Money Majlis

Send us a textWelcome to another episode of Money Majlis focused on consumer marketing. Suvo Sarkar is in conversation with a doyen of the Indian business world, Bharat Puri, managing director of Pidilite Industries which owns the famous adhesive brand Fevicol, a case study on branding in many business schools. Why does a low-involvement brand like Fevicol dominate the Indian consumer psyche over decades with its tongue in cheek irreverence? How does a company and ad agency build a lifetime bond of trust and challenge? And will performance marketing take over from brand advertising in the near future? In an entertaining and inspiring discussion with Sarkar, the veteran Puri recounts how Asian Paints trained him to take calculated risks, how he managed the biggest PR crisis that Cadbury’s ever faced and how he is creating a “proneurial” culture at Pidilite. He explains how he starts and ends everything with the customer, how brands will become more relevant in an era of digital and AI and why treating marketing like an expense is the beginning of the end. Puri says leadership entails building a team that complements you, treating people well and doing the right thing every day. His serious advice to leaders: Don’t take life too seriously! Research by : Shekhar Krishnamurthy Production by : Poddster

Send us a textIn this insightful episode about the business of Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), Suvo Sarkar is in a deep discussion with Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, the much-awarded CVC arm of TDK. What are some of the factors that are driving legacy corporates to invest in start-ups? Why does innovation have to be external as opposed to internal? Do CVCs turbocharge innovation? What is the ideal oversight for a CVC? And what metrics should we use to measure the success of CVCs? In a free-wheeling discussion on the merits and challenges of CVCs, Sauvage and Sarkar debate a few big bets versus many small ones, exploitation versus exploration, financial returns versus innovation objectives and cultural osmosis versus a Chinese wall between the corporate and the venture. Listen to two Stanford alumni discuss the critically important topic of CVCs and share your comments.

Send us a textIn this fascinating episode, Suvo Sarkar talks at length with a leading investment expert from India, Bharat Shah, executive director of ASK group, about the future of the Indian equity market. Is India over-valued compared to other global markets? Will it continue delivering double digit returns in the next 10 years? Which sectors will outperform? Bharat and Suvo, friends for 40 years and MBA classmates, debate if investing is a science or an art; if the principle of diversification is overstated; and what an ideal wealth portfolio should hold between equity and fixed income, between active and passive funds and between public markets and private equity. In a holistic overview of investing, Bharat connects it to spirituality and liberation, and argues that doing it right is as important as getting it right. Whether you are an amateur or professional investor, this is one episode you can’t miss. Research partner : Shekhar KrishnamurthyProduction partner : Poddster

Send us a textWelcome to this New Year 2025 special episode of Money Majlis XTRA, celebrating good food. Suvo Sarkar is in conversation in Mumbai with the talented young restauranteur Sameer Seth of Bombay Canteen fame. What inspired a young banker to move to the intensely competitive F&B industry? How are the trends of eating out changing with millennials? Is consistency more important than creativity in the restaurant world? And why is storytelling a core component of a successful food business? In a candid chat, the founder of Hunger Inc Hospitality, Sameer Seth, talks about the challenges and opportunities of scaling his restaurants, of partnering with Starbucks, of keeping the menu alive and of firing up his team every day. Research by : Shekhar KrishnamurthyProduction : Poddster 

Send us a textWelcome to this episode of Money Majlis where Suvo Sarkar debates the impact of “The Great Wealth Transfer” with two leading professionals from the industry, one an incumbent and the other a challenger: Maurice Gravier, chief investment officer, Emirates NBD and Mark Chahwan, founder & CEO of Sarwa. Are millennials more interested in good advice for investing, or in best-in-class digital channels for self service? Do next-generation investors prefer choice or focus? Should wealth managers create specific products for younger customers? Is ESG investing a passing fad or an important trend? And will digital apps soon take over from human Relationship Managers? Sarkar, Gravier and Chahwan discuss these and other topics like long-term investing versus short-term trading, simplicity versus complexity, passive versus active funds and crypto versus gold. As USD 100 trillion changes hands in the next 25 years, what does the inter-generational mean for the wealth management industry? Listen in to make your own conclusions.

Send us a textContinuing on the XTRA series of non-banking topics, Suvo Sarkar interviews successful Indian author Amish Tripathi, of the Shiva trilogy fame, to talk about his professional transition from banking to writing. What prompted Amish to take up mythological fiction? What genre is he taking up next? Why do most authors not make money? And how should parents train their children to be creative? Amish takes us through his creative journey that now goes beyond books to podcasts, video games and a new TV series from Hollywood. He tells us how a song helped him overcome writer’s block, why he wants to write fantasy fiction for his son and what he loves most about his life. Join us for an intimate conversation in the living room of a leading author who is re-inventing himself with every passing year.Research by : Shekhar Krishnamurthy Produced by : Poddster

Send us a textIn this episode of Money Majlis recorded in front of a live audience of CEOs and fintech leaders in Singapore, we look at the differences in the growth paths of fintechs in Asia versus the Middle East. In a debate with two senior leaders from Mastercard, J K Khalil, Division President of East Arabia and Yunsok Chang, EVP of Market Development, Asia Pacific, Suvo Sarkar compares the origins and future of fintechs from the two regions. How did Kakao Bank and Wio Bank achieve profitability so fast? What are the challenges Grab is facing? How have Alipay and Paytm transformed payments? What is the runway for fintechs like Careem Pay, STC Pay and Tabby? In a rich debate full of facts and anecdotes, JK and Yunsok debate wallets versus neobanks, scale versus profits, local versus global and B2B versus B2C. Tune in to join the debate with the experts.

Piyush Gupta, the inspiring CEO of DBS Bank, shares his transformative journey in making DBS a leader in digital banking. He discusses the role of technology as the new front office and debates whether pure-play digital banks can compete with well-established incumbents. Gupta emphasizes the need for a culture of innovation and how AI is reshaping customer engagement. He also highlights the importance of diversity in the workplace and the skills necessary for future banking careers, championing critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

Send us a textIn this episode, H. E. Ahmed Al Naqbi, CEO of Emirates Development Bank, explains the key differences between a commercial bank and a development bank, and argues that social objectives make a banker's life more enriching. How does a development bank carry out financial underwriting to optimize approval decisions? How are employees measured? Does social impact trump profit objectives? In an intimate conversation between two ex-colleagues, Ahmed Al Naqbi and Suvo Sarkar discuss how new joiners can create a lasting impact, the ideal career path for aspiring CEOs and the secret to a perfect work-life balance. 

Send us a textIn this unmissable episode, Suvo Sarkar is in conversation with Arvind Krishna, Chairman & CEO - IBM. How does IBM re-invent itself every decade? Why are IBM employees so loyal? And is IBM on the path to becoming an USD 1 trillion company? In a free-flowing conversation with Suvo Sarkar, Arvind Krishna answers these and other consequential questions on the future of Gen AI, the practical uses of quantum computing and the value of corporate culture. Listen to the CEO of the world’s oldest technology company talk about the future of leadership and the merits of growing roses in your garden. Research by : Shekhar Krishnamurthy Production : Poddster Studios