Raghavendra Kamath &Amp; Joe C Mathew In Mumbai

Stories by Raghavendra Kamath &Amp; Joe C Mathew In Mumbai

Novartis to shift 100 jobs to India

Novartis to shift 100 jobs to India

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2008

It plans to make Hyderabad as its back office hub for data management in clinical research and financial service segments. Novartis is putting infrastructure to put all these people in one place and the centre is expected to turn operational next year. It will be the back office for Novartis' pharmaceutical operations and will find many PhDs and post-graduates working there, said Jurgen Brokatzky-Geiger, head (human resources), Novartis.

Crisis time? Companies turn spiritual

Crisis time? Companies turn spiritual

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2008

Many companies and their executives are seeking solace from new-age motivational gurus.

Of Religare buy and mutual fund markets

Of Religare buy and mutual fund markets

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2008

It did come as a surprise when, last week, Religare Enterprises (promoted by the former promoters of Ranbaxy) decided to acquire a majority stake in the ailing Lotus India Asset Management Company. This is the first deal in India since the financial crisis caused the market to crash 23 per cent in October, and Lotus' assets under management from Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) to about Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion).

Lower India price tag may help drug MNCs

Lower India price tag may help drug MNCs

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2008

A government committee that is looking into the possibility of pre-marketing price negotiation for patented medicines is likely to recommend a lenient view on such medicines, it is learnt. A government committee that is looking into the possibility of pre-marketing price negotiation for patented medicines is likely to recommend a lenient view on such medicines, it is learnt.

Retail players leverage falling rentals

Retail players leverage falling rentals

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2008

With store rentals dropping as much as 35 per cent in the last one year, retailers say opening stores in certain locations has become profitable. As a result, some retailers plan to roll out their bigger format stores and others are booking retail spaces that will come up in two years at a much lower cost.

India working on GM herbs, says Greenpeace

India working on GM herbs, says Greenpeace

Rediff.com   5 Nov 2008

Even as the debate over safety and essentiality of genetically modified foods continues, Indian research institutes are trying to genetically modify some high-value medicinal herbs that are an integral part of ayurvedic medicine, a recent report of pro-environment group Greenpeace has said.

Buy a flat and get another flat, BMW, Merc free

Buy a flat and get another flat, BMW, Merc free

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2008

Within months of charging the moon, Indian real estate firms are now offering buy-back of properties, free cars and even free apartments to tide over the current slump which has seen sales halve from the beginning of the year.

Despite slump, Biyani opens 150 stores in 3 months

Despite slump, Biyani opens 150 stores in 3 months

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2008

At a time when most retail firms have either gone slow in opening new stores or closed down some to beat the ongoing slump, the Future Group has opened nearly 150 stores across all its formats over the past three months. This month alone, Biyani is opening 15 stores, mainly selling electronic and lifestyle goods.

Reliance Brands calls off JV plan with Sixty Group

Reliance Brands calls off JV plan with Sixty Group

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2008

The JV was expected to open 56 exclusive high-end stores for the four focus brands, Miss Sixty, Energie, Killah & Murphy&Nye, in the top 10 cities in the first three years. As per the original plans, Darshan Mehta president and chief executive of Reliance Brands, was to spearhead the JV with separate business heads for each of the four brands.

After Ranbaxy, US FDA turns the heat on Actavis

After Ranbaxy, US FDA turns the heat on Actavis

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2008

The US Congressional committee, which is inquiring into the country's Food and Drug Administration's handling of drug-marketing approvals of India's leading drug-maker Ranbaxy, has extended its probe into similar permissions given to Iceland's Actavis.

Tatas hire Aditya Birla Retail's marketing head

Tatas hire Aditya Birla Retail's marketing head

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2008

Last year, Trent had entered into a tie-up with The Xander Group wherein Xander was to invest in malls along with local developers and Trent was to be the anchor tenant. Currently, three-to-four such malls are being developed in cities such as Surat and Ahmedabad.

Railways sweeten Mumbai land offer

Railways sweeten Mumbai land offer

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2008

The land development arm of the railways has cut the reserve price for a 45,371 square metre plot at Bandra, a Mumbai suburb, by nearly 14.5 per cent, to Rs 39.60 billion and reduced the minimum networth requirement for bidders by a similar margin. It has also reduced the bid security amount by 20 per cent. This apart, the authority has more than doubled the payment period to five years.

Realtors blink, cut home prices up to 25%

Realtors blink, cut home prices up to 25%

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2008

Most realtors are already advertising cash discounts of 5-10 per cent on upfront payment and buyers can get up to 25 per cent discount if they book properties and are willing to wait for two to three years until possession. According to consultants, developers may even give 15-20 per cent discount on the price as they are eager to clear inventories.

Govt moots special zones for drug firms

Govt moots special zones for drug firms

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2008

In a move aimed at encouraging the growth of innovation-driven industries, the Ministry of Science and Technology has proposed to set up special innovation zones that will offer a host of fiscal incentives for research and development companies in India.

WHO gives India five more mths to upgrade standard

WHO gives India five more mths to upgrade standard

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2008

The World Health Organization has given five more months to the Drugs Controller General of India to upgrade its performance to international standards. The extension of the current deadline of October-end came after a visiting WHO team found the modernisation programmes of the Indian drug regulator on track.

Navratri effect: Realtors launch new projects

Navratri effect: Realtors launch new projects

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2008

Despite a slowdown in property sales, realty developers across the country are launching new residential apartments during the ongoing Navratri festival in the hope that they will get higher sales from prospective home buyers, who have deferred their buys so far.

Fashion is Rs 18 bn biz for S Kumars' Brandhouse

Fashion is Rs 18 bn biz for S Kumars' Brandhouse

Rediff.com   29 Sep 2008

Brandhouse manages exclusive stores of four SKNL brands -- Reid & Taylor, Stephens Brothers, Belmonte, and Carmichael House -- and two foreign brands Dunhill and Escada. It has more than 600 stores now. The company plans to set up its first private label store early next year and the average size of the store will range from 8,000 to 10,000 sq ft, said Tarun Joshi, managing director of Brandhouse Retails, the retail unit of S Kumars Nationwide.

Sun Pharma expects 25% growth in the US

Sun Pharma expects 25% growth in the US

Rediff.com   29 Sep 2008

Sun generates 41 per cent of its annual revenues from the US market, a record of sorts among Indian drug firms. The company is bullish on its US prospects and expects 25 per cent growth in the country this year, higher than the 18-20 per cent growth projection it has given for other markets including India. The US is the world's largest market for medicines and accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the $780 billion global medicine sales.

Diwali unlikely to light up real estate market

Diwali unlikely to light up real estate market

Rediff.com   29 Sep 2008

Analysts say prices may stagnate or decline in the next three months. Almost 70 per cent of the brokers who participated in the poll believe prices will be flat or negative in the period and even Diwali is unlikely to lift the mood in the property market.

Roche files 2 pleas against Cipla copycat drug

Roche files 2 pleas against Cipla copycat drug

Rediff.com   27 Sep 2008

The first petition alleges that Cipla Ltd, India's second largest pharmaceutical company, violated Roche's patent by launching a generic version of Valcyte. The second petition says Cipla violated the Swiss drug maker's trademark by launching the product in a phonetically similar name, 'Valcept'.