Brands
Madhurendra Malu appointed genesis vertical head at Hyundai
Hyundai taps luxury veteran to steer Genesis debut and growth
GURUGRAM: Hyundai Motor Company India has appointed Madhurendra Malu as vertical head for Genesis, tasking the seasoned auto executive with leading the luxury marque’s official entry and long term growth in the Indian market.
Based in Gurugram, Malu will oversee the brand’s end to end mandate, from luxury positioning and network strategy to crafting a high touch customer experience. The role puts him at the centre of Hyundai’s push to establish Genesis as a serious contender in India’s elite automotive segment.
He joins Hyundai after a short but high impact stint at JSW MG Motor India, where he served as head of sales and earlier as head of CEM and network development. During his time there, Malu helped build the MG Select premium retail format from the ground up. The initiative saw the appointment of 13 dealer partners and the launch of 15 showrooms across 14 cities, with spaces designed to feel more like art galleries than conventional car outlets.
In a farewell note to his MG colleagues, Malu described the experience as a defining chapter. He said the role demanded constant sprints from day one, spanning dealer development, marketing, sales, planning, strategy and execution. Despite the intensity, he called the journey deeply fulfilling and expressed pride in helping lay the foundation of a premium automotive brand in India.
Before MG, Malu held senior leadership roles at Škoda Auto Volkswagen India, where he led business and brand development as well as network expansion. He also spent over 16 years at Maruti Suzuki, rising through multiple regional and national sales roles, including commercial business head for the Nexa network in the southern region.
With experience across mass, premium and near luxury segments, Malu’s appointment signals Hyundai’s intent to treat Genesis not just as another launch, but as a carefully curated luxury play. As the brand prepares to enter the Indian market, all eyes will be on how this new captain steers the flagship.
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.
