Business Standard is a brand under Business Standard Private Limited, a financial media company headquartered in New Delhi, India. Established in 1975, it is one of India's significant financial newspapers and media institutions. The company's primary focus is on Indian economic and business news, as well as related analysis, commentary, and perspectives.
Organizational Structure:
Business Standard Private Limited employs a comprehensive organizational structure to manage and operate various aspects of the company. The core decision-making bodies include the shareholders' meeting and the board of directors. The shareholders' meeting consists of two shareholders, Kotak Mahindra Bank and ABP Group, responsible for major corporate decisions. The board of directors acts as the company's strategic and operational management body, with subcommittees such as the Human Resources Committee, Finance Committee, Strategy and Development Committee, and Audit Committee guiding and overseeing the overall business operations.
Key Personnel:
The company's editor-in-chief is Shailesh Dobhal, responsible for the company's news policies, editorial direction, and quality standards. He leads a team of seasoned financial journalists to ensure the accuracy and professionalism of news reporting.
Scope of Business:
The business of Business Standard Private Limited encompasses a wide range of economic and business news. The main areas include:
Indian Economy: Reporting on India's macroeconomic conditions, fiscal policy, monetary policy, GDP, inflation, employment, trade, and investment data and analysis.
Infrastructure: Reporting on the development and challenges in India's energy, transportation, communications, urbanization, and environmental infrastructure sectors, along with relevant policies and projects.
International Business and Trade: Reporting on India's business and trade relations with other countries and regions, as well as global economic conditions and trends, including topics like multilateral trade organizations, free trade agreements, tariff barriers, and exchange rate fluctuations.
Stock and Currency Markets: Covering the trends and dynamics of India's stock market, bond market, forex market, derivatives market, and related regulation and innovation.
Corporate Governance: Reporting on the governance structure and performance of Indian public companies, private enterprises, family businesses, and related legal and ethical issues.
Other Financial News, Views, and Insights: Reporting on developments and changes in Indian industries including banking, insurance, mutual funds, real estate, automotive, and e-commerce. Also providing insights and suggestions from experts, industry leaders, and government officials on India's economic and social issues.
Development History:
Business Standard Private Limited has undergone several significant development phases. The company was founded by the ABP Group in eastern India in 1975, initially publishing in Kolkata, later expanding to other cities.
During the transformation period, facing significant losses and competitive pressure, the ABP Group decided in 1997 to sell Business Standard to a financial services company named Kotak Mahindra Finance. Under Kotak Mahindra Finance's leadership, Business Standard undertook a series of reforms, including improving news quality, increasing columnists, expanding distribution networks, and launching digital editions, gradually restoring profitability and market position.
In 2005, Kotak Mahindra Finance spun off Business Standard into an independent company, Business Standard Private Limited, with Kotak Mahindra Bank holding a majority stake. Led by senior financial journalists like T.N. Ninan and Shailesh Dobhal, the company continues to provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and perspectives covering various domains in India and internationally. The company also launched Hindi editions, weekly magazines, and mobile applications to meet diverse reader needs.
Challenges and Honors:
Since 2017, Business Standard Private Limited has faced intense competition from other financial media, leading to a decline in circulation and readership. To address this, the company has increased investment in digital media, introducing a paywall subscription model, video channels, and podcast programs as new content formats. Additionally, the company has partnered with international media like the Financial Times to enhance its brand influence and professional standards.
Business Standard Private Limited has earned some recognition and honors in the industry. The company received the "Best Financial Newspaper in India" award from the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) in 2019, the Ramnath Goenka Award for Journalism presented by the Ramnath Goenka Foundation in 2018, and the "India Press Photo Award" from the Indian Photography Foundation in 2017.
