Cover Story
- Hindustan Unilever is on a roll again. That HUL has been finally able to stoke up the growth embers, improve profitability, regain market shares, and grow fledgling markets in the past three years, are significant indicators of its business success. But that doesn't make new CEO Nitin Paranjpe's mandate—to pump up HUL's mojo in highly competitive markets—any easier. Business Today's Brian Carvalho reports.
From the editor
It's not as if the recent past has been bad at HUL. In fact, it is quite the opposite: profitability has improved over the past couple of years and, in many of the product categories that the foods, home and personal care marketer operates, it has been able to regain lost market shares. Summer chic
Summer’s here and while we hate so many things about the season (the heat and dust and the power cuts that affect even the richest of Indians; well, after a fashion)—it’s also the time when fashion gets cooler and bright colours make an appearance everywhere, from the office to the cocktail party. Raw or cooked, oysters are considered an aphrodisiac and are sought after and consumed from Florida to Beijing. India is finally waking up to this tempting seafood. Sandwiches are also very often the best quick lunch option for busy executives. Here’s a look at some great choices. The classic polo T-shirt can really make you look smart, if you know which colours or designs suit you best. What’s the future of rock’n’roll? That’s an old question, and it remains a vital one because there are no definite answers. In this issue, we put the spotlight on two Canadian bands (or collectives), which seem to provide an interesting answer: community. If you have a passion for speed, it doesn’t get any better than this. They are true stories of people involved in real battles and conflicts. These three books provide rare insights into the lives of courageous Indians. The season just got hotter with these brand new launches that promise to leave you begging for more. Shorts are great casual wear in summer. But getting the length right is as important as choosing the right colours and styles. Pleats or flat fronts—which one should you wear on a formal occasion? They let your feet breathe and look really classy at the same time. Find out which are the hottest flip-flops to look cool in.Get yourself a work(out) buddy
Work on your fitness and stay in shape with a friend who trains with you and motivates you every inch of the way. Driving to a town a few hours from your home? Chances are you will feel hungry on the way. Check out the finest dhabas that are sure to make you want to drive down the same route again. A great shirt gets lost if the trousers look sloppy or fit badly. Choose your trousers with care. India’s only ‘Malt Maniac’ Krishna Nukala on the best whiskies under Rs 4,000. Its dark, titillates the senses and raises your spirits to new heights. Sit back and enjoy the magic of black vodka. The Pinot Noir, a fruit-forward (read: fruity), light-to-medium red wine (actually, the New Zealand variety is full-bodied), from both Marlborough and Central Otago, has won the hearts of critics and consumers alike. Take a weekend off for a short, laidback family vacation close to the city you live in. Find out how to go and what to do in these five amazing weekend getaways, from someone who has been there to chill out. Beat the heat and look cool with these smart new sunglasses that make you look your best even on a hot summer day. Want to look dapper at work and play? Linen jackets are what you should be seen wearing this summer. Summer’s the time to try out some trendy but smart-fitting casual shirts. Go for these beauties. As you pack your mufflers and mittens, don’t dig for last year’s summer garments. This season calls for a new wardrobe. The last minute tax guide
Before the financial year ends, here is a checklist to keep your tax outgo to the minimum. A new fund seeks to invest in films, and will benchmark returns against equities. Many stocks have started looking attractive, particularly if you look at them as a long-term investment. As equity markets become cheaper, it’s the perfect opportunity to grab a few growth funds for the long term. The market’s unpredictability can completely skew your asset allocation. That’s why you must rebalance your portfolio regularly. Gold has been flirting with the $1,000 per troy ounce mark in the international markets. Will it continue to shine? Take-off troubles
Some in Bangalore want the old airport to stay open. HP gets real celebrity customers to do the selling for it. The media software maker is eyeing rich web applications. TVS Motor launches new products that may revive its fortune. Tata Communications, formerly Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), has joined hands with California-headquartered Telsima Corporation to roll out WiMAX services. A founding board member of Google is onto his next big thing. It was an acquisition from the blue—not just because of the high price tag attached to it but also because of the profile of the buyer. Hyderabad’s new airport is ready, but has yet to take off. Will P&G’s media review dictate Madison Communications’ fate? Exposure to overseas credit derivatives takes a toll on Indian banks. Along with airports will come hotels, townships, theme parks. The mill that sparked off Upper Worli in the ’90s is being refitted. Online advertising may slow down in the US, not in India. ...An LA animation company with Mumbai operations. Modi Revlon takes on HUL by going mass in cosmetics. Wanted: A win-win green deal
