently working on product development in the bioengineering sector for applications in the food, pharma, and biotech industries. The team is also leading toward developing and manufacturing customized cell culture media for the artificial meat industries owing to the rising potential of the meat substitute market. Moreover, Dr. Priti and her team are also involved in fabricating bioinks and biopolymeric scaffolds for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug development. “Overall, our larger aim is to innovate and industrialize the field of bioengineering in India and worldwide,” shares Dr. Priti. Going ahead, Dr. Priti and her team aspire to make cancer therapy affordable to the masses by making monoclonal antibodies and biosimilars easily accessible. She concludes, “Cost-effective and customized clonespecific media is one of the steps towards this goal. We are focused on this with our state-of-the-art bioprocess optimization and analytical laboratory supported by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and National Biopharma Mission (NBM).”

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CXO OUTLOOK Higher Education Digest July 2020 2022 October

EXPERT OPINION

Talent Acquisition Strategies for Startups in India Radhika Agrawal, Co-Founder, Vavo Digital

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

O Radhika Agrawal, is a leader who believes in expansion of not just ideas but vision and hence she heads the Talent Acquisition in Vavo Digital along with her key role as the Co-Founder of India’s renowned influencer marketing firm. Radhika holds a Master’s degree in Marketing

ne of the economies around the world with the quickest growth rates is India. Indian local startups are prepared to provide around 25000 direct jobs and 1.6 million overall jobs by the year 2025, according to a survey conducted during COVID 19. When discussing growth and job creation, start-ups play an important role in offering cutting-edge goods and services and in creating jobs for young people and working adults. One of the biggest problems for new businesses will be to recruit a solid personnel pool with skill sets that meet the rising client demands. A start-up often works with a team of most dependable individuals who have complimentary abilities, such as customer handling, managing everyday business operations, and establishing relationships with key stakeholders. Each member will often have expertise in a certain area of business management. The first important step in talent pool growth is building a strong team, and failing to do so might occasionally cause the business to fail.

and Strategy from Warwick Business School and has also done a course in Strategic Management from London School of Economics, UK. Radhika aims at expanding the brand not just in India but at a global level, in the US and UAE markets. Working on the different verticals of the business Ms. Agrawal aims at acquiring collaborations and projects that have are not just limited to the Indian audiences, thereby enabling VavoDigital to become a multi-facet company in the coming years.

Understanding Talent Acquisition Recruiting and talent acquisition (TA) are terms that are frequently used in the same sentence. These, however, are distinct entities. The acts of recruiting, shortlisting, conducting interviews, analyzing or evaluating, choosing, and presenting an offer are all included in the talent acquisition process. It may be related with activities of early phases of onboarding in top-tier businesses, which then becomes a joint duty of the Human Resource Manager and the Recruitment Officer, with help from other employees in the firm. Personnel acquisition is a strategy method to locating, luring, and onboarding the finest talent in order to successfully and efficiently respond to changing company demands. To ensure that the talent acquisition is seamless and beneficial for the organization, here are a few key points to consider1. Investing time in talent acquisition One of the most difficult obstacles that any organization, especially a startup encounters in its recruitment operations is sourcing people. However, there are a variety of strategies companies may employ to increase the quality and amount of people they bring in. Long before you begin connecting with job searchers, you should establish candidate personas for each position that becomes available. This can be in the form of Job Descriptions. These personas will assist you in determining all aspects of the position,

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

such as skill requirements, desirable experience level, geographical location, and where and how you will discover the individual. Based on these it will be easy to assess the skills of the candidate and will also provide a clear work description to the person participating in the interview. It helps in creating authenticity, professionalism and a seamless hiring process by offering clarity to all the stakeholders.

