Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global adds American Express and Microsoft as India launch partners
Thrive Global, the wellbeing brand launched by Arianna Huffington, has announced its launch partners, including Microsoft, American Express, Landor (WPP Group), WeWork and VU Technologies.
Thrive Global launches in India with American Express and Microsoft
Thrive Global first launched in India in January this year, after partnering with Times Bridge, the global investments arm of The Times Group. Other media brands to have partnered with Times Bridge includes South China Morning Post.
The launch partners were announced following a series of events an meetings in India between Huffington and business leaders and entrepreneurs such as Manoj Adlakha, SVP and CEO of American Express India, Anant Maheshwari, president of Microsoft India, Kavin Mittal, founder of Hike Messenger, Vani Kola, founder and managing director of Kalaari Capital, CVL Srinivas, country manager WPP India, among others.
Huffington said: “Thrive is spearheading the conversation around mental health and well-being in India and rejecting the myth that burnout is the price we must pay for success. The association with companies like Microsoft, American Express, Landor (WPP Group), WeWork, VU Technologies and venture funds and social enterprises, in addition to continuing our work with JPMorgan Chase and Accenture in India, will mark an important step towards our mission to end stress and exhaustion for employees.”
The company will work with the brands on wellness projects in India to deliver customized workshops and training, as well as ongoing coaching and technology products.
The Thrive Global media brand has also been live in India for some time now, and Thrive Global India general manager, Dr. Marcus Ranney, said major brands were starting to advertise across it: “With both Vodafone and Airbnb successfully completing campaigns on the media platform, there is now strong interest by a number of local and global brands to join the mission and partner with Thrive India’s media platform, a vertical which will have increased importance to the business in 2019.”
In statements from both American Express and Microsoft, the brands voiced their need to be involved in wellness projects because it helps empower staff, but also because it then shifts into consumer-facing experiences.
Manoj Adlakha, CEO, American Express India, said: “At American Express, we believe that the best way to back our customers, is to back our colleagues. We are committed to ensuring not just financial, but also physical and emotional well-being of our colleagues. Our goal is to build a ‘Culture of Health’ through our leadership, policies, and work environment. Better health for our colleagues and their families is good for them and it’s good for us. It’s a win-win”.
Ira Gupta, head of human resources, Microsoft India said: “At Microsoft we are on a mission to empower every person on the planet to achieve more. We recognize the importance of mental health and well-being of our employees as being important without having to give up on our professional goals.”
Arianna Huffington, the founder of the Huffington Post, founded Thrive Global after writing a book about how to be successful while still considering wellness. She herself suffered from injuries from burnout, driving her to challenge the notion of hard work. The company aims to become a leading behaviour change media and technology company.