Small is the New Big

Editor’s Note
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Deepak Yadav
[email protected]
If conversations on the troll called recession or Mamata didi’s next
move are killing you softly, switch off, because we’re back again.
This time around, with fascinating stories from the world of
automobiles and travel, shutterbugs and summery coolers.
Now, driving in the crowded cities may make you hate the wheel.
But we’ll change your perspective, as we take you through 7
sensational spins across the world. Manoeuvre an Aston Martin on
ice, race a beefy jeep in an all-American adventure or simply rev up
the Ducati in Misano, Italy.
After engaging these mechanical beasts, let’s move on to a
fascinating animal — the tiger — who is fast becoming extinct.
Worried about the cat? We take you to the Kanha sanctuary in
Madhya Pradesh. Peruse through spectacular pictures of the
predator taken by tiger conservationist Joseph Vattakaven.
No matter where we transport you through our pages, nothing
like the real thing — travel vacations. Rajeev Duggal, MD of Kuoni
India, fills us on the metamorphosis of the travel indsutry and how
innovation is necessary to stay on the top.
Of course, travelling without that essential, memory-capturing
device — camera — is unthinkable. That’s why we spoke to the MD of
Nikon India on how the Japanese giant is making India, say ‘cheese’,
more than ever before. Oh, and while reading the stories, if you lose
track of time, look at our watch feature. Even though the tide and
times maybe rough, pick one of these exquisite timepieces to suit
your personality. Till then happy sailing, captains!
Hari Govind Nair
CEO INDIA|9
CONTRIBUTORS
Sopan Sharma
Automobile journalist and owner of a media
and advertising company
Joseph Vattakaven
Coordinator, Tiger Conservation, WWF India
and amateur photographer
Amit Sharma
Business journalist who specialises in banking,
retail, aviation and automobiles
Colin Fernandes
Freelance journalist. Is a published author
and an upcoming artist
Divya Sharma
Consultant sports physiotherapist and
biomechanist. Specialises in golf and tennis
Editor: Hari Govind Nair
[email protected]
Associate Editor: Mallica Singh
[email protected]
Business Editor: Amit Ranjan Rai
Consulting Editor: Kanika Dhawan
Senior Correspondent: Jayakrishnan Nair
Designers: Parvesh Kumar Swami, Santosh
Editorial Enquiries: [email protected]
ADVERTISING
MUMBAI: Kunal Khanna
[email protected]
DELHI : Ashish Sharma
[email protected]
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log on to www.ceoindia.co.in
8 | July 2012
inside
View
7
from
the
top
J u ly 2 0 1 2
INSIGHT
INTERVIEW
Deadly Spins
Future Foresight
How CEOs plan to steer their ships through
troubled waters
HEALTH
Exclusive images of the cat in Kanha
BANKING
48 | Small is the New Big
Funding MSMEs is the way forward
10 | July 2012
80
24
Ripping rides from around the world
CONSERVATION
40 | Eye on the Tiger
52
Beauty Buffet
Raid your kitchen
for radiant skin
TECHNOLOGY
64 | The ‘Appening Traveller
On-the-go travel applications
STYLE
68 | Timekeepers
Haute watches fit for a CEO
UNWIND
84 | Time to Liquidate
Refresh yourself with these super coolers
CINEMA
90 | Business on Reel
The corporate world on celluloid
Travel Turk
32
Nikon Knight
Rajiv Duggal
on how Kuoni
India has
transformed the
travel industry
18
Hiroshi Takashina on Nikon’s strategies to
capture the Indian market
REGULARS
12 | Top News
62 | Latest Launches
14 | Check-in
88 | Golf
16 | Hotels
92 | Books
60 | Cool Enticing Objects
94 | Humour
CEO INDIA | 11
TOP NEWS
C
E
O
m
o
v
e
s
12 | July 2012
Kwon Oh-hyun appointed as new CEO
of Samsung Electronics
Samsung has announced that Vice
Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun will take over
as the new CEO. He will be replacing Choi
Geesung who will now head corporate
strategy at the Samsung Group.
Nisa Godrej to lead Godrej Consumer
Products Limited’s FMCG business
Nisa Godrej, the 35-year-old daughter of Adi
Godrej, is all set to take over as the top boss
at Godrej Consumer Products. She will be
replacing the current managing director, A
Mahendran, whose contract ends in an year.
Sandeep Girotra takes over as senior VP
and global HR head for Ranbaxy
Sandeep Girotra, former head of HR
(India and Europe, Middle East & Africa),
Convergys Corporation, has joined Ranbaxy
as senior VP and global head of HR. This
position was earlier held by Bhagwat Yagnik.
Wipro BPO gets new head Manoj Punja
Manoj Punja has taken over as the new chief
executive officer of Wipro BPO. Punja was
formerly Wipro’s chief sales and operations
officer for Latin America. He has replaced
Manish Dugar, who resigned recently.
Former Merrill Lynch banker appointed as
MD for Temasek, India
Promeet Ghosh, former Merrill Lynch
banker, has been named as the new
managing director of Temasek for its India
division. He will be working with Temasek’s
India head Rohit Sipahimalani.
Jeremy Hunter appointed as president for
Henkel’s India operations
German FMCG giant Henkel has given the
charge of Henkel India to Jeremy Hunter.
Hunter, who has 20 years of experience in
the industry, would focus on the adhesives
and cosmetics businesses.
New MD for Kotak Mahindra Capital
TV Raghunath has been appointed as the
managing director of Kotak Mahindra
Capital, a subsidiary of Kotak Mahindra
Bank. S Ramesh, the chief operating
officer, has also been elevated to the
position of joint managing director.
CHECK-IN
Boeing
747-8
Debuts
L
ast month Lufthansa
Airlines conducted an
inaugural flight of the
world’s first Boeing 747-8
Intercontinental Passenger
Aircraft from Frankfurt to
Washington. It has 362 seats,
configured into 8 First Class,
92 Business Class and 262
Economy Class. For Business
Class travellers, it offers a
unique seating arrangement
in the form of a V wherein
two neighbouring seats are
angled towards one another
along a central axis. This not
only aids in sitting and lying
but also doubles the distance
between two neighbouring
seats, ensuring wider space.
World
Airline
Awards
T
he much-awaited 2012
World Airline Awards
will take place at the
Farnborough International
Airshow on June 12 at
Hampshire, United Kingdom.
This annual event, regarded
as the primary benchmarking
tool for passenger satisfaction
levels of airlines throughout the
world, comes up with its results
through a unique survey format
based on analysis of business
and leisure travellers, across
all cabin travel types. Last year,
the award for the World’s Best
Arline went to Qatar Airways,
followed by Singapore Airlines
and Asiana Airlines.
14 | July 2012
Flying With Fine Wines
T
he next time you fly Cathay Pacific, First Class,
try out the latest additions to their wine cellar
— 6 Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés. These
carefully chosen spirits are from the Bordeaux Wine
Official Classification of 1855 (a classification created to
present the famous Bordeaux wines at the Paris
Universal exhibition).
Now, Cathay carries 70 different wines to go with
its variety of in-flight cuisine and taste preferences
of passengers from around the world. The current
selection includes wines from France, Italy, South
Africa, Australia, the US, New Zealand and Argentina.
Cathay’s repertoire of wines is handpicked by expert
sommeliers in Hong Kong. This tasting process is
extremely important, as the wines taste different onboard
than they do on ground due to a drier cabin environment
and the effects of air-conditioning.
Luggage Link
Cathay Pacific is expanding its presence in India with a
bi-weekly freighter service to Hyderabad. This makes,
Cathay the first airline to offer an air cargo service linking
India’s 4th most populous city with East and North Asia.
Hotels
JW Marriott Mexico City Santa Fe
Located in the heart of Santa Fe, the JW Marriot is
just a stone’s throw away from great eateries, cafes
and malls. So you can do a lot at this hotel that
has been beautified by artworks commissioned to
artists like Javier Marin, Jan Hendrix, and Carlos
Garcia de la Nuez. Apart from getting a feel of
Mexico, you can dine at their Italian restaurant,
Quattro Gastronomia or the international joint, Cua.
With all other modern facilities at hand, this hotel
is a home away from home.
Ritz-Carlton, Montreal
After restoring the hotel for $200 million that was first
established in 1912, the Ritz-Carlton Montreal has 98
guest rooms and 31 suites. With high-tech amenities (a
guest’s temperature preferences) and motion sensors,
it has also accommodated a new residential wing, 45exclusive Ritz-Carlton Residences. You can also try out
the Maison Boulud restaurant that has been set up by
the three-Michelin-star chef Daniel Boulud.
DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix-Gilbert
Located in the Valley of the Sun and pretty near to
the Sky Harbor International Airport and Arizona
State University, the upscale DoubleTree by Hilton
Phoenix-Gilbert was formerly known as the Radisson.
The refurbished 121-room hotel boasts an 9,700 sq ft
ballroom, a 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness facility,
Wolfgang Puck in-room gourmet coffee and tea
service and great restaurants to sate your appetite.
R
E
V
I
E
W
Radisson Blu, Paschim
Vihar, New Delhi
Even a few years ago, West Delhi
had virtually no fancy five-stars to
boast of. But now, top hotel chains
are seeing big business in this side
of town. After Hilton Janakpuri,
Radisson Blu is the latest posh
property on the block.
Design
Stepping into the lobby, you
are almost taken aback by the
black-and-white hues and myriad
mirrors. You’ll feel like a ninja in
a surreal 3D-video game. If the
interiors remind you of Le Meridian
at Janpath, New Delhi, it’s because
Bobby Mukerji, the man behind
Meridien’s revamp, has designed
them. You will quickly be informed
by the polite and proud-of-theirhotel staff that the unique style
is ‘neo-gothic’.
The Stay
Of course, there is a bit of an
overkill as the theme extends
to the rooms as well. The dark,
brooding colours make the rooms
gloomy, no matter how many lights
you turn on. But draw the curtains
apart, and you have a sunny room
with a not-so-great view. The
redeeming factor is the bed
— one of the most comfortable
ones we have ever slept on.
Food
The first night of our stay we
ordered in-room dining, and
regretted it. The dal, paneer and
the desserts from the patisserie
were just plain disappointing. That
was the low-point. The good news
is, that things just got better from
the next morning. The breakfast
at Level 2, their all-day dining
restaurant, had a sumptuous
spread that ranged from Indian
to Western cuisines. The most
pleasant experience for us was
dining at Indyaki — the restaurant
that serves Indian food cooked on
teppanyaki grills. From the chicken
kebab flavoured with Turkish
apricots, the aloo teppan chaat,
Karavalli prawns to the roti pe
boti — the innovative menu was
truly appetising.
Spa and Fitness
Do visit their Pevonia-managed
spa, Vyoma. Thankfully, the gothic
theme didn’t extend to the spa, so
the ambience was soothing.
Well-trained therapists indulged
us with a mix of Swedish and
Balinese therapy. The state-ofthe-art fitness centre was also
impressive but the pool on the 7th
floor, though decent-sized, has an
eyesore of a view. We understand
that guaranteeing a nice view in
Delhi may not be possible, but
how about blocking the view with a
bamboo facade?
The Final Verdict
If you have business in this part of
Delhi, the hotel is a good option.
Also, their swish conference rooms
are great for closing deals and
making new ones.
The Indyaki Restaurant
The Lounge in the Lobby
Superior Room
The Oro Bar
CEO INDIA | 17
INTERVIEW
Nikon: Capturing
The Indian Market
Within just 5 years, Nikon has become the
No.1 player in DSLRs and a strong No. 2
in compact cameras. In a freewheeling
chat, Nikon India MD Hiroshi Takashina
speaks to Amit Ranjan Rai about what’s
making them click in India
H
ow important is the Indian
market for Nikon globally?
