Brands
Infosys and Citizens set up AI banking innovation hub in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Infosys has found a new way to make banking less buttoned-up and a lot more brainy. The IT major has teamed up with US lender Citizens to launch an AI-first Innovation Hub in Bengaluru, with one clear aim: rethink how banks work, build and serve customers in the age of artificial intelligence.
The hub will act as a live experimentation ground where ideas can move quickly from whiteboards to working products. From sharper digital services to smoother internal operations, the focus is on using AI not as a bolt-on, but as the engine under the bonnet of modern banking.
Infosys will play a central role as one of Citizens’ strategic AI delivery partners, bringing its experience in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and cybersecurity. At the heart of the collaboration is Infosys Topaz Fabric, a multi-layer AI platform designed to connect data, models, applications and workflows into one streamlined system. In simpler terms, it helps banks build and launch new digital products faster, with fewer moving parts and less friction.
This latest initiative builds on an existing partnership between the two companies and strengthens Citizens’ push to become a technology-led super regional bank. The Bengaluru hub also reflects the bank’s longer-term bet on building a global, future-ready workforce where AI skills are part of everyday work rather than a specialist corner.
For Citizens, the promise is more secure, personalised and intuitive banking for customers. For Infosys, it is another showcase of how its AI-first approach can reshape large, complex financial institutions.
Citizens Financial Group chief information officer Michael Ruttledge, said the hub signals a long-term commitment to modern and intelligent banking. By embedding advanced AI at the core, the bank aims to deliver services that feel faster, safer and more relevant to customers.
Infosys global head of banking and financial services Dennis Gada, said banks today face the twin pressures of rapid modernisation and rising customer expectations. The collaboration, he noted, helps Citizens move faster while laying the groundwork for long-term growth.
In an industry often seen as conservative, the Bengaluru hub suggests a shift in tone. Banking’s future, it seems, is not just about numbers and compliance, but about curiosity, collaboration and a smarter use of machines to make human lives a little easier.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches accessories brand Maejoy
The Bollywood star’s lifestyle brand, built with Myntra and Exceed Entertainment, promises aspirational fashion without the high price tag
MUMBAI: Malaika Arora is not the first Bollywood star to put her name on a brand, and she will not be the last. But Maejoy, the accessories label she has launched in partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL) and talent outfit Exceed Entertainment, at least has a sharper pitch than most. The brand drops with 250-plus styles spanning handbags and lab-grown diamond jewellery, two categories that sit squarely in the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability, and lands on Myntra’s platform from day one, putting it in front of millions of shoppers without breaking a sweat.
The handbag range covers the full gamut: crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, workwear classics, backpacks and clutches, rendered in synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestone and metallic finishes. The jewellery line runs to rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets in silver, gold and rose-gold tones, set in 925 sterling silver with IGI and GCI certified lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s guiding philosophy, “The Joy of Being Me,” stakes its claim on individuality and self-expression; its three brand pillars, Authentic, Empowering, Accessible, are the usual suspects, though the lab-grown diamond bet is savvier than it sounds. Lab-grown stones now sell at a fraction of the price of mined ones, and the category is growing fast in India as younger buyers wise up to the arbitrage.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business, or through my personal style, I’ve championed the idea that fashion should be empowering yet effortless. The brand aims to democratise global fashion trends while offering women something that extends the feeling of luxury every day, be it a lab-grown diamond or a perfectly crafted handbag,” said Malaika Arora, founder of Maejoy
MJIPL, the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra, is putting its design and brand-building muscle behind the venture. Suman Saha, chief experience officer and head of house of brands at MJIPL, was bullish on the tie-up.
“Maejoy brings together Malaika Arora’s distinctive style perspective with a strong proposition in the accessible yet elevated accessories space. We believe the brand’s fashion-forward designs and thoughtful positioning will connect strongly with discerning consumers.”
Suman Saha, chief experience officer, head of house of brands, MJIPL
Afsar Zaidi, chief executive of Exceed Entertainment, the talent management firm that helped broker the deal, has worked with MJIPL before and was characteristically direct about what makes Arora an unusually bankable partner.
“Building celebrity-led brands requires a delicate balance of authenticity and market viability. Malaika is a rare talent who commands equal respect as a fashion icon and a savvy businesswoman. We are proud to facilitate this partnership that brings together her creative clout and Myntra’s brand-building excellence,” said Zaidi
Celebrity fashion brands live or die on one question: does the star actually wear it, or is the cheque the only thing they signed? Arora, who has spent three decades as one of Bollywood’s most-watched style references, has at least built a plausible case. Maejoy is live now on www.myntra.com and the Myntra app. The real test, whether shoppers buy the handbag or just the hype, starts today.
