MAM
Group M, Tagit enter into strategic alliance
MUMBAI: Following the recent announcement on mobile solutions company Tagit’s launch of its imaging technology exclusively with Nokia camera-phones in the Indian market, comes the agreement between Group M and Tagit to form a strategic alliance.
The alliance will provide Tagit a foothold in the exploding Indian market, where advertising revenues are growing at over 20 per cent per annum. For Group M, it signals a commitment to introduce Tagit’s interactive platform for direct marketing on mobile phones to brands in India.
With innovative mobile technologies becoming the focal point for creative concepts as part of integrated marketing solution for brands, Group M and Tagit aim to tap into the potential mobile marketing offers.
Tagit’s unique technology enables mobile phone users to interact with brands in any media channel. By simply “tagging” a brand’s advertisement with digitized 2D bar codes in newspapers, TV or billboards, Tagit will enable anyone to pull any content onto a multi-media phone, states an official release.
Ashutosh Srivastava, CEO of Group M South Asia, said, “This strategic alliance adds an exciting dimension to our group agencies’ ability to offer their clients innovative mobile solutions. This will greatly enhance the effectiveness of direct marketing to consumer brands, especially the ones focused on the youth market.”
Said Shankar Narayanan, founder and president of Singapore-headquartered Tagit, “The mobile phone has evolved into a dynamic infotainment machine in the hands of consumers and Tagit’s proprietary technology is the perfect answer for today’s highly demanding consumers who expect instant gratification anytime, anywhere.”
Whilst Tagit’s primary role is to provide technology implementation and technical support, GroupM’s agencies will actively promote the concept to brand owners to adopt mobile marketing as part of their integrated marketing campaign.
The first such brand campaign using Tagit is slated to be launched soon. A multi-pronged strategy involving leading names in mobile service and media will herald the kick-start of this exciting new technology, the two companies have said.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