Nikon India reportedly
contributes less than 1 per
cent to the company’s global turnover…
Let me correct you, and I am proud to
say that according to last fiscal year’s
final figures, India contributes 1.5 per
cent to the total Nikon turnover. It is
one of the most important prospective
markets for Nikon, and that is why we
established the Nikon India subsidiary
in 2007. Only 5 years have passed, and
18 | July 2012
over these years we have realised that
the Indian market has a lot of potential.
We now hope to expand India’s 1.5 per
cent contribution to a total turnover of
5 per cent within 3 years. We have seen
significant growth in the past few years
and are quite sure of reaching the 5 per
cent target by 2015.
Currently, China and Japan contribute
almost 10 per cent each to the total
turnover. We would also like India to
contribute 10 per cent. But first we want
to reach the 5 per cent mark.
Can you explain how the camera market
has expanded over the past few years?
Let me first touch upon the compact
camera market. Last fiscal year (201112), the total Indian compact camera
market (includes all players) was almost
3 million units. A year ago (2010-11), it
was about 2.4 million; and yet another
year ago (2009-10), it was merely 1.5
million. So within 2 years the market has
doubled. That’s huge growth.
But compared to India’s massive
population, and its buying potential,
the figure of 3 million units is still
rather small. Look at the passenger
car market, it is quite similar, in fact
bigger (almost 3 million in 2010-11 and
projected to grow to 5 million by 2015)
than the compact camera market.
Now, there are not many countries
where the demand for passenger cars is
more than that for compact cameras.
The mid-range income levels have
increased with the growth of the
economy, because of which there has
been a significant rise in the number
CEO INDIA | 19
INTERVIEW
India selling Nikon products. We plan
to expand to another 500 shops within
this fiscal year; that would make our
products available with 3,500 retailers.
Also, Nikon is a known brand, which
people trust. But somehow it’s mainly
related to DSLRs. It’s a ‘professional’
kind of an image that Nikon has come to
be associated with. To break this image,
we have roped in actor Priyanka Chopra
as our first brand ambassador.
How much money have you put in your
marketing efforts?
Last year, the total sales and marketing
investment — not only advertisement
but also in-shop branding and training
— was `150 crore. This year, too, we are
planning to spend about `150 crore on
sales and marketing.
Tell us a little more about your overall
strategy to grow Nikon in India.
We must continue with the basics.
There is no quick way to capture the
market. I always tell my team that they
must become customer-oriented and
customer-friendly. And that we must
think what they are thinking.
Photos: Amit Ranjan Rai Location: The Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon
of people buying cameras. As for the
other camera segment, the digital SLRs
(DSLRs), the demand last year was 1.7
lakh units, which is still small, but quite
substantial compared to a year ago
(2010-11) when it was just 1 lakh units
— that’s a growth of about 70 per cent.
That’s why we feel that the Indian market
has a lot of potential.
How has Nikon performed so far,
considering you are a late entrant?
Nikon came in late; we established Nikon
India as a 100 per cent subsidiary of
Nikon Japan only in 2007. We have just
closed our 5th year. What’s noteworthy
is that every year we have near about
doubled our turnover. Last year, our
turnover was `750 crore. A year before
that it was `450 crore; and yet another
year ago, it was less than `200 crore.
20 | July 2012
Our monthly turnover today is 10 times
of what it was about 3 years ago.
We’ve had a strong impact on the
Indian camera market. When we entered
this market, our share in compact
cameras was only 5 per cent, and even
in DSLRs, our market share was under
30 per cent. Currently, in the DSLR
segment we are a strong No. 1 with 55
per cent share of the market. In compact
cameras, we today have a 27 per cent
market share — so within 5 years we
are up from 5 to 27 per cent. The market
is expanding rapidly, but so are we. We
would like to continue this momentum,
and hope to become the No.1 brand.
So you see Nikon as the No.1 player
in the Indian camera market in the
next few years…
Yes, definitely.
How much time would it take to reach
the No.1 position?
In terms of turnover, I am sure that
within this fiscal year we will be No.1. In
terms of market share, we are already
a strong No.1 in DSLRs with 55 per cent
market share. As for compact cameras,
we are not No.1, but quite close to being
No.1. I think very soon we will become
the market leader in this segment, too.
How do you communicate your brand
values to the average consumer
especially in tier 2 and 3 cities?
We are following a two-way approach.
One, of course, is availability. As you
mention, tier 2 and 3 cities have a
lot of potential. So a key priority is to
make Nikon available in every city, be
it the metros, tier 2 or tier 3 cities.
Currently, there are 3,000 shops across
We want the
consumer to
compare our
products with
other brands.
We are confident
that when they
compare, they
will understand
our strengths
Nowadays, the trend is more towards
outlets where consumers can touch,
feel and experience the products…
Traditionally, camera shops in India have
followed a box-on-the-shelf system
where cameras are kept in boxes that
are kept on the shelves. The customer
has to ask to touch and feel the
cameras. We have introduced what we
call ‘zones’ — a kind of a shop-in-shop
concept for our consumers to experience
the products. The cameras at our zones
are not in the box but displayed outside
where the consumer can touch, feel, use
and compare the products. We were the
first one to start the concept, which our
competitors are also following. Currently,
we have 92 zones across the country,
and by the end of this fiscal, we plan to
increase their number to 110.
Do you plan to have exclusive Nikon
retail outlets?
No, not for now. We want the consumer
to compare our products with other
brands. We are confident that when
they compare, they will understand
our strengths.
CEO INDIA | 21
INTERVIEW
Personal
Memo
T
ell us a little about yourself — your hometown, your
education and work experience.
I am from Setagaya, West Tokyo. I have completed a
Bachelors in Law. Currently, I am enjoying my stay
and work here in India. Before Nikon, I was working with a
Japanese automobile manufacturer, handling mainly sales
and marketing. About 5 years ago, I joined Nikon. For my
previous employer, I have worked in the Middle East (Dubai
and Saudi Arabia) and Paris, France.
Company heads like you have a hectic work life. How do
you de-stress?
Nowadays I stay alone in Gurgaon. But till about 2 years
back, my family was staying with me; they have gone back to
Japan for my daughter’s education. During the weekend, I
read books, listen to music, and most of all, talk to my
daughter over the phone. I think talking to her is my
biggest stress-reliever.
You said you enjoy reading books. Any
favourites...
Mainly, Japanese science fiction. Of
course, I am also fond of Japanese
comics, as I belong to the age
of comic books.
22 | July 2012
What are your hobbies?
I like listening to music. Though I haven’t been playing of
late, I am a good trombone player. When I was in Japan, I
was in an amateur orchestra and a jazz band. We used to
play at wedding parties and other events. Also, I have a good
collection of jazz and classical CDs back in Japan. Dave
Brubeck is one of my favourite jazz musicians.
Since you are from the world of photography, is there a
photographer whose work you admire?
I am very impressed by Raghu Rai’s work. He shot a lot of
interesting pictures for me, like his Delhi series. He is the
mentor for Nikon India. We are also planning to conduct
training courses with him this year.
Some expats say that things are a bit
chaotic here…
I don’t like the traffic (laughs). But currently, I
don’t drive, so there is no issue.
What about food?
Oh, I like Indian food very much. My favourite
is the masala dosa. One of my favourite eating
places is Pind Baluchi, Gurgaon. For Japanese
food, I like to go to Kyoto, Gurgaon.
Are you fond of automobiles?
Oh, yes! I like driving and often read car
magazines. When I am in in Japan, I drive a
Nissan Presage (a kind of a mini-van). But if
there’s a car that I would like to own, it’s the
Nissan GTR.
Any ambition…
So far I have visited 74 Indian cities and my target
is to reach 100 very soon (laughs). It’s my dream
to visit all the Indian heritage sites.
CEO INDIA | 23
7
AUTOMOBILES
Deadly
Spins
From letting lose an Aston Martin
on ice, rocketing through Misano
on a Ducati to discovering the great
American wilderness in a rugged
jeep — there's a smashing ride
waiting for you out there
A
spanking new Porsche 911
Carrera S. 400bhp waiting
to be unleashed at one
movement of your right foot.
Inch-perfect dynamics to make it one of
the most delectable, real-world driver’s
machines on the planet. And the traffic
jam of the century at IIT Powai. Or
the Doraisamy subway in Chennai.
Or Gurgaon’s IFFCO Chowk. You get
the drift... A bigger downer has not
been invented.
The point is, while the best cars
and motorcycles in the world are
now available to us to choose from, a
Words Sopan Sharma
Drifting an Aston Martin on ice
24 | July 2012
vehicle is still a slave to the conditions
it is driven in. There is a silver lining
though — manufacturers have begun
to realise that the best way to promote
their products, engineered with blood,
sweat and a few million dollars, is
to let followers and fence-sitters
experience them in places where they
truly shine. Throw in a dash of local
culture, exotic locales and stories of
mechanical creation — and you have
an experience that stays in the mind
of the auto enthusiast forever. Here’s
a list of the best on offer, from all over
the world...
AUTOMOBILES
Italia in Ferrari
A
car is often like a person
— affected in its DNA by
the place where it was
conceived, and brought to
life. For Ferrari, this happens to be the
breathtaking mountainsides of Italy, and
this is one of the prime reasons for the
consistent sportiness and agility of the
cars of the Prancing Horse. And while a
Ferrari may shine on any racetrack on
the planet, it is often most enjoyable and
at home in this environment.
The Italia in Ferrari tour offers
participants a chance to absorb the
sights and smells of Italy while driving
the latest Ferrari GTs and Sportscars.
The flexible tour can be tailored 1-8 days
while enjoying the mountain passes in
cars like the 458 Italia, 612 Scaglietti,
599 GTB and the F430 Scuderia. We do
recommend the historic Mille Miglia
route on the Amalfi coast — it is what
automotive dreams are made of.
La Dolce Vita
Aston Martin on Ice
Cool as Bond
»» Name of the tour: Red TravelÕs Italia in Ferrari
»» Location: Italy
»» How to get there: Direct return flights from Mumbai and
New Delhi to Rome
»» Participation cost: Available on request
»» More on: http://www.red-travel.com/uk/italia-in-ferrari/
Premium Cars of Southern Germany
Tryst with the Fantastic Four
F
»» Name of the tour: Premium Cars of Southern Germany
»» Location: Munich-Stuttgart-Ingolstadt-Munich
»» How to get there: Direct return flights from Mumbai and
New Delhi to Munich
»» Participation cost: €1600 (`1,10,000) for two adults
»» More on: www.spillman.de
26 | July 2012
or those of you who have as
much of an interest in the
creation of the automobile
as in driving it, this would
make for a perfect getaway — along
the famed Autobahns, and gorgeous
German country roads. Spillman’s 8-day
Premium Cars of Southern Germany
allows travellers to experience cars from
Audi, BMW, Porsche and MercedesBenz, and also visit their home factories.
The tour begins in Munich at the wheel
of a BMW, experiencing the glory of Lake
Constance and the Neuschwanstein
Castle. After the BMW factory, it heads
on to Stuttgart, the birthplace of
Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. You also
get to man a Merc and drive around the
picturesque Black Forest mountains.
The final stop is Ingolstadt, the home of
Audi. The tour ends in Munich in an Audi
of your choice.
»» Name of the experience: Aston
Martin on Ice
»» Location: St Moritz, Switzerland
»» How to get there: Direct return
flights from Mumbai and New
Delhi to St Moritz
»» Participation cost: €2900 (`2,00,00
approximately) per person for
participation. €600 (`40,000) for
non-driving companion.
