NEWS & EVENTS

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The site is designed to provide members of the media with timely and accurate information on Mennen and key media relations contact. Seminar & Workshop: Programmer The Seminar starts on Monday May 16 and Workshop on Tuesday May 17, 2005

Mennen Financial Services Limited (MFSL) with over a decade long expertise and services in the financial sector through its National Entrepreneurs Programmer (NeP) has organized 'Women Entrepreneurs—An Emerging Force, a two day seminar cum workshop. The seminar has been devised to spearhead entrepreneurship movement throughout the nation with a belief that, entrepreneurs need not necessarily be born, but can be developed through well-conceived and well-directed activities.

Key Speakers

Mrs. Rasika

Managing Director, Tender Heart Designer Shoppee Pvt. Limited.

Mr. R. Prabha

General Manager, Priority Credit Wing, Canara Bank.

Eminent Professor from Sydenham College

Mumbai

Mr. U. Ramachandran

CA & Industrialist

Mr. Dinesh Menon

Founder of Mennen Group

Ms. Sudha C. Prakash

President-AWAKE (Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka)

Mrs. Raikar

Chairperson, Women's Committee, Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Leading Women Entrepreneurs

Industry Experts

Leading Financial Consultants

Key Topics:

Policies by the Ministry of Finance for Women Entrepreneurs

Role of Venture Funds & Banks for Entrepreneurs

Financing & Funding for budding women Entrepreneurs

Idea, Implementation & Marketing for a successful business ventures

Trials & Tribulations for Upcoming Women Entrepreneurs

Running a Business—Professionally & Day to Day Management

Organized Retail Marketing & India's Potential in the next 10 years

Turning Scars into Stars

In consonance with this belief, NeP aims at:

Creating a multiplier effect on opportunities for self-employment

Augmenting the supply of competent entrepreneurs through training

Inculcating the spirit of 'entrepreneurship' in youth

Developing and disseminating new knowledge and insights in entrepreneurial theory and practice through contact sessions, seminars & workshops

Sensitizing the support system to facilitate potential and existing entrepreneurs establish and manage their enterprises

Create awareness about entrepreneurship as a career option

Recognize the achievements of 'self-made' entrepreneurs

Inculcate enterprising values in youth, orient them towards setting up own enterprises

Acquire and accumulate information about the achievers and eventually

Contribute to national growth and development

NeP aims at serving as a bridge between theory and practice in the field of entrepreneurship. Through rigorous input on various topics like creativity, business opportunities, business environments, financial planning etc. it will enable the participants to decide the area of business, they want to enter.

The Programe intends to:

Enable them to realize their latent potential and develop their capabilities to meet the challenges ahead

Counsel and motivate them to seek independent, innovative and challenging career options foster entrepreneurial traits including creativity, concern for excellence, leadership and problem solving

Establish a forum of the participants for networking and to fruitfully utilize such interactions in future entrepreneurial ventures

Provide them with an opportunity to interact extensively in formal and informal settings, with well-known entrepreneurs and achievers

Develop skills in successfully initiating, expanding, diversifying and managing a business enterprise with focus on understanding real life business situations and business practices

Inculcate among participants entrepreneurial competencies including self-confidence, goal setting, planning, information seeking, problem solving and planned risk taking

Provide intensive personal counseling to develop a competent entrepreneur and a successful business executive of tomorrow

Through this seminar, MFSL intends to build a unique opportunity to strengthen women's choices and access to business opportunities and to shed much-needed spotlight on women experiences with the business, by bringing together various government bodies, bankers, educationalist, industry stalwarts, successful women entrepreneurs—all on a single platform during this seminar. The delegates will learn from and share with experts from the fields of management, finance, marketing, and strategic planning in a stunning location in Goa for two-day which includes extensive workshops, discussions, problem-solving sessions, and one-on-one time with fellow attendees. One can treat themselves to a time of renewal, and learn how a diverse range of women business leaders deal with common issues like becoming a more effective leader, dealing with human resource challenges, and gauging risk tolerance—all while establishing contacts with a supportive group of peers.