US vice presidents have never really been known for the depth of their intellects. But Al Gore, former Vice President of the US, is an exception. It is ironical and somewhat paradoxical that India is amongst the top two producers for most agricommodities, despite Indian agriculture continuing to lumber along at around 2 per cent growth rates.The flip side of globalisation
Never before, probably, has the sensex moved as wildly as it has in the past three months. During this short period, the bellwether index of the Indian stock market has shed more than 30 per cent off its January 10 peak of 21,206.77 (on March 17, it closed at 14,809.50). Feedback from the readers
Kudos for India’s best managed Companies (BT, March 23, 2008). The vision, virtues and values of these companies who have made it to the top of your BT-Ernst & Young study are truly admirable and worth emulating. The BT 50 index
By 2050, the E7 emerging economies (China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia and Turkey) will be around 50 per cent larger than the current G7 (US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy and Canada), according to recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Whatever happened to paging? Back in 1995, when paging services were allowed, it flourished because it was the first unbundling of telecom services. “We are a steel family and love steel more than anything. How can we give up in India when we did not give up on Arcelor despite hostility?” The security agencies and the Department of telecom are getting agitated with the BlackBerry's encryption technology that it says poses a national security risk. Estimated revenues of value-added mobile services in India by 2009Leadership for the 21st century
The 7th India Today Conclave brought the world’s best minds together for an exchange of ideas."SOX has improved accountability"
Former US congressman Michael G. Oxley, co-architect of the famous Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002, which tightened corporate governance norms for US companies, was in India last fortnight in his new role as the vice-chairman of the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. Will the UPA government call for early elections? The recent gyrations of the BSE sensex will make a yoyo look like a model of stability. On average, the swings between the day’s highs and lows have increased to 3.24 per cent, compared to 1.8 per cent in 2007. Volatility is at an all-time high; this means it’s time for caution. India's coffee barons
India has traditionally been a tea drinking market. But over the last decade, coffee has made steady inroads into the popular consciousness. It is fast emerging as the beverage of choice for a larger number of the GenNext consumers, and a number of home-grown entrepreneurs is riding this trend to fame and fortune. BT's K. R. Balasubramanyam finds out.Rs 60,000-crore waiver for whom?
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s populist scheme will not make much difference to farmers in the suicide-prone districts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The day the FM announced the Budget, six farmer suicides were reported. Thirty-four farmer suicides were reported in the 10 days following the Budget. T.V. Mahalingam finds out why the waiver is a "giant hoax". Loan waiver will not benefit most farmers: Left'Money for farmers will end up in party coffers'Full coverage: Budget 2008Coke is out of the ditch, now it needs to go faster: E. Neville Isdell
Edward Neville Isdell, who is the 12th Chairman of Coca Cola, without doubt has the juices flowing once again at the beverages giant. Come end of June, Isdell, will be replaced by Muhtar Kent. Recently in India on a pleasure-cum-business trip, he took time out to speak with Business Today’s Sanjoy Narayan and R. Sridharan. Listen to the unabridged interview It was a bizarre sight by all accounts. More than 50 foreigners, expat executives to be precise, were zipping around Bangalore in autorickshaws as they tried to complete a long list of ‘tasks’—ranging from making a chain of flowers to hugging a goat. Inquisitive onlookers were told: “This is a scavenger hunt.” The hunt and more such endeavours are part of the Bangalore Expatriate Club’s idea of letting the good times roll in a foreign land. In the beer freezer, several imported brands jostle for space with the locally-produced ones. And it is the newer brands, particularly Danish brand Carlsberg, which are flying off the shelves. With global beer brands making a strong pitch in India, the longstanding domination of Vijay Mallya’s UB Group is under serious threat. BT's Kushan Mitra reports. The alchemist
