Category: Business

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 3 June: During Make it in the Emirates 2026, Metal Park, the world’s first integrated Asset-as-a-Service ecosystem dedicated exclusively to the metal industry, announced a strategic collaboration with SGS to strengthen inspection, testing, verification, and laboratory capabilities across the growing metal ecosystem in KEZAD.

The collaboration aims to enhance operational confidence, material verification, and quality assurance services for companies operating within Metal Park’s Production Hub and Storage Hub, supporting manufacturers, processors, traders, logistics providers, and downstream metal businesses.

As industrial supply chains continue to evolve, reliable inspection and laboratory infrastructure play an increasingly critical role in ensuring traceability, compliance, operational efficiency, and international market alignment.

Through this collaboration, both parties will explore the development and integration of inspection and laboratory-related services tailored to the operational requirements of the metals sector. The initiative is expected to support a broad range of activities including material testing, certification, verification, quality control, and operational inspections across various metal-related processes and supply chain movements.

Located in KEZAD and strategically connected to Khalifa Port, Etihad Rail, and regional logistics corridors, Metal Park continues to expand its ecosystem through partnerships that strengthen industrial resilience and simplify access to critical support services under one integrated platform.

Vahid Fouladkar, CEO of Metal Park, commented:

“As the metal industry moves towards greater operational transparency and resilience, inspection and laboratory capabilities become an essential part of the ecosystem rather than a standalone service. Our collaboration with SGS reflects our commitment to enabling manufacturers, processors, and supply chain stakeholders with trusted infrastructure and globally recognised expertise directly within the Park.”

Dmitry Nikitin, Head of Middle East and Managing Director UAE, SGS commented:

“As industrial ecosystems continue to evolve, trusted inspection, testing, and verification services become critical enablers of operational confidence and supply chain resilience. Through our collaboration with Metal Park, SGS is proud to contribute its global expertise and technical capabilities to support the growing metals ecosystem in the UAE. Together, we aim to help businesses operate with greater quality assurance, traceability, compliance, and efficiency across the value chain.” 

The announcement was made during Make it in the Emirates 2026, one of the UAE’s leading industrial platforms bringing together manufacturers, investors, industrial enablers, and technology providers to support the nation’s long-term industrial growth strategy.

Further details regarding the scope of services and operational rollout will be announced in upcoming updates.

New Delhi, : In a move aimed at strengthening the growth prospects of small businesses, engineering exports promotion body EEPC India has urged the government to introduce a separate credit rating framework for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), arguing that the current system often places them at a disadvantage.

The industry body has highlighted that MSMEs are frequently assessed against large corporate players in their respective sectors, making it difficult for smaller enterprises to secure investment-grade ratings despite their operational strengths and growth potential.

According to EEPC India, the absence of a dedicated rating mechanism limits MSMEs’ access to affordable credit, as lower ratings often result in higher collateral requirements and increased borrowing costs. This, in turn, affects their ability to expand operations, invest in innovation, and compete effectively in domestic and global markets.

The proposal calls for a separate evaluation framework that benchmarks MSMEs against businesses of similar size and scale rather than large industry leaders. Such a system, industry representatives believe, would provide a more accurate assessment of an enterprise’s financial health and business performance.

A dedicated rating model could significantly improve access to finance for thousands of small businesses, which form the backbone of India’s manufacturing, exports, and employment ecosystem. Easier access to credit would enable MSMEs to strengthen productivity, create jobs, and contribute more effectively to the country’s economic growth.

Industry stakeholders have also suggested that a specialised framework, developed in consultation with regulators and rating agencies, could help build greater confidence among lenders while ensuring fairer treatment for smaller enterprises.

As India seeks to strengthen its manufacturing and export capabilities, policymakers are increasingly focusing on measures that improve the ease of doing business for MSMEs and unlock their growth potential.

Mumbai, June 03: SOTC Travel, a  omnichannel Travel and Tourism Company, has strengthened its presence in East India with the launch of its latest outlet in B.T Road, Kolkata. This strategic expansion underscores the Company’s focus on deepening its regional footprint across high-potential metros, tier-1 & 2 markets.

B.T. Road, one of Kolkata’s prominent and rapidly developing residential-commercial corridors, offers access to a diverse customer base of families, professionals, entrepreneurs and young travellers seeking domestic and international holidays. The store’s strategic location strengthens SOTC Travel’s presence in a key metro market, enabling deeper customer engagement and personalized end-to-end holiday solutions.

