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Tag: Visa

  • Brands queue up for Neeraj Chopra Classic as javelin goes prime time in India

    Brands queue up for Neeraj Chopra Classic as javelin goes prime time in India

    MUMBAI: India’s golden boy of athletics is attracting more than just medals. The inaugural ‘Neeraj Chopra Classic’—India’s first global javelin competition—is drawing serious brand muscle ahead of its 5 July debut at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

    The event is headlined by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and backed by a power-packed sponsor roster that includes Visa (official partner), Audi India (mobility partner), BodyArmor Lyte ORS (hydration partner), Duolingo English Test (learning partner), and Snapchat (content partner).

    Radisson Hotel Group is the hospitality partner, JioStar the broadcast partner, and FanCode Shop is handling official merchandise—making the NC Classic a 360-degree sporting spectacle both on-ground and online.

    Speaking on the response from brands to the NC Classic, JSW Sports chief commercial officer, Karan Yadav said, “The versatility and range of brands that have decided to come on board with the NC Classic is testament to the potential this competition has. These are the biggest names in world javelin, spearheaded by Neeraj, competing on Indian soil for the first time. The event has all the ingredients to be a blockbuster, and a regular fixture on the world athletics calendar. The response to partner with the event has been fantastic, and it only augurs well for the future of live sport planned to global standards, in India.”

    With the world’s top javelin throwers gearing up to compete, the Neeraj Chopra Classic is shaping up to be more than just a one-off event—it’s India’s blockbuster entry into the world of elite field sports.

  • Thomas Cook unveils gee-whiz multicurrency travel card for Indian globetrotters

    Thomas Cook unveils gee-whiz multicurrency travel card for Indian globetrotters

    MUMBAI: Thomas Cook India today launched its revolutionary borderless prepaid multi-currency travel card, crafted specifically for India’s burgeoning overseas holiday market amid record-breaking foreign travel spending.

    The card—unveiled in partnership with Mastercard and Visa—arrives as Indian travellers splashed out a staggering $17 billion on overseas travel in FY 2024, marking a 25 per cent year-on-year surge. Industry projections suggest this figure could rocket to $55.4 billion by 2034.

    This first-of-its-kind eco-friendly travel card, made from recycled plastic, supports 12 global currencies and offers cardholders seamless spending power across more than 70 million merchant establishments and three million ATMs worldwide.

    “We’ve built this card to address the evolving needs of India’s leisure segment,” said Thomas Cook India executive vice-president of foreign exchange Deepesh Varma. “It offers smooth multi-currency access, worldwide acceptance, and exclusive travel benefits—all with the reliability and security that our customers demand.”

    Security features include embedded chip and pin technology, complimentary insurance cover up to Rs 7.5 lakh, and free emergency cash assistance if the card is lost or stolen.

    The borderless travel card also packs a punch with exclusive perks, including:
    * Free airport lounge access at select international airports in India
    * Complimentary porter services
    * A free international sim card
    * 25 per cent off select global attractions
    * Reward points redeemable for Thomas Cook holidays, flights and hotels

    Mastercard senior vice president for South Asia Anubhav Gupta  highlighted the changing landscape: “Today, the number of Indians travelling abroad in a single quarter is comparable to annual numbers from just 10 years ago.”

    The timing of the launch—at the start of India’s key travel booking season—appears strategic as Thomas Cook seeks to reinforce its position as “India ka Forex Specialist” while tapping into the growing demand from tier two and three cities.

    Visa India  country manager Rishi Chhabra called the new offering “a joint commitment to financial inclusion and delivering unparalleled convenience to Indian globetrotters.”

    The card represents Thomas Cook’s latest innovation in its prepaid portfolio, which already includes Study Buddy for students and EnterpriseFX for business travellers.

  •  Top notch marketer Lara Balazs joins Adobe as CMO & EVP

     Top notch marketer Lara Balazs joins Adobe as CMO & EVP

    MUMBAI: She’s found her corporate abode in Adobe. The cutting edge software firm today announced that former Intuit chief marketing officer (CMO) & general manager, strategic partner group, Lara Balazs  has joined it as CMO & executive vice president. She will be having a direct reporting line to Adobe chair & CEO Shantanu Narayen.

    At Intuit, Lara was really into it, re-imagining the company’s brand and go-to-market activities to support its AI-driven financial technology platform and elevated its brand awareness and reputation to new heights.

    Balazs will lead the global marketing organisation responsible for Adobe’s renowned brand, Adobe.com, the company’s industry-leading events, campaigns, communications, social media and its best-in-class media operations and marketing insights.

