Archive: November 18, 2022

Health

Game to Gain – Gaming industry to add 1 lakh new jobs by FY 23 – states TeamLease Digital

Nov 18, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai, November 2022: Leading technology staffing firm, TeamLease Digital has today released their report “Gaming: Tomorrow’s Blockbuster”. A detailed deep dive into the emerging gaming industry, the report puts forth a comprehensive analysis of the growth opportunities and the hiring and skilling sentiment in the sector. According to the findings of “Gaming: Tomorrow’s Blockbuster”, the sector is expected to grow by 20%-30% and is expected to add 1 lakh direct and indirect new jobs by FY 23.

Currently, the sector directly employs about 50,000 people of which 30% of the workforce are programmers and developers. Over the next year, the sector will add new jobs across domains like Programming (game developers, unity developers), Testing (games test engineering, QA lead), Animation (animators), Design (motion graphic designers, virtual reality designers), Artist (VFX and concept artists) and other miscellaneous roles (content writers, gaming journalists, web analyst). From a salary perspective, the highest-paying profiles in the gaming industry include Game Producers (INR 10 LPA), Game Designers (INR 6.5 LPA), Software Engineers (INR 5.5 LPA), Game Developers (INR 5.25 LPA) and QA Testers (INR 5.11 LPA).

Sharing his views Mr. Sunil Chemmankotil, CEO, of Teamlease Digital, said “Gaming industry is the next sunrise industry due to its increasing user base and the opportunities that this industry is set to offer. It offers jobs across sectors, and that makes it more in demand. Despite facing hurdles owing to frequent regulatory changes, the gaming industry is expected to create 1 lakh jobs by FY23 and grow 2.5x by 2026.”

Ms. Munira Loliwala, Business Head-Specialized Staffing, TeamLease Digital, highlights the growth prospectus of the industry, stating, “We are at the cusp of exponential growth in the sector. This industry is on the trajectory to grow by 20%-30% by FY 23 and is expected to reach INR 38,097 crore by 2026. With a 480 million strong gaming community, India is the second largest globally, after China. To address this growth, employment in the sector is going to significantly increase. Today, we have a 90% millennial and Gen-Z workforce and the majority of these professionals are aspiring to work in emerging sectors like gaming. By FY 23, close to 1 lakh new jobs will be created in the sector and this is further projected to increase by 50% taking the Industry’s overall growth trajectory to more than 113% by 2025”.

The report further highlights the educational qualifications and skill competencies that employers look out for. Candidates seeking to work in the gaming industry are expected to have qualifications ranging from BCA in Software and Diploma in 3D, 2D, Animation, and VFX to M.Tech/B. Tech in IT and Diploma in specialized languages like C++, Java, and DevOps.

“With the confluence of Web3 and Metaverse, gamification is not just restricted to traditional gaming avenues but has extended to other emerging tech sectors like E-commerce, FinTech, Education, etc. Over the next few years, aided by the sturdy growth in the sector, we will see a catapult impact on employment as well”, added Ms. Loliwala.

The report also indicates that to drive the growth vision, investments in the sectors will continue to grow. Currently, in terms of revenue, India is placed sixth on the world’s biggest gaming market index (global market revenue of approximately INR 17,24,800 crore). The sector is expected to attract FDI to the tune of INR 780 crore by FY 23. Additionally, stakeholders across the industry are also working to bring refined policies to govern the ecosystem.

With the increasing participation of Women Audience in the gaming Industry of more than 40%, there will be a significant rise in the Women’s workforce in Gaming with more women occupying leadership roles in this sector.

Business

Strategic Talent Acquisition to Find the Best Employees

Nov 18, 2022 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Hiring the best employees is not always easy. A recent study showed that 69% of companies had reported talent shortages and difficulty hiring – a 15-year high. Your business needs a comprehensive strategic talent acquisition to succeed in today’s economy and retain top talent for the long run.

Talent acquisition is a long-term HR strategy that helps organizations find and retain top talent. It’s crucial to attract and retain talented employees, regardless of vacant roles. Talent acquisition can help you do this while solving long-term organizational needs.

