The Morning Brief

Multiple reports show that the female workforce participation has been dropping in the country. Some companies say the return-to-office mandate has also led to higher attrition among women. In this episode, host Mugdha Variyar analyses the complexities behind the falling share of women in the workforce and what needs to change. We speak to: - Rituparna Chakraborty, Co-Founder - TeamLease Services Limited - Shirin Sehgal, Deputy Chief People Officer - PwC India - And some women professionals on their experience.If you like this episode from Mugdha Variyar, check out her other interesting episodes on Rahul Yadav: Trouble Magnet or Troublemaker?, Will ONDC eat Swiggy, Zomato’s lunch?, Has milk politics turned sour in Karnataka? And more! You can follow Mugdha Variyar on her social media: Twitter and LinkedinCatch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Too Big Too Fast - From funding FOMO to aggressive acquisitions to now vanishing valuations and a debt trap. The story of Byju's, which is far from over, has lessons for founders and funders. Where they just plain lucky to be at the right place at the right time? Is it a case of flawed processes and not fraudulent practices? Will debt be the death knell for educators' P&L?  Host Anupriya discusses  the issue with  Salman SH,from  ET Prime, as he details what is going on with Byju's behind the scenes and why directors and auditors are fleeing.  Sriram Somayajula, Co-Founder & CEO of IndigoLearn, explains Why Startups (especially BYJUs) Do Not Deserve Debt.Get More on Byju’s on ET Prime: Byju Raveendran treads a takeover tightrope against investors.  Byju's eventful week: Boardroom drama, layoffs, inquiry, revolt.You can check out more episodes of The Morning Brief on: The Uncertain Fate Of Asia’s Largest Refinery, Has milk politics turned sour in Karnataka?, El Niño: Little Boy, Big Trouble, E-20 Explained: The blender’s pride or bane? And more.  You can follow our host Anupriya Nair on his social media Twitter & Linkedin Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The notorious 'bribe-for-jobs scam' has been an open secret, in the case of job recruitment in the competitive Indian job market. The recent scandal at a prestigious IT company, known for its ethical standards, and its global scale of recruitment, has sparked fresh concerns. Host Kiran Somvanshi explores why this malpractice continues despite increased scrutiny and accountability in Indian companies, the underlying factors facilitating it, the modus operandi, and the often-overlooked role of HR.  Kiran is in discussion with: Dr Ganesh Shermon K Sudarshan, MD, EMA Partners International (India)  And a bunch of HR professionals from companies as well as consultancy firms as they shed light on this sort of corruption in India Inc and discuss the potential solutions. If you like this episode from Kiran Somvanshi, check out his other interesting episodes on The A to Z of the Zee-Sony Merger Saga, The Billion Dollar Baby: The Business of IVF, Pakistan in Penury, Watch Before You Eat and much more! You can follow our host Kiran Somvanshi on her social media: Twitter & Linkedin Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This July, India will complete a year of single use plastic ban. But it turns out that the pervasiveness of single use plastic is difficult to beat. Despite a year after the government imposed the ban, prohibiting its manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, and sale, of plastic carry bags thinner than 120 microns, the material is still found to be in use. What is behind India’s persistent plastic problem? Lax enforcement of regulations? Absence of alternatives? Lack of incentives for waste processing? Host Kalpana Pathak and Team TMB talk to Akshay Gunteti, Head of Partnerships at Green Worms and Nandini Kumar, Senior Senior Consultant at CII and a host of plastic users and vendors. You can check out more episodes of The Morning Brief on: The Uncertain Fate Of Asia’s Largest Refinery, Has milk politics turned sour in Karnataka?, El Niño: Little Boy, Big Trouble, E-20 Explained: The blender’s pride or bane? And more.  You can follow our host Kalpana Pathak  on his social media Twitter & Linkedin Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American chip maker Micron’s announcement to set up an India plant gives the country a breakthrough it’s been seeking for four decades. Semiconductors power the modern world-automobiles to AI. Over the years, the tiny chips have become a strong geopolitical tool and a frontier for the deadly battle of superpowers US and China. Its thawing relations with the US and penchant for standing up to China can get India global support in its chip ambitions. But are its own capabilities enough?  