ITV

Tag: Cisco

  • Apna appoints Kartik Narayan to lead its jobs marketplace vertical

    Apna appoints Kartik Narayan to lead its jobs marketplace vertical

    MUMBAI: Apna Group has appointed industry veteran Kartik Narayan as the chief executive officer of its jobs marketplace vertical, signalling a fresh chapter in the company’s growth story.

    Narayan, who most recently served as CEO of Teamlease’s staffing business, brings more than two decades of leadership experience across giants such as Vodafone Idea, Cisco, and Bharti Airtel. In his new role, he will report directly to Apna’s founder and group CEO, Nirmit Parikh.

    As Apna scales its rapidly growing jobs platform, Narayan will lead efforts to strengthen employer partnerships and drive adoption of AI-powered hiring tools. He also aims to make recruitment smarter, faster, and, quite literally, more conversational, thanks to Apna’s latest tech ventures.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Kartik to our leadership team,” said Parikh. “With his decades of experience running large businesses, we’re confident he’ll help us empower millions of job seekers and employers who rely on Apna every day.”

    Narayan, clearly energised by the new challenge, added, “Apna has redefined how India hires at scale. What excites me most is seeing companies build their own AI recruiting agents on our platform, it’s like watching the future of hiring unfold in real time.”

    The appointment comes as Apna Group diversifies beyond jobs, with the launch of Blue Machines, an enterprise-grade Voice AI platform, and a new education vertical in the works: both designed to prepare India’s next-generation workforce for an increasingly digital world.

  • Jio Platforms rides the 5G wave: revenues, profits, and ambitions soar in FY’25

    Jio Platforms rides the 5G wave: revenues, profits, and ambitions soar in FY’25

    MUMBAI: Reliance’s digital juggernaut, Jio Platforms Limited (JPL), wrapped up FY25 in style, clocking quarterly revenues of Rs 39,853 crore, up 17.8 per cent year-on-year, and an EBITDA surge of 18.5 per cent to Rs 17,016 crore. The subscriber base swelled to 488 million, with over 191 million True 5G users, as India’s data appetite drove traffic to an eye-watering 185 exabytes – a 24 per cent jump.

    Average revenue per user (ARPU) climbed to Rs 206.2, thanks to tariff hikes and a posher customer mix. Net profit rose a muscular 25.8 per cent to Rs 7,023 crore for the quarter ended March 2025, fuelled by strong EBITDA flow-through and despite a modest uptick in depreciation and finance costs.

    Jio’s operating revenue (net of GST) grew on the back of mobility tariff hikes and a surge in home broadband and digital services. EBITDA margins stayed a steady 50.1 per cent, while churn was the industry’s lowest at 1.8 per cent. Data consumption hit a per capita monthly average of 33.6 GB, with total data traffic rising nearly 20 per cent year-on-year.

    Jio signed an agreement with SpaceX to retail Starlink broadband in India, pending regulatory green lights. It also rolled out a cricket season blitz – free JioHotstar and JioFiber/AirFiber deals to woo mobile and home users alike.

    The telco flexed its tech muscle at the Mahakumbh mela, handling 400 million data service requests and 20 million voice calls on peak days without breaking a sweat. In parallel, partnerships with AMD, Cisco, Nokia, and Ericsson are fuelling its next big play: an Open Telecom AI Platform designed to slash operational costs and turbocharge network efficiency using cutting-edge agentic AI.

    Jio’s IP prowess didn’t go unnoticed either, with wins at the National Intellectual Property Awards and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Trophy, further burnishing its credentials as India’s poster child for homegrown innovation.

    Reliance Jio Infocomm chairman Akash M Ambani summed it up, saying: “Jio continues to drive consistent outperformance with best-in-the-world network technologies and a wide bouquet of digital services. Our work at the Mahakumbh and plans to enable large-scale AI infrastructure reaffirm our commitment to serving India’s digital future.”

