Brands
Tata Starbucks virtually replicates most cherished in-store experience
MUMBAI: With WFH and video calls becoming the new normal, TATA Starbucks, has launched seven backdrops to brighten up your virtual meetings.
Replicating the in-store ambience through the picturesque backdrops of the store interiors, Starbucks fans can now download the free backdrops and reminisce their favourite moments spent at the store within the comfort of their homes.
Starbucks is known for its unique third place experience where consumers come for the coffee, stay for the warmth and return for human connection. The multifunctional backdrops inspire varied facets of the day and can be used for conference calls with colleagues, hanging out with friends, game nights with family, coffee dates with your loved ones etc.
Tata Starbucks, head of marketing, digital loyalty and PR- Deepa Krishnan said, “Reinforcing our efforts towards making the Starbucks experience ubiquitous, personalised and engaging, the virtual backdrops will aid in replicating the offline experience online. Our aim is to stay connected with our customers through creative avenues and bring hope, joy and love in their lives to navigate through these unprecedented times.
Brands
Practo names Cijo George as vice president of artificial intelligence
New vice president of artificial intelligence to mine healthcare data and sharpen care delivery
BENGALURU: India’s healthtech race just picked up speed. Practo has appointed Cijo George as vice president of artificial intelligence, tasking him with wiring AI deep into the company’s sprawling healthcare platform.
George will steer AI strategy and execution, embedding machine intelligence across care navigation, doctor-facing tools and overall platform intelligence. He will work across product, engineering and clinical teams to rewire how patients search for and access care — and how doctors deliver treatment with greater consistency and precision.
He reports directly to Shashank ND, co-founder and chief executive officer.
Shashank ND said years of building healthcare data across patients, providers and treatment outcomes had laid the foundation for more advanced AI applications. Artificial intelligence, he added, can unlock the value of that data to improve patient outcomes and equip doctors with actionable insights. He described George’s experience in building production-grade AI systems as closely aligned with Practo’s long-term vision.
George brings nearly two decades of experience spanning machine learning, AI platforms and product engineering. Most recently at Observe.AI, he led work on large-scale AI systems deployed by global enterprises. Before that, at Belong.co, he drove platform and AI initiatives focused on search and personalisation in the HR technology space. He also worked with the Advanced Technology Group at NetApp, contributing to machine-learning and data-science projects for distributed systems.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Science with a master’s degree in high performance computing, George said the chance to apply AI to directly improve patient experience and clinical delivery drew him to the role. Practo’s scale and its extensive longitudinal healthcare data, he added, offer significant room for innovation.
The move comes as digital health platforms double down on artificial intelligence to boost patient engagement, streamline provider workflows and sharpen decision-making. For Practo, the prescription is clear: turn data into diagnosis, and algorithms into advantage.
