Logistics Industry Veteran Beat Simon and Former APL Logistics Strategy Lead Albert Ng join Zephyr Peacock Backed 20Cube

Zephyr Peacock backed technology-driven logistics provider, 20Cube, has announced the appointment of Mr. Beat Simon, an industry veteran as Executive Chairman and Mr. Albert Ng, Former APL Logistics strategy lead as Head of Strategy and Implementation. With these appointments, the new age Digital Logistics company providing services in Freight Forwarding, Custom Clearance and Warehousing is moving a step closer to its vision of re-imagining Global Trade which has been traditionally driven by a mix of large organised players but also a huge unorganised sector.

“I have huge admiration for everything 20Cube has achieved to date, and I am even more excited about what we can achieve together in the future. With a strong team and an offering that can really make difference to customers, 20Cube has an important role to play in the digital transformation of the logistics industry. I look forward to helping the 20Cube team deliver its full potential,” said Beat Simon, Executive Chairman, 20Cube.

“This is an exciting time for 20Cube. We have built a solid foundation as a pioneer in new-age logistics and now, with some of the industry’s finest joining our team, we are even better positioned to truly enable the industry to evolve for the future,” said Mahesh Niruttan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), 20Cube. “With Beat and Albert’s formidable track record, strategic insights and deep industry knowledge, we will continue our journey to make trade easy by using our logistics experience to harness new technology.”

“We are thrilled to see how 20Cube has transformed over the past few years and has become a leader in digital logistics. The company has revolutionized digital logistics and has acquired multiple marquee clients through their prowess. 20Cube is disrupting the global digital logistics industry and we are excited to partner with them in their journey,” said Abhijeet Kudva, Managing Director, Zephyr Peacock India.

Albert Ng, Head of Strategy and Implementation, 20Cub

[caption id="attachment_138510" align="alignleft" width="200"] Albert Ng, Head of Strategy and Implementation, 20Cube[/caption]

“I am honoured to join 20Cube’s mission to digitally transform logistics, and I am looking forward to working with the experienced and motivated team,” said Albert Ng, Head of Strategy and Implementation, 20Cube. “The logistics industry has long suffered from significant inefficiencies and by helping the customers access technological advantages, 20Cube is driving an industry change that brings immense value to businesses.”

Beat Simon has led major profit organisations across multiple cultures and geographies. He has developed and implemented successful business strategies with Danzas (now part of DHL), Panalpina, Agility and APL Logistics, specialising in meeting the expectations of diverse stakeholder groups. As Executive Chairman of 20Cube, Beat Simon will lead the Board and provide the CEO with support and guidance around key strategic issues.

Albert Ng has over twenty years of experience growing and operating businesses in the transportation, logistics and travel sector. He started his career in consultancy at McKinsey & Company and as Global Head of Strategy and Marketing at APL Logistics Albert was instrumental in the company’s successful strategic transformation. His experience will build on 20Cube’s solid foundation as a pioneer in new-age logistics, through fresh strategic initiatives, new franchise models and potential M&A transactions.

About 20Cube

20Cube is a technology-driven logistics provider that is focused on transforming the industry through innovation. Founded in 2012 by logistics industry stalwarts, Mahesh Niruttan and Seetharaman Anand, 20Cube is present in 12 countries, 43 locations and transports over 35,000 containers and 6,000 tons of air freight per annum. 20Cube’s vision is to make trade easy by enabling the industry to evolve for the future by helping customers access today’s technological advantages and be best placed to benefit from the advances of tomorrow. www.20cube.com.

Ready-to-Cook Fresh Food Solutions Brand Fingerlix Raises $3M in Series A Funding

Fingerlix, the fresh, ready-to-cook food solutions brand targeted at today’s progressive home makers has scaled a significant milestone by raising $3 million from Zephyr Peacock (ZP)in its Series A round of funding. After having successfully made its presence felt in a few parts of Mumbai, Fingerlix had recently branched out in Pune and had also launched a new delicacy, PuranPoli to further diversify its product portfolio. The fresh capital comes at the perfect juncture in Fingerlix’s growth trajectory and will be leveraged to further intensify its operations in Mumbai, expand into newer geographies of Pune and Bengaluru and build on its highly successful product line, besides hiring new talent to scale up the team.

Zephyr Peacock’s move to invest in Fingerlix underlines the immense potential of the convenience food category, especially ready-to-cook traditional Indian food and the rising popularity of Fingerlix amongst busy, urban consumers. The brand has an overall target of spreading to top 10 cities in India over the next 18 months, a target which has received a shot in the arm with the latest round of fundraising. Fingerlix serves a wide range of products like batters, mixes, curries, dals, parathas and ‘fully-ready’ accompaniments to go with them. With the ready-to- cook food solutions brand, people are able to customize each dish and relish delights prepared in the state-of-the-art hygienic kitchen of Fingerlix.

Speaking on the milestone, Shripad Nadkarni, Founder Director and Shree Bharambe, Founder & CEO, Fingerlix said,“At Fingerlix, our aim is to offer fresh food with absolutely no preservatives to customers. With this latest round of fund infusion, we aim to introduce more offerings and foray into newer cities to spread Fingerlix to a larger customer base. We are delighted to associate with Zephyr Peacock, and look forward to working closely with them in the areas of product development, market expansion, widening of our distribution channels and strengthening our regional presence in high-demand geographies.”

Pankaj Raina, Vice President Zephyr Peacock, said, “With rapid changes in consumers’ lifestyle and food choices, the convenience food category is set for massive growth. Within this segment, the market for ready-to-cook traditional Indian meals remains largely untapped. We believe that Maverix Platforms Private Limited (Fingerlix) is well-positioned to become the market leader in this emerging segment with its unique product offerings and robust growth strategies.”

Zephyr Peacock makes private equity investments targeting India's fast growing small and medium market segments. By virtue of its global network and dedicated operations team, it provides critical support to the portfolio company’s management team to help position the business for long-term growth.