MAM
ABN Amro banks on Pitch PR for Volvo Ocean Race
MUMBAI: International banking group ABN Amro has appointed Pitch PR to oversee a global PR campaign around its team sponsorship in the 2005 – 2006 Volvo Ocean Race. The round-the-world yacht race starts in November.
ABN Amro’s involvement in the 2005 – 2006 Volvo Ocean Race marks the first occasion the company has undertaken a major international sports marketing campaign. The aim of the sponsorship programme, which involves the bank entering a two boat team with the ultimate aim of winning the race, is to raise the profile of the ABN Amro brand and unify the bank’s various business units around the world.
Pitch has been appointed for one year to create and oversee an international PR strategy for the campaign. Pitch will be responsible for maximising publicity opportunities, managing all media requests during the race including crisis communications, and running a press office and press conferences at stop over ports. Pitch will work in conjunction with ABN Amro’s existing PR agencies in their three home markets, such as Golin Harris in the US, and will also be responsible for implementing a proactive consumer PR campaign in the UK and France.
The Volvo Ocean Race is one the world’s toughest sporting events. The race starts in Vigo, Spain on 12 November 2005 and finishes in Gothenburg in July 2006. The race covers 32,000 miles, with nine stopovers in the following ports: Cape Town, Melbourne, Wellington, Rio, Baltimore, New York, Portsmouth and Rotterdam.
The Volvo Ocean Race has a rich history and generates global media interest. During the last Volvo Ocean Race, there were an estimated 800 million cumulative viewers on television, and over a billion cumulative radio listeners.
ABN Amro has entered two boats in the race and its crew includes sailors from the UK, US, New Zealand, Australia, France and Holland. ABN Amro 1 will be crewed by some of the world’s top sailors, whilst ABN Amro 2 is being crewed by a team of high potential sailors. The crew of ABN Amro 2 are all under the age of 30 and have won their place on the boat via an international competition.
Pitch PR is a consumer and corporate agency which specialises in working with clients involved in sport. Pitch PR founder and MD Henry Chappell commented,
“This is a fantastic new business win for us and a massive project to be involved with. The sponsorship is of major global importance to ABN Amro and their objective is that the campaign delivers over €60 million in media value worldwide. We have undertaken a number of similar international sponsorship activation campaigns since our launch so we are confident we can play a significant role in helping ABN Amro to achieve their aims.”
Brands
HCLTech delivers Rs 24 dividend as revenue hits Rs 1.3 lakh crore
IT giant delivers solid growth for shareholders with a major payout despite navigating global market shifts.
MUMBAI: HCLTech has clearly found the right code for financial success, proving that its operational strategy is more than just a quick fix for the digital age. The technology titan’s board of directors officially signed off on their year-end deliberations on 21 April 2026, revealing a set of annual results that suggest the company’s growth trajectory remains well-buffered against economic volatility.
The primary highlight for investors is the declaration of an interim dividend of Rs 24 per equity share (on a face value of Rs 2) for the 2026–27 financial year. Shareholders will not have to wait long for the processing of these funds; the record date is set for 25 April 2026, with payments scheduled to be completed by 5 May 2026. This follows a total dividend of Rs 54 per share already distributed during the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The consolidated annual results show a company operating at a high frequency across its global markets. Total revenue surged to Rs 130,144 crore for the year ended 31 March 2026, a significant jump from the Rs 117,055 crore recorded the previous year. Net profit remained robust at Rs 16,652 crore for the full year, despite a slight dip from Rs 17,399 crore seen in 2025. Quarterly performance also reflected steady momentum, with Q4 revenue reaching Rs 33,981 crore and net profit at Rs 4,490 crore, compared to Rs 30,246 crore in revenue during the same period last year.
The company’s diverse service portfolio played a balanced role in this financial performance. IT and Business Services remained the primary engine, contributing Rs 96,094 crore to annual revenue. Engineering and R&D Services showed strong growth, climbing to Rs 22,056 crore for the year, while HCL Software maintained a consistent stream of Rs 11,994 crore.
It was not entirely smooth scrolling, as the company had to account for specific financial hurdles. HCLTech faced a one-time impact of Rs 956 crore due to the New Labour Codes. Additionally, total expenses for the year rose to Rs 108,616 crore. This was largely driven by employee benefits, which reached Rs 74,143 crore, a figure that reflects the ongoing high costs of securing top-tier tech talent in a competitive market.
On the standalone front, the company reported a profit before tax of Rs 10,024 crore for the year. However, the final quarter saw a standalone loss of Rs 900 crore, which the company attributed to a material Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement (BAPA).
Despite the rise in costs, HCLTech’s financial “cache” remains substantial. Total assets grew to Rs 116,258 crore as of 31 March 2026, compared to Rs 105,544 crore a year earlier. The company’s cash and cash equivalents stood at a healthy Rs 8,195 crore at year-end, providing ample bandwidth for future investments and expansion.
As the global tech landscape continues to shift, HCLTech appears to have the right architecture to maintain its performance, ensuring that for its investors, the future remains highly user-friendly.