  • Saraswathi Ramachandra joins Lightcast as managing director, India head

    Saraswathi Ramachandra joins Lightcast as managing director, India head

    MUMBAI:  Saraswathi Ramachandra has been appointed as the managing director & country head of Lightcast, marking a new chapter in her distinguished 25-year career in IT and data analytics. With a profound commitment to innovation and team building, Ramachandra sees her role as an opportunity to develop a world-class global capability center (GCC) that fosters collaboration and strategic decision-making.

    “Lightcast’s vision to establish a robust GCC aligns perfectly with my passion for innovation and talent development,” Ramachandra said. She aims to create an environment that not only supports global operations but also drives sustainable growth by leveraging Lightcast’s unique position in data, insights, and technology.

    In her previous role as director at Citi, Ramachandra led initiatives focusing on risk and fraud analytics while managing an innovation lab. She has a proven track record of building high-performing teams and enhancing operational efficiency across various organizations, including Danske IT, Cisco, and Accenture.

    Her academic credentials include a master’s degree in computer software engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, with additional executive education from Yale University in decision-making. Ramachandra’s extensive experience in setting up GCCs and managing large-scale transformations positions her to make a significant impact at Lightcast.

    Ramachandra expressed her enthusiasm for this new role, saying, “Joining Lightcast is more than just a career move; it’s a chance to make a meaningful difference in the industry.” 

    She looks forward to working with a talented team dedicated to delivering transformative solutions.

  • Saleha Williams takes over as IABM CEO

    Saleha Williams takes over as IABM CEO

    MUMBAI: The international trade association for broadcast and media (IABM)  today announced the appointment of Saleha Williams as CEO. Williams took up the role with effect from 2 December 2024. She succeeds Jerry Gepner who was CEO from October 2023 to May 2024. He had replaced Peter White who occupied the corner office for around 13 years before stepping down in January 2023.

    As the CEO of the association, Williams will lead IABM’s mission to advance the interests of the global broadcast and media technology industry. She will work closely with its board and team to develop and implement strategies to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and promote the industry’s growth.

    Williams brings a wealth of global experience and a proven track record in the media technology industry. Over her 30 plus  year career, she has spearheaded profitable growth and elevated market positioning for entities, including BBC, Google, WPP, Cognizant, Cisco, Siemens, BT, UK Gov, the Olympics, and media and entertainment clients from Hollywood, Indian cinema and everywhere in between. 

    As a passionate technology ESG advocate, she also serves as a non-executive director at WCMC – the United Nations Environmental Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC).

    A multi-award-winning tech thought leader, speaker, and DEIB evangelist (Financial Times Top 100 Tech Leaders, London 2012 Olympics Inspire a Generation, Insead Tech Inspirational Female, NAB Show, IBC Show, Mobile World Congress, Royal Television Society, Broadcast Asia and more), Saleha is deeply committed to driving strategies that foster an inclusive culture of innovation across the global media and entertainment industry. She believes in creating environments where teams and talent can flourish, clients and partners can succeed, and where media and technology stories have the power to positively impact people and the planet.

    IABM chair Josh Arensberg said: “Saleha brings a deep history of leadership in the media industry and understands the potential of our industry to deliver groundbreaking products and services. She is the right mix of thought leader, entrepreneur, and relationship builder to help bring the entire industry together. The board of IABM is eager to work closely with her to build our future vision together. We could not be more excited to welcome her onboard.”

    Said Williams: “IABM has a long history of supporting the global broadcast and media technology industry, and I am excited to work with the board and the team to build on this legacy. Our industry is at a pivotal moment, and I am committed to working with our members to shape the future of media technology and drive innovation across our entire ecosystem.”  

    “Saleha will bring a completely fresh approach to IABM, and I am very much looking forward to working with her as we strive to make it  even better at delivering on its primary purpose – helping all our members to do better business,” said IABM chief finance & operations officer Lucinda Meek.

  • PROEN elevates digital experiences across Thailand

    PROEN elevates digital experiences across Thailand

    Mumbai: PROEN Corp Public Company Limited (PROEN), a leading provider of Internet, data, ICT, and business telecom services across Thailand, has deployed Qwilt and Cisco’s Open Edge Content Delivery Network (CDN) solution to improve the quality and delivery capacity of digital content and applications. In doing so, it becomes an active participant in the content delivery value chain by partnering with content publishers and enterprise customers across Thailand to deliver streaming media and data efficiently and rapidly.

