Brands
ICC & Unilever partner to push women’s cricket
MUMBAI: It’s got a lever into the International Cricket Council (ICC) – the apex body of the cricketing world. FMCG behemoth Unilever has announced a two-year partnership for two of its personal care brands, Rexona and Dove, with the cricket body for women’s cricket that will run until the end of 2027.
The alliance was unveiled during a vibrant criiio cricket festival in Dubai on International Women’s Day, featuring 100 participating girls. This strategic collaboration brings together two influential organisations committed to accelerating the growth of women’s cricket globally.
The partnership comes at a crucial time when women’s cricket is experiencing unprecedented growth. It will span several major tournaments, beginning with the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India and including Women’s T20 World Cups, U19 Women’s T20 World Cups, and the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027.
ICC chairman Jay Shah described the deal as “a pivotal moment for women’s cricket” that will “empower female cricketers, inspire future generations, and contribute significantly to the continued growth and success of women’s cricket globally.”
ICC chief commercial officer Anurag Dahiya highlighted the significance of pursuing partnerships specifically focused on the women’s game, noting that this deal “not only highlights the growing commercial appeal of women’s cricket but also underlines ICC’s position as one of the pioneers of the women’s sport movement.”
Rexona, as the world’s leading deodorant brand with a mission to inspire movement and confidence, will implement various initiatives including a flag bearers programme and digital experiences during events. The brand will also support participation through women’s criiio festivals and leverage its expertise to collaborate on women’s hygiene education programmes.
Hindustan Unilever CEO& MD Rohit Jawa called the partnership “an exciting opportunity for Rexona to tap into a cultural moment, connect with new audiences, and importantly help drive women’s cricket further.”
The deal was facilitated by Unilever International, the company’s global business unit focused on exploring new market opportunities.
Brands
Tata Communications named Gartner WAN Leader for 13th consecutive year
AI-driven network upgrades and global expansion keep telecom major ahead
MUMBAI: Tata Communications has once again secured its place among the top global network providers, earning a Leader position in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global WAN Services 2026 for the thirteenth year running.
The recognition from Gartner highlights the company’s consistent performance in both strategic vision and execution, a rare feat in a fast-evolving connectivity landscape.
Over the past year, Tata Communications has doubled down on building what it calls a more intelligent and flexible network fabric. In simpler terms, this means networks that can adapt on demand, powered by artificial intelligence and analytics, to support businesses operating across geographies and industries.
The company has expanded its network-on-demand offerings, allowing enterprises to scale connectivity more easily across data centres and multiple cloud environments. It has also invested in next-generation fibre infrastructure and high-capacity 800G wavelength services to keep pace with the growing demands of AI-led cloud ecosystems.
Global reach remains a key focus. Tata Communications has extended its footprint through partner points of presence, enabling quicker deployment in new markets while strengthening last-mile connectivity through local collaborations.
Security, too, is getting a significant upgrade. The company has enhanced its Secure Access Service Edge capabilities to tackle emerging AI-driven cyber risks, including unauthorised data transfers. Looking ahead, it is also preparing to roll out quantum-safe encryption services based on post-quantum cryptography standards, aiming to future-proof enterprise data against both classical and next-generation threats.
Speaking on the milestone, Tata Communications executive vice president, core and next-gen connectivity services and chief technology officer Genius Wong said, “We are honoured to be recognised for the 13th consecutive year and deeply appreciate the continued trust our customers place in us. At Tata Communications, we will continue to transform our solutions so enterprises can build resilient, high-performance and intelligent digital foundations. With our future-ready, resilient and intelligent network fabric, enterprises can scale with confidence and thrive in an AI-powered future world.”
While industry rankings often come and go, a 13-year streak suggests more than just consistency. For Tata Communications, it signals a steady grip on a rapidly shifting global connectivity market and a clear ambition to stay ahead of the curve.