Small group gatherings will focus on specific business problems like raising capital, women launching or managing early-stage ventures. The attendees will be given the opportunity to hear from leading entrepreneurs who will share their trials, tribulations and triumphs in creating socially responsible businesses. These personal confessions are instrumental learning moments that focus on the challenges and rewards of building a socially conscious business.

Amusement parks to get huge funds By: Business correspondent February 17, 2005

If the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) is to be believed, investments of Rs 3,000 crore are expected to flow into setting up and operating 60 new amusement parks nationwide.

“New parks are coming up in towns with population of more than 10 lakh. Two parks in Nagpur, one each in Gwalior, Raipur, Bilaspur and Aurangabad are also in the pipeline. Moreover, two parks in Delhi, one each in Chennai and Bangalore are also under construction,” said Rajen Shah, vice president of IAAPI.

Strangely though, despite the big sums involved, according to IAAPI, only some corporates like Unity Construction, DLF (a Delhi- based real estate developer) and some NRIs are reported to be evaluated investment opportunities in this sector.

Behind this stark fact lies the not-so-amusing truth that only half of all the entertainment and theme parks in India are financially viable and successful.

“Out of about 208 amusement parks, theme parks and family entertainment resorts, only 50 per cent are running successfully. An amusement park in a city of 10 lakh population needs an investment of about Rs five crore whereas, the cost goes up to Rs 20-25 crore (excluding the cost of land) in metros,” says N D Rana, owner of Saya Amusement Manufacturing and an IAAPI founding member.

The ability to make large investments upfront however does not promise returns. “Parks have to continuously upgrade the facilities and keep the novelty factor alive. Those that have failed to do so are making losses,” said Dinesh Menon, chairman, Mennen Hotels and Resorts, that markets entertainment simulators in India.

Long gestation periods, bureaucratic hassles, varying entertainment tax structures, continuous innovation and maintenance expenditure and stiff competition from multiplexes and other sources of entertainment, have left the balance 50 per cent of the industry described as successful, with only 10-15 per cent of operating profit margins.

“Any imported ride costs between Rs 1.5-4 crore and this is an inevitable investment that we have to make every one or two years. Our total investments in EsselWorld and Water Kingdom are about Rs 80 crore on which we earn a surplus of Rs four-five crore every year. A similar amount however has to be reinvested in the business,” said an EsselWorld spokesperson. India’s and probably Asia’s largest theme park thus earns a return of between 5-6.25 per cent on a net level.

It’s this confluence of low returns and high risks in the capital-intensive amusement park industry that puts off potential investors, experts say.

“We have to take 60 different certificates of no objection and clearance pertaining to safety norms from various government agencies before setting up a park. The state governments have also not been supportive,” said Balwant Chawla, president of IAAPI.

The bureaucratic red tape is a major deterrent for most organised players it would seem.

“Several big corporates and Non Resident Indians are interested in making investments in amusement parks but lengthy procedures in getting clearances and high entertainment taxes levied by states act as negatives,” said Rana.

This probably explains why builders like Hiranandani who have a successful family entertainment centre in Powai, see this as a non-core business.

“We have installed some rides and games like go-karting in Powai but it’s to support our property development businesses (Hiranandani Gardens etc),” said Niranjan Hiranandani, managing director, Hiranandani group.

Mennen's ambitious plans Venkatachari Jagannathan 30 October 2003

Chennai: Mennen Financial Services managing director Dinesh Menon, 45, is confident that his aerobus project will be the first light-rail mass transit system to start rolling in the country. This ambitious project will come up in Goa.

Earlier Konkan Railway Corporation had got the green signal to implement the Rs 350-crore metro skybus project in Goa linking Panaji, the state capital, and Mapusa (12 kms).

"We will showcase our project in our own land in Goa. The successful operation of the pilot will give the state governments confidence about our technology," says Menon.

The 2.5-km aerobus line will be built within the group's own land and will be thrown open to tourists. "The total project cost will be around Rs 65 crore and will break even in five years' time," he adds.

