MAM

#EmbraceEquity – The new international women’s day theme

Published

3 years ago

March 8, 2023

Mumbai: This year’s International Women’s Day theme of #EmbraceEquity may already be trending across social media but if we pause and delve into it in a deeper manner, we would realize the depth of these two words put together. `Embrace Equity` rightfully focuses on gender equity and the inherent need for it to be a part of every society’s DNA as a must have. As individuals and businesses, we often give a big nod to global collective theme-based efforts and with the passage of time, forget about it. Only when we genuinely believe in embracing equity in an unconditional manner, will we be able to inch closer to creating a fairer and more equal world for all. Collectively, we all can play our own distinct roles in spearheading this mission within our own turf of hold and authority.

In the corporate world, instilling gender equality is yet to become a norm. Various studies and research have already proven how women tend to play a distinct and often more efficient role in certain tasks as compared to their male counterparts- however, we don’t even have to go that far. Even when we take the first step by acknowledging genders to be equal, in my opinion, that’s a solid step toward fostering balance and inclusiveness in the professional world.

The world has entered the era of the ‘New Normal’ and businesses, both established and startup entities can collectively forge positive change. Time and again, it’s been proved that collective efforts drive change, and allies- be it coworkers or peers at work front are important for advancing such a cause.

To begin with, creating awareness on how women can “Have it all” or “Do it all” is not the right mindset and hence shouldn’t even be an expectation from them. Women should have the flexibility to choose their form of life without being judged against the conventional roles of what each gender is “supposed” to do.

Organizations can encourage women to explore a possible C-suite journey within companies in times ahead by launching leadership programs. Such programs act as an ideal transitory phase where the leap for women to step up feels more controlled and manageable. Launching Entrepreneurship programs for women employees could be a wider extension of such initiatives.

Additionally, as part of planning to fill in management positions currently being held by women employees, organizations should first look at potential women successors to maintain diversity at the top. While the law on “Women’s Quota” which reserves 30% of management seats for women is a step in that direction, I believe that it’s time for us to not play conservative anymore and really push for equal distribution, a 50–50% split across levels in the corporate world.

As an individual and a technology entrepreneur, I am a strong believer in the philosophy of “Charity Begins at Home” hence most of my work towards women empowerment is focused on my company. Together with my management team, I have worked on creating a culture where we not only hire women in key positions, but also groom, mentor, and recognize them so that they feel confident to explore entrepreneurship at some point, in case they wish to explore that path.

Equity is the means of getting closer to the larger goal of ensuring equality and while women need allies in this journey, they too need to take ownership at an individual level. Women need to also forge change!!

Confidence and self-trust is a key quality that I would attribute to success in any industry. Women can be held back for a variety of reasons, including a lack of recognition and trust from colleagues and peers but also by their self-doubt. My most important piece of advice to them would be to shatter the glass ceiling of social norms and mindsets and to flaunt their self-assurance ultimately fostering equity. No one else will believe in them if they do not believe in themselves.

It’s equally important for women to talk about their passion for valuing and supporting differences. Across the professional and personal front, they must reflect on how they can address ongoing challenges versus only talking about the problems pertaining to lack of equity. Utilizing their social media amongst other mediums to encourage and rally friends, family, colleagues, and community to embrace equity would play a vital role in sustaining noise on this matter.

It’s time that we do not just say it but think, be, do, and truly embrace equity.

The author of this article is Swaarm co- founder & CEO Yogeeta Chainani.

Brands

Netflix India names Rekha Rane director of films and series marketing

Streaming giant bets on a seasoned marketer who helped build Amazon and Netflix into household names

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Netflix has put a proven brand builder at the helm of its films and series marketing in India, naming Rekha Rane as director in a move that signals sharper focus on audience growth and cultural cut-through in one of its most hotly contested markets.

Rane steps into the role after seven years at Netflix, where she has quietly shaped how the platform sells stories to India. Her latest promotion, effective February 2026, crowns a run that spans brand, slate and product marketing across originals, licensed content and new verticals such as games.

A strategic marketing and communications professional with roughly 15 years’ experience, Rane has spent much of her career building technology-led consumer businesses and new categories, notably e-commerce and subscription video on demand. She was part of the early push that introduced Amazon.in, Prime Video and Netflix to Indian homes, then helped turn them into everyday brands.

At Netflix, she most recently served as head of brand and slate marketing for India from March 2024 to February 2026, leading teams across media and marketing for global and local content portfolios. Before that, as manager for original films and series marketing, she led IP creation and go-to-market strategy for titles including Guns and Gulaabs, Kaala Paani, The Railway Men* and The Great Indian Kapil Show, spanning both binge and weekly-release formats.

Her earlier Netflix roles covered product discovery and promotion in India and integrated campaign strategy to drive conversations around the content slate, product awareness and brand-equity metrics.

Before Netflix, Rane logged more than three years at Amazon in brand marketing roles in Bengaluru. There she handled national and regional campaigns for Amazon.in, worked on customer assistance programmes in growth geographies and contributed to the go-to-market strategy for the launch of Prime Video India.

