MAM
John Abraham will now zoom in Yamaha ads
MUMBAI: Until now, John Abraham’s passion was the Kawasaki Ninja, which he is very possessive about. Now the hot lad will ride the Yamaha as the company has roped the passionate biker as its brand ambassador.
Through the association, John will play a key role in advertising, product and brand communication for Yamaha for a period of two years.
The announcement comes at a time when Yamaha is evolving its market strategy for the Indian two-wheeler market from just utility to bringing back pleasure in biking. To complement its strategy, the company will also announce its plans to launch a slew of new models in next few months. Over the last two months, the company has already introduced two new models CRUX S and Libero LX, City Cruiser.
Speaking on the development Yamaha Motor India CEO and managing director Yanagi said, “Yamaha India is at a threshold of making new products in line with its global image. In John we have found a celebrity who truly fits into Yamaha’s brand image. The association with John is in synergy with our marketing strategy of giving our bikes a sporty, innovative and stylish new look to recapture the imagination of our customers. All the products will be backed by international Yamaha quality and latest technology.”
Yamaha’s move of signing on John as brand ambassador will be a catalyst in the changing playfield as it takes biking to next level from the current functional attributes of economy, mileage and affordability to stylish, sporty and pleasure experience.
Commenting on his association with Yamaha, John said, “I am thrilled to be associated with Yamaha. It makes me sound like a racer. Yamaha is a great brand worldwide and I have always admired Yamaha’s bikes’ for their styling and sporty attributes.”
Adding further he said, “My first bike was a Yamaha; I really longed for Yamaha, saved up for it and even borrowed money to buy it. So my emotional connect with Yamaha is very strong. When I am low biking gives me high, when I am angry biking calms me. In my weak moments biking makes me strong. At heart I am a biker.”
Yamaha will introduce its new ad campaign that will see John indulge in his passion for Yamaha’s bikes. The television campaign will hit national channels soon.
Brands
Flipkart completes reverse flip to India ahead of IPO
Walmart-owned e-commerce giant shifts domicile from Singapore to Bengaluru
MUMBAI: Flipkart has completed its restructuring to move its parent company from Singapore back to India, marking a key milestone as the Walmart-owned marketplace prepares for a potential initial public offering on Indian stock exchanges, ET reported, citing people aware of the matter.
The move, often referred to as a “reverse flip”, relocates the company’s legal home to India and aligns its corporate structure more closely with its largest market. It also clears an important regulatory step for Flipkart as it explores listing plans.
As part of the restructuring, several Singapore-based entities have been merged into Flipkart Internet Private Limited, which will now serve as the main holding company for the entire group.
The consolidation brings a number of major businesses directly under the Indian parent company. These include fashion platform Myntra, logistics arm Ekart, travel booking platform Cleartrip, healthcare marketplace Flipkart Health, and fintech venture Super.money.
Under the new structure, global investors including Walmart, Microsoft, SoftBank, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will hold their stakes directly in the Indian entity rather than through an overseas holding company.
The redomiciliation required approval from the Indian government because Chinese technology company Tencent owns around a 5 to 6 per cent stake in Flipkart. Under Press Note 3, investments from countries sharing a land border with India require prior government clearance.
Flipkart had already secured approval from the National Company Law Tribunal in December. With the latest clearance from the central government, the company has now obtained all the regulatory approvals needed to complete the relocation, ET reported earlier.
Flipkart had originally shifted its holding structure to Singapore in 2011 to tap global capital more easily. However, as India’s capital markets have matured, several start-ups have begun returning their domiciles to the country ahead of public listings. Companies such as Razorpay, Groww, and Meesho have taken similar steps.
The company is now expected to move ahead with its IPO preparations and has begun early discussions with merchant bankers. According to people familiar with the matter, Flipkart could file its draft prospectus later this year, setting the stage for what may become one of the most closely watched listings in India’s e-commerce sector.
Flipkart has been majority-owned by Walmart since 2018, when the US retail giant acquired a 77 per cent stake in the company for $16 billion in one of the largest e-commerce deals globally.