»» More on: http://www.
astonmartinonice.com
T
he decade-old British brand
is a unique case study in how
a fairly small manufacturer,
albeit with a truckload of
history can spell exclusivity, despite
small numbers. The Aston Martin On
Ice is an experience which guarantees
the combination of high-flying
plushness and pure performance,
driving in exotic St Moritz, Switzerland.
The two-day experience begins with an
arrival and welcome at the Kempinski
Grand Hotel de Bains, a 5-star property
with a medieval castle feel, nestled
in the idyllic Swiss countryside.
The first day is spent in luxury, as
they even have Bond’s favourite
Bollinger champagne factored into the
pampering. The next day is when the
fun begins, with a fleet of Aston Martins
on an ice field, ready to go with winter
tyres. Guided by professionals, these
cool machines present themselves to
you for some drifting daredevilry. No
better way to feel like James Bond,
we say!
CEO INDIA | 27
AUTOMOBILES
AMG Driving Academy
Fast Lane Fury
Jeep Jamboree
The Ultimate American Adventure
J
»» Name of the experience: AMG Driving Academy experience
»» Location: Buddh International Circuit, Noida + Global locations
»» How to get there: Some of you could probably drive down
»» Participation cost: `75,000
»» More on: www.mercedes-amg.com/driving-academy/eng/
T
he 3-pointed star of
Mercedes-Benz is not
just about cruising in
luxury. Through its AMG
Division, Merc has created a badge
that is respected the world over
for its performance lineage. But
performance cars often do not equate
to performance driving, and this is
where the AMG Academy comes in.
The worldwide outfit trains enthusiasts
of all levels in performance driving
at stunning circuits around the
world, including the Nurburgring
Nordschliefe, the Ascari Circuit, and
most relevantly for us — the Buddh
International Circuit (BIC) in Noida.
28 | July 2012
While the course offered at the BIC
is only the beginner’s level, it still
offers more than enough fun with
the entire AMG range of cars to
experience — from the light and
agile C63 AMG to the grunty SLS
AMG supercar. Professional German
instructors (their leader currently
holds the lap record for its class
at the BIC) ensure that attendees
leave with a deep understanding of
performance driving and dynamics.
Consider a cost of `75,000 for the
entire weekend on the circuit with
true German muscle, plus you could
get the price slashed to `50,000 if you
already own a Merc.
»» Name of the tour: Jeep Jamboree
»» Location: Various locations around the US
»» How to get there: Direct return flights from Mumbai
and New Delhi
»» Participation cost: $600 (`33,000) per vehicle for the
Classic plan for two adults and two children
»» More on: http://jeepjamboreeusa.com
eep is another one of those
brands that has an almost
worldwide fascination, and
a massive, loyal fanbase.
Making use of its unique appeal, the
Jeep Jamboree has become a part of the
lifestyle of its users. Conducting tours
and get-togethers since 1953, there are
Jamborees that happen every single
weekend around the world. But again,
to experience it in the wilderness of the
North American continent is a thing of
great beauty and automotive joy.
With almost 30 tours planned in a
single calendar year, the Jamboree
makes for an offroader’s delight. The
event is also classified into Classic and
Select tours, depending upon whether
you wish to have food taken care of, or
take care of it yourself, camping style.
The drives themselves offer various
challenges of the Great American
Outdoors, in the company of experienced
and hardened offroaders from the Jeep
family, so help is always around. While
only a few Jamborees come with the
vehicle, Jeep rentals around the US
are pretty affordable. All it takes is the
quintessential American offroader, and
the will to tread into the wide open
arms of adventure.
CEO INDIA | 29
AUTOMOBILES
World Ducati Week
I
f you love the biking lifestyle,
the World Ducati Week gives you
a chance to experience the iconic
Italian motorcycle brand up close and
personal, in what could be described as
one of the biggest biker bashes around.
Based at a racetrack to celebrate the
motorcycle built around sport riding,
the event has one of the most action
packed weeks that a motorcycle
enthusiast can ask for. From live
music performances in the evenings to
exciting contests during the day, from
garage build-offs to bike washes, beach
barbeques and celebrity visits, this is the
way to be a part of the biker life, the way
it has been built around the brand.
Of course, there is plenty of riding in
case you feel like — it is a motorcycle
week, after all. There are quite a few
30 | July 2012
The Global Biker Bash
»» Name of the event: World Ducati Week
»» Location: Misano for 2012
»» How to get there: Mumbai/Delhi
-Rome-Rimini in San Marino
»» Participation cost: 4-day pass costs
€80 ( `5,500) for riders and €50
(`3,500) for visitors
»» More on: http://www.ducati.com/
world_ducati_week/
tour operators who will rent out Ducati
motorcycles to you around the World
Ducati Week so that you can be a part
of the festival, in riding gear and saddle.
Track days will allow you to experience
the raw power and agility of these Italian
beauties. And if the racetrack is not your
favoured place, there are tons of rides
around local roads with other Ducatis
to paint the town red.
KTM Adventure Tours
»» Name of the tour: KTM Adventure
Tours: Spanish Orange Taste
»» Location: Valencia, Spain
»» How to get there: Direct return
flights from Mumbai and New
Delhi to Valencia
»» Participation cost: €1400 (`97,000)
»» More on: http://www.ktm.com/
rideorange/ktm-adventure-tours/
T
here are few better ways
to explore a new place
than from the saddle of
a motorcycle. Austrian
bikemaker KTM has been in the
business of making phenomenal
on-offroad motorcycles, and the Ride
Orange adventure tours are a result of
this cult they have managed to create.
Run and managed by KTM themselves,
the tours are run all over the world
from South Africa to South America,
but the one that has caught our eye
was the Spanish Orange Taste tour.
Ride Orange
Eight days in the saddle of a KTM EXC
on-offroader (the engine capacity
depends on your riding skill), the tour
begins and ends in Valencia. Through
its course, it takes riders over a range
of terrain with many twists and turns.
And as motorcycle rides go, one is
likely to make great friends on the way.
All the rides are under professional
supervision and with support
mechanics so you can focus purely
on having fun astride those delicious
oranges. Food, stay, fuel and fun, all
taken care of. Now that’s a ride!
CEO INDIA | 31
INTERVIEW
"Innovation
is the only quotient
for success"
32 | July 2012
Photos: Ratan Sonal
Kuoni Travel Group, India, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Switzerlandbased Kuoni Group, is the country’s leading travel and tourism company.
It owns one of India’s foremost outbound package tour brands, SOTC, as
well as the leader in inbound travel, SITA. The company today is active
in almost every travel-related segment be it leisure travel, business
travel, destination management services or education. Kuoni India MD
Rajiv Duggal, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, has
been instrumental in spearheading the company’s growth over the past
decade. He spoke at length to Amit Ranjan Rai on the challenges faced
by the travel company as the industry evolves, and how innovation has
helped it stay ahead of the competition.
INTERVIEW
Over the last two decades, how has the
industry evolved? What have been its
highs and lows?
Twenty years ago, travel was a very
disorganised industry. It was dominated
by individual owners who never focused
on travel; they were running parallel
businesses. They were into travel to, say,
get easy airline tickets, tickets to fan
tours the world over, etc. Even today, the
mom-and-pop shops, which contribute
to almost 80 per cent of the country’s
travel business, don’t depend on travel;
their primary business would be real
estate, exports and so on.
There were but a few serious players
which got acquired by large MNCs.
International majors like Kuoni, Cox
& Kings, or Thomas Cook, bought out
small but serious specialists to grow
their business in India. For example,
someone doing only Switzerland as
an outbound destination; or school
tours, or sports travel. Growth comes
only through specialists. Buying out
a specialist gave them control over a
certain segment of the market.
At that time, the internet was hardly
an option. Today, we may be using iPads,
but two decades ago, we were booking
tickets through telex machines. Back
then, the customer’s knowledge was
limited; whatever a travel company
advised him, became his travel plan.
But today, keeping ahead of the needs
of a well-informed, net-savvy customer
is our biggest challenge. He is someone
whose son tells him that in London they
are not only going to Madame Tussauds,
but also to the zoo. The son knows
through the net that the zoo in London
is a must-see.
34 | July 2012
Earlier, while we enjoyed an 18 to 20
per cent margin on a limited number
of destinations, today, it has dropped
to 4 per cent, though the number of
destinations on offer is fairly large.
Low margins mean that the travel agent
hardly gets rewarded for the logistical
know-how that he brings to the table.
Remember, as a travel agent I don’t
own a product. From the airline you
board, the hotel you stay in, to the
sight-seeing you do, everything is
outsourced. Everything is logistically
put together by me to make sure the
customer has a wonderful experience.
So if the customer loves the service, he
would recommend it further. But, in all
this, no one supported us on margins.
Eventually, we ended up doing a lot of
work, but earning very little. People
in the travel industry aren’t really
well-off today.
So, an informed customer has been
the driving force for travel companies
to evolve…
Yes, I would attribute the evolution not
only to ourselves but also the customer.
He educated himself faster than the
industry. He became smarter than us
over the past two decades. This drove us
to outperform ourselves. So we studied
more, travelled more and educated
ourselves more; we brought in new
technologies and created engaging
websites. Of course, business increased
significantly for the entire market.
What about the downside?
First, that the competition increased.
Sure, the customer base went up but so
did the number of agencies. Accessibility
to a destination became easy. But as a
result, as the end-knowledge increased,
our margin decreased substantially.
Secondly, it was never a job of choice.
Mostly, people who didn’t get jobs in
any other sectors joined the travel
industry. So I lost out on intelligence.
IIM Ahmedabad graduates never joined
a travel firm and said let’s turn the
travel industry around. Why so? That’s
because there is hardly any margin in
this business.
You compensate on low margins by
gaining scale…
There is no other choice. It has to be
scale. Today, my business is not driven
by me; it is driven by the market. Ten
years ago, it was driven by me; I decided
what margins I would make. If I had a
tour of Europe, customers came to me
saying how much do they pay. Today, the
customer says if you’re not giving me
lunch at such and such place, you’re not
good enough. The challenge is different
today. Leisure has become a commodity.
It’s a product for the consumer. If you’re
not offering it at a particular price,
someone else would. Whether Kuoni is
offering it or a mom-and-pop shop in
Ludhiana; the customer is happy as long
as he gets it at the price he wants.
On a more positive note, in the past
two decades, as serious individual-run
companies were acquired by MNCs, a
culture of corporate governance has
set in. Our staff interfaces with our
companies regularly — so Kuoni UK
or Kuoni France could provide ground
support to Kuoni India. Hopefully, in
the coming years with outbound travel
estimated to grow exponentially (30
million by 2018 as per government
estimates), the demand in the market
will allow more consumers to understand
the difference between a corporate travel
company and fly-by-night operators.
IIM Ahmedabad
graduates
never joined
a travel firm
and said
let’s turn the
travel industry
around. Why
so? That’s
because there
is hardly any
margin in
this business
With daughter Jhanvee
CEO INDIA | 35
INTERVIEW
How is Kuoni India different from other
destination management companies?
First is our strength on the ground
because of our long experience in the
US, Europe and South Africa. As a
destination management company with
businesses across the globe, we have
huge knowledge on the ground. We are
the largest destination management
company for Switzerland or for Europe.
In the US, we have a brand called Allied
TPro, one of the largest outbound
American companies. In South Africa,
we own Private Safaris; in Vietnam and
South-East Asia we have Asian Trails;
and so on. Each of these companies is
huge, just like SOTC and SITA that we
have in India.