    “As Adobe continues to deliver industry-leading product innovations across content creation and digital marketing, Lara’s unique experience across B2C and B2B industries and deep insights as an Adobe customer will help us engage our growing universe of users more effectively while expanding Adobe’s brand reach and impact,” voiced Narayen, 

    Balazs’ marketing career spans key leadership roles at some of the world’s most respected brands such as Amazon, Visa and Nike, delivering innovative customer-centric marketing strategies that propel transformational growth. Among her notable achievements are driving the growth of Amazon Prime and Visa globally and leading Visa into the era of digital payments, with the launch of mobile-first products such as Visa Checkout and Apple Pay. At Intuit, she led the protax group to its highest, most sustained growth in years and drove the company’s highest brand awareness and corporate reputation in its four decades.

    Named to Forbes’ list of the world’s most influential CMOs and a recipient of AdWeek’s CMO Vanguard award, Balazs is passionate about advancing the marketing profession and supporting the social impact of the industry.

    Balazs holds a bachelor of arts degree in pre-law from the university of Washington and a master of business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

  • Visa appoints Shruti Gupta as VP and head of commercial & money movement solutions (CMS), India and South Asia

    Visa appoints Shruti Gupta as VP and head of commercial & money movement solutions (CMS), India and South Asia

    Mumbai: Visa (NYSE: V), the global leader in digital payments, today announced the appointment of Shruti Gupta as vice president and head of commercial & Money Movement Solutions (CMS), for India and South Asia. In her role, Shruti will head Visa’s business and corporate solutions including Commercial Solutions, Integrated Money Movement and Visa Government Solutions. Her responsibilities include developing and implementing a multi-year growth strategy in collaboration with the leadership team in India and South Asia.

    Shruti brings to Visa over two decades of experience at Citi spanning commercial, risk management and strategy with MNCs, local corporates and the startup ecosystem. She began her professional journey in 2000 with Citi India, and in 23 years, assumed various roles across lending and non-lending segments, business development and relationship management. Her most recent role was managing director for the multinational segment of Citi Commercial Banking.

    “I am delighted to welcome Shruti Gupta to the Visa family. With rich and deep experience in the banking and finance domain, particularly in commercial solutions and strategy, Shruti adds a wealth of knowledge to our team. We are pleased to have her expertise reinforce our efforts in shaping the future of money movement in the market”, said Sandeep Ghosh, Group Country Manager, Visa India and South Asia.

    “Visa has consistently led innovations in the payment ecosystem and I am eager to contribute to its continued positive evolution. I believe that a strategic approach is pivotal to business development with commercial clients and look forward to applying this philosophy for sustained success on this journey with Visa”, said Commercial & Money Movement Solutions (CMS) for Visa in India and South Asia Visa’s newly appointed vice president and head Shruti Gupta.

    Shruti has a master’s degree in business administration from the FORE School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in science from Delhi University. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and spends her leisure time hiking, horse riding and watching movies.

  • Neeraj Chopra joins team Visa as brand ambassador in India

    Neeraj Chopra joins team Visa as brand ambassador in India

    Mumbai: Visa Inc. (NYSE: V), the in digital payments, has signed up Olympic gold medalist and World no. 1  in men’s javelin throw, Neeraj Chopra as a Team Visa athlete, ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Chopra’s collaboration with Visa makes him the second athlete from India to join team Visa along with other global athletes and reinforces Visa’s salience in and commitment towards sports.

    “Sports is one of the strongest unifying factors worldwide and Visa is delighted to have the nation’s pride, Neeraj Chopra, join Team Visa and be our brand ambassador. As a trusted brand in digital payments, we truly believe in uplifting everyone, everywhere. Thus, by championing sports and sportspersons and our association with India’s Olympics icon Neeraj Chopra, we underscore our dedication to support inspirational athletes across sporting disciplines”, said Visa group country manager, India and South Asia, Sandeep Ghosh.

    Neeraj Chopra, who made history as the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at the Olympics, said, “I am excited to be associated with Visa, a brand that all of us have been so familiar with. Trust and consistency are essentials of every partnership and Visa has stood for these principles for several years now. I hope that through this association, we can inspire people to go from strength to strength with the values of hard work and consistent commitment.”

    Visa has a history of collaborating with renowned sports personalities. In 2019, Visa signed badminton ace PV Sindhu as the first Team Visa athlete from India, for the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020. Visa has supported the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a worldwide sponsor since 1986, a commitment that extends through 2032, serving as the Exclusive Payment Technology partner. Major sports events like the Olympics, FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl attract a diverse and global audience. As a partner, Visa ensures safe and secure digital payments at these events – for tickets, merchandise and concessions, regardless of location or currency.

