MAM
Sony India targets Rs 15b by 2006; inaugurates 33rd showroom
MUMBAI: Sony India seems to be going all out to attain its target turnover of Rs 15 billion by 2005-06 notwithstanding a change of guard which is on the anvil.
The company has drawn out an aggressive strategy to increase the number of exclusive showrooms (Sony World); support these by aggressive promotional campaigns and provide a “memorable purchase” and consumer experience, according to a press release.
The 33rd exclusive Sony World showroom was inaugurated in Mumbai today by Sony India MD Teruo Ishii. The local partner in Sony World, Juhu is the Mumbai based Rashi Peripherals, which claims to be one of the Top five IT distributors in India, with a countrywide network.
However, from 1 April 2003, Ishii will hand over the reigns to Keiichi Sakamoto after having completed his three year term as MD of Sony India. Ishii will be moving to International Marketing Department, head quarters at Tokyo, from New Delhi.
The incoming MD Sakamoto has been with Sony for over 16 years, having worked in Sony’s operations in Canada, New Zealand, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. He has clearly specified that his vision for Sony India operations is to move towards higher growth based on the already established infrastructure. He has set a target to achieve 10 per cent market share in CTVs in the next three years and to retain leadership in all segments Sony operates in.
Elaborating on his vision for Sony’s India operations, Mr. Sakamoto was quoted as saying in a press release: “The Indian market is very exciting. I believe it is possible to attain the 10 per cent growth as I have achieved this in my previous experiences in Canada and New Zealand.”
The release also states that Sony India has strengthened terms of distribution & service networks, manufacturing facility, manpower and logistics. During Isheii’s tenure, the strategic decision to move out of conventional curved TVs and focus only on Flat CTVs was taken. Several IT initiatives to link Sony India network to real time operations were conducted in addition to the standardisation of the branded exhibition format which was converted into a countrywide travelling event.
The release also added that Sony India conducted 20 Sony Visions across the country which recorded business to the tune of Rs 150 million. Sony’s exclusive stores – Sony Worlds – were taken into many semi-urban centres.
Sony officials said that the Sony World concept has proved very successful for Sony India on many counts. Sony World contributes over 11 per cent to the company’s sales turnover, as per the officials. It also serves as a one stop hi-tech showcase for Sony’s entire range of products including niche products.
“Now we have drawn out an aggressive strategy to double the number of Sony World stores and the percentage contribution to sales in just three years. We will be supporting this with national and regional level promotional campaigns. The medium of promotion will be press advertisements, TV commercials, commercials in cinema halls and the Internet,” added Ishii while addressing the media during today’s inauguration.
“Mumbai has been a very good market for us. Sony leads in audio hifi segment with 40 per cent market share and in CTVs, our market share is over 6 per cent. With the excellent location and our tremendous brand equity, we are confident, the Sony World at Juhu, will be a great success,” commented Ishii on the occasion of the launch.
The release also added that Sony India’s network in Mumbai comprises of two Sony Worlds, 52 dealer outlets, one company owned service centre and five authorised service centres.
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
