BYJU'S under fire after Lionel Messi named as company's global brand ambassador; Here's why

BYJU'S Messi association did not go down well on social media as netizens started to slam the ed-tech company for mass-firing of its employees in India.

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Edtech giant BYJU'S on Friday announced that it has roped in football legend Lionel Messi as its first global brand ambassador of its social impact arm 'Education For All'. Reported, Paris Saint-German and Argentinian player Lionel Messi have signed an agreement with BYJU'S to promote the cause of equitable education, BYJU'S said in a statement. However, BYJU'S Messi association did not go down well on social media as netizens started to slam the ed-tech company for mass-firing of its employees in India.

For the unversed, BYJU'S has announced plans to lay off 2,500 employees in the coming six months. CEO Byju Raveendran says that company was compelled to take the decision due to adverse macroeconomic conditions. Ironically, earlier this month, Byju's had announced the layoff of 5 percent of its employees across departments estimating up to 50,000 people. Again a few days back, CEO Ravindran had mailed an apology to employees and told them that the unicorn Tech startup is planning to lay off 2,500 employees in the coming six months under its plan of optimizing the spending cost and operational cost of the company across departments including product, content, media and technology. Byju's has already started the process of lay off and has even asked employees who are being laid off to serve a notice period of 15 days.

Now, with BYJU'S firing employees in bulk, the ed-tech company's announcement sounds ironic.

Here's what netizens said on BYJU's Lionel Messi association

A user wrote, "About to fire 2500 employees in the name of RATIONALISATION while unveiling Messi as brand ambassador, classic #byjus"

Another user wrote, "Congratulations to Messi for the lowest point of his career"

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"Fires 2500 people and next day hires him," wrote another user.

" On one side there are reports that BYJU'S Facing heavy losses, firing people, and shutting down offices. And on the other, they are Hiring the second most expensive brand ambassador in the world. What exactly is their story?" wrote another user.

Lionel Messi Byjus partnership

As per the official release, BYJU'S co-founder Divya Gokulnath said, "We are honoured and excited to collaborate with Lionel Messi as our global ambassador. He rose from the grassroots to become one of the most successful sports persons ever. That is the kind of opportunity that BYJU'S Education For All (EFA) wants to create for the nearly 5.5 million children it currently empowers. No one represents the power of enhancing human potential more than Lionel Messi."

"It is not really surprising that the greatest player of all time is also the greatest learner of all time. I am sure this partnership will inspire millions of people around the world to dream bigger and learn better," Gokulnath added.

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