The Job: I love the fact that my job is a high voltage transformational mission. I have the immensely exciting task of scripting the resurgence of one of the most iconic brands this country has ever seen. When a 90-year old business starts making the moves that we are making, it is more potent than any start-up!
The Weekdays: Weekdays are dominated by work — the mission is all consuming. It is a heady mix of people, travel, deadlines, debates and decisions. I have a three-item running agenda — connect with as many of my team members as I can, sustain the operational rigour in the day-to-day business, and identify and harvest opportunities for disruptive change. When I’m not travelling, I ensure that I’m there to send my four year-old daughter off to school and tuck her into bed at night.
The Weekend: Weekends are pure play. My wife and my daughter share my love for nature so we periodically manage to engineer an extended weekend (or more) to indulge that love. Whether it’s bathing elephants in Chitwan, chasing the wildebeest in the Masai Mara or driving a vintage Spyder in Tuscany — we pack it all in. Even watching the sparrows on our terrace (a rarity in Mumbai) is a source of immense joy.
The Toys: Music is a passion, especially since I play percussion. My new target is an El Cajon EC10 which allows layering of electronic sounds onto the pure acoustics of a cajon.
The Logos: I like to make my own unique style statement. So Raymond Made to Measure is the obvious choice. Paul Smith, Piquadro and Oliver Sweeney are some of my other favourites. I am passionate about the creation of world-class brands out of India. I admire Good Earth. The brand that floors me is Amul. Not only is it a phenomenon from a consumer and commerce perspective but it is groundbreaking because of the lasting socio-economic impact it has made. It is indeed the complete brand!