    The deployment sees PROEN embed Qwilt’s Open Caching-based architecture deeply into its network edge, enabling the delivery of increased data volumes across its network and improving the quality of experience for end users throughout Thailand. The partnership equips PROEN with next-generation content delivery infrastructure and provides open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to content publishers looking to deliver content with the highest quality. With full-country coverage, the deployment will include activating Open Caching services at multiple distributed PROEN sites across Thailand.

    PROEN chief commercial officer Naris Ratyiam said, “Our partnership with Qwilt and Cisco is an exciting step in our mission to strengthen our network and deliver superior experiences to our customers. By building Qwilt’s Open Edge solution into our infrastructure, we’re creating an open and unified content delivery solution that will bring numerous benefits to content publishers when they utilize the service, including current PROEN partners such as MCOT, Channel 3, and Buga Boo. This deployment enables us to tackle the rapidly growing demands for live streaming, video-on-demand, and application services head-on while ensuring these experiences are delivered consistently in the highest quality.”

    Cisco vice president Theodore Tzevelekis said, “By deploying our joint Open Edge solution with Qwilt, PROEN gains access to a platform that meets the needs for high-quality streaming experiences while opening the door to exciting future edge computing use cases. We’re delighted to have PROEN on board and excited to help deliver exceptional digital experiences for its customers in Thailand.”

    “We’re delighted to welcome PROEN as the latest service provider to join our Open Edge movement. Each new deployment expands our global, all-edge network and gives us the opportunity to play a significant role in helping enhance the seamless delivery of digital services to many millions of consumers,” said Qwilt CEO Alon Maor. “Embedded at the edge of PROEN’s network, closest to users, our Open Edge CDN goes beyond offering traditional CDN functionality – it ensures users across Thailand experience the highest quality and fastest delivery, whether they’re consuming streaming video, playing online games, or downloading massive files. This strategic deployment reflects PROEN’s commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to its valued customers and reinforces its position as one of Thailand’s leading service providers.”

    Today, 150+ service providers have partnered with Qwilt to enable the Open Edge in their networks, together serving over one billion unique subscribers globally. They include Verizon in North America; TIM Brazil and Telecom Argentina in Latin America; Airtel in India; J:COM in Asia-Pacific; BT in the UK; and Telefónica and Vodafone in EMEA.

  • Cisco ropes in The 23 Watts as employee communications partner

    Cisco ropes in The 23 Watts as employee communications partner

    Mumbai: Cisco has onboarded The 23 Watts as its employee communications and engagement partner for the Asia-Pacific, Japan and China (APJC) region. The mandate will be driven out of the agency’s Bengaluru and Delhi offices.

    As flexible and hybrid working become the norm, the need for a digitally connected employee engagement approach is imperative to driving brand equity and culture forward. The agency will be responsible for shaping employee communication strategies and driving engagement tailored for 10 countries and around 20,000 people across the region.

    Speaking about the association, Cisco director of communication-Asia-Pacific, Japan and China Puneet Pal Singh said, “At Cisco, our people are at the core of all that we do, anchored in and linked to our company’s purpose and vision. We are delighted to partner with The 23 Watts to continue engaging our teams to challenge themselves as we move forward in our journey of building an inclusive future for all.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the partnership, The 23 Watts chief operating officer Kirti Singh said, “In today’s day and age, people’s experiences in the workplace are what sets companies and their cultures apart—and culture couldn’t be more important to the growth of a company. Over the last two years, we have focused our efforts on powering employee communication and engagement, alongside building employee synergy in the process. With people being Cisco’s biggest asset, we are proud to partner with Cisco and take their efforts forward as we commence a journey with them in the APJC region.”

  • GUEST ARTICLE: 5G and IoT-The beginning of a new era

    GUEST ARTICLE: 5G and IoT-The beginning of a new era

    Mumbai: Meta Description: The integrated ecosystem of 5G and IoT (internet of things) has the potential to revolutionise business fortunes if these new technologies are coupled in a synergistic manner.

