India Inc’s big boys’ club is slowly warming up to the idea of letting these hawkish investors in.
Dear Balbir Singh Sooch,
When private-equity giants make substantial investments in businesses, it is often considered as a vote of confidence for the promoters. And India Inc’s big boys’ club is slowly warming up to the idea of letting these hawkish investors in. The first story in today’s edition of ET Prime is about such a business and the big plans that its promoter has.
PHARMA + HEALTHCARE
Piramal’s new pharma push
Big deals and business tycoon Ajay Piramal are synonymous. Like an astute investor, he knows just when to enter the market and exit it. Back in 2010, Piramal made a pile with an exit that made the Indian pharma market release a collective gasp. He never left his happy hunting ground of pharma, and is once again looking for attractive targets.
However, his broad plays in India have the potential for significant scale, but come with their share of challenges. Therefore, a re-entry in the domestic pharma-formulations business won’t be as easy as popping a pill.
Must-read: Interview with Ajay Piramal and Nandini Piramal.
MEDIA + COMMUNICATIONS 
Uphill road to replace TikTok
TikTok’s ban in India has opened up opportunities for local video-sharing social platforms like ShareChat, Roposo, and Trell. But to take advantage of the situation, they will have to match TikTok in technology, features, and financial heft. They must also provide an ecosystem that supports top content creators.
TRANSPORTATION
Kia needs to tweak its urban-focused portfolio
Kia is facing a two-pronged challenge. People looking to buy a personal vehicle due to hygiene and safety concerns won’t shell out big money. At the same time, the demand dynamics could shift to rural areas as they are less impacted by the pandemic and blessed with a good monsoon. But Kia doesn’t have products that can benefit from the new realities.
Regards,
ET Prime Team