Now that you understand talent acquisition, let’s explore the most impactful strategic talent acquisition.

Talent Acquisition Strategies

If you want to ensure that only the best people are hired, here are the three talent acquisition strategies you need to implement.

Your talent acquisition strategy won’t be successful unless it is aligned with your business goals.

Keep your business goals in mind for the next 1-5 years, and use those objectives to adjust your acquisition strategy accordingly. Recruitment typically focuses on filling open positions within departments. In contrast, talent acquisition is more concerned with how your company will grow in the long term and locating employees with the skill set required to help you reach those goals.

While some roles your business will need might not have been invented yet, you should consider the type of talent you’ll require to reach your long-term goals. It’s important to remember that investing in quality candidates will benefit your company in the long run.

Use data to improve the quality of your marketing and acquisition materials.

Just as you wouldn’t skimp on your marketing budget, you shouldn’t undervalue the importance of talent acquisition. After all, convincing people to join your company is just as key to success as selling your product.

After collecting data, you can determine which questions candidates are less likely to answer on job applications and remove them. For example, maybe you’ll find that adding images or videos highlighting company culture encourages more candidates to fill out forms. Or, it could be that more people apply for a job with description A than with description B.

Increase your company’s exposure by expanding its outreach efforts.

You will need to broaden your sourcing strategies to discover more qualified individuals. Talent acquisition for different skill sets necessitates varying methods of outreach. For example, the best place to find good marketers is not where you’d go looking for skilled programmers. Therefore, you must diversify your search approach.

To find the top talent, you need to know where to look. Professional events? Check. Conferences? Yup. Online forums and social networks? Definitely! You can try also Talent Acquisition Recruitment Marketplace. Once you’ve determined your target market, focus on building relationships with them. Not only will this help expand your pool of potential hires, but it’ll also increase awareness for your company – making it easier to attract more quality talent in the future.

Traditional recruitment strategies such as LinkedIn messages or job fairs should not be your only methods for finding top talent. To improve both acquisition and retention of great employees, you need a strategic talent acquisition plan that will result in a positive employee experience.

Entertainment

This Shaadi season Shaadi.com launches its latest campaign titled ‘Shaadi ka khayal’

Nov 18, 2022 by Mansi Praharaj 0 Comments

Mumbai, 18 November 2022: India’s leading matchmaking platform, Shaadi.com has launched its latest campaign titled ‘Shaadi ka khayal’ – which entails a witty and quirky, amusing TVC directed towards singles who could be feeling the FOMO or ‘fear of missing out this wedding season.

The short ad film focuses on the Shaadi season, where a lot of single people are attending several wedding ceremonies. For those who are wishing and hoping to marry, the one common feeling that surfaces is that of having their own dreamy wedding and magical moments. And, through this campaign, the brand is trying to capture that sentiment of a single (searching for a life partner) and also trying to encourage every single seeking marriage prospect to sign up to Shaadi.com.

Link to the ad film:

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meqXwitZhkU

The platform specializing in matchmaking has touched more than 50 million lives by differentiating itself from other matchmaking platforms through its innovation-led approach. This time again, the concept of the campaign is witty and unique and it arose from the brand’s idea of reinforcing the thought that they are here to aid every eligible single in finding their match and realizing their dreams.

In just a 15-second-long TVC, the brand effectively communicates this message to everyone seeking marriage – wittily yet simply asking them to “Stop dreaming and start acting” and conveying that they are just a click away from finding their life partner.

Talking about the idea behind the campaign, Ekta Checker, Associate Director – Brand Marketing, Shaadi.com said, “ As Shaadi.com, we continue to be inspired by real emotions and insights from consumers and we regularly try to depict it with a pinch of wit and humour. For this Shaadi season also we have tried to portray the sentiment of a single ( looking for a life partner) who goes through an emotional rollercoaster.  As market leaders, we are seen as the defacto choice when it comes to finding a life partner. We’ve just stated it as people see it. Shaadi ka khayal aye, toh Shaadi.com pe aayein.”

