Open architecture underpinning the country’s booming fintech market is being adopted by Nepal and partly by Bhutan. Google also recommended it to the U.S. Fed. It’s a cheaper way to court allies than China’s Belt and Road projects. The soft power returns are valuable too.
EU watchdogs have previously blocked consolidation between mobile operators. Now executives like Vodafone boss Nick Read, urged on by activist investors and buyout firms such as KKR, are once again pushing for deals. But the case for protecting competition remains compelling.
New Delhi is determined to curb Beijing’s influence in its tech sector. For local startups like Paytm and Zomato, unwinding Chinese investment is a pain. Foreigners like Singapore’s Sea may face a starker choice: cash from the People’s Republic or access to India’s growth market.
The Swedish telecoms group says it may have made indirect payments to Islamist militants in Iraq. That’s way worse than the brown envelopes it sent in places like Vietnam that cost $1 bln in fines. Besides harsher U.S. penalties, Ericsson may find life tougher in its key market.
Craig Billings, the $11 bln casino group’s third boss in four years, could use a growth engine. A long slog awaits in Macau even as the mature Las Vegas market rebounds. Rival Sands found success in Singapore. The odds are longer for Wynn’s push into online betting and the UAE.