'Tier 2 and 3 cities playing pivotal role in India's growth': Info Edge Chairman

Info Edge Chairman Kapil Kapoor has expressed optimism about the potential of Tier 2 and 3 cities, calling them economic hubs. During the Annual General Meeting (AGM), Kapoor said, "As India aspires to become a $40 trillion economy by 2047, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are playing a pivotal role in this growth".

According to Kapoor, factors such as operational costs, improved infrastructure, and a rising middle class attracted businesses to Tier-2 and 3 cities.

Currently, Info Edge is present in 67 cities with 83 branches.

On Artificial Intelligence, the chairman said the company scaled its AI initiatives in 2021. "The number of AI models we use has surged from around 60-70 in mid-2021 to over 500 by mid-2024," the chairman added due to the expansion of the AI team from 15 scientists in 2021 to more than 60 by early 2024.

Further, Info Edge Chairman Kapoor said that the global slowdown in IT hiring in FY24 impacted billing and revenue. However, the company's focus on on-IT sectors, such as manufacturing, real estate, travel, healthcare, and BFSI has begun to pay off.

The direct non-IT sector's contribution to recruitment revenue grew from 37.2% in FY23 to 41.8% in FY24.

According to Kapoor, the Naukri database has achieved 100 million resumes.

Info Edge's revenue from operation grew by 10.3% to Rs 23,810 million. while operating margins increased from 34.1% in FY23 to 36.6% in FY24. Operating profits rose by 18.4% to Rs 8,712 million, and cash generated from operations before taxes grew by 9.3% to Rs 11,347 million.