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Dior launches watches, appoints Yana Gupta brand ambassador
MUMBAI: Christian Dior, the name that spells seduction, creativity and femininity in luxury goods, officially launched Christian Dior watches in the financial hub of the country on 22 April. To top that, the luxury goods maker also announced that Yana Gupta, the former face of Lakme would be the Brand Ambassador or Miss Dior for India..
LVMH Watch & Jewellery, regional MD, Ravi Thakran, unveiled the Indian range, which is in line with the global collection. The launch follows LVMH Watch & Jewellery’s promise of bringing the latest products to the Indian market at the same time and at an equal price as the global markets.
Explaining the strategy Thakran said, “consumers in India can now enjoy the latest international watch designs. Christian Dior watches are true fashion accessories – combining creativity and quality in the form of aspects from the French couture house and all the expertise of fine Swiss watch making. We have a fair price policy for India to match international prices and in some cases we have even bettered international prices.”
The target is female clientele looking for young, fashionable and original timekeeping products. Gupta said, “ I have admired Christian Dior for its elegance and sophistication since my early modeling days. To be chosen to represent the brand is like a dream come true.”
Dior watches are distributed in over 150 countries at 1,500 carefully selected sales outlets and 115 Christian Dior boutiques. Christian Dior watches are a part of LVMH Watches & Jewellery which claims to be the world’s leading luxury group.
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Reed Hastings to exit Netflix board as company posts steady growth
Shares dip 8 per cent as cofounder exits; revenue up 16 per cent to $12.25 billion.
MUMBAI- When the man who taught the world to binge decides to log off, the credits don’t just roll, they reset the script. Reed Hastings is set to step away from Netflix, marking the end of a defining chapter for a company that reshaped global entertainment even as its latest numbers suggest a business finding firmer footing.
Hastings, who co-founded Netflix nearly three decades ago and transformed it from a DVD-by-mail service into a streaming powerhouse, will not stand for re-election at the company’s annual meeting in June. While the company offered little detail on his next move beyond philanthropy and personal pursuits, the symbolic weight of his departure was immediate. Shares fell around 8 per cent following the announcement, underlining how closely Hastings remains tied to investor confidence and the company’s long-term vision.
The exit comes at a moment of recalibration. Netflix has been working to stabilise growth after a period of strategic turbulence, including the loss of a high-profile $72 billion deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery to Paramount Skydance, a setback that raised fresh questions about its ambitions in large-scale content consolidation. Yet, if the deal slipped, the fundamentals appear to be holding.
For the first quarter, Netflix reported revenue growth of 16 per cent to $12.25 billion, slightly ahead of expectations, while earnings per share nearly doubled to $1.23 from 66 cents a year ago. The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, projecting double-digit revenue growth, expanding margins and strong free cash flow signals aimed squarely at calming post-announcement jitters.
In its shareholder communication, Netflix struck a careful balance between legacy and continuity. Its mission, it reiterated, remains unchanged: to serve a global audience with diverse storytelling across languages and cultures. The message was clear—while a founder may exit, the playbook stays in motion.
At the same time, the company is quietly redrawing that playbook. Netflix is leaning into newer formats such as video podcasts and live programming, including events like the World Baseball Classic in Japan, reflecting a broader industry shift where streaming, television and live experiences increasingly overlap. Advertising, once an afterthought in its subscription-first model, is now moving centre stage, with the company projecting ad revenues of $3 billion in 2026 roughly double current levels.
Still, some questions linger in the wings. Chief among them is how Netflix plans to deploy the $2.8 billion termination fee from the collapsed Warner Bros deal. With competition for premium content intensifying, capital allocation decisions in the coming quarters could prove as consequential as the leadership transition itself.
For now, Netflix finds itself in a familiar paradox: a company built on disruption navigating continuity. Hastings may be stepping off the stage, but the show by design goes on.