Nicholas Piramal India (NPIL), one of India’s leading pharmaceutical companies, is going through a major makeover. The people who matter
He closely follows football, loves to read and is taking his baby steps towards becoming a collector of Discworld memorabilia. Ambareesh Murty, an alumnus of Delhi College of Engineering and IIM Calcutta, replaces Rajan Mehra as Country Manager of eBay India. Mehra is moving out to pursue an entrepreneurial role in venture capital space. Money to feed
Investments are flowing into the food and agri-business sector. Good news: this is just the beginning. The cotton farmers in India have some cause to celebrate. India has overtaken the US as the second-largest producer of cotton, and is also now the third-largest exporter of cotton. Global food prices are on a boil as biofuels and freak weather play havoc with the demand-supply equation. Food prices in India too have been inching upwards. How vulnerable are we to food price shocks? Talebearer
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had recently conceded that there is a case for reducing interest rates to boost consumption expenditure. In particular, he noted, there is public demand that interest rates on housing loans be lowered.Target, soft loans for exporters
Encouraged by the export figures for 2007-08, despite an appreciating rupee, the government is targeting an ambitious exports target for 2008-09.BlackBerry services under scrutiny
BlackBerry services are now being monitored by intelligence and security agencies. This was revealed when Tata Teleservices claimed that it was refused permission by the Home Ministry to launch these services because of security concerns. Industrial output growth slowed to a 10-month low of 5.3 per cent in January, indicating a slowdown in the manufacturing sector. This has set alarm bells ringing in the Commerce Ministry. Newsmaker - Deepika Padukone
Brand Deepika Padukone is on a roll. If the roaring success of Om Shanti Om opposite Shah Rukh Khan made her the hottest thing in Bollywood, two mega advertising deals in quick succession—one with Pepsi this February and the other with ITC for its Fiama Di Wills range of soaps this month—have catapulted this 22-year-old beauty into the top league of brand ambassadors. IIM grads rake it in yet again
While the world at large grapples with the prospects of a slowdown, it is raining riches for IIM grads. This year, IIM Ahmedabad topped the salary sweepstakes. Reliance Energy, as Reliance Infrastructure, to better reflect its business portfolio. The change is subject to receiving approval from shareholders. Anil Ambani’s REL is constructing India’s tallest ‘100-storey’ corporate park in Hyderabad and has plans for SEZs in Noida and Mumbai. The road to rippled abs
Swiss balls, available at most leading sports good shops, keep the body in a natural position during exercise and actually provide far greater stability while allowing the muscles to stretch fully. Here are a few abs exercises that use Swiss balls.Five foods to keep you healthy
A busy day doesn’t have to stand in the way of great health. Eat these five healthy foods to keep your energy levels up. Ticket to ride
The innovative Golden Chariot will need to quickly iron out some operating niggles if it is to be a successful luxury train. Firefox gets better, opera hits back
Microsoft’s Internet Explorer now has to face two serious rivals. When Time Magazine declared ‘You’ as the person of the year, they really didn’t mean you, they meant user-generated content as epitomised by YouTube. How to make it as a VC
For all the wannabe partners vying the VC and PE Fund space, here’s the mantra for success. Agriculture is offering unlimited opportunities on the back of retail. GE's innovation hub
From wind turbines to X-ray machines to new-age locomotives, innovations are hardly new to GE’s John F. Welch Technology Centre in Bangalore. In its decade-long existence, JFWTC’s engineers have been at the forefront of introducing new ideas and methods for GE’s business units. Rahul Sachitanand finds out how the centre has shaped up over the years.The winner that came in from the cold
Jain Irrigation Systems is the second-largest drip irrigation company in the world and one of the largest suppliers of ducting to telcos globally. The stock of Jain Irrigation Systems rose from Rs 411.10 on February 28, 2007, when Chidambaram presented his first “pro-farmer” Budget, to Rs 612.8 on March 13, 2008, a fortnight after the second such Budget. Now, it’s eyeing revenues of $1 billion. BT's Krishna Gopalan reports. Toasting corporate excellence
Business Today honours the winners of the BT-E&Y study of India’s best managed companies at a glittering awards gala. The cream of India Inc. came together to play golf at the 13th Business Today-Honda Pro-Am of Champions 2008. 