With its integrated omnichannel model, SOTC continues to strengthen its position as India’s favorite travel partner. By seamlessly integrating its retail network with digital platforms, the Company enables customers to engage across multiple touchpoints. Serving multigenerational families, couples, GenS (seniors), millennials and GenZ, SOTC continues to deliver experiences aligned with evolving travel preferences while expanding its regional connect across Indian markets.

Spiritual tourism continues to witness strong demand through SOTC’s Darshans portfolio, including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Do Dham, Char Dham Yatra and Vaishnodevi Yatra. Alongside faith-based travel, travellers are increasingly opting for immersive holidays such as luxury cruises, Antarctica expeditions, Northern Lights journeys and adventure getaways. The Company is also seeing encouraging response to its Exclusive Bengali Durga Puja Special departures under Biswa Sera Darshan, featuring curated international and domestic itineraries for Bengali travellers.

To further enhance traveller confidence, we have introduced TravSure  a pioneering initiative to redefine travel protection. It is designed to meet the realities of modern travel and ensure our customers feel secure wherever they go. In addition, we also offer value-added protections such as visa rejection cover, further safeguarding travellers against unforeseen financial risks.

June 03: New global research from Ocorian, the specialist global provider of services for asset managers and owners, including private client, fund administration, capital markets, corporate, and regulatory solutions, shows that many family offices are putting themselves at greater risk of a potential cyber attack and don’t have plans in place to recover if they are hit.

It’s estimated that 43% of family offices globally have suffered a cyber attack in the past two years but Ocorian’s study among family members and senior family office employees handling total wealth of $119.37 billion shows almost a fifth (19%) don’t have any defence plans in place to protect themselves from a potential attack. However, 18% of them say that they do plan to put one in place.

This compares to three quarters (75%) of respondents who have taken steps to strengthen their defences against a potential cyber attack in the past two years. Just 7% say they had plans in place more than two years ago.

Should they suffer a cyber attack more than a fifth (22%) of those surveyed say they don’t currently have an incident plan in place to respond and recover. Around 78% say they do have an incident plan ready.

More than one in 10 (11%) family offices surveyed admit that they feel significantly challenged when it comes to delivering the level and quality of cyber security expertise they need to operate effectively. Almost half (49%) say they currently receive advice and support from third-party professionals over cyber security, but this is set to significantly increase, with 72% saying they see the levels of outsourcing around cyber security to increase over the next three years. Of these 41% say they expect a dramatic increase.

 Ian Rumens, Head of Private Client – Jersey, at Ocorian said: “A cyber security attack is becoming an increasing reality and can have huge implications for family offices, damaging reputations, triggering loss of stakeholder confidence and putting long-term relationships at risk. While many are taking steps to put the necessary precautions and defences in place, such as getting expert third-party advice, there are still too many who are highly susceptible.

 “The financial impact can also be significant, from direct theft and fraud to business interruption, incident response costs, regulatory fines and potential litigation. It’s also vital that family offices work closely with all their service providers and suppliers to make sure those partners have the right protections in place too, helping reduce the risk of a cyber incident spreading through the wider ecosystem.

 “Finally, organisations should ensure strong backup and recovery arrangements are tested regularly to help protect against data loss or corruption, so critical records and reporting can be restored quickly and accurately. On top of this, with no incident plan in place, it could also take those affected by an attack much longer to respond and recover afterwards.”

 Ocorian’s award winning dedicated family office team provides a seamless and holistic approach to the challenges and opportunities families face. Its service is built on long-term personal relationships that are founded on a deep understanding of what matters to family office clients. Its global presence means Ocorian can provide bespoke structures and services for international families no matter where they live.

 Key services include formation and administration of family offices, HR support services, support with lifestyle and luxury assets, family governance, resident and relocation services and specialist support with immigration, visas, payroll, marine and aircraft crew management and financial reporting.

Speaking on the launch, Varun Satia, Founder and CEO, Kraftshala, said, “Over the last nine years, Kraftshala has grown because students, parents and employers have trusted the outcomes we deliver. The launch of Kraftshala School of Business is a natural next step in that journey and responds directly to what many students have been asking for a physical campus with the same focus on strong learning and strong placements.”

“We were clear that the offline experience had to be much more than classroom delivery. It has been designed around how students learn best by doing, discussing, receiving feedback and applying concepts repeatedly in real business contexts,” said Eshu Sharma, Co-Founder and Head of Academics, Kraftshala. “AI is built into the curriculum from the ground up, and the campus adds the peer energy and collaboration that make learning more immersive.”