The film is produced by Forest Films and directed by Ayush Arora.

Health

Free E-OPD for Measles by Apex Group Hospital in Mumbai

Nov 18, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai-At present, the measles epidemic is spreading rapidly in Mumbai. Many measles patients have been found in the city in the last few days. This disease is especially common in children. The government is working on a war footing. As a social duty, Apex Group of Hospitals which has five hospitals in Mumbai equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities has launched e-OPD in Mumbai for Measles related information and first aid. People who find any dung-like symptoms in their child should contact the doctor by calling e-OPD 913666 5105 and 913666 3505. Doctors of Apex Group of Hospitals will provide guidance regarding measles through the said e-OPD. Apex Group of Hospitals is always ready to help people. And if required, we will start a separate ward in our units, said Nikhil Jadhav, Chief Marketing Officer from Apex Group of Hospitals.

The incidence of measles is increasing day by day in Mumbai. 109 patients were registered between January and October. In the month of October, 60 patients of this epidemic were found in Mumbai. A few days ago, three children from the same family in Govandi, Mumbai, died of measles. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has advised parents to immediately immunise their children with measles-rubella (MR) vaccines amid a rising number of confirmed measles cases in Mumbai.

Apex Group of Hospitals is a chain of Hospitals managed and run by expert Medical Professionals with experience of 25 years. Currently Apex group of Hospitals manages more than 350+ beds and provides qualitative healthcare services to the people of Mumbai and surrounding areas. Apex Hospitals is located in Borivali, Kandivali & Mulund.

Business

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) Hosts Foreign Delegations in Talks to Drive Cross-border – Technology, Talent and Trade

Nov 18, 2022 by Mansi Praharaj 0 Comments
Bengaluru, 18 November 2022: Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) hosted three foreign delegations who arrived in the country under the backdrop of the 25th Bengaluru Tech Summit. KDEM greeted a team from Berlin Partner and also held discussions with dignitaries from The Hebrew University, Israel, and the program head of EU-India InnoCenter – an initiative funded under the Horizon 2020 scheme by the European Commission to explore, enter, and scale unique high-impact Series-A funded tech start-ups with the Indian market.
KDEM is focused on harnessing Karnataka’s huge digital economy. As such, one of its primary objectives is moving Beyond Bengaluru and opening investment opportunities throughout Karnataka. KDEM aids global companies and investors with potential business prospects along with our partner ecosystem for a soft landing into our State. Our industry-friendly policies, ease of doing business, access to supply chain, access to key business stakeholders, skilled talent availability & much more makes the State the best option for these businesses.
Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, was enthusiastic about developments: “We’ve managed to open important avenues of business in Karnataka, and not just in Bengaluru, and we’re now taking our mission to the world stage. Our core objective will all country partners is to drive 3Ts- Technology, Talent, and Trade. We are glad to host these delegations this time and look forward to building a global network in the coming months. With Berlin both our start-ups got access to investor base, Hebrew University will help us launch the next set of global management programs in the State, EU will continue to bring their start-ups to India.”
Markus Facklam, Koordinator International & Area Manager, Africa & Europe, Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH, looked forward to future discussions and said, “Our eventual goal is to welcome talent, people, knowledge, perspectives, innovations, and technologies from each side. We have a lot in common and will meet again to speak about specifics concerning individual industries.”
Itay Friedjung, Managing Director of The Hebrew University Business School Executive Education, said, “We believe in developing partnerships with institutions and people outside our country so that we’re not limited in our vision. Our collaboration with KDEM will help Israeli innovation and the Bangalore ecosystem, two of the most important innovation hubs in the world. Through this association, we hope to be able to bring our learning and development solutions here and provide assistance to organizations while learning in return.”
Juliane Frömmter of EU-India InnoCenter said, “We believe that our start-ups will transfer tech and know-how to the country while manufacturing and hiring local talent to scale in the Indian market. Karnataka has been expanding its horizons in the emerging technology sector, thus making it a good fit for our first in-country flagship Demo Day called the Blue Carpet Night – Showcasing European Innovation. Additionally, the event line-up of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, followed by the Micelio Community meet-up, added in the favour of our present cohort’s sector focus of clean tech, mobility, logistics, enterprise tech, etc. The meeting with KDEM became an essential part of our trip to India as we gained high interest from the ecosystem in embracing such innovative technologies. Our interactions with the local ecosystem will help foster strategic partnerships between India and Europe.”
The Bengaluru Tech Summit will address cross-border trade driven by KDEM’s initiatives and enterprise. KDEM works in close association with the state government to increase growth in the IT, BT, and S&T sectors. Its focus areas include start-ups, promoting emerging clusters outside Bengaluru, talent acceleration, Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), IT Products & Services, BPM, and GCC Promotion.
Business