Secondly, the knowledge of our
consultants — people who interact with
our consumers. We have consultants
who have been with us for over 10 years
and have a huge base of repeat clients.
Both SOTC and SITA have been in India
for over 50 years and enjoy a long-term
relationship with clients. These clients
go through a cycle with us — first, they
do domestic tours, then the Far East,
then Europe and the US, and finally only
cities — France, London, or Sydney.
They have evolved over time with us.
They know if we are taking them to
some destination, our knowledge of
that place would be impeccable.
Last year, while receiving the TAAI
Travel Awards, you said that innovation
has played a key role in Kuoni’s success
in India. What innovation were you
talking about?
Innovation is central to Kuoni’s work
culture. We have a clear policy that if
we have to succeed, innovation is the
only quotient. When we come up with
an innovative product, the competition
has no idea about it, and we are able
to charge a premium. Obviously,
competition does catch up. It’s not
eureka; I’m not inventing light here. But
it’s the time between my innovation and
the competition copying the innovation
that marks my success.
Thirty years ago, Kuoni was the first
company to announce around-the-world
tours. We connected with our customers
and made these a success. Later,
the world caught up with the idea. If I
innovated a plan to take customers to a
place in the US where shopping is 20 per
cent cheaper, the whole market followed.
How has Kuoni performed in the
past few years? Has business grown
consistently?
In the past 5 years, except for 2009,
Kuoni has grown consistently at
18-20 per cent in all its businesses
— outbound, inbound, its tourism
academy or business travel. So we have
done extremely well. Everyone took a hit
in 2009 because of the recession, and so
did we.
Today, we have about 250 points
of sale and almost 1,900 employees
in the country. We service over 400
corporations. The journey has been
good since we bought SOTC and SITA
some 14 years ago. The two have had
huge credibility over the years and
remain front-end brands for the parent
company. We also run 20 centres under
the brand name, Kuoni Travel Academy.
What is Kuoni India’s contribution to
Kuoni’s turnover globally?
Kuoni is a listed company in Switzerland.
Emerging markets are of great
importance to its performance on the
stock exchange. We are present in India,
Russia and China, and among these three,
India is the strongest contributor. Its
contribution is about 70 per cent among
emerging markets. So we are doing
extremely well for the global company as
an emerging market. India contributes
to about 10-14 per cent to the global
business. As a single entity, that is a large
portion. We are far larger than China.
What are the key pillars of your strategy
to take Kuoni India forward?
First, of course, is innovation. It is the
only way you can stay ahead of the
curve and attract consumers. Second
is to invest heavily to attract talent. We
invested in the Kuoni Academy, a leading
travel and tourism education institute,
to cater to the demand of quality skilled
professionals for the industry. We have
been able to nullify attrition through it.
Third is technology. We have a younger
generation coming up which is fully
awed by technology. If we are not sexy
enough on the tech front, we are not
good enough for the next generation.
This generation might never remember
SOTC, SITA or Cox & Kings, but they
will remember FlipKart. If you look at
FlipKart ads, they are path-breaking and
have high recall. The new generation is
buying everything online, and if I don’t
go to FlipKart with my holiday package,
I might lose out on a generation. The
fourth pillar, of course, is the brand.
Has the rupee depreciation affected
your business?
It does affect us on a monthly basis.
As soon as the rupee depreciates,
36 | July 2012
When we
come up with
an innovative
product, the
competition
has no idea
about it, and
we are able
to charge
a premium
your international holidays become
expensive. We have seen a drop of about
15-20 per cent in our booking ratio in
the last one month as the rupee has
depreciated badly. It is not only the
rupee that hits us, but also the interest
rates, airline seat costs as well as the
pessimistic market in India. We have
seen a good amount of cancellations
because of the depreciation; there are
customers who deferred their travel
plans, especially for June. Because
of the value going up for, say, a family
of four, a 19-day trip may not be what
they want now. Instead, they’ll go for
9-10 day trips. So long haul is still there
but for shorter durations. Short hauls
have suddenly picked up; so you see
Singapore, Thailand or Malaysia doing
much better. Surprisingly, weekend
holidays are seeing a big boost although
the margins may be very thin there.
CEO INDIA | 37
INTERVIEW
What is your greatest indulgence?
My iPad, iPhone and MacBook Air, and their many cases.
Personal
Memo
What is a day in the life of Rajiv Duggal like?
I start my day early, with an hour’s workout at the gym. I get
back in time to drive my darling daughter to school. After this,
I share a cup of tea with my wife. By that time, I am ready to
head to the office. Usually, my day is replete with corporate
meetings, tough decisions, and lots of mails. I get home
by around 8 pm. After dinner, I spend time with my family.
Finally, I call it a day around midnight.
What is your idea of relaxation? What is your ultimate
holiday destination?
I travel the world and it would be hard to pick a place or
two in particular. Every destination is beautiful. For me,
an ideal holiday is one where I spend at least 9-10
days at a place. It’s important for me to understand
its culture and history, savour the food, walk
around and check out the museums and
art. I am a huge shopaholic, too. Most
important, is that I should have
enough time in hand to experience
a place. So, if I go to Barcelona,
I would like to sit there for 10
days; London, maybe 15.
What are your hobbies? Are you fond of collecting
anything?
I love cars. Yes, I collect two things wherever I go — caps and
city or country magnets.
What kind of book accompanies you on a long-haul
flight?
I always pick one book from the airport bookstore. Mostly, I
go for interesting fiction.
Are you into music?
I like instrumental jazz.
What is your kind of movie?
A typical thriller or a full-on
nonsense
Hindi masala movie.
Your favourite car is...
The Mercedes Benz E-Class Limited
Edition. I love the Merc for its
safety, comfort and technology. It is
strong and dependable, and comes
with less frills.
Who are your favourite actors?
Kareena Kapoor and
Cameron Diaz.
What food do you enjoy?
Burger, burger and burger.
Any CMD or CEO you admire
and why?
Ratan Tata, for what he has given
to the country, and for his humility.
CEO INDIA | 39
Conservation
Eye on the
Tiger
We might have had brief yet
unforgettable encounters
with them while on a safari in
Kanha, Madhya Pradesh. We
might even remember them as
Tigress No. 7 or Poonch Kata.
But to Joseph Vattakaven they
are Sunapaani, Durga, Shiva,
Bhura and Churi — feline
friends he has spent many days
and nights with. Recounting
rivetting tales, he shares
never-before-seen
moments from his
own jungle book
Tigress Sunapaani
rears herself onto
a rock to survey
the scene ahead,
keeping her
cool even as her
alertness is all
too palpable
40 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 41
Conservation
Tigress Durga sits
pretty with young
cubs from her
second litter.
Along with fierce
protectiveness, one
senses an air of
maternal pride in
her. Unfortunately,
these cubs didn«t
live long and were
suspected of
perishing in a
forest fire
Tigresses have litters
every 3-4 years and
their gestation period
lasts 105-112 days.
They put in
unbelievable effort to
raise their cubs.
Singlehandedly
hunting for them for
as much as 2 years,
they hide and
protect their young
ones from all sorts of
intruders, including
other male
tigers who are not
their fathers
The monsoons usher in a freshness
that is visible everywhere... From the
verdant grasslands to the new velvet
antlers of the spotted male deer at play
42 | July 2012
Tiger TriVia
The power of the tiger is
not mere folklore. A male tiger
can weight up to 300 kg and has
the strength to bring down prey
several times its weight and size
Shiva and Bhura, Durga«s cubs
from her first litter, have had
many unconventional toys.
But the python would
certainly figure among
rarer treats. Durga killed the
python and gave it
to the boys to hone their
munching skills
Parenting is a taxing task especially
when you are a single mother. Durga
growlsat Bhura who is nearly an adult
but refuses to act like one
CEO INDIA | 43
Conservation
In the misty meadows of dawn, a male
barasingha (an endangered deer whose
antlers have twelve tines) raises his
grass-adorned head to emit the bugling
call characteristic of this species. All
this to court the female near by, who
unmoved, continues browsing
Shiva and Bhura spend the first
two years of their lives in idyllic
companionship revelling in the vast
wilderness. This playground, one day,
will become contested territory, over
which only one of them will
reign supreme
Tiger TriVia
Dressed in their distinguished gold and black
stripes, tigers camouflage incredibly well in
their natural surroundings, such that they can
see you even when you cannot see them
44 | July 2012
Shiva sits nestled amidst
the tall Kans grass
waiting in ambush for
passing prey
Each tiger’s stripes
are as unique as
human fingerprints. This
allows individual tigers
to be identified through
the camera-trapping
method, wherein
animals can be captured
on film with minimal
disturbance
CEO INDIA | 45
Conservation
Tigress Churi crouches low to sip water
from a nullah. But even here she cannot
afford to let her guard down
A tiger faces various
threats even in
protected reserves
from its own kind
over territory, prey
and young ones.
However, the biggest
threats by far are
habitat destruction
and poaching. The
estimated number of
tigers in India is 1706
Tiger TriVia
It takes a tiger 15-20 attempts before it finally
nails its kill. Consequently, it sometimes
makes do with snacks like hare, peacocks,
langurs and even snakes and porcupines
46 | July 2012
Tigress
Sunapaani
unwinds after
a meal in a
rivulet revived
by the monsoon
Peering between two tree
trunks, a Gaur, commonly
referred to as the Indian
bison, keeps vigil for
lurking predators
Joseph Vattakaven, Coordinator, Tiger Conservation, WWF
India has tracked tigers 24X7 for the maximum continuous
durations they have ever been followed in direct sight, to obtain
crucial data on their behaviour and ecology
CEO INDIA | 47
BANKING
Small is the
New Big
By making funds more readily available to the MSMEs (medium and
small and medium enterprises), Indian banks are all set to tap into the
tremendous growth potential of this sector
I
t is said that small opportunities are often the
beginning of great enterprises. Banks in India
are, therefore, gearing up for tapping into a
not-so-small opportunity, in fact, a multi-billion
dollar opportunity — one that is presented by the
funding needs of the MSME (medium and small and
medium enterprises sector).
The country’s top lenders — State Bank of India,
HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of India and Punjab
National Bank, among others, have charted out
unique strategies for capitalising on the huge market
potential presented by this sector.
It is not the Indian banks alone, even the international
banks are working to grab a piece of the pie — a
market which is expected to grow from about $150
billion in 2010 to $367 billion by 2015, as per a recent
study by McKinsey & Company. Much of this growth
will be spearheaded by emerging economies like
India, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Russia and Mexico, as
these countries are on the higher trajectory of GDP
growth and offer rather promising prospects.
MSMEs have been the backbone of development
of every industrialised country, as they generate
employment, and often, they both create and sustain
markets that are quite resistant to the vagaries of the
global economy.
The State Bank of India, the country’s largest
lender, has instructed all its branch functionaries to
disburse the maximum number and amount of loans
possible and get these covered under the Indian
Words Amit Sharma
48 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 49
BANKING
government’s CGTMSE scheme. The
Credit Guarantee Trust Fund for Micro
and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) is
a fund trust set up by the government
to help the micro borrowers of the
country to get cheaper and guaranteefree credit.
Indian banks will benefit by covering
the MSME advances up to `10 million
under the above scheme in two ways.
First, banks can increase their loan
portfolio thereby increasing banks’
earnings. Secondly, they need to provide
for lower capital as loans covered under
the CGTMSE scheme carry lower risk
weight under the Basel norms.
