Brands
Meta hires Srinivas Rao Vishnubhotla to power Ray-Ban smart glasses push in India
MUMBAI: Meta has tapped seasoned consumer-tech hand Srinivas Rao Vishnubhotla to drive retail sales for its Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses in India, betting big on the fusion of fashion and futuristic hardware.
Vishnubhotla brings over two decades of leadership experience across global multinationals, most recently as country head and director at logitech. There he scaled revenues fivefold in a decade, built deep B2C and B2B channels, and helped establish gaming as a breakout growth engine. His stint also saw a vast distribution network of more than 25,000 partners span 750 cities across South Asia, while online giants and large-format retailers widened the brand’s reach.
Earlier, as part of reliance retail’s founding team, he helped launch and expand reliance digital, shaping India’s early modern retail boom.
Meta is betting his knack for turning big ideas into commercially viable ventures will help smart glasses find a home with India’s millennials and Gen Z. Vishnubhotla says he is passionate about building high-performance teams and creating immersive consumer experiences that delight and deliver.
The new role pairs his expertise in consumer behaviour, lifestyle tech and market expansion with Meta’s ambition to take wearables mainstream. Time for India to put on its smartest shades yet.
Brands
Ather Energy doubles service network to 500 centres nationwide
EV maker scales support alongside growth to keep riders on the road
MUMBAI: Ather Energy is quietly building more than just scooters. It is building the backbone to keep them running.
The electric two-wheeler maker has expanded its service network to 500 authorised centres across India, nearly doubling its footprint in a year from 277. The move mirrors its growing retail presence and signals a clear focus on one often overlooked part of EV ownership, what happens after the purchase.
From the outset, Ather has prioritised service support in every city it enters, aiming to make ownership as smooth as the ride itself. Its Gold Service Centres bring in upgraded customer lounges, modern equipment and processes designed to make servicing more transparent and reliable.
Speed, too, is part of the pitch. Through its ExpressCare initiative, riders can get periodic maintenance done in about an hour, now available across 82 centres, turning what used to be a chore into a quick pit stop.
Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela said, “Crossing 500 service centres is an important milestone as we scale across the country. Reliable after-sales support is central to the ownership experience, and our focus remains on consistent service quality and accessibility.”
The expansion comes as demand grows for models like the Ather 450 and the Rizta, which have helped the company reach a broader set of riders across metros and emerging cities alike.
Alongside servicing, Ather continues to power up infrastructure through the Ather Grid, now one of the largest fast-charging networks for two-wheelers, with over 4,300 charging points.
With plans to scale further and deepen its presence, Ather’s approach is clear. Selling the scooter may start the journey, but keeping it running smoothly is what sustains it.