“CoreIgnite provides fintech infrastructure for financial institutions looking to innovate faster, scale more flexibly, and compete more effectively in the digital banking economy. With our secure, composable, API‑first platform, banks can connect new capabilities, orchestrate financial workflows, and activate digital financial services without disrupting the core systems they rely on every day. By decoupling innovation from the core, institutions can reduce integration complexity, move faster, and unlock new revenue opportunities at scale.” – Sandeep Bhanote, Global Head and General Manager of GrowthX, DXC Technology.

New Delhi, June 3: The manufacturing sector in India is shifting to increase automation, digital monitoring, and process-based production. Through this transition, Shankar Glasses India acknowledges how critical smart manufacturing will become in enhancing performance, quality, and scale.

In response to a growing focus on productivity, cost control, and quality assurance, manufacturers are increasingly leveraging “smart” manufacturing methods. Many manufacturers now use technologies like automation (robots), predictive maintenance  Lean production (minimizing waste), and digital workflows  to decrease their operational downtime, maximize their resources (people/machinery), and enhance their production capacity. As India pushes to become a global manufacturing destination, businesses that are investing in efficient operations and emerging technologies, as well as developing a well-skilled workforce, will have a competitive advantage going forward.

According to Dinesh Chandra Pandey, Founder of Shankar Fenestrations & Glasses,

“Traditional manufacturing methods have already evolved at a drastically fast pace. As a result, manufacturers are now focusing on smarter production systems, efficient operational models, and consistent high quality across all their products. To maintain their competitiveness and increase productivity in today’s rapidly changing industrial environment, manufacturers will need to move towards the use of automation and other technology as part of their manufacturing processes rather than as an afterthought.”

Smart manufacturing is transforming the entire industrial ecosystem of India due to a focus on innovations, optimizing processes, and developing long-term resilience within operations as priorities for sustainable growth in the manufacturing sector.

India, June 03: Boba Bhai, India’s largest omnichannel bubble tea and Korean street food brand, yesterday launched its 100th store at Whiteland Urban Cubes 71, Sector 71, Gurugram, on 1 June 2026. The launch marks a major milestone in the brand’s rapid expansion journey and further strengthens its footprint in North India.

The new outlet will also become Boba Bhai’s 28th store in the Delhi-NCR market and 8th outlet in Gurugram, reinforcing the region’s importance in the company’s growth strategy. The launch is part of Boba Bhai’s broader expansion plans focused on deeper penetration across existing metro markets while accelerating growth in emerging Tier-2 cities across India.

To celebrate the 100-store milestone, Boba Bhai introduced a special launch-day offer with select menu items priced at ₹100. Customers visiting the outlet on opening day got access to the brand’s signature range of bubble teas, Korean-inspired burgers, fried chicken, ramen bowls, loaded fries, momos, and fusion street-food offerings. 

“Reaching 100 stores is a defining moment for Boba Bhai and a reflection of how strongly consumers across India have connected with our brand. Gurugram has been an important market for us, and this launch represents not just another store opening but the next phase of our expansion journey. While we continue strengthening our presence in metro cities, we are equally focused on taking Boba Bhai to newer Tier-2 markets where demand for global flavours and accessible QSR experiences is growing rapidly,” said Dhruv Kohli, Founder, Boba Bhai.

The new outlet featured an expanded menu including popular beverages such as Taro Lava Bubble Tea, Tender Coconut Bubble Tea, Japanese Matcha Bubble Tea, Mango Matcha Bubble Tea, and a all new range of Cheese foam Cloudy Drinks, alongside food offerings including Korean Corndogs, Korean Fried Chicken, Honey Sriracha Burgers, Loaded Fries, Ramen bowls, and all-day snacking options. 

Mumbai, June 3: In a move highlighting improved fiscal health and credit profile, robust capital structure, and strengthening stakeholder confidence, the promoters of Capacit’e Infraprojects Limited have successfully released 35,50,000 pledged shares, representing approximately 13.2% of the promoter & promoter group shareholding in the Company.

The release comprises 25,50,000 shares released from pledge in June 2026 by promoter & promoter group, followed by the release of an additional 10,00,000 shares in May 2026 by another promoter group entity.

