iWorld
Manu Kaushish featured on the 2023 Billboard International Power Players List
Mumbai: Create Music Group India president Manu Kaushish, has been featured once again on the prestigious Billboard International Power Players List. This is the second year in a row in which Manu has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to the music industry in India and on the global stage.
Manu’s recognition in Billboard’s ninth annual list, alongside other influential industry leaders from across the globe, cements his position as a seasoned veteran of the music industry. With over two decades of experience in digital content monetisation and distribution, Manu has been instrumental in bringing music from India into the digital world. He made history by entering into the first major digital monetisation deal for Indian content on RealNetworks, paving the way for Indian music to be heard by audiences across the globe.
Subsequently, he built companies that brought music from India to platforms including Apple and Spotify and entered into one of the first major video monetisation deals for Indian content on YouTube. He has built and sold three media companies and has been an investor and advisor in the technology, media, and private equity space.
Speaking on the accolade received, Create Music Group India president Manu Kaushish said, “It’s truly an honour to be featured on Billboard’s International Power Players List two years in a row. As the music industry evolves and Indian music becomes more mainstream globally, we look forward to releasing more iconic cross-border music collaborations between our US and South Asian artists in 2023.”.
Create Music Group co-founder and COO Alexandre Williams said, “With an unwavering dedication to understanding the intricacies of the market and harnessing the power of analytics, Manu has proven that success in music can be driven by science and creativity”.
Create Music Group is a data-driven media and technology company that was founded in 2015. In 2020, the company was named #2 on the INC 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in the US. Create works with some of the world’s most prominent artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Snoop Dogg and Tory Lanez. The company also owns several media properties, including Flighthouse, the #1 channel on TikTok, The Nations network of influencer channels and numerous top Instagram channels, comprising an audience of over 400 million global followers. With such a strong foundation, Create is well-positioned to continue revolutionizing the music industry and breaking new ground in the years to come.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