Meta appoints Sandhya Devanathan as Head and Vice President of India

Nov 18, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

November 2022, Bengaluru: Meta today announced the appointment of Sandhya Devanathan as the Vice President of Meta India. Devanathan will focus on bringing the organization’s business and revenue priorities together to serve its partners and clients, while continuing to support the long-term growth of Meta’s business and commitment to India. She will transition to her new role on January 1, 2023 and will report to Dan Neary, Vice President, Meta APAC and will be a part of the APAC leadership team. She will move back to India to lead the India org and strategy.

As part of her role, Devanathan will spearhead the company’s India charter and strengthen the strategic relationships with the country’s leading brands, creators, advertisers, and partners to drive Meta’s revenue growth in key channels in India.

Devanathan is a global business leader with 22 years of experience and an international career in banking, payments and technology. She joined Meta in 2016 and helped build out the Singapore and Vietnam businesses and teams as well as Meta’s e-commerce initiatives in Southeast Asia. In 2020, she moved to lead Gaming for APAC which is one of the largest verticals for Meta globally. She also brings a passion for developing women leaders in business and is the Executive Sponsor for Women@APAC at Meta as well as the global lead for Play Forward, a global Meta initiative to improve diversity representation in the gaming industry. She also serves on the global board of Pepper Financial Services.

On the appointment, Marne Levine, Chief Business Officer, Meta said, “India is at the forefront of digital adoption and Meta has launched many of our top products, such as Reels and Business Messaging, in India first. We are proud to have recently launched JioMart on WhatsApp, which is our first end-to-end shopping experience in India. I’m pleased to welcome Sandhya as our new leader for India. Sandhya has a proven track record of scaling businesses, building exceptional and inclusive teams, driving product innovation and building strong partnerships. We are thrilled to have her lead Meta’s continued growth in India.”

Business

ETBrandEquity and CleverTap launch The Big Leap Growth Stories: World’s first Customer Retention Chat Show

Nov 18, 2022 by Mansi Praharaj 0 Comments

New Delhi, 18 November 2022: Today, millions of people are relying on digital brands to seek entertainment, study, access banking facilities, order groceries, and medicines, make travel plans, and fulfill other needs. However, these brands are facing the massive challenge of retaining users, constantly engaging them, and delivering magnetic experiences. In this digital age, these brands have realized that the mantra to growth and success is not just new customer acquisition but also user retention to maximize the lifetime value. Research has suggested that user retention is cheaper than new customer acquisition and it plays a key role in scaling the growth of the brand.

Now, brands are working towards taking a holistic view of the customer journey and incorporating effective user retention strategies to stay contextual, relevant and propel growth.

ETBrandEquity and CleverTap are excited to announce a special series, ‘The Big Leap: Growth Stories’ featuring India’s leading B2C digital brands that will explore the territory of user retention and how it has unlocked new opportunities for brands in the modern digital economy.

The series will feature growth leaders – founders, CXOs, and investors – from 12 digital brands who will share their ‘Big Leap’ stories. These brands include – Reliance Jio, Zepto, MPL, Ajio, Gameskraft, Axis Bank, MX Player, Meesho, and ixigo, among others.

Spanning over the next 6 weeks, the show will feature brands that are taking customer experience to the next level. Watch 36 industry leaders talk about winning the market with a strong user retention strategy.