    What do the numbers say about 5G and IoT integration?

    Take a look at the data below to see the great potential that 5G technology integration in IoT devices offers:

    • According to Cisco, in the near future, 500 billion IoT devices will be integrated with 5G technology. This figure comprises, among other things, sensors, actuators, scanners, and medical devices.

    • Ericsson AB, another reputable brand in the IT business, forecasts that by the end of 2022, 550 million 5G customers will be part of the current iteration of mobile broadband. According to the analysis, 5G integration in IoT devices will see an unparalleled hike in the next few years.

    • Asia Pacific will become the 5G network’s second-fastest expanding hub, accounting for around 10 per cent of worldwide customers. This change in the customer segment will spread to the industrial sector, catalysing the use of 5G in IoT devices.

    What exactly are IoT and 5G technologies?

    The potential of 5G technology and its ramifications for IoT devices have piqued the imagination of information technology professionals. Given the projected increase in the number of IoT devices from 16.4 billion to 30.9 billion units by 2025, the growth of 5G technology is essential for flawless communication among these vast numbers of devices.

    The fifth-generation network, or 5G technology, is the next version of the broadband cellular network. It can provide larger bandwidths and data speeds of up to 20 gigabytes per second (20 Gbps). The 5G network, when combined with IoT devices, has the potential to revolutionise the faces of many organisations across industries. Healthcare, transportation, energy and power, and education are just a few of the industries that stand to benefit greatly from the combination of 5G and IoT devices.

    Data aggregation and information extraction from IoT devices

    IoT devices are critical for gathering, aggregating, and analysing data from a wide range of sources. This data is subsequently analysed, resulting in the extraction of actionable information that may be used to make critical organisational strategic and tactical decisions.

    Consider the application of IoT devices in the healthcare industry. Today, IoT devices record a wide range of customer data at hospitals, health centres, infirmaries, and other facilities. The acquired data is then used to extract information about patients’ various health factors, such as age, gender, health concerns, and so on. As a result, this data is used by a variety of stakeholders, including doctors, patients, pharmaceutical companies, and medication marketers, to develop policy frameworks, action plans, and market strategies.

    IoT and 5G: complementary forces

    All data collection and aggregation can now be done more efficiently if IoT devices are seamlessly connected with one another, which is where the importance of a fast and reliable 5G network comes into play. Because of the 5G network’s high-speed data transfer, IoT devices can work significantly more efficiently than they can with 4G networks. To summarise, for IoT devices to reach their full potential, a fully matured and evolved 5G network is required.

    In terms of benefits, 5G technology and IoT devices have the potential to transform the fortunes of numerous companies. The following are some concrete highlights that demonstrate the great potential that integrating these technologies can provide businesses:

    1) 5G technology has made a name for itself due to its unique efficiency, speed, and latency characteristics. Furthermore, 5G technology provides superior safety and security, which, when combined with next-generation IoT devices, can enable significant leaps forward in autonomous driving, drone operations, virtual reality, digital finance, and a variety of AI applications in various sectors.

    2) 5G networks will primarily benefit enterprises in the healthcare, education, transportation, supply chain, and manufacturing industries. The adoption of 5G-enabled IoT devices in the healthcare industry is already increasing at an exponential rate. The convergence of 5G and IoT in the education industry will result in a more interactive virtual learning and immersive experience for students. Transportation and logistics will profit from the convergence of these new technologies as well, through the use of real-time tracking, electronic data interchange, and automatic stock replenishment. The manufacturing industry may use the concept of remote access, repair, and maintenance in IoT devices via high-speed internet, which will be truly transformative for the business.

    The need for a comprehensive 5G and IoT ecosystem

    We need to establish an integrated ecosystem of 5G networks and IoT devices to achieve the full potential of 5G and IoT devices. Only with the seamless integration of both of these technologies will industries be able to make huge leaps across the value chain. From raw material procurement to product manufacture, and from sales and marketing to actual client purchasing, we must endeavour to create a comprehensive ecosystem. As a result, businesses across their value chain and participating stakeholders will benefit from synergies.

