From MR Jyothy's plans for Jyothy Labs to Karan Johar's take on chat shows, here are our most-read stories of the week

Future hopes for crypto, Ford Motors' India plans, the Apple vs Samsung battle are some of the stories that piqued the interest of our readers this week

By Forbes India

Published: Jan 20, 2024 10:00:00 AM IST

Updated: Jan 19, 2024 05:00:24 PM IST

Image: Shutterstock

1) Rise of the challenger

Forbes India's latest edition highlights businesswomen who wield the ultimate power. Forbes Asia's list of 20 Power Women includes three leaders from India who have carved their own paths and now have a seat at the table and are setting up the pieces themselves. One of the three names is MR Jyothy, MD of Jyothy Labs. Her father, MP Ramachandran, started the consumer goods company with Rs5000 in 1983. Jyothy joined the venture in 2005 and, in April 2020, took charge as MD. Now, her aim is to make Jyothy Labs a Rs5000 crore company. She is clear about the task cut out for her: “To think bigger, do better and make my father proud.”

2) Apple beats Samsung. What's next?

For the last 12 years, Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant, ruled the global smartphone market. Apple, or the fruit brand as Samsung execs address the Cupertino company, recently ended this streak and became the biggest smartphone brand in the world. Apple had a 20.01 percent volume market share against Samsung's 19.4 percent in 2023. The slim gap assures the market of an intense and bitter brawl to fight and keep the top spot over the next few quarters. But how will it affect the world's second-biggest smartphone market–India? There are two answers to this question. Let's find out if Apple has the opportunity to beat Samsung in India.

3) Better days for crypto

2023 was largely a year that the digital assets ecosystem could forget. Fortunes waned for large crypto exchanges, including Coinbase. NFT trading volumes fell, and crypto exchanges in India adopted different business models and diversified products to stay afloat. The only exception was when the Bitcoin spot jumped 157 percent in 2023, fuelled by expectations of regulatory approval for ETFs. January brought good news for crypto enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and investors when, on the 10th, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the trading and listing of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from 11 large and well-recognised asset managers. Here's an analysis of this shift in sentiments and marginal gain opportunities.

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1) Ford's future in India

In September 2021, Ford Motors piled a debt of over $2 billion, and its India operations became unsustainable. The American automaker giant decided to pull out of the world's fourth-largest automobile market. But it turns out that was not the end of the American dream in India. The industry has been watching and analysing Ford's recent decision not to sell its manufacturing plant in Chennai to JSW Group. The Ford Motor Company has held on to the Chennai assembly plant, which can manufacture 200,000 vehicles and 340,000 engines annually. The move fuels speculations that Ford is bringing its popular SUVs to India as the market moves from small cars and sedans to the big beasts. Here's a look at what lies ahead in Ford's future.

2) PF Chang's India debut

Indian fans of The Office, South Park, and Never Have I Ever have a pop culture connection with PF Chang's. The casual restaurant chain that serves American Chinese cuisine has recently debuted in India. Opening its first restaurant in India in Mumbai's Lower Parel area, PF Chang will serve 75-80 percent of its original menu and tweak the rest to introduce vegetarian options and smaller portions to suit Indian tastes. Despite its modest size, Taylor Viersen, the director of operations global brand development, promises that the Mumbai kitchen will be a seat of bold flavours. But the question remains: Will PF Chang's succeed in the dining landscape that has a Chinese eatery every few metres? Here's the answer.

3) Ode to India

According to Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari CEO, the Bulgari mangalsutra, launched two years ago with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as its brand ambassador, was a big innovation for the brand trying to crack the peculiar Indian jewellery market. The Italian luxury high jeweller roped in actor Ayushmann Khurrana for the second India-specific product launch and introduced the 'B.zero1 Kada Bracelet. This piece of jewellery is inspired by the traditional kada that not only has a special place in Indian religious sentiments but is also one of the few gender-neutral pieces of accessories. Why did the brand need to bring an exclusive-to-India design crafted in yellow gold as an ode to India’s long-standing cultural affinity with precious metals and stones? Here are some answers

4) Karan Johar for Showstoppers

Karan Johar debuted as a director 25 years ago. He changed how the Indian film industry told stories when he presented Shah Rukh Khan as Rahul, Kajol as Anjali, and Rani Mukherji as Tina in the now iconic film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He was 25 years old at the time and gave the mantra of Pyaar Dosti Hai (love is friendship). At 51, he presented diametrically opposite Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, his most political films to date, according to several critics and industry experts. The multi-talented, multi-hyphenate also agrees that he is not the same person who wrote that love story in 1998. As part of the Forbes India Showstoppers, watch him talk about the business of filmmaking, industry relationships, and whether doing a talk show is still good business in the age of Instagram.