The digital pioneers from these brands will share their learnings and best practices around driving user retention, creating communities, and delivering contextual experiences at the right time and on the right channel thereby increasing customer lifetime value (CLV) and enabling overall growth for the brand.

Vikrant Chowdhary, Chief Growth Officer, CleverTap, said, “As part of our ongoing association with ETBrandEquity, we’re thrilled to be launching this new series to showcase inspiring examples of brands creating delightful moments for their users and delivering meaningful customer experiences. Tune in to learn from India’s leading brands on taking ‘The Big Leap’. Like the old adage goes — don’t wait for opportunity. Create it.”

Amit Kumar Gupta, Business Head, The Economic Times Business Verticals, said, “It’s amazing how improving the various aspects of the customer’s experience can lead to growth and loyalty for brands. This special series, in partnership with CleverTap, aims to highlight the industry’s best practices for customer retention and coalesce the learnings on one platform making it easily accessible to brands and marketers. We hope that this endeavor will reinforce the perspective that brands must engage with customers throughout their journey and not just prior to purchase.”

The show will premiere exclusively on ETNow starting Thursday, 17 November at 4:30 pm and also premiere digitally on ETBrandEquity. A new episode will be released every Thursday. Viewers can watch the repeat telecast of the show on Sunday at 4:30 PM.

The show will be hosted by senior journalist, Gautam Srinivasan.

gaming

2nd North East Olympic Games closes with a glittering ceremony chaired by CM Shri Conrad Sangma

Nov 18, 2022 by Mansi Praharaj 0 Comments

 Mumbai, Hyderabad, Shillong, November 18, 2022: 2nd North East Olympic Games closes successfully with a glittering ceremony at Shillong today evening.  CM Shri Conrad Sangma chaired the closing ceremony. Speaking on the occasion CM said: “I welcome one and all to the culmination of what has been a landmark moment in the history of Meghalaya. I can say with pride and conviction, that the 2nd North East Olympic Games have been a remarkable success. The organization of this event is a testament to what the Northeast can do and the signs of what the Northeast can achieve in the times to come. I would like to bring to everyone’s attention that there has been a concerted and systemic effort behind the stupendous success of Team Meghalaya. We have gone from 1 (one) Gold Medal in 2018 in Athletics to 15 Gold Medals in Athletics this year along with unprecedented successes in other disciplines. Despite COVID, we continued supporting the athletes, ensuring that they get the best of facilities, training, and opportunity. The Government and the various sporting associations worked with a single-minded focus to emerge as champions, and I feel euphoric with their immense success. We are now completely ready to host the National Games in 2023 and other international events.” Meghalaya finishes with a rich haul of 36 Gold Medals and overall tally of 149 Medals.

Deputy Chief Minister, Shri. Prestone Tynsong, Sports Minister, Shri. Banteidor Lyngdoh, Members of the Cabinet, the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, and District Councils graced the occasion as Guests of Honour.

CM further stated: “It is only fair that I first thank the Organising Committee, the workforce, the vendors and agencies, and the volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to make the Games a roaring success. Events such as this are organized for athletes to have a platform; one where they can pursue their quest for excellence and accept nothing less. Thanks, are also due to the coaches, the support staff, and the Chef-de-Missions for making the Games a success. A lot of credit also goes to the North East Olympic Association and the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, both of which, have worked in tandem to ensure that the competitions are held as per international standards, and coordinated closely with the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs.” He also conveyed his sincere thanks to Dorbar Shnongs and Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project for their efforts and commitment to welcoming guests and showcasing the vibrant Shillong.

Dr. Vijay Kumar D, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary and also CEO- National Games Secretariat, speaking on the occasion said: “Games Director, Archery told me 2 months ago we were in Paris for Archery World Cup. This organisation of NEOG is at par with level of World Cup.”