Her career began well away from streaming. At Reliance Brands in Mumbai, she worked on retail marketing for Diesel and Superdry. A stint at Leo Burnett saw her work on primary research for P&G Tide, mapping Indian shoppers’ paths to purchase. Earlier still, at Orange in the United Kingdom, she rose from sales assistant to store manager, running a team and owning monthly P&L for a retail outlet.

The arc is telling. As global streamers fight for attention in a crowded Indian market, executives who understand both mass retail behaviour and digital habit-building are prized. Rane’s career sits at that intersection.

For Netflix, the bet is simple: in a market spoilt for choice, sharp marketing can still tilt the screen. And with Rane now leading the charge, the streamer is signalling it wants not just viewers, but fandom.

Brands

Orient Beverages pops the fizz with steady Q3 gains and rising profits

Kolkata-based beverage maker reports stronger revenues and profits for December quarter.

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A fizzy quarter with a steady aftertaste that’s how Orient Beverages Limited, the company that manufactures and distributes packaged drinking water under the brand name Bisleri closed the December 2025 period, as the Kolkata-based drinks maker reported improved revenues and a healthy rise in profits, signalling operational stability in a competitive beverage market.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Orient Beverages posted standalone revenue from operations of Rs 39.98 crore, up from Rs 36.42 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 33.53 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 42.24 crore, reflecting consistent demand and stable pricing across its beverage portfolio.

Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 3.47 crore, a sharp improvement from Rs 1.31 crore in the September quarter and Rs 0.39 crore a year ago. After accounting for tax expenses of Rs 0.79 crore, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2.68 crore, nearly three times the Rs 0.99 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.

On a nine-month basis, the momentum remained intact. Revenue from operations for the period ended December 31, 2025 rose to Rs 117.66 crore, compared with Rs 106.95 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine months climbed to Rs 5.51 crore, more than double the Rs 2.18 crore reported in the same period of the previous financial year.

The consolidated numbers told a similar story. For the December quarter, consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 45.06 crore, while profit after tax came in at Rs 2.06 crore. For the nine-month period, consolidated revenue touched Rs 133.57 crore, with net profit of Rs 4.49 crore, underscoring the group’s improving profitability trajectory.

Operating expenses remained largely controlled, with cost of materials, employee benefits and other expenses broadly aligned with revenue growth. The company continued to operate within a single reportable segment beverages simplifying its cost structure and reporting framework.

The unaudited financial results were reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 7 February 2026. Statutory auditors carried out a limited review and reported no material misstatements in the results.

In a market where margins are often squeezed by input costs and competition, Orient Beverages’ latest numbers suggest the company has found a reliable rhythm not explosive, but steady enough to keep the fizz alive.

MAM

Washington Post CEO exits abruptly after newsroom cuts spark backlash

Leadership change follows layoffs, protests and a bruising battle over trust.

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the presses are rolling but patience runs out, even the editor’s chair isn’t safe. The Washington Post announced on Saturday that its chief executive and publisher Will Lewis is stepping down with immediate effect, bringing a sudden end to a turbulent two-year tenure marked by financial strain, newsroom unrest and public backlash.

Lewis’s exit comes just days after the Bezos-owned newspaper announced sweeping job cuts that triggered protests outside its Washington headquarters and a wave of anger from readers and staff. While newspapers across the US are grappling with shrinking revenues and digital disruption, Lewis’s leadership had increasingly come under fire for how those pressures were handled.

The Post confirmed that Jeff D’Onofrio, a former Tumblr CEO who joined the organisation last year as chief financial officer, has taken over as CEO and publisher, effective immediately. In an email to staff, later shared by reporters on social media, Lewis said it was “the right time for me to step aside.”

The leadership change follows the announcement of large-scale redundancies earlier this week. While the Post did not officially confirm numbers, The New York Times reported that around 300 of the paper’s roughly 800 journalists were laid off. Entire teams were dismantled, including the Post’s Middle East bureau and its Kyiv-based correspondent covering the war in Ukraine.

Sports, graphics and local reporting were sharply reduced, and the paper’s daily podcast, Post Reports, was suspended. On Thursday, hundreds of journalists and supporters gathered outside the Post’s downtown office in protest, calling the cuts a blow to public-interest journalism.

Former executive editor Marty Baron described the moment as “among the darkest days in the history of one of the world’s greatest news organisations.”

Lewis defended his record in his farewell note, saying “difficult decisions” were taken to secure the paper’s long-term future and protect its ability to publish “high-quality nonpartisan news”. But his tenure coincided with growing scrutiny of editorial independence at the Post.

Owner Jeff Bezos faced criticism for reining in the paper’s traditionally liberal editorial page and blocking an endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 US election. The move was widely seen as breaking the long-standing firewall between ownership and editorial decision-making.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, around 250,000 digital subscribers cancelled their subscriptions after the paper declined to endorse Harris. The Post reportedly lost about $100 million in 2024 as advertising and subscription revenues slid.

While the wider newspaper industry continues to battle declining print advertising and the pull of social media, some national titles have stabilised. Rivals such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have managed to build sustainable digital businesses, a turnaround that has so far eluded the Post despite its billionaire backing.

As Jeff D’Onofrio steps into the role, the challenge is stark, restore confidence inside the newsroom, win back readers who walked away, and prove that one of America’s most storied newspapers can still find its footing in a brutally competitive media landscape.