2. Create Your Social Media Presence: Have an integrated strategy Social recruiting is a huge and expanding business industry. And, if your target applicants are millennials, a strong social media component to your recruitment marketing strategy is even more vital i) Channels matter: Choose wisely, and the rewards will be enormous. If you make a poor decision, you may end up wasting money. Determine where your target audience is already spending their online time and concentrate your efforts there. Check the metrics frequently and adjust the plan accordingly; never be afraid to dump an underperforming platform because it allows you to refocus your budget and energy on the ones that return quality candidates. ii) Know who you are looking for: Individualize your posts and advertisements for them. By making it personal, you can encourage potential candidates to initiate contact and eventually join the company when an appropriate opening arises. iii) Show off your employer brand with an automated marketing strategy: Recruitment marketing automation (RMA): Once you've created that culture-focused content — team outings, work project descriptions, and so on — make sure to schedule it to appear in various ways across multiple platforms. Everything can be used for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and so on, but if you post the same thing on each platform, people will become bored and candidates will become disengaged. Find a unique concept for each one — for example, Instagram could be a video of teammates dancing at a baseball game, while LinkedIn could be a case study of a client problem you recently solved. Hit the candidates with a variety of messages that all point to one central concept: your company is the best place to be 3. Build your brand persona A strategic focus on brand building is required. A successful branding exercise not only helps to attract consumers but also excellent quality talent. This necessitates consistent communication of brand values across many channels such as social media, professional networking sites and blogs, business events, universities, advertising and

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Offering a referral program is a good talent acquisition strategy since it allows businesses to increase their staff enormously, typically at little expense and with little effort on the company's part print media, employment sites, and so on. In all of these mediums messaging should be consistent and relevant to the talent group. Your services/product, its values and mission, the management team, your client portfolio, work culture, policies, employee testimonials, and so on are some examples. 4. Offer Referral and Internship Programs Referral and internship programs might assist you in finding your next superstar. Offering a referral program is a good talent acquisition strategy since it allows businesses to increase their staff enormously, typically at little expense and with little effort on the company's part. Referred workers are also happier at work than non-referred employees! Referral programs help you create relationships with your workers and other professionals while reducing the need to attract talent, saving you time and money on advertising and recruitment efforts. Internship programs enable businesses to pre-select, hire, and train more individuals all at once without risking any or much of their own money. Additionally, Internship programs help you in hiring fresh talents who can be trained and based on their performance can also be converted to permanent employees. Internship programs provide organizations with the opportunity to interact with the new generations professionals and are a huge savings on cost. Conclusion When we talk about startups, finding the appropriate talent may be challenging. However, it is critical to start your approach and plan as soon as feasible. You'll reap the rewards and see your business flourish after you've perfected your company's talent acquisition! You may feel like you're going in circles, trying out numerous techniques and tactics that don't seem to work, but taking the effort to establish your process and plan will pay off in the long run.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

REEZA SEBASTIAN KARIMPANAL EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT - RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS, EMBASSY GROUP

Creating a Breakthrough Revolution in the Indian Real Estate Market

eeza Sebastian Karimpanal is the Executive President of Residential Business at Embassy Group. She is a seasoned industry leader with over 20 years of experience in brand management, marketing, and sales, spanning diverse industries such as real estate, FMCG, and IT/ITES. Through her drive, passion, and talent, Reeza has successfully broken the glass ceiling and emerged as one of the few women to hold a leadership position in the real estate industry today. She also has several accomplishments to her credit, including multiple professional awards and recognitions. She was honoured with the ‘Topmost Real Estate Professional 2022’, ‘Woman Achiever Award’ at the ‘Women Empowering Women’ by The Coveted in 2019, and 'Women Super

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Achiever in Real Estate Sector' by the Times Business Awards, 2018. Reeza is truly a woman of substance. The Beginning of a Successful Career In 2000, Reeza completed her MBA in Marketing and Human Resources from Christ University, Bangalore. She kick-started her professional journey by working in a software company providing marketing support for overseas operations. At this stage, Reeza was approached by the Embassy Group to take on a customer-facing role in sales rather than solely being behind the scenes. “My advisors suggested I stick to the safer role in marketing. Hearing the word ‘safe’ triggered something inside me. I didn’t want to be safe for the sake of being safe,” shares Reeza.

