Brands
Generali Group and Central Bank of India unveil new brand identity for joint venture
MUMBAI: Generali Group and the Central Bank of India announced a revamped brand identity for their life and general insurance joint venture, now unified under the name Generali Central. This strategic rebranding introduces new names for the individual businesses: Generali Central Life Insurance Company Ltd for the life insurance arm and Generali Central Insurance Company Ltd for the general insurance business. The updated brand, along with a new logo, aims to further solidify Generali’s ‘Lifetime Partner’ proposition in India.
The shareholding structure of the joint venture remains unchanged, with Generali Group holding a 74 per cent stake and the Central Bank of India retaining up to 26 per cent.
The new Generali Central brand identity signifies the powerful convergence of Generali Group’s global expertise and the Central Bank of India’s long-standing trusted heritage. This collaboration is dedicated to protecting what customers value most: their families, health, assets, and future.
Generali Asia regional officer, Rob Leonardi emphasised India’s strategic importance: “India has long been a strategic market for Generali and our joint venture with the Central Bank of India reflects the potential we see today and for the future. The synergies between our two organisations are clear and I have every confidence that we’ll be able to deliver on our joint vision to provide accessible solutions that reflect the real needs of Indian families and businesses across the country. This collaboration supports us in fulfilling our Lifetime Partner ambition in the country, as we lay the groundwork for future innovation and growth.”
Generali Central Life Insurance Company Ltd MD and CEO, Alok Rungta highlighted the transformative potential, “With our new brand identity, Generali Central Life Insurance marks a defining moment in our journey to becoming a future-ready, customer-first life insurer. Our strategic partnership with Central Bank of India unlocks transformative potential to reshape the landscape of protection and insurance in India. By combining Generali Group’s global heritage and insurance expertise across 50+ countries with the Central Bank of India’s deep-rooted trust and expansive network of over 4,500 branches, we are poised to democratise access to life insurance like never before. Our joint focus is clear: to deepen protection in underserved and rural segments through innovative, accessible, and inclusive products. This new identity reflects our shared commitment to transparency, sustainability, and disciplined execution—anchored in strong governance and a purpose-driven approach.”
Generali Central Insurance Company Ltd MD and CEO, Anup Rau underscored the synergistic alliance: “Our new brand identity reflects the powerful synergy between two iconic institutions—Generali Group, with nearly 200 years of global insurance expertise, and the Central Bank of India, with over a century of deep-rooted presence in India’s financial and geographical landscape. This is more than a collaboration; it’s a strategic alliance aimed at redefining general insurance in India. By harnessing the Bank’s extensive branch network and community trust, we are uniquely positioned to bridge the protection gap, enhance insurance awareness, and deliver comprehensive, customer-centric solutions. This transformation is not just visual—it’s a reaffirmation of our purpose: to be a Lifetime Partner, empowering individuals with confidence and security at every stage of life.”
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
