MAM
Frank Rosales is Discovery Commerce president
MUMBAI: For broadcasters across the globe, one burgeoning source of revenue is in the licensing and retail arena. Preparing to capitalise on this is Discovery Communications.
The broadcaster has announced that Frank Rosales will be the president of the company’s retail and licensing division. The division has been rechristened Discovery Commerce.
Discovery Communications president and CEO Judith A. McHale said, “I am delighted to drop the word ‘acting’ from Frank’s title. Under his direction over the past year, the division turned in an impressive performance and is on track to achieve further gains in 2005. This is a testament to Frank’s leadership and management skills. I look forward to his continued efforts to reinforce and expand Discovery branded products around the world.”
Discovery claims that its retail and licensing businesses demonstrated robust growth last year. Discovery Channel Stores, e-commerce and direct businesses all posted double-digit increases for the holiday season and solid increases for the year. Discovery’s Global Licensing business launched an expanded assortment of branded products and achieved profitability for the first time and both retail and licensing divisions are well positioned to achieve significant gains this year.
Rosales will provide strategic direction and vision for all of Discovery’s retail, e-commerce, t-commerce and licensing businesses. He also will spearhead the search for new ways to leverage Discovery brands in the consumer marketplace through third-party retailers, expanded global licensing endeavors and emerging digital platforms.
He said, “I am excited to be given the opportunity to build on our success and to find new ways to reinforce Discovery’s connection to consumers. I am fortunate to work with a highly knowledgeable, dedicated and motivated team and am confident that we can continue to grow our business and add value to the Discovery brand.”
Rosales joined Discovery in 1997 as CFO for Discovery Channel Stores. Most recently, he served as acting president of Discovery Consumer Products. A 25-year retail veteran, Rosales has served in a number of finance and operations roles throughout his career.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
