Cover Story
- In 2008-09, everything that could go wrong - and things that many thought would never go wrong - went awry. It was the Super-CFO who flew to the frontlines. Pics of best CFOs
- TCS' CFO steered the behemoth as it made its largest acquisition even as growth declined, the rupee yo-yoed and customers disappeared. Pics of best CFOs
- In a year in which Infosys showed negative growth for the first time in its history, its CFO did well to avoid a big-time erosion in value.
- Godrej Consumer Products has always been an investor's delight-and it didn't disappoint during the downturn, either.
- Hero Honda found more buyers for its two wheelers in a year in which major companies were finding fund supply short or hugely expensive.
- Titagarh Wagons has found a sweet spot in a niche high-growth sector, and its CFO finds himself in the thick of the action.
- Arranging cash for Corus during the boom was easier than managing liquidity in the crisis that followed. Thankfully, Tata Steel had the right man in the right place-at all times.
- Ahluwalia Contracts managed to ride the storm on the back of financial discipline, an optimum mix of clients and projects and good old-fashioned conservatism.
- The finance honcho at the tractor and automobile maker is perfecting the art of balancing strategic imperatives and financial decision-making.
- Voltamp has been able to grow faster than its peers in a tough year thanks largely to a quick decision-making CFO.
- The volatility in oil prices over the past few years has been a nightmare for PSU refiners, putting much of the onus of running a stable ship on their CFOs.
- By focussing on environment-friendly solutions, Thermax India has two Ps in the bag-Planet and Profit.
- L&T's sophisticated treasury saves the company thousands of crores with its risk-mitigating strategies.
- The path is clear cut as more and more finance heads move beyond number-crunching to dictating strategy and becoming the point person for dealing with key stakeholders. Pics
From the Editor
Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) today are like doctors who have just weathered a prolonged medical emergency. Stock market at a two-year high: Your options now
Smart investors with a long-term horizon are well placed, argues Raamdeo Agrawal. The government plans an overhaul of the food subsidy regime through food coupons. But as global experience shows, it's not a perfect system either."Institutional voids in emerging markets make for big opportunities"
Harvard Business School Professors Tarun Khanna and Krishna G. Palepu, with long years of teaching and consulting behind them, have a rich perspective on their pet subject of emerging markets. German auto giant BMW eyes the small-car market with the 'Megacity' hybrid to shore up sales and profits.The new rules of F and O trading
The stock market regulator's nod to physical delivery of equity derivatives could pave the way for major changes in the F&O (futures & options) segment and cut down on speculative activity that has been the bane of small investors. The iPad, in true Apple tradition, is much more than just a tablet or a netbook or a home computer or a phone, as reviewers have branded it. The first edition of the All India Management Association (AIMA) Awards felicitated individuals who have set benchmarks in their fields, the makers of Brand India.A glimmer of hope for newspapers
Survival for newspapers in the digital age would entail developing deeper skills—for instance, managing advertiser relationships and gaining customer insights without compromising on editorial independence and quality. The historic reform in the US healthcare system spells a boon for India's pharma, IT and BPO industries. India's and the World's most talked-about CEOs in February."We'll build four manufacturing plants in India"
Srithai Superware Pcl, Thailand, the world's largest brand in melamineware, has ambitious plans for India. Chairman Sanan Angubolkul spoke to BT'S Shalini S. Dagar on his recent visit to India. Other games are queering cricket's pitch. Tennis, football and Formula 1 racing are rapidly catching up in terms of viewership across the country. 4.1% is the projected growth in the world's economy this year (2010), which is 0.2 points more than previously forecast, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "The financial system must provide our companies with the instruments they need to manage foreign currency risks at reasonable cost" The Business of Sports
Sports: The Next Big Thing (BT cover, April 18) raises prospects of big investment in sports and creation of sports infrastructure in the country. People, places and products
Here is a take on people, places and products doing the round these days. Going back to the company you worked with before is a risky proposition, unless handled deftly.
What next in search?
Internet search changes ever so often. Get ready for its next morph: mobile search. Welcome, high-end patients!
Medical tourism is no longer a cosmetic job: patients from the West are now choosing India for heavy-duty surgeries at a fraction of the cost back home. With three years of profits, Paramount Airways, an all-business class carrier, was the poster boy in Indian aviation. But, a flawed business model has left it with just one flying aircraft.Microfinance rides into Dalal Street
The share sale plans of SKS Microfinance, India's biggest microlender, will not just boost its cash reserves. The IPO, one way or the other, will echo in India for decades to follow. The firm that Rajan Jetley created a decade ago is no longer a one-man show, but has some of the savviest minds in private equity. Recruiting companies were wasting time and money looking for 'employable' candidates among the millions of graduates. So these savvy brothers came up with a match-making test. With a near-death experience behind it, Orchid Chemicals prepares to fly again. K. Raghavendra Rao, MD, is as audacious as ever. Online advantage begins to kick in
Asset management companies are sprucing up their websites to facilitate online transactions by not just tech-savvy investors but even lay ones. Tee it up
An unusually early summer did little to stop India Inc.'s movers and shakers from teeing it up at the 15th Business Today-Honda Pro-Am of Champions. A new sun shines in the L&T kingdom
Suasion by one man has helped the engineering and construction giant build a sturdy financial business. Does it harbour banking ambitions? 