My door is always open to encourage everyone to not be afraid to ask for help. I also motivate my team to voice and nurture new ideas and always question the status quo

Reeza Sebastian Karimpanal Executive President - Residential Business, Embassy Group

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

She followed her gut instinct and decided to take on this role head-on, shifting industries and career trajectories, overnight. Amidst the journey, she realized residential real estate was her calling in a way that was deeply meaningful. On relocation to Dubai in 2006, Reeza joined a top FMCG company, which became a learning platform for her. Here, she learned about the nuances of various facets of marketing, from consumer behaviour to trade, media, and budget management. Later on, in 2010, Embassy Group rehired her as Head of Residential Marketing & Sales. Putting on New Wings “A decade ago, the Chairman of Embassy Group, Mr. Jitu Virwani, pushed me out of my comfort zone and entrusted me with the responsibility of heading the residential division. He was taking a leap of faith with me, as this was a position historically occupied by men,” states Reeza. Her new role required long hours, travel, constant meetings, and conversations with multiple internal and external stakeholders, in addition to setting up the team. At that time, Reeza had numerous thoughts going through her mind. Will she be able to balance her work-life,

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

As the Executive President of Residential Business, Reeza spearheads Embassy Group’s residential portfolio with endto-end conceptualization, marketing, business development, and project management toward its enormous success and credibility in the industry

will it disrupt her family’s lives and schedules, and a lot more. Therefore, before accepting the responsibility, Reeza had two very important conversations—the first with the Chairman, regarding his expectations for the role and how she could be successful by aligning herself with his vision for the brand. “The second conversation was with my husband. We sat together and spoke about our children and the housework, the changes, and the areas I needed help with,” reveals Reeza. Leading from the Front Embassy Group is one of India’s largest real estate conglomerates, with a broad portfolio of over 64 million sq. ft. of prime commercial, residential, retail, hospitality, services, and educational spaces across the Indian and international markets of Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Trivandrum, Serbia, and Malaysia. As the Executive President of Residential Business, Reeza spearheads Embassy Group’s residential portfolio with end-to-end conceptualization, marketing, business development and customer relationship management. She has been with the Group for over 15 years as a key contributor to the Group’s strategies, operations, and decision-making. For a homeowner, Embassy is one of the most aspired for brands in Indian real estate today. Implementing a Winning Game Plan When Reeza took on the role as the Head of Residential Business, the first thing she did was recruit a genderdiverse team to bring different perspectives and strengths to the table who would give their absolute best to drive success for the company. Right from the start, she created a positive and healthy working environment, remained patient, and got acquainted with each and every individual member of her team. “Keeping lines of communication flowing, getting down into the trenches when needed, giving credit where credit is due, breaking silos and always thinking about the big picture while remaining close to the action, standing by and trusting the team, and building their resilience to handle failures, is how I ensured we would set ourselves apart,” explains Reeza. Lessons Learned from the Past Challenges While starting her career, Reeza stood by the mantra, “If it’s good for the company, then everyone will support my ideas.” Unfortunately, there were times when people didn’t support her ideas or initiatives or even her position. Experiences such as these became a learning curve and helped her later in her career. At Embassy Group, she ensured to build a stronger relationship with her team, aligned them to her vision, and created an ecosystem that supported her.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

As a leader, another challenge for Reeza was employees entirely relying upon her to troubleshoot problems. To combat this, she delegated work effectively and empowered her team members to make informed decisions independently. On a personal front, there were times when she found it challenging to balance work and life effectively. Regardless of the situation, she just shrugged off the difficult times, found solutions to the problems, and kept walking ahead. Today, she is a force to be reckoned with.

In 2020, Reeza received her MRICS certification and, in 2021, completed the ‘Art & Science of Decision Making’ course by Harvard Extension School. This year, she has signed up for a course at Wharton, which she would undoubtedly finish with flying colors