    The author of the article is Altorum Leren co-founder and CEO Prateek Shukla.

  • Cisco elevates Joshua Mathew as head of India marketing

    Cisco elevates Joshua Mathew as head of India marketing

    Mumbai: Cisco has elevated Joshua Mathew as the head of India marketing. He has been associated with Cisco for more than four years.

    Over the years, he has been responsible for different positions at Cisco. He joined the company back in 2018 as a senior field marketing manager and was made the leader of APJC campaign marketing in April.

    Mathew has more than 20 years of experience. Over the years he has worked with companies like Microsoft, IBM India, TNT Express, Rediffusion DY&R, DIREM marketing etc.

    In his various positions with these companies, he has executed successful marketing campaigns with expertise in analysing, tracking, managing and supervising the marketing.

  • Cisco names Daisy Chittilapilly as India and SAARC president

    Cisco names Daisy Chittilapilly as India and SAARC president

    Mumbai: Tech company Cisco has elevated Daisy Chittilapilly as the president of India and SAARC region. Chittilapilly succeeds Sameer Garde, who recently announced his decision to join the social sector after four years at Cisco.

    With over 25 years of experience in the technology industry, including 17 years of leadership experience at Cisco, Chittilapilly had a proven track record of transforming operations and cultures to drive growth at scale. In her new role, Chittilapilly would be responsible for strategy and sales, operations, and investments to drive long-term growth in the region. said the company in a statement.

    She will start her new role from 1 August, which also marks the beginning of Cisco’s new financial year, it added.

    Chittilapilly most recently held the position of managing director for Cisco’s Digital Transformation Office, where she worked with customers to capture and scale opportunities emerging in the digital world.

    Chittilapilly’s appointment comes at a time when Cisco is looking at India and SAARC as an engine of innovation and growth, Cisco Asia Pacific, Japan, and Greater China president Dave West said.

    “With businesses across the region looking to capture the economic rebound, her wealth of experience and knowledge in digitally enabling organisations and developing Cisco’s go-to-market strategies around software and services will help propel Cisco, our customers, and partners to the forefront of the digital economy,” he added.

    Commenting on her new role, Chittilapilly said in today’s digital and cloud-first world, Cisco’s leadership across networking, cybersecurity, and collaboration, put the company at the forefront of helping business with their digital transformation and unlocking a new era of growth.

    “I am excited about the possibilities we can shape for India’s people and businesses, and I look forward to working closely with our customers, partners, communities, and the government to bring these possibilities to life,” she added.

  • Mumbai City FC teams up with Cisco

    Mumbai City FC teams up with Cisco

    NEW DELHI: Mumbai City FC has signed on global technology leader Cisco as its  official network technology partner. Cisco will feature on the club's matchdays in the Indian Super League, and at the Islanders' training facility at the Nagoa Village Panchayat Football Ground. 

    During this three-year-long association, Cisco will support all aspects of the club's business through their networking solutions, and connect the first team to fans in Mumbai and across the country via Cisco Webex. 

    Cisco director of global sponsorships Brian Eaton said, "The pandemic is giving rise to a low-touch, digital economy, where even the future of sports must be reimagined with technology at its heart. This partnership represents an opportunity to leverage our technology to make a positive impact, not only on the business and operations of Mumbai City FC but on the local community as well. Over the past year, our solutions have helped numerous clubs around the world stay connected to each other, their fans and their local communities during a season unlike any other, and we are excited to work to forge new ground together in Mumbai." 

    Mumbai City FC co-owner Bimal Parekh said, "We are delighted that Cisco will be a part of the Mumbai City FC family and will partner with us for the next three years. Cisco has shown, especially in the last six months, how valuable its strategic technology solutions are to the future of connecting fans to teams and the sport they love. We look forward to achieving excellence with their support both on and off the pitch for years to come." 

    City Football Group brokered this partnership as part of its consultancy services to the club. Cisco has a relationship with City Football Group and last year became an official technology partner for five City Football Group clubs – Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Sichuan Jiuniu FC – for which it provides networking and video collaboration solutions.