MAM
Dineout launches Project Thali to donate rations among needy
MUMBAI: With major economic activities stagnating, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods and food security of millions of people across India. Home to one-quarter of all undernourished worldwide, malnourished individuals with compromised immunity including the urban poor, inhabitants of remote areas, migrants, the informally employed, people in conflict areas and other vulnerable groups are most susceptible to the economic and health effects of this pandemic.
In an effort to end hunger, malnutrition and make food available to those suffering to meet ends during this lockdown, dining out and restaurant tech platform Dineout has launched ‘Project Thali’, a community-driven initiative that aims to connect the dots between volunteers, NGOs and the government ensuring everyone, including our poorest and most vulnerable communities who may not be able to claim daily ration get access to food and nourishment. Hosted in partnership with the non-profit World Help Group, this initiative is inviting people to a) donate rations, b) cooked food, c) volunteer or donate by means of guaranteeing food security for a vulnerable family for 15 days for Rs 1400 only.
Dineout co-founder and CEO said, “The COVID-19 crisis has had a disastrous effect on the sustenance of our most vulnerable communities including homeless people, daily wagers and migrant workers. Senior citizens with limited resources in this lockdown too have been impacted. This share of our population is most exposed to hunger, malnutrition, exodus, destitution and other problems which may potentially be more widespread than the disease itself. In times of such dire crisis, we have launched Project Thali’ to ensure food reaches those who need it the most in an effort to have a real and lasting impact on eliminating hunger at local and national levels. We’ve had some initial success in the past two weeks by serving food to 100,000+ people in collaboration with over 1300 volunteers, and invite one and all to be a part of our mission to ensure no one sleeps hungry.”
Besides ‘Project Thali’ to eliminate hunger among the needy, Dineout has initiated an online petition to support NRAI on change.org, requesting the Finance Ministry and Government of India to help restaurants with employee unemployment pay cover, a moratorium on upcoming statutory dues, delay in utility bill payments, holiday/temporary stoppage on EMI payments and interest, freezing rental dues and restoration of Input Tax Credit on GST for all restaurants. The petition has received widespread acknowledgement and has been signed by more than 35,000 people and endorsed by some of the country’s biggest restaurateurs and F&B entrepreneurs.
You can contribute here – https://www.dineout.co.in/project-thali
Brands
Boeing appoints Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering function
Seasoned finance leader to steer budgets and strategy across global centres
BENGALURU: Boeing’s finance cockpit has a new pilot, and he is no stranger to turbulence or transformation. Boeing has appointed Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering, placing him at the centre of financial strategy for its worldwide engineering and technology operations.
Based in Bengaluru, Barun steps into a role that is as expansive as it is critical. He will serve as the primary finance lead for Boeing’s Engineering and Technology Centers globally, working closely with executive leadership to shape financial decisions, manage complex budgets, and design scalable finance processes that support the company’s growing engineering footprint.
In a note announcing his move Barun said, “I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Boeing Global Engineering. This opportunity is incredibly meaningful to me not just from a professional standpoint, but also for what Boeing represents globally.” He added that he looks forward to contributing to an organisation that continues to shape the future of aerospace and innovation.
Barun’s mandate spans strategic financial leadership, operational oversight, and stakeholder engagement. From directing large-scale budgets and schedules to influencing long-term organisational goals, the role blends financial discipline with business foresight. He will also lead cross-functional teams and partner with finance colleagues worldwide to support engineering programmes across geographies, including India.
The appointment caps a long stint at Juniper Networks, where Barun spent over a decade, most recently as finance senior manager. There, he led FP&A for global product business units and G&A functions, driving budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning. He also played a key role in enterprise-wide transformation, including spearheading an Oracle to SAP ERP migration and building advanced analytics capabilities using tools such as Tableau and SAP Analytics Cloud.
His earlier career includes finance leadership roles at Sony India Software Centre, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Mphasis, where he focused on financial planning, governance frameworks, and operational efficiency across global delivery centres.
A chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Barun brings nearly two decades of experience across financial planning, digital transformation, and analytics-led decision making.
His appointment comes at a time when global engineering operations are becoming increasingly complex and distributed, requiring sharper financial oversight and agile planning. With Barun at the helm of FP&A for engineering, Boeing appears to be tightening its financial playbook as it looks to scale innovation with discipline.
