e-commerce
Paytm is Forbes India’s ‘Outstanding Startup for the Year’
MUMBAI: Paytm, the Noida-based e-commerce platform which would be the biggest gainers of the government decision to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, has pocketed the ‘Outstanding Startup for the Year’ award at the Forbes India Leadership Awards (FILA) here yesterday. India Inc’s brightest, biggest and bravest entrepreneurs were honoured at FILA.
Lupin’s Vinita & Nilesh Gupta won Forbes India ‘Entrepreneur for the Year 2016’ award and YK Hamied was conferred the Lifetime Achievement award.
The awards across nine categories acknowledged the outstanding contributions of CEOs, entrepreneurs and business leaders who have built enterprises that have had a deep and enduring impact on the economy and the wider society.
“As chroniclers of entrepreneurial capitalism, Forbes India has been celebrating leadership for years. FILA is a one important way we do this where we honour a set of such inspirational business leaders. Now in its sixth year, the awards celebrate those who, by their actions, have made a difference to their organisations, their employees and also to the business segments in which they operate,” said Forbes India editor Sourav Majumdar.
The achievements of this year’s winners assume significance since many of the business leaders felicitated have braved difficult local and global economic conditions to steer their organisations towards operational excellence.
Winners of the FILA 2016:
Outstanding Startup for the Year
Vijay Shekhar Sharma – Paytm
Nextgen Entrepreneur for the Year
Pranav Amin & Shaunak Amin – Alembic Pharmaceuticals
Entrepreneur with Social Impact
P Namperumalsamy – Aravind Eye Care System
Conscious Capitalist Company for the year
Mahindra Finance
Best CEO – Multinational Company
Kenichi Ayukawa – Maruti Suzuki India
Best CEO – Public Sector
Sutirtha Bhattacharya – Coal India
Best CEO – Private Sector
KBS Anand – Asian Paints
Lifetime Achievement Award
Yusuf K Hamied – Cipla
Entrepreneur for the Year
Vinita Gupta & Nilesh Gupta – Lupin
The selection process started with an extensive research along qualitative and quantitative parameters. The long list of nominees for each category was narrowed down to a strong set of three to five nominees per category. A jury headed by Harsh Mariwala, chairman of Marico Ltd, examined the nominations and selected the winners.
Other members of the jury were — AZB & Partners founder and senior partner Zia Mody, TeamLease Services co-founder and chairman Manish Sabharwal, McKinsey India managing director Noshir Kaka, KKR India managing director Sanjay Nayar, and Omidyar Network partner and Omidyar Network India Advisors managing director Roopa Kudva.
KPMG, Forbes India’s knowledge partners for the event, helped with the
nomination process.
Transformational leadership, which the 2016 edition of the Forbes India Leadership Awards seeks to honour, includes individuals and organisations who have achieved success through their vision, foresight, and business ethics.
e-commerce
Flipkart rolls out 105 per cent bonus for 20,000 employees
Strong FY25 performance drives payouts even as layoffs and shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: In a year where belts were tightened and rewards loosened, Flipkart seems to be playing both offence and defence trimming roles on one hand while handing out a generous 105 per cent bonus on the other. The Walmart owned e commerce major has rolled out a 105 per cent bonus payout for 2025, covering nearly 20,000 employees, signalling a year of steady operational momentum even as the company navigates restructuring pressures. The payout, communicated internally by chief human resources officer Seema Nair, is tied to performance across key metrics including growth, operational efficiency, financial outcomes and people indicators, a combination that suggests the company is inching closer to its long stated goal of sustainable profitability.
Employees at SD level and below are set to receive their bonuses in March, while payouts for senior leadership, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents, will follow after the close of the performance cycle. The elevated 105 per cent multiplier stands out in a sector where cautious payouts have increasingly become the norm, pointing to what appears to be a relatively strong internal scorecard for FY25.
Yet, the announcement arrives with a noticeable contrast. Earlier this year, Flipkart reduced its workforce by around 300 roles as part of its annual performance review process. While officially framed as performance driven, the juxtaposition of layoffs alongside above target bonuses reflects a more nuanced balancing act, one that prioritises cost discipline while continuing to reward and retain high performing talent.
This dual approach is becoming increasingly common across the technology and e commerce landscape, where companies are navigating an uneven hiring environment while under pressure to deliver profitability. Rewarding top contributors, even amid selective workforce reductions, allows firms to maintain morale and retain critical talent without losing sight of financial prudence.
At the same time, Flipkart is also undergoing leadership shifts that hint at a broader strategic recalibration. Nishant Verman has been appointed senior vice president for corporate development and partnerships, while group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is set to step down. Ravi Iyer will take on expanded responsibilities within the finance function, marking a reshuffle at the top as the company gears up for its next phase.
These changes come amid reports that Flipkart is planning to shift its holding structure back to India, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential public listing. While timelines remain fluid, the combination of stronger financial discipline, leadership restructuring and employee incentivisation suggests a company preparing itself for greater scrutiny and scale.
For employees, the 105 per cent payout offers a welcome boost in what has otherwise been a period of adjustment. For Flipkart, it is a signal that even as it cuts where necessary, it is willing to spend where it counts. In the high stakes game of growth versus profitability, the company appears to be hedging its bets carefully, rewarding performance while reshaping itself for what could be its most defining chapter yet.