  • Visa grants $10,000 to women-led businesses in She’s Next Program

    Visa grants $10,000 to women-led businesses in She’s Next Program

    Mumbai: Visa, the global leader in digital payments, today announced the grant recipients of the She’s Next Grant Program in India. She’s Next is a global advocacy program by Visa that aims to empower women-led small businesses across segments, with insights and tools such as networking, mentoring, and funding opportunities. Visa has awarded a grant of US$10,000 to each of the three winning businesses owned and led by women. It also partnered with Razorpay Rize, an exclusive community for founders, to provide all grant recipients with complimentary access to the invite-only Razorpay Rize incubator program, including a range of benefits like mentorship, assistance with incorporation and fundraising, and networking opportunities with fellow founders.

    The program received over 700 applications spanning across sectors, including agriculture, specialised education for children, elderly care, homestays, law, literature, travel, handicrafts, and support for local artisans, reflecting the diversity of women-led entrepreneurship in India. The recipients of this year’s She’s Next grants program are:

    1.   Suchita Bhandari, Urvara Krsi, Gurugram, Haryana

    2.   Nidhi Chawla, Silver Talkies (Active Age India Pvt. Ltd.), Bangalore

    3.   Elizabeth Thomas, Phonologix Health Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Kerala

    Visa group country manager, India and South Asia Sandeep Ghosh said, “Visa is committed to fostering financial and social inclusion by investing in small enterprises, which are pivotal to economic growth. Women-led businesses like Urvara Krsi, Silver Talkies and Phonologix, enthuse us with their profound community impact, and we are honoured to extend this grant to these very inspiring women entrepreneurs. The She’s Next Grant Program in India is a key initiative for Visa in its ongoing focus on galvanizing female entrepreneurship and promoting inclusion across the country.”

    The recipients were chosen through a meticulous review process, including their background stories, societal challenges they aim to address and the potential for future growth in their respective business models. Each of the three grant recipients, chosen from a pool of over 700 applicants, presented a compelling vision for how Visa’s grant would contribute to the expansion and advancement of their businesses and empower more women. They also outlined plans for supporting local communities and the broader Indian economy through their businesses.

    Visa continues empowering small and medium businesses through opportunities like the She’s Next Grant Program providing women-led businesses with the vital tools, resources, and financial support that enable them to thrive. Concurrently, Razorpay Rize, an embodiment of entrepreneurial support, offers a comprehensive program that addresses the challenges faced by founders during the early stages of business growth. With a focus on mentorship, incorporation, and fundraising activities, Razorpay Rize seeks to build a community of like-minded founders in India’s thriving startup ecosystem, demonstrating the company’s dedication to empowering entrepreneurs and contributing to the growth of the startup community. Visa’s She’s Next Program aligns with Razorpay’s mission of investing in the country’s talent pool and fostering innovation.

    In recent years, Visa has undertaken such initiatives for women-led businesses across India. In 2020, its grants program in partnership with global partner IFundWomen facilitated women entrepreneurs with access to funding and mentorship opportunities. In 2021, Visa collaborated with the NASSCOM Foundation to enhance digital and financial literacy among over 650 women micro-entrepreneurs in rural areas. Most recently, Visa committed US$ one million to United Way Mumbai (UWM) to uplift women-owned and women-focused businesses across more than 240 villages in four states. The program has already provided financial literacy education and financial linkages to over 8,500 women.

    Globally, Visa has invested over US$3.83 million in over 380 grants and coaching for women small and medium business owners through the She’s Next Grants Program since 2020. By equipping women micro-entrepreneurs with vital skills and facilitating access to relevant financial resources, Visa aims to empower both individual enterprises and the communities they serve.

  • Facebook global CMO Antonio Lucio to step down

    Facebook global CMO Antonio Lucio to step down

    New Delhi: Facebook global chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio announced via a social media post that he is stepping down from his role. Lucio has been CMO of Facebook since September 2018 and will remain in that position until September 18, 2020. Currently, he is helping the company transition through the end of the year.

    Lucio said, “This has been a challenging year for all and an especially reflective year for me, following my mother’s passing before the lockdown. Given the historical inflection point we are in regarding racial justice, I have decided to dedicate 100% of my time to diversity, inclusion and equity. Though these issues have been core to my personal purpose and my work for many years, I want to make them my sole focus. I will devote the next chapter of my professional life to helping companies and agencies in the marketing and advertising industries accelerate their transformation and to drive holistic and profound change. It is a time for reckoning for our nation and industry, and it is time for me to play a more active part in accelerating change.

    In leaving Facebook, I am nothing but grateful.

    I believe in Facebook’s mission, and COVID has demonstrated the platforms at their best. As the company evolves, striking the right balance between preserving freedom of speech and eliminating hateful speech on the platforms is a generation-defining question that must continue to be addressed. I know the company and its leadership agree on the centrality of this important task.”

    Prior to joining Facebook, Lucio served as the global chief marketing and communications officer at HP. And he also had a similar position at Visa. 