Business

Psychological Associates Names New CEO

Nov 18, 2022 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Company president Clay Hildebrand is the first non-family member to lead the 64-year-old family business

(St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 18, 2022) Psychological Associates, a consulting company that applies behavioral science to business performance, recently named Clay Hildebrand as the company’s CEO. Hildebrand – who has served as Psychological Associates’ president since 2018 – replaces chairman and CEO Dr. Robert Lefton, who passed away in October.

Hildebrand will now serve as Psychological Associates’ president and CEO. His responsibilities include implementing the company’s overall mission of partnering with organizations to achieve exceptional results through people. Hildebrand also will implement strategy, manage stakeholder relationships, and drive company culture.

This is the first time in the company’s history that a non-family, non-founding member has led the organization. Psychological Associates was established in 1958 by the late Dr. Lefton and the late Dr. Victor Buzzotta. Current owners and shareholders include Dr. Lefton’s three children – Brad Lefton, Cindy Lefton and Jeff Lefton – along with Dr. Buzzotta’s daughter Ann Buzzotta.

“Clay has played an integral role in our company’s history for nearly 15 years,” said Psychological Associates’ shareholder Ann Buzzotta. “His appointment as CEO marks a notable moment in the company’s history, and we are pleased he is taking on the challenge to lead our future efforts and build on our founders’ achievements.”

Hildebrand joined Psychological Associates in 2009 as vice president of sales. He possesses a wide range of corporate experience with Fortune 500 companies in various industries including manufacturing, retail, and finance. Prior to joining Psychological Associates, Hildebrand worked at Maritz, Inc. for 14 years in numerous capacities including director of operations.

“Clay is the ideal candidate to help us transition from a founder-led organization into a professionally managed firm,” said Psychological Associates’ shareholder Jeff Lefton. “We look forward to his leading our company in this new dual role while maintaining our families’ distinguished legacy.”

Psychological Associates helps clients select, develop, and retain their best leaders, enabling them to build exceptional organizations. Its exclusive Q4 Dimensional® Model of Behavior™ – an industry-renowned structure that categorizes observable actions into understandable groupings – inspires high performance while attaining comprehensive results. Consulting capabilities include talent assessment, leadership development, succession planning, people analytics, and family business solutions. Founded in 1958, Psychological Associates is headquartered at 8000 Maryland Ave. in Clayton, Mo. For more information, call (314) 725-7771 or visit www.q4solutions.com.

Technology

Biconomy & Axelar to Power a Chainless User Experience with the Biconomy SDK

Nov 18, 2022 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Biconomy has partnered with the team at Axelar to enable cross-chain message passing with Biconomy’s new revolutionary SDK.

The new Biconomy SDK allows dApp developers to make a decentralized application (dApp) chainless in minutes, thanks to Biconomy’s state-of-the-art chainless modules that leverage cross-chain messaging effortlessly, powered by Axelar. “Chainless” means the dApp is chain-agnostic, onboarding users and securely communicating via any blockchain. The end result is a seamless and integrated user experience that helps accelerate any product roadmap.

“Biconomy was built with the next billion Web3 users in mind and we are fulfilling this goal by meeting developer and user needs. From gasless to one-click transactions, we are making sure engaging with Web3 feels as easy as signing your name. We are proud to partner Axelar to create utility and simplify Web3 for everyone,” said Ahmed Al-Balaghi, co-founder of Biconomy.

The backbone of the Biconomy SDK is a Smart Contract Wallet which is created when any new user onboards with a dApp.

Each Smart Contract Wallet is a smart contract associated with each user’s EOA (Externally Owned Account). It is a non-custodial account and provides added security compared to EOAs with a single private key. Users can deposit funds that no one else can control and transfer assets at any point in time.

“Axelar provides infrastructure for secure cross-chain communication, and it’s partners like Biconomy that make it possible for developers to turn that into meaningful features and user experiences,” said Sergey Gorbunov, co-founder of Axelar. “Together, we’re making it easy for developers to build permissionless, decentralized and easy-to-use networks that are natively cross-chain and available to everyone.”

By partnering with Axelar, the Biconomy SDK is able to create a simplified user-experience, where network and chain complexities are abstracted away, regardless of the chain or network that a dApp is built on.