An Open-Door Policy at the Workplace Being a seasoned leader, Reeza shares that the easiest way to create a culture of innovation is to ensure that each member spends time together as a team during regular meetings and being open to learning. This fosters effective collaboration and trust amongst the team members while providing an open ecosystem for ideas to thrive. Similarly, investing in employees and their skills is the most effective way to ensure company success. In light of this, Embassy Group promotes re-skilling and upskilling amongst its employees. “My door is always open to encourage everyone to not be afraid to ask for help. I also motivate my team to voice and nurture new ideas and always question the status quo,” states Reeza. The Secret Sauce behind the Success Throughout her career, Reeza has been fortunate to have positive role models who continue to inspire and motivate her. Her perseverance to nurture and lead high-performing teams has served her well throughout her journey with the Embassy Group. “Reading good quality books about business and imbibing positive ways to believe in yourself has been a key to my accomplishments,” mentions Reeza. In addition, her resolve, confidence, and authenticity have further accelerated her growth. In 2020, Reeza received her MRICS certification and, in 2021, completed the ‘Art & Science of Decision Making’ course by Harvard Extension School. This year, she has signed up for a course at Wharton. “I am committed to be a lifelong learner”, says Reeza. Striking the Perfect Work-life Balance Over the years, Reeza has mastered the art of work-life balance. Being an early riser, Reeza begins her day with a rigorous workout. Her weekdays are spent in the office and at project sites with her team and customers. Her mantra for handling stress and anxiety is to keep priorities straight and forgive oneself when things don’t always work out as planned. Furthermore, Reeza finds walking and doing yoga a therapeutic way of unplugging from work. Her ideal

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Reeza plans to introduce a new asset class in their first senior living development at Embassy Springs, complete the handovers of their sold readyto-move-in luxury residential inventory, and work on the solid pipeline of potential launches in their premium segment relaxing routine involves baking, entertaining friends, listening to music, and being around her children and family. She is also an avid reader and loves exploring new places during her travel journeys. She supports Bosco Rainbow Home for Girls, Bangalore – a home for girls who have been rescued from dangerous domestic and social situations.

Leaving No One Behind in the Wake of COVID-19 Soon after the announcement of nationwide lockdowns, Embassy Group’s singular goal was to provide residents and employees with the confidence and assurance that their health and safety were its first priority. During such unprecedented times, Reeza and the team of Embassy Group gave their best to make a seamless and interruption-free transition to an e-business-enabled environment. “For my team, we strengthened our teambuilding efforts to keep everyone connected. We hosted many online activities, including dance, cooking, and fitness challenges,” shares Reeza. A Roadmap Towards a Brighter Future Currently Reeza is working on introducing a new asset class of senior living in partnership with Columbia Pacific Communities at the integrated township of Embassy Springs, complete the handovers of their sold ready-to-move-in luxury residential inventory, and work on the solid pipeline of potential launches in their premium segment. “With the pandemic bringing to the forefront the importance of owning a home, we will continue to meet the highest of global standards, reward the trust of our customers, and take on constantly evolving demands,” concludes Reeza.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Higher Education Digest July 2020

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

EXPERT OPINION

Major Challenges Faced by NGOs in India - Shortage of Funds and Infrastructure Gargi Vairagare, Founder, RISE (Rising Infinitely for Social Empowerment) for Tails

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Gargi Vairagare, Founder, RISE for Tails from Nagpur is a cynophilist, paragliding pilot and an entrepreneur. RISE, (Rising Infinitely for Social Empowerment), which is now primarily focusing on Animal Welfare under its new initiative RISE FOR TAILS runs an animal rehabilitation centre which rescues and rehabilitates stray animals free of cost. RISE FOR TAILS also runs a daily sterilization program in Nagpur and weekly programs like Stray animal Vaccinations, educating masses about compassion towards animals and more.

NGOs – A key asset for any country India’s development and future has always been considered on the basis of its exterior vision as we always explain it by discussing how the country is performing in many areas like Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Tourism, IT, E-commerce, etc. However, when we dig deeper and examine it more closely, we become aware of the country’s true pace. This is where NGOs and Communities come into play as they are the ones who look closely into each issue in the country and deal with it on a daily basis. India's voluntary industry has been a true asset for the government in building the nation at large. Historically, Indian voluntary development organizations have played three important roles: 1. Gap filling in the government's welfare systems, such as delivering basic services like education, animal care, health care, water, and sanitation to the country's most remote locations, 2. Conducting research to provide guidance to the government for policy change; and 3. Working with the government to improve the country’s welfare system. Pandemic and its impact The actual need for the voluntary sector began to rise particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. All the MNCs and small-sized firms started to realize the need for non-profit activities and their benefits. Many CSR activities were executed internally, also NGOs were being empowered by providing them the financial and other assistance. In just a few years, the gap between the profit-oriented firms and non-profit organizations started thinning gradually and the awareness of it started increasing. Food and money donation drives were being executed for the needy stray animals, and on a daily basis, thousands and lakhs of people would come together in support of it. However, this all was shortlived only till lockdown as after regular life resumed, people suddenly stopped feeding and supporting these drives. Companies went back into their business and CSR too for animals is the last focus now. There’s a very little, to no realization that any problem or an issue seen from a temporary eye is always a concern for not just an individual who’s a sufferer, but also for the nation as a whole. The best example is the ‘Section 377’ which took nearly 71 years to get considered and was being initiated in the year 2018 after multiple attempts from NGOs and communities across the country who opposed the article, fought with the government, and finally after years, it was being scrapped by the Supreme court.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022

