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Akshay Paul joins Newgen Gaming founding team as CMO
Mumbai: Homegrown gaming and esports company Newgen Gaming on Wednesday named Akshay Paul as the co-founder and chief marketing officer (CMO). Newgen Gaming operates in esports with its brand, Penta Esports.
Paul will be working closely with the other co-founders and the executive team alike to chart out strategies, forge partnerships and lead the branding and marketing initiatives, said the company in a statement.
Prior to joining Newgen Gaming, Paul worked with health and wellness company GOQii as head of marketing and before that, as marketing lead for games at Reliance Jio Infocomm.
Newgen Gaming, co-founder and CEO, Anurag Khurana said, “Our plan is to scale up the business rapidly and contribute to the fast-moving esports industry. With his immense experience, we are confident that Akshay will lead the team to successfully mark our place in the growing esports ecosystem.”
Paul has more than a decade of rich experience in product and marketing management and has been a part of known brands like Ubisoft, Reliance Games, and JetSynthesys, among others.
Talking about his new role, Paul said, “I have been a gamer and an esports enthusiast since I can remember. Having played competitively myself, I know the thrills of the sport. I am excited to join the amazing team at Newgen Gaming – Penta Esports, who have some exciting plans for the esports ecosystem in India.”
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Tech firms tweak office operations amid LPG shortage concerns
Infosys, HCLTech and Cognizant adjust cafeteria services and work policies.
MUMBAI: When geopolitics turns up the heat, even office cafeterias start feeling the burn. Several technology companies in India are adjusting workplace operations and food services as concerns over a nationwide shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) grow following escalating tensions in West Asia. Major IT firms including Cognizant, Infosys and HCLTech have begun rolling out contingency measures to reduce dependence on office cafeterias that rely heavily on commercial LPG.
The disruption stems from rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran after military action by the United States and Israel reportedly led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil and gas supplies. The closure has disrupted the movement of LPG and liquefied natural gas across international markets, triggering concerns about supply constraints and price volatility.
According to a report by The Times of India, Cognizant has advised employees to bring their own meals to office where possible to reduce reliance on office cafeterias dependent on LPG based cooking.
The company has reportedly told staff that it is preparing for potential disruptions driven by supply prioritisation, price fluctuations and pressure on vendor networks.
As part of contingency planning, Cognizant is identifying alternative food vendors that do not rely on LPG. These include kitchens using induction based or solar powered cooking systems.
The company is also exploring partnerships with cloud kitchens that operate on electric or solar power to ensure uninterrupted food supply in case conventional cooking gas availability worsens.
Additionally, Cognizant is evaluating the possibility of expanding work from home or hybrid arrangements for non critical roles, partly to reduce commuting exposure if fuel prices rise sharply due to global energy disruptions.
Meanwhile, HCLTech allowed employees at its Chennai office to work from home on March 12 and March 13 after cafeteria vendors were unable to operate because of the LPG shortage.
Several food service vendors at the campus reportedly suspended operations as they struggled to secure cooking gas supplies, prompting the company to permit staff to work remotely for the two days.
Infosys has also issued internal advisories across multiple locations, including its campuses in Bengaluru and Chennai.
The company informed employees in Bengaluru that cafeteria services would continue but with reduced menu options due to concerns around commercial LPG availability.
As part of the temporary adjustments, live food counters have been suspended, and employees have been encouraged to bring home cooked food while the situation evolves.
While LPG shortages in India remain a developing situation, the measures taken by these technology firms highlight how global geopolitical disruptions can ripple through unexpected corners of the economy, even the humble office lunch.
For companies with large campuses and thousands of employees relying on daily cafeteria services, cooking fuel shortages can quickly turn into an operational challenge. Until global supply chains stabilise, many workplaces may find themselves rethinking everything from food sourcing to flexible work policies.
