MAM
Croma appoints Suman Guha as Chief Digital Officer
Experienced tech leader to accelerate digital transformation and omnichannel strategy.
MUMBAI: When your gadgets need to sync as smoothly as your shopping experience, it pays to bring in a digital conductor and Croma has just done exactly that. Croma has appointed Suman Guha as its new chief digital officer. In this role, he will lead the electronics retailer’s digital transformation journey, strengthen its omnichannel capabilities, and drive innovation across customer experience and technology platforms.
Guha brings with him significant years of experience across internet-scale B2C ecosystems and SaaS ventures. Prior to joining Croma, he held key leadership positions at several prominent organisations, including TATA CLIQ, Tata Digital, Reliance Retail, Cisco, Tesco, Teradata, Red Hat, Castle Rock Research Corporation, and Innozon Software Technologies [P] Ltd.
Throughout his career, he has played a pivotal role in product development, platform engineering, and large-scale technology integrations. His extensive expertise in commerce platforms and enterprise technology positions him well to accelerate Croma’s digital growth and innovation strategy.
From building robust online marketplaces to engineering seamless enterprise solutions, Suman Guha has spent years making technology work smarter for both businesses and consumers. Now at Croma, he gets the exciting opportunity to ensure that whether customers walk into a store or shop online, their experience feels equally smart, seamless and delightful.
In India’s fast-evolving retail landscape, where clicks and bricks must blend effortlessly, Guha’s appointment signals Croma’s clear ambition to stay ahead of the digital curve. The remote may control the TV, but it looks like Suman Guha will now help control how millions experience their favourite electronics brand.
MAM
India’s employability gap persists despite strong hiring intent
Only 1 in 5 institutions achieve 76 to 100 per cent placements within six months of graduation.
MUMBAI: India’s young workforce is ready in numbers, but the real question is whether they are ready for work and senior leaders from industry, academia and policy gathered in Delhi to find practical answers. A closed-door roundtable hosted by Vaishali Nigam Sinha, co-founder of Renew, brought together key voices to discuss actionable solutions for bridging the persistent employability gap. The session highlighted that while job opportunities are expanding, the alignment between education and industry needs remains a critical challenge.
According to Teamlease EdTech’s Career Outlook Report HY1 2026, 73 per cent of employers plan to hire freshers in the first half of 2026, signalling steady recovery in entry-level hiring. However, employers are shifting focus from mere qualifications to demonstrable capability, placing greater value on internships, live projects and proof-of-work.
Teamlease Edtech, founder and CEO Shantanu Rooj emphasised the need for better alignment, “India’s employability challenge is no longer about access alone, but about alignment between education and work. Employers are increasingly relying on demonstrable capability such as internships, projects, and applied learning as indicators of readiness.”
Vaishali Nigam Sinha stressed the importance of execution over intent, “India has both the talent and the opportunity. What is needed now is alignment. We have to move from intent to execution by embedding employability into the system itself.”
Other prominent speakers included Dr Chenraj Roychand, Chancellor of Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, who called for universities to evolve from degree providers to ecosystem enablers, Prof M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIM Calcutta, who highlighted the need for flexibility and multidisciplinary learning, and Dr T.N. Singh, Director of IIT Patna, who advocated deeper industry engagement through research and experiential learning.
The discussion also drew insights from the book Accelerating Impact. Enabling Dreams – Making India Employable by Shantanu Rooj and co-authors, which features contributions from leaders like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Dr Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan and Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
During the event, Teamlease Edtech Foundation launched Project SEED, a national initiative aimed at bridging the education-employability gap for underserved youth. The project focuses on early intervention at the school level to guide students towards informed career choices and work-integrated pathways.
With only 16.67 per cent (1 in 5) of institutions achieving 76–100 per cent placements within six months of graduation, the conversation made one thing clear, India’s demographic dividend will deliver real value only when education and employability walk hand in hand. The gathering served as a timely reminder that the future of India’s workforce depends not just on creating more jobs, but on preparing young people far better to seize them.
