MC Insider: Long live RJ’s investments, airline stake sale, banking blues, big boss is back and more

Talk about doing what you do best till you breathe your last. We had told you earlier on Moneycontrol how the inimitable Big Bull's mentor and guru is understood to be the main trustee of the ace investors estate. Now, we have picked up that the inimitable Big Bull had finalised a few more investments across segments before his death. Indeed, a true legend who was active till the very end.

The airline sector has been lying low for a very, very long time. Two airlines particularly are facing headwinds. One of this has a conglomerate to back it up and the other one is believed to be close to corridors of power. A little birdie tells us that the deal is finally in sight to recapitalise the airline. Two quarters of results are not yet filed with the stock markets and that could happen soon along with details about likely fundraising.

We hear one of the major private sector banks was expected to be added to an international benchmark index and the markets were keeping a close watch on this event, but unfortunately the lender missed the bus this time as the shareholding pattern was uploaded post the cut-off. Better luck in the next review we guess!

The dust had hardly settled post the sudden open offer launched by this deal hungry conglomerate for a leading television channel, when buzz of another potential deal in the media and entertainment segment hit social media. The chatter was around a south-based debt ridden newspaper being wooed by a business house. Any guesses?

Buzz is that the deals spearhead of a corporate was in exit mode until recently and was in active discussions to head one of the arms of a private sector lender. But this turned out to be a proposed executive move which reached the last stage and then suddenly fell through. Wonder why.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya was in for a pleasant surprise recently when some ministers from the opposition ruled states praised him for not politicising the Centre’s role in COVID-19 management. Health ministers from Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the two states ruled by Congress, spoke at length about how Mandaviya, after taking charge of the ministry last year, had taken every state along in the country’s fight against the pandemic. “This was surely not the case during the previous minister’s tenure,” quipped a babu in the ministry referring to Mandaviya’s predecessor Harsh Vardhan who was known to write scathing letters to opposition ruled states and then making them public!

Since his dramatic comeback, this veteran ad man is bringing in much freshness to his indie creative network. According to ad moles, with his "aura", clients are reaching out to the agency directly. The agency has stopped going to pitches. In fact, the creative shop is refusing to take up new work because of the overload. That’s unheard of. Looks like the big boss is adding the muscle power to strengthen the network’s business bones, which it was always known for.

A few years ago, at a tumultuous time for this ad group, a new group chief was brought in. This executive has, over the years, been presiding over an ad group that has been making huge strides and carving a bigger piece of the India pie for itself. But interestingly, the initial murmurs of succession talks are already buzzing in ad corridors. So who is next in line? Watch this space for more.