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Duff & Phelps Opens Technology and Innovation Center in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD : Duff & Phelps, the global advisor that protects, restores and maximizes value for clients, today announced the launch of a technology and innovation center at HITEC City in Hyderabad, India. The center will focus on software development, automation and innovation with a team of experienced software engineers, technologists and senior leaders. The state-of-the-art, 150-seater facility spread over 9,000 square feet joins the firm’s footprint of more than 85 offices serving clients across 28 cities worldwide.
“Duff & Phelps is moving to the forefront of innovation in the professional services sector to deliver maximum value to our clients,” said Brett Marschke, Chief Operating Officer, Duff & Phelps. “We continue to make significant investments in tech-enabled growth to transform processes, improve efficiency and maximize turnaround times.”
Duff & Phelps entered the Indian market with the acquisition of American Appraisal in 2015. In May 2018, the firm further expanded its Indian presence with the acquisition of Kroll, a leading provider of risk mitigation and corporate investigations services. Duff & Phelps is the largest independent valuation firm globally and serves some of India’s largest companies across information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services, retail, energy, healthcare, manufacturing and financial services, among others. Duff & Phelps is also a SEBI registered Category 1 merchant bank, enabling the firm to provide fairness opinions and a wider range of valuation services to listed companies in India. In addition to Hyderabad, the firm has a presence in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru.
Commenting on the expansion, Varun Gupta, Managing Director and India Country Leader for Duff & Phelps, said, “Hyderabad is an important hub for our expansion strategy for India as well as for serving our global clients. In addition to the innovation center, the Hyderabad office will also service local clients in the areas of valuation, property tax, restructuring, fraud, investigations and due diligence. India is home to the third-largest Duff & Phelps team after New York and London. The expansion demonstrates the firm’s commitment to making India a vital component in our global growth strategy.”
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ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