The country’s biggest lender to
MSMEs, the SBI, plans to open more
centralised processing centres for
MSME borrowers in order to speed
up the loan sanction process and
provide specialised services to such
borrowers. It already caters to the
needs of its MSME borrowers through
a vast network of specialised SSI and
MSME branches scattered over India
— from the suburbs of Mumbai to the
hinterland of Jharkhand.
MSME advances of SBI increased
from `1,19,676 crores in March 11 to
`1,39,175 crores in March 11 (16.29 per
cent year on year growth); while gross
advances increased from `7,71,802
crores in March 11 to `8,93,613 crores
in March 12 (15.78 per cent year on
year growth). This clearly shows a
higher growth potential for the MSME
sector. The bank has targeted for over
20 per cent growth in its MSME basket
50 | July 2012
for the year 2012-13.
“A higher growth in the MSME sector
can be achieved only by establishing a
better synergy between the bank and
the government, as MSME units are
eligible for different kind of back-ended
and upfront subsidies that they can
avail only through banking channels,”
said a senior SBI official who did not
wish to be named.
Another important aspect is the
growth of micro enterprises, which play
a vital role in the country’s development
and are grossly excluded from the
financial market. It is a major challenge
to bring them under the net of financial
inclusion, as most of the promoters
of such units are financially illiterate
and do not understand the nuances
of securing finances — the reason
why they are debt-laden from funds
borrowed from local moneylenders.
Self-help groups and Nongovernmental Organisations can
be instrumental in bringing these micro
enterprises under the net of financial
inclusion. Also, they can educate them
in organising the paperwork to get
need-based bank finance. Most public
sector banks such as Bank of Baroda,
Punjab National Bank and State Bank
of India have simplified the paperwork
for access to loans by MSMEs to a great
extent in order to help in quick and easy
loan disbursal.
While private sector banks are yet
to catch speed in financing MSME
growth, public sector banks have taken
the lead, enabled by their wide branch
The State
Bank of India
has targeted
for over 20
per cent
growth in its
SME basket
for the year
2012-13
and employee network, which enables
better reach.
Banks see such potential in the
opportunity that public sector banks
devise customised financial products
on a daily basis, in order to suit clients’
specific needs. SBI alone has about 40
products for MSME clients. The bank
has recently reduced the interest rate by
up to 300 basis points in order to tap the
vast MSME market. It hopes to increase
its profit even after this sharp reduction
in interest rate (effective June 1, 2012)
due to expectations of substantially
larger volume and market share that it
would get after the reduction in rates.
“The revised card rates will initially
result in an immediate dip in the
interest income. They are, however,
expected to neutralise the impact over
a period of time by way of increased
utilisation of limits besides booking
quality new business. The revised
interest rates are competitive and will
place our bank at an advantageous
position in the market,” said a
Deputy Managing Director of a bank
associated with this development.
Contrary to general belief, the yield
on MSME advances is showing signs
of general improvement over time. For
SBI the yield has increased to 12.90 per
cent as on April 2012 as compared to
just 11.66 per cent a year ago.
All the specialised MSME branches of
State Bank of India across the country
are making profit. Even MSME branches
in Bihar and Jharkhand are making a
substantial amount of profit by better
fund utilisation resulting in lower NPA.
“There’s huge potential to tap MSMEs
in the rural and semi-urban areas. One
of our semi-urban MSME branches
in Jharkhand has a credit portfolio
of about `500 crore and not a single
account is non-performing. This itself
speaks scores about the potential of
MSME business in the country,” said
another senior SBI official.
Clearly, the opportunity is huge and
banks are not missing the message.
“Competitive intensity in rural and MSME
markets is high. It’s a game that the most
agile will win,” explained a deputy branch
head at the Bank of Baroda, who handles
the bank’s MSME loans segment.
Competitive intensity in rural and
SME markets is high. It’s a game
that the most agile will win
CEO INDIA | 51
INSIGHT
Leading
in uncertain times
Future forecasts maybe bleak, but CEOs are not backing out. They are taking
deliberate steps to strengthen business resilience in this difficult conomic
climate, finds out the 15th Annual Global CEO Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers
T
hese are troubled times.
Economies across the globe
are weakening. Even the
‘safe’ emerging market
economies have been hit by faltering
growth. Instability has lowered business
confidence and made planning difficult.
Most corporations have been trying
to adjust, without fanfare, to the new
global economic reality. Significantly,
they are not on the defensive. The
Annual Global CEO Survey 2012, by
PricewaterhouseCoopers reveals that
CEOs are clear they are not backing
away from global growth programmes.
In fact, they are deepening their
commitments to their most important
markets. CEOs are still positive about
the India story and have ranked the
country as the 4th most favourable
nation for overall growth prospects in
the next 12 months, just behind China,
the US and Brazil. CEOs in India, in
particular, are optimistic about their
companies’ growth prospects.
Among the CEOs interviewed, whether
based in Italy, Malaysia, the US or South
Africa, the goal of delivering results by
growing whole operations — not just
sales — outside their home base is a key
priority. These are ambitious agendas,
which is somewhat surprising given the
economic uncertainties. How are CEOs
going to make it happen?
The survey, in which over 1,250
company leaders from 60 countries
participated, asked how CEOs think their
time is best spent, and two-thirds said
they want to devote more attention to
developing talent pipelines and meeting
with customers (see Figure 1). Four
years into the financial crisis, CEOs
are more grounded about the risks and
changing conditions for growth. The
focus on talent and customers today is a
natural ‘next step’ towards establishing
their organisations in the markets where
they operate. We look at some of the key
findings of the survey on CEOs’ priorities
for the year.
Confidence disrupted
Close to half the CEOs interviewed
believe the global economy will decline
in the next 12 months, while 34 per
cent believe it will stay the same (see
Figure 2). Incremental improvements in
business optimism seen in CEO surveys
over the past two years are reversing. In
a sign of converging economic fortunes,
confidence declined in parallel among
CEOs across all regions, except for the
Middle East and Africa.
Yet businesses are not on the
defensive. CEOs are taking deliberate
steps to improve their businesses’
resilience against further disruptions,
and to grow in the markets they believe
are most important for their future. As
a result, 40 per cent globally are ‘very
confident’ in prospects for revenue
growth in their own companies in the
next 12 months.
In India, about 55 per cent of the
CEOs interviewed are ‘very confident’
about their company’s growth prospects.
Confidence of CEOs in India is driven
by optimistic growth prospects in the
domestic and new geographic markets,
particularly those in other emerging
economies.
Globally, CEOs are manoeuvring to
outpace the competition and the market,
rather than relying on riding economic
updrafts or just riding out volatility. They
are nearly 3 times more confident in
their own capacity to generate growth in
their business than they are in the global
economy’s growth prospects.
At first glance, this relative optimism
seems unfounded. The unfolding
Eurozone crisis alone is creating more
room for disappointment. So, what does
this pattern mean? Should we worry
that the chart suggests we might be
facing 2008 all over again, perhaps with
another crisis precipitating a massive
fall in business activity? Not everyone
can outpace the market. Possibly, but
PwC analysts don’t think so. In their
view, CEO confidence in business growth
is holding up because of 3 important and
related trends:
• The tough choices and
transformations made in business
Figure1: CEO’s personal priorities include spending more time with customers and developing leaders
Q. Do you wish that you personally could spend more time, less time or the same amount of time on each of the following activities
Develop leadership and talent pipeline
66
Meet with customers
66
Improve organisational efficiency
57
Set strategy and manage risks
51
Develop operations outside of my home market
40
Personal time of community service
34
Meet with regulators and policy makers
People
Operations
5
Meet with lenders and providers of capital
-4
Meet with the board and shareholders
-5
Governance
%
Net priority (% of respondents reporting ‘More time’
minus % of respondents reporting ‘Less time’)
Base: All respondents (1258)
Source: PWC 15th Annual Global CEO Survey 2012
52 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 53
INSIGHT
Figure 2: Half of CEOs expect the global economy to decline in 2012
Q: Do you believe the global economy will improve, stay the same, or
decline over the next 12 months?
4%
15%
Improve
Stay the same
48%
Decline
34%
Don’t know
Base: All respondents (1,258)
Source: PwC 15th Annual Global CEO Survey 2012
models since 2008. With stronger
balance sheets, improved cost
structures and a greater awareness
of global risks, CEOs are more
prepared. They don’t think growth will
be easy; but they do believe they’re
more ready for turbulence than they
were 4 years ago.
• The rise in investment and commerce
to and from emerging economies
creates vast market potential. Half
of CEOs based in developed markets
believe that emerging economies are
more important to their company’s
future, as do 68 per cent of CEOs
based in emerging markets.
• The strength of cross-border ties.
There has been some real progress
recently on bilateral and regional
levels in fostering cross-border
commerce and investment. Trade
has rebounded since the downturn
began, according to data from the
World Trade Organisation. Add
in the greater mobility of capital
today (both financial and human)
towards new opportunities and the
54 | July 2012
In India, about
55 per cent
of the CEOs
interviewed
are ‘very
confident’
about their
company’s
growth
prospects
full potential of a far more closely
integrated world. CEOs believe that
the forces of global integration will
stay on track: 45 per cent believe the
world will become more open to free
international trade (with fewer than
a third expecting a pullback) and 56
per cent are convinced that crossborder capital flows will not come
under new constraints. As a result
of these factors, business leaders’
commitment to doing more business
globally is, if anything, accelerating
despite economic, regulatory and
other uncertainties.
Twin approach
As businesses have faced volatile global
conditions since 2008, CEOs have crafted
new approaches to risk management
and new strategies in response. Risk is
not being ignored, but other issues are
higher on the agenda (see Figure 3).
This year, CEOs are focusing on better
execution in those markets which are
important to the future of their business,
while also seeking stability and more
certainty in their domestic markets.
This was a message the survey
consistently heard from CEOs,
regardless of where they are based.
“We adopted a strategy called ‘protect’
in most cases in the mature markets.
We pay more attention to profit making
and how to transfer the core business
into cash cows,” said Yang Yuanqing,
chairman and CEO of Lenovo. “In
emerging markets, we have primarily
adopted an ‘attack’ strategy. That means
we have to pay more attention to market
share at the beginning instead of profit.
We would say that it is difficult to make
money if market share is less than
10 per cent.”
CEOs see risks and customer
segments through different lenses than
they’ve used in the past, and are focusing
on the talent they need to grow their
businesses sustainably. These are some
of the priorities described by CEOs:
• Reconfiguring operations to meet
local market needs: CEOs are
building local capabilities in important
markets, extending operational
footprints, building strategic alliances
and creating new networks for
new markets that include R&D,
manufacturing and services support.
They’re adapting how they go to
market, reconfiguring processes, and
at times, entire operating models.
• Addressing risks that greater
integration amplifies: It may feel
as if disruptions are multiplying
as their impacts expand across
widely dispersed and finely tuned
supply chains. During 2011, global
businesses had to confront a portfolio
of unrelated high-impact global
risks — from political upheaval
and a nuclear disaster to massive
floods and a sovereign debt crisis.
Through it all, CEOs have learned that
prudent risk management should
focus on understanding the potential
consequences of such risks. Many
companies weren’t directly affected
by the improbable Fukushima crisis,
for example, or the floods in Thailand.
However, supply chain disruption
as severe as those 2 events caused
should be on every company’s radar.
• Making talent strategic: Not having
the right talent in the right place is
a leading threat to growth for many
CEOs. One in four CEOs said they were
unable to pursue a market opportunity
or have had to cancel or delay a
strategic initiative because of talent
constraints. There are short-term
issues, such as an acute shortage
of trained managers and technically
skilled workers. And there are longterm concerns with the capacity of
educational systems everywhere to
keep up with business needs.
