MAM
D2H signs Rishabh Pant as brand ambassador
Mumbai: D2H has announced the signing of Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant as the new brand ambassador. Pant will feature in 360-degree brand communication for the next two years.
“We are delighted to have Rishabh Pant as brand ambassador for our D2H brand,” said Dish TV India executive director and group CEO Anil Dua. “Our brands are our biggest strength. This investment in the D2H brand is going to make it even stronger. The close affinity between D2H brand and Rishabh Pant as brand ambassador will enable deeper engagement of D2H with its TG.”
“D2H is a large DTH brand with a long record of disruptive innovation in the industry,” said Rishabh Pant. “It is wonderful to be associated with D2H and looking forward to working closely with the team to take it to greater heights. “
“Rishabh has quickly developed into a distinctive entertainer on the cricket field, with his boundless energy behind the stumps and innovation in shot-making,” said Dish TV India corporate head – marketing for D2H Sugato Banerji. “He brings a spark each time he enters the field and appeals to the huge 18-35 age group across the country, our core audience. We see him as a strong fit with D2H Brand values. We are confident that this association with Rishabh will take the brand D2H to a stronger, more defined position within a short time through continuous investment in creating awareness and affinity.”
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.