    Lucio was reporting to Facebook Chief Product Officer Chris Cox. Cox recently returned to Facebook after departing from the company in March 2019. One of the biggest roles that Lucio took on was handling the negative press Facebook received following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

    Lucio has over two decades of experience of working at multiple brands such as Pepsico, HP, Kraft Foods, P&G, Visa and others.

  • Visa launches Tap to Pay campaign to promote everyday contactless payments in India

    Visa launches Tap to Pay campaign to promote everyday contactless payments in India

    MUMBAI: Visa, the global leader in payments technology, today launched a new brand campaign ‘Tap to pay with Visa. Just like that.’ to promote contactless everyday payments in India. The campaign focuses on how the universal behaviour of tapping can become a common payment method, and showcases the simplicity of using the Visa contactless card. This new campaign emphasises the ease of use of contactless payments for low-ticket transactions.

    Commenting on the launch, TR Ramachandran, Group Country Manager for India & South Asia, Visa, said, “The campaign, ‘Tap to pay with Visa. Just like that.’, is designed to drive consumer awareness of contactless payments by drawing attention to their simplicity. Through this campaign, we are trying to induce a change in consumer habit, showcasing that payments can be a lot simpler than you think.

    Visa data shows that a majority of face-to-face transactions, about 87%, are of below INR 2000[1], also the threshold for contactless transactions. We are constantly working to transform digital payments through technology and a contactless card makes such payments frictionless. The campaign brings to life the thought that a tap, a simple action we inadvertently do every day, can mean much more and can actually help make everyday payments simple.”

    A contactless card is a Near Field Communication-enabled card which allows a user to simply tap their card on a POS terminal to make a payment. There is no requirement for a PIN or signature for these transactions (below INR 2000), thereby drastically reducing transaction time from about 30 seconds to just three seconds. Contactless cards help a cardholder to not just make small ticket purchases digitally but to reduce billing time and pay quickly and in a secure manner. A study by Visa in Australia shows that 41% of retailers witnessed an increase in sales by introducing the contactless payment method. Customer stickiness too improved due to quick transaction time and ease of use of contactless payments.

    Crafted by Isobar, the campaign will be driven by a robust 360-degree approach that spans across TV, print, digital, social media and outdoor channels. On the launch of the campaign, Shamsuddin Jasani, Group MD, Isobar South Asia said, “We are very excited and honoured that Visa has believed in us to work on such an important campaign. The work we have done on this campaign reflects our ethos of ideas without limits. I am really proud of the team who have been able to transcend mediums to deliver this project.” 

    Speaking about the campaign, Anish Varghese, National Creative Director, Isobar India states, “The brief was pretty simple: How can we drive the practice of Visa’s contactless card for everyday spends? When we dug deep into the ask, we realised that it’s a complete behaviour change – from dipping to tapping of the card. We looked for a lingo which millennials can relate to, and a behaviour that an older audience can adapt. Tapping has been a part of our culture since ages, be it dance forms like Odissi or Bharatnatyam, or even playing an instrument like the Tabla or a Cajon. We even tap a piece of furniture before buying. That’s precisely why we weaved this campaign around the cultural insight of tapping, and narrated it as Tap to Pay with Visa. #JustLikeThat, which is relatable, authentic and captures the brand’s unbound spirit.”

    The ‘Tap to Pay with Visa. Just Like That’ campaign will focus on situations that showcase the way a person taps in everyday life – like an Odissi dancer tapping her feet, tapping a spatula while cooking, double tapping to like something on social media and children tapping each other while playing in the streets. It then shows how to make a payment by simply tapping on a payment terminal with a Visa contactless card. It draws on local colloquialism to convey the simplicity and convenience of making cashless payments through the card and creating a payment experience for cardholders, Just like that.

  • Facebook ropes in Antonio Lucio as new CMO

    Facebook ropes in Antonio Lucio as new CMO

    MUMBAI: Facebook has named Antonio Lucio as the new global chief marketing officer. Lucio is a very prominent face in t he global advertising and marketing industry, having stints in HP, Visa, PepsiCo. He will start his work on 4 September.

    Lucio will fill a post that’s been open since Gary Briggs announced his retirement in January. According to reports, Briggs helped in the search for his replacement. He will report to chief product officer Chris Cox, overseeing global marketing strategy for the social-media company.

    To regain Facebook’s brand value will be a challenge to new CMO as he joins in a crisis period. Since the beginning of this year, the social media giant has faced mounting consumer, regulatory and political pressure in several countries. In last quarter also, the company posted disappointing results. Hence, Lucio’s primary challenge will be to regain reputation of the brand.

    Prior to this position at Facebook, he held the portfolio of CMO at HP. He served as Visa’s first global CMO where he directed the company’s famous “Everywhere you want to be” campaign while he also helped the company transition from financial-services player to a technology business. At PepsiCo he served as chief innovation and health and wellness officer.