MAM
Industry veteran Prasoon Kumar joins Arzooo as VP-strategy
Mumbai: Consumer electronics veteran Prasoon Kumar has joined B2B commerce platform Arzooo as vice president, strategy. Kumar has been at the forefront of leading distribution, sales and channel strategy for some of India’s largest white goods brands.
At Arzooo, Kumar’s charter will be to drive the company’s expansion and reach into the breadth and width of the country with mid to long term strategy and bringing strategic partnerships on it’s mission to power offline retail with technology and financial capability and making them competitive and scalable, said the statement.
In his last assignment at Voltas, Kumar played a pivotal role in setting up the business for the Voltas-Beko – a joint venture of India’s voltas and Turkey’s Beko. He was leading the sales and marketing function for Voltas-Beko while spearheading the launch for the JV brand in India including the channel strategy and consumer marketing.
“As someone from the industry I have followed Arzooo’s journey closely and it’s very fascinating how it has evolved in short span and cracked one of the most complex categories,” said Prasoon Kumar. “Arzooo is already making waves in the retail and consumer electronics ecosystem and I am thrilled to be a part of this young and energetic team and excited about taking the venture to new heights.”
Backed by over 20 years of cumulative experience in channel sales, and revenue management, Kumar has displayed innate proficiency in formulating strategy for sales & distribution, new business development of general trade. Before his Voltas-Beko tenure, Kumar has worked as the sales head for Godrej and played a crucial role in expanding presence for Haier India. He worked with LG India in its founding days and has played his part in establishing LG as the market leader in India’s consumer durable market.
“I have known Prasoon as an industry leader from my flipkart days, and always been impressed about his business acumen and innovative ideas. I am pleased to have him onboard with us at Arzooo,” commented Arzooo co-founder and CEO Khushnud Khan. “His extensive experience in the white goods space will help us shape our vision to transform offline retail.”
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
