"We are in the right place at the right time"

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He believes in creating desired circumstances if he can’t find them. No wonder he chose to sell products of a golf-related brand in a country that swears by cricket. A former executive director at Reebok, Rahul Singh was responsible for handling its apparel business in India and also set up a sound sourcing base for exports from South Asia. Currently, as chief executive of Greg Norman Collection (India), a leading global golf-related lifestyle apparel and accessories brand inspired by legendary golfer Greg Norman, Singh drives sales, marketing and manufacturing for the brand in India. In a freewheeling interview with FE’s Banikinkar Pattanayak, Singh shares his company’s vision for India and why India is such a compelling growth story.

Golf isn’t a popular sport in India… not yet. What prompted you to roll out a golf-related brand in the country?

It’s true that golf is at its nascent stage in India. But it is also the fastest growing sport in the country. Being a truly global sport, it can be played as an individual or as a team, irrespective of age and athletic ability. It’s the sport to dress for, to make a style statement. Nothing is better than attiring in a golf-inspired brand on the greens and off it. Moreover, there are not too many brands in this segment. It’s indeed a high growth segment, and India is the cynosure of the world because of its fast growing market. You can’t ignore its potential.

What sort of a tie-up does Greg Norman Collection have with Better Than Before?

Better Than Before has a sourcing-to-selling relationship with Greg Norman Collection (GNC). It’s the outsourcing arm from India for apparel exports to all 32 countries where the brand sells its products. About 30% of the global Greg Norman Collection products are made in India. On the selling front, the company operates as a licensee of the brand for South Asia and the entire global line—whether made in India or elsewhere—is offered to the consumers at the same quality and timeframe.