Global capabilities, local opportunities
A sensible strategy for globalisation
today means far more than building
cheaply in one location and selling in
another. What has changed is the way
operations are configured. India’s Tata
is now the largest manufacturer in
the UK. Taiwan’s HTC pioneered the
use of Google’s Android software. New
operational strategies are required to
compete in such markets.
“You have to innovate, design,
manufacture and source locally to be
successful anywhere,” said David Cote,
chairman and CEO of Honeywell. And
that’s what CEOs are investing to do:
build fully fledged operations, including
A sensible
strategy for
globalisation
today means
far more
than building
cheaply in
one location
and selling
in another
CEO INDIA | 55
INSIGHT
manufacturing, in each of their priority
markets, build deeper relationships
with their customers, innovate anew,
take advantage of local talent and
brands, reduce risk and strengthen
supply chains.
Over 60 different economies were
named by CEOs as key overseas
markets, some adjacent to their home
market and others on the other side
of the world. Solid growth and rising
domestic spending power in more
economies around the world, such as
Indonesia and Turkey, for example, are
propelling CEOs past a mindset focused
solely on BRIC.
The US and Germany were among
the economies identified by the most
CEOs, and mentioned as economies
where they are expanding capabilities.
Equal number of CEOs from developed
and emerging markets identified the 2
countries as important. China presents
a different picture of diversification:
it’s important to 37 per cent of CEOs
based in developed economies versus
24 per cent of CEOs based in emerging
economies.
Many of their objectives in the next
12 months are similar (see Figure 4).
Building manufacturing capacity, for
example, is important for many CEOs in
each of their key markets. China faces
increasing competition as CEOs reach
further afield. Of those CEOs who listed
Brazil or India as important to their
growth prospects, around a third cite
manufacturing locally as an objective
for 2012; 31 per cent plan to build
manufacturing capacity in Russia, and
30 per cent in China. A similar pattern
holds for product development; CEOs are
seeking to source innovation from within
their key markets.
Build or buy?
Acquisitions always have a role to play
in growth plans. This year, acquisitions
are more likely to be a component of
strategies for CEOs based in developed
markets, perhaps reflecting classic
consolidation in mature economies:
15 per cent say M&A offers the main
opportunity for growth for their
companies versus 10 per cent in
emerging economies. CEOs in developed
economies were active deal-makers
in 2011, with 26 per cent completing a
cross-border transaction, and were also
more likely to have divested an operation.
Responses this year indicate the potential
of a modest pull-back on international
deal-making over the next 12 months:
28 per cent of CEOs globally plan to
complete a cross-border deal in 2012, a
decline from the 34 per cent last year.
The pool of potential acquirers is
becoming more diverse, as are the
target locations. While most crossborder
deals continue to stem from investors
Building
manufacturing
capacity is
important for
many CEOs
in each of
their key
markets
Figure 4: Growing customer bases is far from the only objective of CEOs in their key overseas markets
Q: Which of the following objectives do you hope to achieve in the next 12 months? (The top 10 countries mentioned by
CEOs in ‘Which countries, excluding the one in which you are based, do you consider most important for your overall
growth prospects over the next 12 months?’)
China
USA
55
30
30
71
14
23
17
Russia
11
16
26
38
11
Australia
49
10
21
36
19
81
9
16
14
34
29
6
5
10
44
76
12
12
Japan
42
15
72
31
France
78
12
38
32
24
79
31
36
22
87
31
33
54
31
83
47
49
19
22
UK
53
61
55
19
34
Germany
32
26
79
India
61
46
46
27
Brazil
10
Build R&D/innovation capacity or acquire intellectual property
Build internal service delivery capacity
Build manufacturing capacity
Access local talent base
Access raw materials or components
Grow your customer base
85
21
19
17
Access local source of capital
Base: China (383); USA (275); Brazil (188); India (176); Germany (152); Russia (101); UK (81); France (66); Japan (62); Australia (53)
Source: PwC 15th Annual Global CEO Survey 2012
Figure 3: Talent remains priority no. 1 for CEOs
Q: To what extent do you anticipate changes at your company in any of the following areas over the next 12 months?
2011
2012
Strategies for managing talent
21
55
Organisational structure (including M&A)
26
50
Approach to managing risk
32
50
Captial investment decisions
38
42
Focus on corporate reputation and rebuilding trust
49
35
Capital structure
55
29
Engagement with your board of directors
63
27
23
17
52
22
25
47
17
23
54
23
48
36
41
14
50
34
15
8
52
34
12
19
15
No change
56 | July 2012
27
23
28
22
%
%
Base: All respondents 2012 (1,258); 2011 (1,201)
Source: PwC 15th Annual Global CEO Survey 2012
21
Some change
A major change
in either North America or Western
Europe, Chinese firms have emerged as
major international investors, as have
Indian companies, and this trend is set to
continue. “Company valuations are now
much more attractive than they were
last year,” said Ajay G Piramal, CEO of
Piramal Group Ltd. “Today, we would pay
half or one-third of what we would have
paid for these companies last year.”
CEOs based in Africa and the Middle
East are the most bullish about
continued deal-making in 2012: 40 per
cent expect to complete a cross-border
transaction in the next 12 months. FDI
into Africa from a number of sources has
soared in recent years, driven mainly by
the mining and oil industries, but with
increasing interest in tourism, telecom
and construction.
Acquisitions are always risky, even
during a time when assets can be
acquired at seemingly attractive
prices. Yet PwC research suggests
that acquisitions in emerging markets
— exactly the type of acquisition that
appears to be more popular today — are
particularly risky, with lower chances of
success even for proven deal-makers.
It says that between 50-60 per cent
of deals that go into due diligence in
emerging markets fail to complete.
Difficulty in justifying emerging markets
valuations is the most common reason.
Modify or export?
How businesses achieve the right mix
between local manufacturing and
international supply chains to service
local needs is a defining question for
growing in new markets. In 2012, the
tilt is towards decentralising, creating
more products whose design as
well as production and distribution is
more localised.
“On business development, we would
traditionally start with a standard
product set and adapt it to the local
needs. That has worked well for us for
years,” said Lázaro Campos, CEO of
SWIFT. “But in India and China you need
to forget the products that you’ve got and
start from scratch. Start from what it is
they need and build from there.”
In every major geographic market
identified by CEOs, more companies
are avoiding a simple export model.
CEO INDIA | 57
INSIGHT
Figure 5: Global economic uncertainty remains the top threat to growth prospects
Q: How concerned are you about the following potential threats to your business growth prospects?
North America
Western Europe
Asia Pacific
Latin America
CEE
Middle East/Africa
Uncertain or volatile
economic growth
Uncertain or volatile
economic growth
Uncertain or volatile
economic growth
Uncertain or volatile
economic growth
Uncertain or volatile
economic growth
Uncertain or volatile
economic growth
Public deficits
Public deficits
Exchange rate
volatility
Increasing tax
burden
Exchange rate
volatility
Exchange rate
volatility
Over-regulation
Unstable capital
markets
Unstable capital
markets
Over-regulation
Unstable capital
markets
Availability of
key skills
Unstable capital
markets
Shift in consumers
Increasing tax
burden
Availability of
key skills
Increasing tax
burden
Public deficits
Availability of
key skills
Increasing tax
burden
Public deficits
Exchange rate
volatility
Public deficits
Over-regulation
Shift in consumers
Over-regulation
Availability of
key skills
Public deficits
Over-regulation
Bribery and
corruption
Increasing tax
burden
Exchange rate
volatility
Over-regulation
Bribery and
corruption
Shift in consumers
Unstable capital
markets
Exchange rate
volatility
Inability to
finance growth
Energy costs
Inadequacy of
basic infrastructure
Availability of
key skills
Inflation
Protectionism
Availability of
key skills
Shift in consumers
Unstable capital
markets
Bribery and
corruption
Increasing tax
burden
New market
entrants
Energy costs
Inflation
Protectionism
Energy costs
Shift in consumers
Business threats
Economic and policy threats
Energy costs
Denotes equal ranking
Base: North America (236); Western Europe (291); Asia Pacific (440); Latin America (150); CEE (88); Middle East/Africa (53)
Note: Rank of top threats, by % of somewhat or extremely concerned
Source: PwC 15th Annual Global CEO Survey 2012
Substantial proportions, between 17
and 36 per cent, say they are designing
new products specifically for local
markets. The balance is surely changing
as companies increasingly operate in
dissimilar markets and learn to segment
better. The advantages of managing a
uniform brand across many markets
are being weighed against the different
needs, cultures and price points of
different customer bases, and in many
cases, found wanting.
Segmentation matters
CEOs expect to either modify or create
products for specific markets to suit local
customer preferences. Some 4 billion of
the world’s population live in countries
where the per capita income is between
$1,000 and $4,000 per year. This vast
58 | July 2012
segment represents an ‘Emerging Middle’
class in China, India and elsewhere
that is prompting business leaders to
fundamentally rethink business strategies
that have been successful in other
markets. Value propositions designed for
countries at the upper end of the global
income distribution seldom work for the
needs of this ‘Emerging Middle’.
It’s not only products that must
be adapted or built anew, but also
production, distribution and marketing
capabilities — in other words, entire
business models. Success involves
understanding customer segmentation
and the dynamics driving it. Category
— even price — is not as important
as solving a specific set of consumer
problems that are not being met with
existing products. Bajaj, one of India’s
leading motorcycle manufacturers,
recently launched the Bajaj Boxer,
targeted towards the rural consumer.
The Boxer provides a functional benefit of
higher cartage and resilience to poorer
rural roads, features that are highly
relevant for the rural markets. The Boxer
was positioned as a sports utility vehicle
of motorcycles, directly targeting the
male consumer with power, sporty looks
and functional benefits, and has been a
success story for Bajaj Auto.
Innovate on multiple fronts Improving
the effectiveness of innovation continues
to be a major strategic priority. Three
out of four CEOs plan to change R&D
and innovation capacity in 2012, of which
24 per cent expect ‘major change’. This
is partly related to a widening definition
of innovation. CEOs in industries in the
throes of disruptive change require
radical innovation; if their business
cannot quickly create new products or
services that customers will buy, they will
not survive.
However, innovation does not just mean
end product or service changes -- it
sometimes now includes taking costs
out of processes or forming strategic
alliances to collaborate. Each aspect of
the business is fair game for reinvention.
Executives are targeting changes to their
revenue and margin models — and the
organisation as well — to find better ways
to innovate across many dimensions.
Supporting the capacity to innovate is
at the forefront of priorities for CEOs
this year and in recent PwC Global
CEO Surveys.
Strengthening resilience
CEOs report that they are less likely this
year to focus on changing approaches to
risk management than on other areas
of priority, from strategies for talent to
organisational structure (see Figure
5). Significant defensive steps have
already been taken: balance sheets
have improved and cash reserves have
been built. Enterprise risk is now more
frequently discussed in boardrooms.
Dimitrios Papalexopoulos, CEO of
TITAN Cement SA, Greece, summarised
the changes taking place in risk
approaches since 2008 within many
businesses: “In the past, our risk
management and scenario planning was
based on the assumptions that conditions
would change incrementally. As events
of the past couple of years have shown,
that has not been the case. So we have
now built into our risk management the
possibility of more extreme conditions
occurring. And our board of directors
has become much more engaged in the
enterprise-risk planning process.”
There’s greater awareness of specific
and evolving risks within different
markets, and how local risks can be
amplified into global ones. Yet the speed
with which risk events unfold — and
the extent to which their impacts on the
business spread across different risk
categories — appear to be escalating. In
the past year alone, 56 per cent of CEOs
said their businesses were financially
impacted by the sovereign debt crisis
in Europe, another 29 per cent cited an
impact from the earthquake and tsunami
Companies are
learning that
preparedness
for uncertainty
is about
focusing
on the
consequences
of business
disruption
in Japan, and 21 per cent cited the
political upheaval in the Middle East.
