I want over 1000 hotels in India. I don’t want that to take me 20 years: Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin

Sebastien Bazin says as much as he loves the opportunity of India, he also questions how long it takes to open hotels in India. “It takes 5-6 years to open hotels in India, whereas globally it is around 3-4 years on the higher side. Why does it take two years more to get the hotel running?” he questions.

‘India invented Luxury with Oberoi, Taj and Leela… I am only learning,’ says Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin. In a special interaction with Storyboard18, the group chairman and CEO of the French multinational hospitality chain and hotel chain Accor, speaks about the India opportunity, the company’s plans, his excitement around the Paris Olympics and more.

SEBI orders finfluencer Ravindra Balu Bharti to cough up Rs 12 crore made through ‘unlawful gains’

The regulator has asked them to credit the money received for investment advisory services and has banned them from the securities market until further orders. (Representative Image: Tingey Injury Law Firm via Unsplash)

SEBI has asked Ravindra Balu Bharti and his wife Shubhangi Bharti to credit the money received for investment advisory services and has banned them from the securities market until further orders.

Meta antitrust lawsuit: US regulator has no evidence to support antitrust claims against it, says Meta

The Mark Zuckerberg-led company said the FTC has failed to meet its burden to present evidence establishing a relevant antitrust market and proving that it has included all reasonable substitute services in its market definition. (Representative image by Dima Solomin via Unsplash)

The US’s Federal Trade Commission will get a chance to respond. But a court ruling in Meta’s favour could signal the end of the antitrust lawsuit.

Why do “budget customers of Bharat” expect to be treated poorly by financial services brands?

Piramal Finance is building a "scalable model of empathy" to meet the diverse financing needs of the under-served and unserved people of ‘Bharat’ market. (Image credit: Unsplash via Jerry Mathew)

“They expect to be treated poorly and when they just get treated like a human, it overwhelms them,” says Piramal Finance’s MD Jairam Sridharan about the ‘budget customers of Bharat’. Find out why.

EXCLUSIVE: IPG agencies corner Air India’s media and creative business; marking a huge win for the group

Air India’s Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson and Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of the board of Tata Sons, at the unveiling of Air India's new look and logo at an event in 2023.

Initiative, part of IPG Mediabrands, won Tata Group-owned Air India’s media planning and buying mandate after a competitive months-long pitch last year. The account is one of the most prestigious in the country as the iconic airline brand undergoes a transformation.

‘Customization, sustainability, premiumization’ driving the $ 4.2 billion LED lighting industry in India

The Indian LED lighting market alone has reached US$ 4.2 billion in 2023. According to market research firm IMARC Group the market is expected to reach US$ 23.2 billion by 2032, at a growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4 percent during 2024-2032. 

India is rapidly embracing advanced lighting solutions, seeking data-driven, energy-efficient, and integrated smart solutions. The focus has shifted beyond mere illumination to encompass comprehensive lighting solutions.