This development marks a significant milestone in the Company’s ongoing efforts to enhance its capital structure and reduce promoter share encumbrances. The promoter group has outlined a clear roadmap for further deleveraging and intends to progressively release the balance pledged shares, with a target of reducing the remaining 50 lakh pledged shares by the end of FY27, subject to business and financing conditions.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Rohit Katyal, Founder & Chairman, Capacit’e Infraprojects Limited, said,

“Over the past few quarters, we have remained focused on strengthening our balance sheet, enhancing financial flexibility, and improving the quality of promoter shareholding. The release of 35.50 lakh pledged shares represents a significant step in that journey and reflects the steady progress we are making towards reducing promoter share encumbrances. While a portion of these pledges was linked to project-specific non-fund-based facilities, we have been systematically working towards their release as the business continues to strengthen.”

The reduction in promoter share encumbrances reflects the Company’s improving financial position, prudent capital management practices, and sustained focus on long-term value creation. Backed by a strong order book, execution capabilities, and a healthy growth outlook, Capacit’e Infraprojects remains well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities arising from India’s expanding infrastructure and construction sector.

By Tongyue Zhang

 A new Rutgers initiative aims to fill decades of critical research gaps and deliver science-backed resources to support women’s unique brain health needs throughout every life stage.

Women experience distinct biological transitions throughout life – including puberty, pregnancy, motherhood, menopause and aging – that profoundly shape brain health. For generations, medical research and clinical trials have systematically excluded females, creating widespread gaps in scientific understanding of women’s brain function, disease vulnerability and neurological resilience, according to historical records from the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health.

To correct this longstanding oversight, the Rutgers Brain Health Institute has launched the Women’s Brain Health Initiative, a new program dedicated to advancing targeted research and public education for women’s brain health.

As a flagship effort, the initiative leverages the institute’s expansive research mission spanning neurodevelopment, neurodegeneration,  and mental health disorders.

“Women’s brain health has been ignored for decades — that time is coming to an end,” said Gary Aston-Jones, director of the Brain Health Institute.

He said the institute and other research organizations “are extending efforts to reverse this oversight.”

Aston-Jones added that this focus by the institute “represents incredible opportunities not only for women’s brain health, but for all brain health. By focusing on women’s specific issues, we are confident that we will discover new insights into brain mechanisms in general. These new findings will benefit brain health for everyone.”

Women represent half of the global population and have longer average lifespans than men, yet they bear a disproportionate burden of neurological and mental health conditions. Women face higher prevalence rates for Alzheimer’s disease, depression, migraines, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, eating disorders and chronic pain conditions. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, women account for nearly two-thirds of all Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease. Notably, females also demonstrate greater resilience against certain neurological conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers say uncovering the biological foundations of these unique vulnerabilities and resilience will advance brain health research for all people.

Dedicated to transforming women’s brain health research and outreach, the Women’s Brain Health Initiative will center core missions of understanding, empowering and improving long-term brain health outcomes for women across the lifespan. The initiative encompasses basic cellular and animal research alongside clinical studies of human patients living with female-specific brain health challenges, while translating rigorous research into clear, trustworthy, actionable resources for women and their families.

The initiative is guided by four foundational goals: support cutting-edge research to solve women’s most pressing brain health challenges; translate groundbreaking lab research into accessible community resources; equip women with research-backed knowledge to make proactive, informed brain health decisions; and drive public awareness of how unique female biological transitions impact lifelong brain function.

Moving forward, the Women’s Brain Health Initiative will highlight Rutgers faculty leading female brain health research, host distinguished global speakers advancing the field and publish research-vetted toolkits and public resources for women’s brain health. This month, the Initiative is proud to highlight the work of Tracey Shors, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Rutgers-New Brunswick, with a powerful and hopeful message: the female brain is not defined by stress or trauma — it is dynamic, resilient and capable of remarkable recovery.

Leading the initiative is Ioana Carcea, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a core faculty member at the Brain Health Institute. Carcea heads a systems neuroscience laboratory exploring the intersections of social behavior, physiology and health, with a focus on how biological states shape maternal and social behaviors and how life experiences alter brain function and long-term health.

“Women’s physiology poses unique challenges to brain function and behavior. Across puberty, pregnancy and menopause, the female brain undergoes extraordinary biological transitions that shape vulnerability and resilience to mental and neurological disorders,” Carcea said. “Now we have the tools, the knowledge and the will to understand how the female brain navigates multiple profound transitions across the lifespan. I am excited for the WBHI to be at the forefront of this emerging area of research.”