MAM
IWEI recognises DDB Mudra Group as top employers for LGBT+ community
New Delhi: India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI), a comprehensive benchmarking tool for LGBT+ inclusion at the workplace, has recognised DDB Mudra Group in its list of top employers 2020. The group was awarded a ‘silver’ and has become the first in the Indian advertising industry to feature in the list, joining the ranks of 65 other companies across sectors including Wipro, Uber, GSK, Nielsen etc.
This recognition acknowledges DDB Mudra Group’s commitment to promote awareness, acceptance and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies. Initiatives such as inclusion of same-sex and live-in partners in the employee medical insurance policy, DDB Transit – the first-of-its-kind internship program for the transgender community and open pride – an employee resource group committed to I&D efforts are instances of the group’s concerted effort to make the workplace more diverse, progressive and united.
DDB Mudra Group EVP & head – HR Rita Verma said, “At DDB, we keep D&I at the core of what we do. People perform better when they have the freedom to be themselves. Hiding a key part of their identity at work because they feel unsure or unsafe, can take a toll on employee motivation and performance. We strongly believe that creativity thrives when there is diversity, and we will continue our efforts for a diverse and thriving work environment.”
The index measures nine areas: policies and benefits, employee lifecycle, employee network group, allies and role models, senior leadership, monitoring, procurement, community engagement and additional work.
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
