Brands
IPL: Gionee associates with KKR & RCB
MUMBAI: Gionee India has announced its association with the Bengaluru franchise of the Indian Premier League Team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, as their presenting sponsors for the tenth edition of the annual cricketing extravaganza.
Gionee is already the principal sponsor of the Kolkata franchise – Kolkata Knight Riders, thus becoming the first brand to sponsor front jerseys of two IPL teams in the same edition.
Gionee which is highlighting its focus on Selfie + Battery, will have its logo feature on the front jersey of ‘Royal Challengers Bangalore’ as well as of ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’.
‘Royal Challengers Bangalore’ features some of the best-known names in the world of cricket today with Virat Kohli, AB De Villiers, Chris Gayle, Shane Watson among others forming part of an all star line up. The smart phone manufacturer had signed Captain Virat Kohli as its brand ambassador in November last year.
Gionee India CEO and managing director Arvind R Vohra said, “IPL is one of the biggest carnivals on the Indian calendar. It is as big and important as Diwali with millions of fans cheering for their teams throughout the tournament. This partnership puts us at the forefront in the IPL with the Gionee brand being visible in 26 of the 56 games till the knockouts. We are immensely proud to associate with Royal Challengers Bangalore- a team that has an eclectic talent mix and has entertained its fans over the years.”
Royal Challengers Bangalore chairman Amrit Thomas said, “We, at Royal Challengers Bangalore, are pleased to be associating with Gionee, a brand which has strong resonance among the youth in India. We are looking forward to a building exciting fan engagement initiatives that appeal to our bold fans across the country.”
The company had spent close to Rs 500 crore in marketing last year, and in 2017-18, they plan to increase the same by almost 50 per cent.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