Talking about CSR and animal welfare, in particular, most businesses don’t even have animal welfare under their cause. The animal rehabilitation centers have to take those extra efforts compared to the others in gaining the trust and support from the businesses, regardless of how big or small the firm is. All these instances prove that there’s still a need for development as we are not yet in a position to take a back seat.

comfort of being in the problem and not seeking knowledge or education for the same is what forces the majority to ignore the cause and resist donating or supporting an NGO. At the same time, It’s crucial to identify the internal factors too, that contribute to the range of reasons why we, as an individual or an investor fail to recognize and not openly participate in it. The covert behaviors of the NGOs hold the first spot on the table because they end up forgetting that to gain support and assistance from many, Shortage of Funds and Infrastructure issue one needs to be proactive by carrying out multiple actions The shortage of funds and Infrastructure is one of the major like creating awareness programs, starting fundraising, issues faced by the NGOs across the world, especially in contacting the right people in person, being overt about developing countries like India. It’s been quite a solitary the needs and support through social media, establishing process as they are unable to the right networks, and registering assemble a dedicated team to oversee the organization to open the door for the organization’s daily operations official and honest support. In short, to or in collecting funds, as it all costs be taken into account and understood, a money and which is difficult to an organization must focus on its obtain. Infrastructure on the other fundamental duty: to be transparent hand is important too, especially for its work, be proactive about its The actual need for the about those who are into animal welfare responsibilities and eventually win and who run their own rehabilitation voluntary sector began the support of everyone. center. Finding the right space to to rise particularly house a variety of animals, building Conclusion a dedicated operation theatre, and In recent times, especially due to during the Covid-19 other basic needs like electricity, the pandemic, there has been a medical support, etc. are the ongoing pandemic. All the MNCs lapse in multiple sectors, especially obstacles, especially in the absence infrastructure and funds being and small-sized firms of funding. NGOs totally rely on provided for the same. With the rise donations and assistance from their in the number of NGOs in India, they started to realize the families, friends, and networks to are facing difficulties concerning the raise funds, which is beneficial for acquisition of funds, and adequate need for non-profit them to survive for a short period and up-to-the-mark infrastructure to activities and their of time. name a few. This not only hampers Inadequate funding and the the daily running of NGOs but also benefits infrastructural issue are caused by forces them to shut down eventually, multiple reasons like poor government no matter how good the cause might support, unawareness within the be. In such situations, it's very critical society and also unethical practices to have a backup plan to fall back by some of the unregistered NGOs and communities which on. While governments provide infrastructure in the form ends up being the crucial reasons for the investors and of public parks and schools and have various grant-related common people to not trust and backout from donating. schemes that NGOs can avail, it is important for NGOs Speaking about people not trusting and being supportive of to not solely rely on these. NGOs can run separate fund these NGOs, there are two major reasons that cause these donations, seek help from friends and families along with behaviors; first is that people don’t relate to the cause – One keeping their eye out for new grants to get adequate funds. follows something when they experience it, and the animal For infrastructure, NGOs can opt for government-run places care is usually being sidelined as it’s a “non-human" issue along with looking for a private space. NGOs, like many which won’t provide any benefits to the people. The second other organizations, are not flawless and must go through a reason is ranting about the problem than actually seeking period of trial and error. As a result, it's critical to always be solutions to it – Most people see stray animals as a nuisance equipped and come up with solutions when things don't go but don’t want to do anything to contain their numbers. The as planned.

CXO OUTLOOK July 2022