Host Anirban Chowdhury traces the semiconductor story across the years with  Chris Miller, Author of the corporate bestseller Chip War  Pranab Dhal Samanta, Associate Executive Editor, ET  Shelley Singh, Senior Editor, ET Prime. Credits: CNBC-TV18, NBC News If you like this episode from Anirban Chowdhury, check out his other interesting episodes on Big cats, billions, bonds: India’s massive tiger economy, Will ONDC eat Swiggy, Zomato’s lunch?, Go First: The Insolvency Flight Path, Reliance Capital: ADAG’s Dust, Hinduja’s Dreams?, and much more! You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Zee-Sony merger in India has taken a dramatic turn. Neither the resignations of independent directors nor the demands raised by institutional investor Invesco prevented the merger agreement from being inked in 2021. However, an interim order from SEBI based on the past complaints raised by the independent directors has the potential to derail or delay the merger. While Zee has appealed against the order, its MD Puneet Goenka has shown a willingness to step down for the merger's success. The drama surrounding the Zee-Sony merger is intense, with high stakes involved. Host Kiran Somvanshi delves into the fate of the merger and the potential consequences of a failed deal and sheds light on the financial, legal, and governance aspects. We speak to - Hetal Dalal, President & Chief Operating Officer - Institutional Investor Advisory Services India Limited; Ashish Kumar Singh, Managing Partner, Capstone Legal; Karan Taurani, Senior Vice President - Research Analyst (Media, Consumer Discretionary & Internet) - Elara Capital and ET's Senior Assistant Editor - Maulik Vyas and Assistant Editor - Javed Farooqui. Credits: Zee TV You can check out more episodes of The Morning Brief on: The Uncertain Fate Of Asia’s Largest Refinery, Has milk politics turned sour in Karnataka?, El Niño: Little Boy, Big Trouble, E-20 Explained: The blender’s pride or bane? And more.  You can follow our host Kiran Somvanshi on her social media: Twitter & Linkedin Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The apparel and footwear market of India is expected to grow rapidly. And this growth is expected to come from the rise of affordable fast fashion consumption. Clothes are cheaper than ever, and hence discarded more frequently than ever before. However, where are these clothes going? What is the impact on the environment because of the rising love of cheap fast fashion? Host Shabori Das speaks with Abhishek Malhotra, Partner at McKinsey & Company and Anuradha Balasubramanian, Director & Head - Poshmark. If you like this episode from Shabori Das, check out her other interesting episodes on Beauty Battles: Who will be crowned the retail royalty?, The Dating App Paradox: Low Success Rate, Booming Business, The Business of Whiskey and more! You can follow our host Shabori Das on her social media: Twitter and LinkedinCatch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2022 alone, India was prone to over 1300 data breaches and cyber-attacks becoming the second most cyber-vulnerable country in the world. The recent news of the alleged CoWin data breach underlines the importance of data security awareness and laws. But the dark web has its bright knights: ethical hackers who work with governments and companies to make them stronger and fight dark-hooded creatures with keyboards who will stop at nothing to know your most intimate details-physical-to-financial.  Host Dia Rekhi talks to two such e-tectives:  Saket Modi, Co-Founder and CEO at Safe Security on his journey of ethical hacking Vivek Ramachandran, Founder of SquareX to breakdown the layers of ethical hacking for you.  Credits: James Bond 007, Mr. Robot, The Recount If you like this episode, check out other interesting episodes on Cyber Security - The WhatsApp ‘Con’ Calls, Data Protection Bill: Revamped to be simple or soft?, The DND Disaster: Why Spam Calls Just Won’t Stop! and more.  You can follow our host Dia Rekhi on her social media: Twitter & Linkedin Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we all make smarter sustainable choices with what we consume, have you ever questioned if those choices are indeed green or if you’re a victim of greenwashing? In this episode, host Ratna Bhushan explores the fine line between tokenism and genuine environmental effort as the selling point of sustainability surges. Are green claims backed by data? Like the ISI mark, is there a need for a stringent standards-compliance mark for green claims? How can regulation step in and help consumers differentiate between genuine shades of green versus those using sustainability as just a selling slogan? We hear from Shriti Malhotra, CEO of The Body Shop, Manisha Kapoor, CEO of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and brand strategy consultant Harish Bijoor.Credit: WION, Wall Street Journal You can check out more episodes of The Morning Brief on: The Uncertain Fate Of Asia’s Largest Refinery, Has milk politics turned sour in Karnataka?, El Niño: Little Boy, Big Trouble, E-20 Explained: The blender’s pride or bane? And more.  You can follow Ratna Bhushan on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin.  Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know, that if you were to invest 1 rupee in any an Indian tiger reserve, the return could be as high as 7,489 times? Tiger reserves in India—that house 3,167 or 75% of the world’s big cats—constitute a billion dollar economy.And almost nothing of it is accounted for in India’s GDP! Nevertheless, governments and corporates are fast becoming aware of the bounties of tiger habitats. More reserves are becoming carbon credit markets and interesting concepts like tiger bonds are being explored. But challenges-shrinking budget support, human-tiger conflict-remain. Host Anirban Chowdhury talks opportunities to Madhu Verma, Environmental Economist, Senior Economic Advisor, Iora Ecological Solutions; Gaurav Gupta, Senior Advisor, Conservation Finance - UNDP; and Richa Sharma - Assistant Editor, ESG - ET Prime. If you like this episode from Anirban Chowdhury, check out his other interesting episodes on El Niño: Little Boy, Big Trouble, Will music streaming platforms survive in India?, Lufthansa CEO on its turnaround, India and Air India, and much more! You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin. Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.