According to him, the technology will be supplied by the US Aerobus International. "The US company will also take some equity stakes in the proposed company. But we will be holding the majority stake."

Unlike the Konkan Railway's skybus project, there will not be any concrete structure in the aerobus project. Simply put, the electric powered aerobus / carriage rolls on rubber wheels over steel cables and is supported by pylons. Most of the components will be imported for the pilot project. "High-quality steel will be imported from Japan, machines from Germany and the wagon from the US," says Menon.

According to him, finance mobilization will not pose any problem as there are foreign investors and other lines of credit available. In fact, the group's flagship company, Mennen Financial Services, mobilizes over Rs 10,000 crore for various state governments and state entities.

The Mumbai-based group is branching out to other states, too. "Many big projects are coming up in the southern states and the governments will be requiring more funds. And it is here that Mennen Financial Services has good potential." The company will soon open a regional office in Tamil Nadu.

The group is also getting into construction (Mennen Infrastructure Development Company), hotels (Mennen Hotels & Resorts), and infotech {Mennen Infotech (India). All the investments will be in Goa where the group has acquired around 100 acres.

According to Menon a 275-room five-star hotel and an ultra model amphitheatre are being planned in addition to the aerobus project. The project will come up in three phases and the first phase will be the amphitheatre where specialized entertainment shows will be held. The amphitheatre will have the latest musical fountains. The second phase will be the hotel.

Mennen Infrastructure is negotiating civil construction projects while the infotech company will focus on the back-office jobs involved in the financial services sector.

Country's first aerobus on Mapusa-Panaji route The Navhind Times April 17, 2002, Goa

Panaji, April 16: Goa plans to have country's first airbus (railroad in the sky), working on suspended cables as the state government has in principle gave its clearance to OCS Inc/Aerobus India Inc for installing the airbus pilot project between Mapusa and Panaji during its first phase.

Goa Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar, told reporters that the government has merely granted permission in principle and asked the company to prepare the feasibility project. The government has sought the clearance from the National Highways Authority (NHA) and other concerned authorities for granting permission for the company to go ahead with its project. The state government also plans to collect the leasing fees and passengers' tax for the airbus operations.

Replying to a question, Mr. Parrikar said though Konkan Railway Corporation had forwarded its proposal to establish airbus project in Goa, the KRC wanted state's equity participation in the project.

The president of the OCS Inc/Aerobus India Inc, Mr. Dinesh Menon, said that the company's brochure was released by the Prime Minister, Mr. A B Vajpayee on April 14, 2002 before leaving for Delhi.

Mr. Menon said Aerobus was proven technology and was successfully tested and set up in Zurich (Switzerland) in 1970 and later in Mannheim (Germany) where 2.5 million passengers enjoy a scene. He said his company proposed to set up airbus project in Goa to tap tourists, besides to cater speedy transportation facilities in Goa. The passenger survey had been conducted, Mr. Mennen said and it was found to be favorable in installing the project in Goa.

He said airbus can transport over 20,000 to 30,000 passengers per direction per hour without causing any pollution as it draws energy from electricity. Airbus vehicles are modular and two to twelve modules can be linked provided a carrying capacity between 80 to 350 passengers.

Replying to a question on the investment, Mr. Menon said the pilot project would cost Rs. 400 crore and it would be borne by the company. On an average the traveling cost per kilometer would be 50 paisa and Mapusa Panaji route will cost Rs. 6. During second phase the company will cover Panaji-Margao via Ponda. Aerobus is self-propelled vehicle that speeds silently through the suspended cable, riding high above city roads, expressways, rivers and other impossible barriers.

To another question, Mr. Menon said the project would be set up within 18 months as it will use steel pylons and cables and as such there was no need for any displacement, demolition or massive digging. He said Aerobus vehicles runs on rubber tyres making it smooth and noiseless. Mr. Menon said the fund would be raised by his company through Indian and foreign financial agencies. He said Aerobus can also move cargo containers.

Mr. Dinesh Menon with former Prime Minister of India, Mr. A B Vajpayee & (on Left) former Chief Minister of Goa, (Right) Mr. Manohar Parrikar