Key operational moves have already
improved organisational resilience.
After the earthquake and tsunami in
Japan, for example, CEOs based in
Asia Pacific focused on improving their
company’s ability to react more quickly
to a supply chain shock. They sought
new locations for their operations and
reinforced buildings.
Changes to supply logistics and
increasing contingency plans in supplier
networks were also areas that business
leaders felt were critical to managing
future disruptions. Companies are
also learning that preparedness for
uncertainty is about focusing on the
consequences of business disruption.
This approach can bring risk discussions
to a more strategic level. PwC says when
the focus is on preparing to respond to
consequences, discussions occur across
people involved in strategy, operations,
risk management, crisis management
and business continuity management.
CEO INDIA | 59
TECHNOLOGY
Words Jayakrishnan Nair
Cool Enticing Objects
Sony VPL-VW1000ES
Amongst all these funky gadgets, this projector may look
ordinary, but wait till you read about it. The VPL-VW1000ES
is a soon-to -be-launched device and is capable of projecting
images at an outstanding resolution of 4096 x 2160. One of its
most interesting features is a 2.1 x motorised zoom, which can
create images from 60 to 300 inches, diagonally. So, whatever
may be the size of your screen, this projector ensures you get
the best possible display. It supports 3D content and for those
who love specifications, it has a 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast
ratio and produces a 2,000 ANSI-lumens of brightness, and the
330W bulb provides 2,000 to 2,500 hours of use.
Price: $26,000
60 | July 2012
Aquabotix HydroView
Are you ready to explore a whole new world underwater? Well, get hold of the Aquabotix HydroView, a
remote-controlled underwater vehicle that can record live video and capture photos in high-definition.
Weighing less than 5 kg, the device can be controlled by motion-control on the iPad or the keyboard of
your laptop. The HydroView also generates its own wi-fi that aids in faster connectivity with your device.
Price: $3,995
Sensu Brush
Is the artist inside you waiting for the right opportunity?
Is your finger tired of dragging itself on the capacitive
touch screens of devices like the iPad? Enter the Sensu
brush, a device that can be used for drawing, painting
or simply navigating through your device. Now, no one
is going to miss the good old stylus... Speaking of the
stylus, when not in use, the brush tip can be inserted
into the handle, giving way to a stylus.
Price: $30
iRig MIC Cast
At some point everyone loves recording stuff.
Sometimes to bug buddies, more often, to record
a sensitive conversation. The iRig Mic Cast is a
tiny coin-sized device, which can be plugged into
the audio jack of the iPhone to record crystal
clear audio. It is is equipped with a unidirectional
condenser capsule, which isolates the audio
source you are capturing, thus giving you highly
improved audio recordings. It also provides two
different sensitivities, for either close-up or distant
audio sources, and includes a connection to attach
headphones to monitor the audio it is capturing.
Price: $40
Thermaltake Level 10M
Considering that Thermaltake collaborated with
BMWs, Designworks USA to create this mouse, we
are not surprised to see its supercar like stance.
With an aluminium body, the 10M has seven buttons
out of which five can be programmed according to
your need. Its design also allows you to raise its
level to suit your wrist. It has a 8200 dpi sensitivity
and a graphic interface which allows you to set the
sensitivity from 800 up to the maximum 8200dpi.
Price: To be announced
NuForce Cube
This tiny cube is a powerful device that can make audiophiles week in the
knees. The NuForce Cube is an all-in-one mobile audio center, combining a
headphone amplifier, high-performance speaker, and USB DAC, into a case
measuring just 58.5 x 58.5 x 60.0 mm. It has a rechargeable lithium battery,
which can be charged via USB and a one full charge that can last up to 8 hours.
Price: $119
CEO INDIA | 61
Words Jayakrishnan Nair
LAUNCHES
TECHNOLOGY
Toshiba VL20 3D
Smart-TV
Belkin Dual Band Wireless
Range Extender
Most of us have regular WiFi routers that the internet
service providers hand over at the time of a connection.
In these their WiFi range is quite low, which leaves dead
spots in the house. Now, as the name suggests, this
device from Belkin, extends the range of the router,
providing seamless WiFi connectivity. It eliminates
dead spots and provides the coverage needed to ensure
uninterrupted internet connectivity to all your devices.
Its Dual-Band technology provides a speed of up to
300 mbps on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and multiple
ethernet ports allow you to connect up to four internetenabled AV devices, which let you bring the web to the
home theatre system.
Price: `4,599
They are smart and also play 3D. Toshiba’s
latest product line, the VL20 comes with an
elegant and slim swivel stand design that won’t
act like an eyesore in your living room. The VL20
epitomises easy access to rich and interactive
content via TV applications — Toshiba Places.
This range features Dolby Digital solution and
can satisfy those searching for vibrant and
sharp 2D as well as brilliant 3D visuals. The
Toshiba Places interface also enables you to
use social networking services and view
content online.
Price: `75,990 onwards
Envent Studio-U
Now why didn’t anyone think of this
before! A webcam with a tripod stand
would solve so many problems that
people face while using these devices
with their PC. The Envent Studio-U
comes with one and it also has a
universal clip that lets you attach it
to your notebook or a desktop LCD
monitor. The Studio-U can be used
in a low light environment or even
in total darkness as it has a unique
Night Vision feature.
Price: `1,349
LATEST
Dell Inspiron R Special
Edition
62 | July 2012
With its stunning design, advanced audio processing
capabilities, the R Special Edition laptops from
the Dell Inspiron line-up is perfectly prepped to
handle any multimedia pressure you throw at it. Its
features comprise Waves MaxxAudio 4 technology,
Skullcandy Speakers and discrete graphics options
from AMD and NVidia. Consisting of a sleek and
durable anodised aluminum exterior, Full HD display
(1920x1080), for stunning video playback, including
Blu-ray disc options, the laptop is available in two
screen sizes —15 and 17-inch.
Price: `49,990 onwards
Freecom Mobile Drive Sq
Over the years have you acquired a collection of
music and movie discs? And now you’re having a
problem storing it. Simply dump every megabyte
you’ve got into this handy little device — the Mobile
Drive Sq. With a unique design and state-of-the-art
technology, the Mobile Drive Sq, not only serves the
purpose of a back-up and storage device but can
also be connected directly to a TV set for
USB recording and playback.
Price: `5000 onwards
Sony Alpha 77 DSLR
So, are you ready to graduate to the next level in
photography? Sony’s latest DSLR, the Alpha 77
comes with mighty impressive specifications. The
company has added the newly-developed BIONZ
processor to the DSLR that also features a 24megapixel crop sensor. The two together, coupled up
with the Translucent Mirror Transmission technology,
allows the camera to shoot at a blazing 12 frames
per second, a first in an APS sized DSLR. The Alpha
77 brings into an APS-C body many features that are
generally reserved for pro-grade bodies, including
its robust build. Also, there’s an extensive weather
seal under the body to prevent dust and moisture
build-up.
Price: `69,990 (body only); `99,990 (with 16-105 Lens)
CEO INDIA | 63
Technology
the'appening
traveller
Feeling peeved because your personal
assistant can't accompany you on that
crucial country-hopping trip? Just pack
in these super-smart travel apps and you
won't miss him at all!
FlightAware
A must-have for jetsetters, the
functionality of this application is
quite simple. It helps a user track
flights and check for delays at any
airport. A feature that is incorporated
into the app is the ability to track
flights by flight number, tail number,
and interestingly, even by flight route.
Additionally, you can add flights and
airport alerts of your choice. You
can even customise it with personal
alerts — all you need to do is sign-up
with FlightAware. The last tab of the
app is ‘nearby’, which as the name
suggests, locates the airports closest
to you — that can be particularly
useful in remote locations.
Price: $4.99; Platform: iOS
Swackett
Swackett is by far one of the coolest
multiple platform weather apps that
we have come across. This quirky
app not only gives details about the
weather, but even suggests a wardrobe
accordingly. The app gives by-the-hour
detailed weather info and expected
temperatures with ‘will feel like’
descriptions based on factors such
as humidity and windchill.
Price: Free; Platform: Android,
iOS, Mac
Lonely Planet Guidebooks
The Lonely Planet City Guidebooks
highlight attractions, restaurants,
hotels and other touring essentials all
vetted by Lonely Planet experts. Right
now, guidebooks are available for Italy,
Ireland, Australia, France, Spain and
64 | July 2012
Costa Rica. The entire app is available
offline, which means there’s no
roaming fee. It's been designed
for travellers already on the road,
so you can tap into cultural sites and
walking tours mapped to specific
neighbourhoods.
Price: $9.99; Platform: iOS
Google Translate
Can’t speak French? No problem!
Google Translate will help. This app
allows you to translate text between
60 languages, receive translation
by speaking into the phone for 17
languages and display translations so
that they are easier to read. So, the
next time you’re in Paris looking for a
restroom, don’t worry. Google translate
will help you ask the ever-important
question,“Ou se trouvent les toilettes?”
Price: Free; Platform: iOS, Android
XE Currency
Ever find yourself wandering a busy
market in China, wondering if the
Chinese man is yelling to confuse you
or hoping to wear you down? Well,
here's an app to the rescue! The XE
currency app converts any currency
into any other currency on the spot.
So you’ll know quickly whether the
3,000 Yuan is a good deal for that
porcelain wine-holder.
Price: Free; Platform: Blackberry OS,
Android, iOS
The MICHELIN guide 2012
Find all the restaurants and hotels
selected by various Michelin guide
inspectors. From large restaurants to
CEO INDIA | 65
Technology
small neighbourhood cafés, deluxe hotels
to guest houses — there's something
for every kind of taste and budget. In
addition to the selection made by the
anonymous MICHELIN guide inspectors,
the application also enables users to
post their opinions and consult those of
others. To do so, you just have to create
a Michelin account, which can be made
directly from the application.
Price: $9.99; Platform: iOS
Trip Journal
Trip Journal tracks your exact travel
route by continuously recording your
GPS coordinates, along with any photos
you take along the way. This great
travel companion also lets you add
place marks and notes to your route,
and gathers statistics on the distance
you cover. The user interface on Trip
Journal is very sleek and easy to use.
Once you’re home, you can export your
routes in Google Earth format to share
with family and friends, and upload your
photos on Facebook or Picasa. Trip
Journal also lets you archive your trips
for further reference.
Price: $2.99; Platform: iOS
Stuck On Earth
The app lets you explore the world
through photos on Flickr. Just zoom into
any location, and photos taken there will
pop up on the screen. Fittingly, the app is
the creation of one of the world’s leading
travel photographers, Trey Ratcliff.
Trey designed it for photographers and
travellers who may want to take pictures
while wandering the world. So, whether
you’re a landscape shooter or a street
photographer, you can use this to find
interesting backgrounds and secret
66 | July 2012
locations to shoot.
Price: Free Platform: iOS
AroundMe
AroundMe quickly identifies your position
and allows you to choose the nearest
bank, bar, gas station, hospital, hotel,
movie theatre, restaurant, supermarket,
theatre and taxi. It shows you a complete
list of all the businesses in the category
you have tapped on, along with the
distance from where you are.
Price: Free; Platform: iOS, Android,
Symbian
Jetsetters
Book a getaway with Jetsetter. The
app alerts members to daily sales and
exclusive iPhone deals on high-end
hotels, weekend trips, safaris and other
excursions. Get up to 50 per cent off on
popular hotels, weekend trips, and more.
