MAM
Abhijit Sethi appointed as Howden India’s COO
Mumbai: Howden, the global insurance intermediary, has appointed Abhijit Sethi as the chief operating officer of its India operations. In his new capacity, Sethi will lead strategic efforts, overseeing nationwide placements, streamlining business operations, enhancing processes, and nurturing insurer relationships to drive sustainable growth and innovation.
Abhijit brings to the role his renowned dynamic leadership and strategic acumen, built over nearly two decades. Prior to joining Howden India, he played pivotal roles in crafting go-to-market strategies and structuring intricate placement programs at esteemed firms like Aon, Marsh Insurance Brokers, and Prudent Insurance Brokers.
With its trading license granted in 2004, Howden India now employs over 300 professionals across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, and Hyderabad. As the sixth-largest broker in the country, it has established a strong reputation as a specialist commercial insurance broker, focusing on key areas like liability & specialty, agriculture, health & benefits, aviation, property & construction, and reinsurance. In 2022, Howden obtained approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to increase its stake in Howden India to 100 per cent, underscoring the company’s dedication to cultivating a leading broking business in the nation. This commitment revolves around fostering enduring client partnerships, investing in talent, and advancing data and technology.
Digital
Google rolls out $15B AI, education and connectivity plan for India
AI tools for 11 million students, new subsea cables, and a national skilling push.
NEW DELHI: Google is backing its words with action. In a major push to future-proof the world’s most populous nation, Google DeepMind has partnered with the Indian government on a large-scale AI initiative.
Announced by CEO Sundar Pichai at the India AI Impact Summit, the deal is less of a gentle nudge and more of a full-throttle sprint into the digital age. Part of Google’s $15 billion commitment to South Asia, the plan aims to weave artificial intelligence into the very fabric of Indian daily life, from the deep ocean floor to the back of the classroom.
The most heart-warming slice of this digital pie is the focus on the next generation. Google is partnering with 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, effectively dropping high-tech AI tools into the laps of roughly 11 million students.
The goal? To introduce generative AI assistance in schools, ensuring that the homework of the future is powered by more than just caffeine and late-night panic.
While the kids are busy with AI in the classroom, Google is busy under the sea. The newly minted India-America Connect Initiative involves laying down serious hardware, specifically, new subsea cable routes.
These digital arteries will link India to Singapore, South Africa and Australia. By adding four more strategic fiber-optic routes connecting the U.S. to the Southern Hemisphere, Google is essentially building a “data superhighway” to ensure India’s AI capabilities don’t get stuck in traffic.
Knowing how to use a tool is just as important as owning it. To bridge the gap, Google is launching its most ambitious skilling program yet: the Google AI Professional Certificate. This program is designed to help the workforce master AI without needing a PhD in robotics.
With full-stack connectivity and a massive investment on the table, India isn’t just joining the AI race; it’s looking to set the pace.
