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Click Asia Summit 2016 to drive conversation on digital transformation
MUMBAI: Click Asia Summit 2016, scheduled to be held on 21 – 22 April 2016 at The Taj Land’s End, Mumbai, will drive conversations around ‘digital transformation’ to address the issues and challenges in depth.
The two-day summit is focused on sharing some of the best global practices on digital transformation. An experiential event on digital marketing for both enterprises and brands, it will feature open forums for discussions and workshops, led by distinct digital marketing thought leaders to help brands benefit from the curated content.
“Click Asia was born out of a passion for digital media and events, and we shall bring these two together in the upcoming events. The idea is to benefit from the value that the experts bring to the table so that practitioners and brands continue with the transformation process to be able to implement effectively,” said Click Media director Kavita Jhunjhunwala.
The panel of experts will be addressing the good, the bad and the ugly in digital marketing and transformation in a head-on fashion with digital disruptors and influencers. The online platform includes both website and a mobile app, allowing attendees to continue to engage with the experts through m-learning.
Robert Scoble, an American blogger, technical evangelist and author will be one of the keynote speakers, besides leading a couple of panel discussions. Apart from being the chief futurist at Rackspace, he is also the co-author of ‘Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers.’
Scoble said, “This is my first visit to India and am really excited to be a part of the sessions. The India marketplace is fast changing, thereby throwing open a huge opportunity.”
With more than 50+ speakers on digital transformation, Click Asia is an event for brands looking at developing their digital roadmap for the next five years.
Some other renowned international speakers include Twitter brand strategy and advocacy lead Steven Kalifowitz, HubSpot’s Ryan Bonnici, Huge Inc senior interaction designer Brandon Schmittling, Taboola vice president APAC Ran Buck, OgilvyRed, Ogilvy & Mather president
Lucy McCabe, Rolls Royce ex-global brand & digital management Markus Keiper, Outbrain regional director SEA, India & New Markets Anthony Hearne, and Meltwater director of marketing, EMEA Heidi Myers.
Speakers from Microsoft, Thomas Cook, JWT, Forbes, Titan, Myntra, Seedfund and Omnicom have also confirmed their participation.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
