Brands
Café Coffee Day enhances in-café experience with future-forward digital technology
India, 25th September, 2018: India’s largest cafe chain Cafe Coffee Day has partnered with one of the leading wireless power solutions provider in the world PowerSquare to unveil India’s biggest wireless charging network for cafes across the country. The network has installed 300+ wireless charging spots across 100+ cafes in leading metros like Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. Café Coffee Day is the youth’s favourite hangout destination. With mobile being an integral part of its young consumers’ lives, India’s largest café network is strengthening its digital technology to keep its customers connected at all times. After making free Wi-Fi available nationally at several cafes it is launching wireless charging, another category first, in partnership with PowerSquare.
Customers visiting Café Coffee Day can now place their Qi-enabled smartphones on the surface and wirelessly charge their phones. This eliminates the constant hassle of carrying charging cables. This smart wireless charging modules designed and developed by PowerSquare will be installed on café tables, bringing the convenience of wireless charging to café customers.
Consumers rely heavily on smartphones and a draining battery is a constant concern. Often, frequently visited cafes and restaurants do not have multiple slots to charge phones. PowerSquare’s wireless charging technology will help address this problem by charging any Qi-enabled smartphones effortlessly without worrying about cables and power slots.
This launch is the first step in Café Coffee Day’s strategic partnership with PowerSquare and will soon offer wireless charging to customers across all their cafés in India.
Speaking about the launch, Venu Madhav, CEO, Café Coffee Day said, “Café Coffee Day has always been pioneering in its approach with several firsts in the country. We not only pioneered the café culture and introduced many youth in India to international coffees and unique coffee brewing techniques but we also led the way with technological innovations based on consumer needs and trends. From introducing high speed Wi-Fi at many of our cafes to being the first to try out digitized tables, Café Coffee Day has always believed in investing in digital technology to enhance in-café experience for our young customers. Café Coffee Day’s collaboration with PowerSquare to offer customers the next level of convenience with wireless charging solutions is a perfect fit and in sync with our vision of being future ready to provide a better cafe experience to our customers.”
Pavan Pudipeddi, CEO, PowerSquare and one of the founding members of the Wireless Power Consortium (USA) added that, “Our vision is to enable consumers in India to charge their smartphones anywhere and anytime without having to carry a charger. By building this network of charging spots, we are looking at transforming the lives of consumers across the country who no longer have to worry about low battery. Our association with Cafe Coffee Day is a major step in realizing this vision. With their presence and scale, Cafe Coffee Day provides us with a great platform to provide these services.”
Cafe Coffee Day and PowerSquare will be expanding this service across cafes in other cities including Hyderabad, Pune, among others. Visit www.powersquare.com to check the list of Cafes with wireless charging spots and also to check compatibility of your smartphone.
Brands
IndiGo names William Walsh CEO
Former IATA chief to take charge in August after Elbers exit, Bhatia steers interim
India’s biggest airline has moved fast and gone global. InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, has tapped aviation heavyweight William Walsh as chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approvals, marking a sharp pivot as the carrier eyes its next burst of expansion.
Walsh, currently director general at the International Air Transport Association, will step down on July 31, 2026, and is expected to take charge by August 3. The appointment comes barely three weeks after Pieter Elbers exited the corner office, with Rahul Bhatia holding the fort in the interim.
The choice signals intent. Walsh brings decades of cockpit-to-boardroom experience, having led British Airways and later International Airlines Group, the parent of Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. His tenure across carriers has been defined by hard resets, restructurings and cross-border consolidation—skills IndiGo may need as competition intensifies and scale becomes decisive.
Vikram Singh Mehta, chairman and non-executive independent director of IndiGo, said Walsh’s experience in managing large-scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics makes him well-suited to lead IndiGo in an increasingly competitive global aviation environment, adding that the appointment marks a new chapter as the airline scales in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Rahul Bhatia said Walsh’s global perspective, operational expertise and customer-focused approach would be critical as IndiGo enters its next phase of expansion.
Walsh, widely regarded as one of the industry’s most influential figures, will oversee overall management and strategic direction, with a mandate spanning operational performance, network expansion, commercial strategy and customer experience. He is expected to work closely with the board and leadership team to sharpen IndiGo’s growth trajectory.
Walsh said IndiGo has a strong foundation and is well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving aviation landscape, adding that he looks forward to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and sustainable value creation across the organisation.
A new captain, a bigger runway—and a market that rewards scale. IndiGo is lining up for its next take-off.
