Brands
23% Indians use m-payments once a week: Kantar TNS study
MUMBAI: Connected consumers in India are increasingly using mobile-based payments according to the results from the latest Connected Life study from Kantar TNS. Post demonetisation and with a greater push by the government for adoption of digital payments, mobile payments have seen a sharp rise with 1 in 3 (35 per cent) connected consumers in India using it. The popularity of mobile payments in India is also revealed by the number of regular users, with 23 per cent saying they use mobile payments at least once a week.
The results of the study show that India is ahead by 35 per cent compared to other APAC countries like Indonesia’s 9 per cent, and Philippines’s 7 per cent, but still has a lot of catching up to do with the likes of China at 94 per cent and Singapore at 65 per cent where mobile payments have become a regular habit.
The popularity of mobile payments in India is set to rise further, as the future seems bright with 33 per cent of connected Indians claiming to prefer paying for everything using mobile phones in the coming months. This seems far more promising than other APAC countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines.
Kantar TNS executive vice president India Anusheel Shrivastava says, “The mobile payment space was already heating up with the launch of several mobile wallets by leading banks and aggressive promotional pushes for customer acquisition by the likes of Paytm. The trend gained momentum after demonetisation, as the scope for digital payments shot up leading to a sharp rise in adoption of mobile payments in India.”
The study also revealed that APAC leads the world in m-commerce. Connected consumers in Asia Pacific are one-third (33 per cent) more likely to make an online purchase on their mobile than via a desktop or laptop.
Southeast Asian countries are leading the way when it comes to m-commerce. The majority of people with internet connections in Asian markets such as Indonesia with 93 per cent, Thailand with 93 per cent, Vietnam with 86 per cent and India with 85 per cent, are using their mobiles to make purchases as they leapfrog traditional forms of online shopping and go straight to their phones.
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
