The highly anticipated action-thriller, G20 is all set to take the world by storm with its engrossing narrative, high-octane action sequences, and emotional depth, premiering exclusively on Prime Video. As audiences gear up for an adrenaline-pumping cinematic experience, all eyes are on the Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis, renowned for her raw, nuanced, and powerhouse performances, who breathes life into Danielle Sutton, the President of the United States of America. Joining Davis is the talented Anthony Anderson, who steps into the role of her reel-life husband Derek Sutton, a former military medic, who is thrust into a relentless mission to protect their family. As the film’s premiere is just around the corner, Anderson gets candid about finding the best of all worlds in G20.

Sharing his experience working with the legendary actor and his friend, Viola Davis, Anderson revealed, “Not too many people can say that they got to work with and are friends with an EGOT like Viola Davis.” He continued, “I always want to collaborate with the best people, the best possible material and give the best I can. I was fortunate enough to get all of that in G20.”

Sharing insights about his character in the film, Anderson said, “Derek is ex-military himself, a former medic who has seen his share of battles. Now his job is supporting his wife and the mother of his children, who also happens to be the leader of the free world.” He further added, “Sacrifices have to be made, but he makes sure nothing falls between the cracks. When the Sutton family is separated during the attack, Derek’s only job is to keep his kids safe.”

Directed by Patricia Riggen, G20 is written by Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss, alongside Logan and Noah Miller, who also developed the story. Produced by Andrew Lazar, p.g.a., Viola Davis, and Julius Tennon, the film is a collaboration between Amazon MGM Studios, MRC, Mad Chance Productions and JuVee Productions. The action-thriller boasts a robust ensemble cast, led by Viola Davis, along with Anthony Anderson, Marsai Martin, Ramón Rodríguez, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth Marvel, Sabrina Impacciatore, Christopher Farrar, and Antony Starr in key roles. G20 is set to premiere worldwide on April 10, exclusively on Prime Video.

4th April 2025 – Freudenberg Group, a global technology conglomerate, has announced record growth in revenues and operating profits for the financial year 2024. The company achieved sales of €11,947.5 million, which is a 0.4 percent increase compared to last year (€11,902.8 million). However, exchange rate changes had a negative effect of €76.9 million on sales. Operating profit grew by about 4.7 percent, reaching €1,132.4 million, up from €1,081.6 million last year. This growth is largely due to the company’s innovative products and its strategic expansion into key markets, especially in areas like medical technology and the energy sector.

The profit margin increased to 9.5 percent (up from 9.1 percent last year). Cash flow from ongoing business activities was €1,288.9 million, which is €114.8 million less than last year. The company’s equity ratio, which remains very stable, has slightly improved and is now at 56.8 percent (compared to 56.1 percent last year).

Freudenberg India reported strong sales of INR 4,015 crore, up from INR 3,803 crore in the previous year. The Freudenberg Group operates in India with 11 companies and a workforce of around 3,678 people across various business groups. The company has also invested in building a new production facility for its Vibracoustic Business Group and its joint venture, Freudenberg-NOK India. This new plant was inaugurated in Morinda, India, in 2024.

“The fiscal year 2024 was a year of stable growth in a challenging market environment. Despite continuing weakness in demand, especially in the auto industry and machine-building, we were able to increase our earnings and our sales. Due to this business success, we are able to invest large sums in our future capabilities – in research and development, facilities and technologies. Freudenberg thinks and takes action for the long term” said Dr. Mohsen Sohi, CEO of the Freudenberg Group.

 “Over this period, the sales and operating profit doubled at Freudenberg, achieving an average annual growth rate of 6.6 and 9.7 percent respectively. Our investments in research and development have grown even more vigorously – by 10.8 percent. They have tripled over that period,” said Sohi, who is retiring at the end of June and passing the baton to Claus Möhlenkamp.

1.  Sivasailam, Director & CEO of Freudenberg Regional Corporate Center India and Managing Director, Freudenberg Performance Materials, India. said, “Freudenberg’s sustained growth in India reflects our commitment to innovation, customer focused solutions, and strategic investments, exemplified by the expansion of our production capabilities, including the newly inaugurated Morinda facility. With a diverse product portfolio and a strong focus on R&D, we are dedicated to delivering greater value to our customers while contributing to India’s industrial progress. As we move forward, we will continue applying our global expertise to address market needs and drive sustainable growth in the region”.

Energy Efficiency and CO₂ Reduction

Over the past year, Freudenberg has made significant progress in its sustainability initiatives, with a strong emphasis on reducing CO₂ emissions and expanding the use of renewable energy. Despite maintaining consistent energy consumption levels, the company successfully increased its reliance on renewable energy sources. Since 2020, Freudenberg has achieved a 45% reduction in relative CO₂ emissions per million euros in sales, bringing emissions down to 47.5 tonnes per million euros. This translates to an absolute reduction of approximately 200 kilotonnes of CO₂, marking a 26% decline from the base year. In 2024, the company’s total energy consumption stood at 2,486 GWh, with 38% of its electricity derived from renewable sources and an energy efficiency rate of 0.21 kWh per euro of sales. Freudenberg’s global CO₂ emissions (market-based) for the year amounted to 568,000 tonnes. Looking ahead, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to sustainability by continuously enhancing energy efficiency, increasing its share of renewables, and minimizing its environmental footprint.

• Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies for Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital, plans to recruit 8,000 people worldwide in 2025 to support the strong growth momentum across its three business segments. Around 40% of new hires will join engineering roles (including software and systems engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data, etc.), while approximately 25% will join industrial roles (including technicians, operators and industrial engineers).
• In parallel, more than 4,000 employees will benefit from functional and geographical internal mobility.

• In a context marked by interconnected geopolitical crises, a rebound in air traffic and accelerating global connectivity, all of Thales’s businesses are growing and hiring. This builds on the strong momentum established in recent years, with:
• Over 30,000 new hires between 2022 and 2024, including 9,000 in the Defence sector;
• Over 8,000 internal mobility moves between 2023 and 2024;
• Ten consecutive years during which Thales has hired at least 5,000 people annually.

In 2025, recruitment will take place across all regions of operation, including approximately 3,000 people in France, over 1,000 in the United Kingdom, 500 in the Netherlands, 400 in the United States, 400 in Australia, 300 in Central Europe, 250 in India, 200 in Germany, and 150 in Africa and the Middle East.

 Learning company: supporting employees’ professional development and keeping Thales’s expertise at the highest level

•  For the past three years, Thales has invested in its “Learning company” global skills development programme, delivered by 2,000 internal trainers as well as numerous tutors and mentors. Since 2023, Thales has increased the number of its Academies, which are designed to share knowledge globally. The Group now operates 13 Domain Academies (AI, Cybersecurity, Radar, Naval, Tube, Pyrotechnics, etc.) and 18 Functional Academies (Software, Hardware, Systems, Industry, Bid & Project Management, HR, Finance, Communication, etc.). By the end of 2025, Thales will have more than 35 academies.
• The Group has also introduced innovative skills development methods, including a shared competency management system, simulation and virtual reality tools, and hands-on training solutions.
• In 2024, 90% of Thales’s global workforce – 72,000 people – took part in skills development activities.

Thales is committed to raising awareness amongst youth about the importance of science and to promoting inclusion and diversity

•  Across all countries where it operates, Thales strengthened its outreach efforts in 2024, engaging with more than 150,000 young people and taking part in over 600 events. In France in 2025, the Group plans to host more than 3,000 interns and apprentices, around 25% of whom will go on to be hired on permanent or fixed-term contracts. Nearly 1,500 middle and high school students will also complete observation internships at Thales sites.
• Improving gender balance within teams and leadership remains a key priority for the Group. In 2024, women accounted for 30% of new hires worldwide. More than 60% of the Group’s executive Committees included at least four women; Thales is aiming for 75% by 2026.
• With the signing of a new Group-wide agreement in 2024 to further promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, Thales is reaffirming its commitment, with an employment rate of nearly 7% in France.

“To support the Group’s growth and performance, recruitment and internal mobility are essential, but we must go further. Giving our teams the opportunity to continuously develop their skills and encouraging them to pass on their expertise to colleagues is both the spirit and the ambition of our ‘Learning company’ programme. Our goal is to support the professional growth of our people and maintain Thales’s expertise at the highest level,” said Clément de Villepin, Senior Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Thales

Interested candidates can learn more and apply online at https://careers.thalesgroup.com/global/en

 4th April 2025: CRIF Highmark a leading credit bureau released the thirtieth edition of ‘CRIF MicroLend Vol XXX – Dec 2024’. MicroLend is a quarterly publication from CRIF High Mark on Microfinance lending in India. The publication presents trends & analysis of key parameters such as Gross Loan Portfolio, Growth, Market Share, Borrower Leverage, Compliance and Portfolio Risks. The report also slices the data for major states and Urban/Rural geographies. Semi-urban portfolio is reported as part of urban split in the report.

Key Insights from the Report:

• As of Dec’24, the microfinance portfolio stood at ₹391.5K crore, marking a YoY decline of 4.0% compared to Dec’23 and a QoQ decrease of 5.4% since September 2024
• Originations faced additional pressure in Q3 FY25, with significant contractions of 34.9% YoY in value and 41.7% YoY in volume compared to Q3 FY24
• Active loans dropped from 15.7 Cr in Dec’23 to 14.6 Cr in Dec’24, indicating a decline in supply
• The live customer base showed a slight YoY increase initially but declined from 8.7 Cr in Mar’24 to 8.4 Cr in Dec’24, marking a reduction in the active customers
• NBFC MFIs and banks continued to dominate the market, collectively holding a 71.3% share
• While loans with a ticket size of ₹30k–₹50k remain the largest category in the portfolio, their share declined from 47.8% in Dec’23 to 43.3% in Dec’ 24
• Bihar leads the GLP, followed by TN and UP with the three states collectively accounting for 38% of the national total. Most states saw a YoY decline in GLP, with Kerala recording the sharpest drop at -15.8% YoY, as many players strategically reduced their portfolio exposure to microfinance loans in the region
• SFBs have seen notable declines, recording a YoY drop of -10.8% and a QoQ reduction of -8.9%
• While other ticket sizes saw a QoQ decline, the ₹1L+ segment continued to exhibit steady growth. YoY, originations for loans above ₹1L increased, whereas those under ₹1L decline