Jetsetter has a stable of some 200 travel
correspondents who write descriptions
of the resorts, allowing members to
read professional accounts of Jetsetter’s
resort partners. In addition to the flashsales, the app also has a service called
Jetsetter 24/7, which offers exclusive
rates at over 300 top hotels in the world,
all of which have been verified by the
company’s travel correspondents.
Price: Free; Platform: iOS
Actual photograph of a home at Windmills of Your Mind, Bangalore
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Apartment homes
3554 | 2070 sq ft
Style
MB&F HM4 Thunderbolt RT
Inspired by WWII aircraft design,
limited edition versions also feature
hand-painted noses evocative of the
rebellious artwork of actual planes.
For the nostalgia nuts.
`1,40,00,000
timekeepers
Even if you don’t have time to lift your wrist,
choose your timepiece carefully. Why?
Because the world is always watching...
Words Colin Fernandes
68 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 69
Style
The Strap Artist
Panerai Luminor
Radiomir 8 Days
GMT Oro Rosso
With patience and perseverance, you’ve quitely made
your mark on time. Keep some elegance close at
hand, as a subtle reminder
For those who’ve always been
generations ahead of their time,
nothing quite compares to the
Radiomir’s vintage, yet space
age, design. Wind it up and it will
chug along happily for 8 days till it
needs to be rewound.
Jaeger LeCoultre
Grande Reverso 976
Price on request
An alligator-leather strap accentuates a
burnished steel body with a transparent
case-back for some understated
elegance. A fine companion for when
you backslap your protégé into the
boardroom. An evergreen watch you may
never want to put away, its reversibility
echoes your versatility.
Audemars Piguet
Classic Tradition
Extra-Thin
`3,82,000
It’s just 6.60mm thick or thin
depending on how you see it, and
comes with a glare-proof sapphire
crystal and an opaline dial with
pink gold. It’s also water-resistant
up to 20m for when you go scuba
diving on your private beach.
Longines
Heritage 1951
Rolex DayDate II
A contemporary reincarnation
of Rolex’s iconic Day-Date
President, the Day-Date II
comes with body options in
18k rose, white and yellow
gold (or platinum) as well
as an array of gem-studded
dials and bezels. Blind your
Saudi counterpart with some
restrained bling-bling.
`18,96,500
`33,20,000
A legacy of the pioneering spirit
that accompanied early Longines
owners on their adventures in
the air, on land and under the
sea, the Heritage ’51 discreetly
displays your indestructible spirit.
Rest your right hand casually and
let your sleeve slide back. Now
watch the minions grovel.
`33,20,000
IWC Big Pilot's Watch
Cartier Tank
Anglaise
The cult Tank brand from Cartier is back
with this British-inspired version. Tilt
the watch to the side and the winding
mechanism comes into view, treating you to
a glimpse of the wheel of a tank. Battlefield
boardroom was never so much fun!
When precision is your mantra, you can’t
afford to take even the tiniest shortcut.
Which is where this Big Pilot watch comes
in. The movement stops after exactly
168 hours, ensuring the same precision
throughout the entire time it is actually
running. Sweet!
`6,61,000
Piaget Altiplano
G0A35130
Reverberating with good old
Swiss precision, the Altiplano’s
uber refinement echoes a steely
resolve. And with an 18k white
gold body housing an ultrathin self-winding mechanical
movement, it’s time to wear
your heart on your wrist.
`12,00,000
`21,73,000
70 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 71
Style
rized
recision
Patek Philippe
Grand
Complications
5073P-001
As we get on in years, it’s the
small things that make a big
difference. Like the chime in
this watch — two cathedral
gongs activated by a slide
piece in the case. Hearing
aids? Who needs them!
If nothing intrigues you more than
the technology of tomorrow, you’ll
take to these in seconds
`5,36,60,000
Omega Constellation
Double Eagle Chrono
The edginess outside hides a self-winding
chronograph movement with column
wheel mechanism inside. This winner
from Omega features dauphine hands
and a Frédéric Piguet designed and
manufactured calibre.
Ulysse Nardin
Blue Toro
With just 99 pieces available
worldwide, this blue bull of a watch
will keep you charging through life.
It’s not as complicated as it looks
either, with the squeletted hands
permitting easy reading of
all calendar functions.
`12,55,800
Price on request
Breguet Classique
Complications 3358BB
From the Grand Complications Collection this
tourbillon features a hand-engraved Duillcho
mother of pearl dial with off-set hour and
minute sub-dials. An approximate 50-hour
power reserve allows you to spend more
time adjusting your stock folio instead.
Vacheron
Constantin
MŽtiers d�Art
Audemars Piguet
Millenary 4101
The dial and movement here are
totally new and based on the very
rare and high-end Audemars
Piguet Millenary AP Escapement
collection. From the visible balance
wheel with a stainless steel case
and a power reserve of 60 hours,
this timepiece is a bespoke buy!
`20,40,000
72 | July 2012
With a depiction of
Christopher Columbus’
journey from 1492 to
1493, this tribute to the
great explorers comes in
60 limited edition pieces.
Studded with 36 jewels,
and a Double Grand
Feu enamelled dial the
Constantin gives time
travel a luxurious spin.
`44,07,000
Price on request
Rolex Sky
Dweller
Keep your head in the
clouds with one of the
latest from the Rolex
stable. The central
hands display local time
while a chosen time
reference can be viewed
via a rotating disc.
Perfect for staving
off that jet lag!
Roger Dubuis
Pulsion
RDDBPU0003
The Pulsion chronograph
plays with the principle of
transparency in revealing
its technical nature with a
partially openworked dial
allowing you to admire the
finishing. Now that you’re
done admiring it, let the vice
presidents salivate over it.
`30,79,000
Price on request
CEO INDIA | 73
Style
Bvlgari Daniel Roth Papillon
Voyageur
Named after the French word for butterfly, the Papillon
Voyageur’s double-pointed hands resemble butterfly wings
while internally the watch employs a split-level dial. The
dial’s limited to 99 pieces and studded with 26 jewels,
it’s time to take that glittering journey.
Man of the Hour
`26,06,000
Your time has come
and you’re loving
every minute of it!
So, why not wear
your trademark
flamboyance
on your sleeve
Jacob & Co. Ghost
Straight out of science fiction, the
Ghost’s fascinating pentagonal dial
will keep you mesmerised during
boring meetings with HR. There’s
also a tiny USB mini-charge from the
crown as well as features like colour
changing time zones.
Price on request
Hamilton Ventura XXL Elvis
Anniversary
In 1961, when Elvis Presley wore the Hamilton Ventura
in Blue Hawaii, the relationship between Hamilton and
the King was firmly established. Many years later, in
2010, two special models of the Ventura were released
on what would have been Presley’s 75th birthday.
Relive your Hound Dog days!
Price on request
Roger Dubuis Velvet
RDDBVE0005
No other watch is probably this lush.
Stamped with the prestigious Hallmark
of Geneva, this self-winding 188-piece
limited edition watch is decked out with
amethyst and stunning spinels.
`23,90,000
Corum Admiral«s
Cup Legend 42
With just 105 examples being
produced every year, the Legend
42 comes equipped with a twelvesided bezel and a COSC-certified
chronograph movement. High
time to buy that yacht and win
that regatta, yes?
Jacquet Droz
Petite Heure
Minute Relief
Dragon
Thinking of doing business
in Beijing? This would
make a great ‘gift’ to help
a Communist Party official
see things your way.
Price on request
Kudoke
Black
Beauty
Adding to its repertoire
of skeleton watches, the
black rhodium-encased
masterpiece has
restrained gold accents
and bracelet options
that include Louisiana
alligator skin — the
Black Beauty is perfect
for when it’s time to fire
the accountant.
Price on request
Price on request
74 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 75
Style
Omega Speedmaster
Moonwatch Co-Axial
Chronograph
An Ode to the Adversary
The Omega Professional Speedmaster
was worn in 1965 during NASA’s second
manned space flight. While the features of
the original chronograph are evident in the
watch, it now has a 44.25-mm diameter
steel case and Omega’s new caliber 9300,
COSC certified chronometer. Booked that
ticket on Virgin Galactic yet?
You’ve found a worthy opponent and are intent on beating
him at his own game. Because you know when you take on
time, you’re actually competing with yourself
`4,85,000
Hamilton
X-Copter GMT
Been forced to mortgage the
Bell? No worries. With the
letter H etched at the 6 o’clock
resembling a miniature helipad
dial, the X-Copter will be a
constant reminder of the days
you owned a real helicopter.
Tissot T-Race
Chronograph
T048.417.27.057.04
Price on request
All the grand prix guys are gung ho over
this one. Available in funky colours,
the T series boasts a brake disc style
bezel and Swiss ETA G10.211 quartz
chronograph movement. This raceinspired watch is also water-resistant
till 100 metres.
Price on request
Bvlgari Diagono
Professional
On the run from the CAG and
the CBI? With three collections
comprising Aria, Acqua, and Terra
(air, water and earth), the Diagono
Professional series will be by your
side no matter where you plan to
hole up and hide.
`4,63,000
Rolex Yacht Master
Like the other watches in the Oyster Perpetual
Professional series, the updated 40-mm Yacht Master has
the same Oysterlock clasp with the 5-mm extension link.
An essential the next time you go on the Volvo Yacht Race.
Montblanc Sport
Chronograph
Automatic 36948
Apart from a brown alligator
leather strap with a triple-folding
clasp, the Chronograph has a date
display with a magnifying glass
covered by a scratch-resistant
sapphire crystal. Water resistant till
200m, it makes pearl diving
that much more fun.
Price on Request
IWC Aquatimer
Automatic
After launching its first
Aquatimer in 1967, the IWC
has since come out with
unique diver’s watches. With
a 44-millimetre case equipped
with pressure barriers (12
bars) and sealing systems
keeping in mind underwater
usage, the Aquatimer lets you
fulfill your Zissou dreams.
` 2,76,000
`13,71,000
76 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 77
Style
Hamilton ODC X-02
Inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s ’96 movie
— 2001: A Space Odyssey — the ODC
gives you the hour in three time zones,
at once. With a case that looks like the
undercarriage of an aircraft wing, the
jetsetter in you wants this now!
A Twist on
the Wrist
`95,000
Your maverick ways and
eternal quest for something
quirky is sure to draw you
to these one-of-a-kind
masterpieces
Harry Winston
Opus Eleven
This limited edition set of 111 pieces
was created in partnership with
legendary horologist, Denis Giguet.
An extremely complex case stages
the show with three overlapping
cylinders on three levels set up to
break down time. The here and now
was never more surreal.
`1,28,30,000
Urwerk U-110
Torpedo
Using a revolving satellite
complication (with three
parallel markers that rotate to
display the time), the Urwerk
U-110 Torpedo is refreshingly
complex. Just what you need
to befuddle aliens on your
next Mars mission.
`69,95,000
78 | July 2012
MB&F HM3 Rebel
While James Dean was the epitome of
Hollywood bad boy, MB&F is the wild
child of haute horlogerie; the lone biker
in a black leather jacket when everyone
else is wearing grey suits and driving
Volvos. Perfect accompaniment to
your new Harley!
HD3 Black Pearl Watch
There’s just a tiny skull and bones Jolly Roger on
the 9 o’ clock side to indicate this watch’s pirate
inspiration. But it’s the bi-axial tourbillon that really
takes the cake. So finely detailed, it’s not merely a
watch, its entertainment!
`2,23,14,000
`55,54,000
Disclaimer: All prices are approximate. Please contact
local retail outlets for exact prices.
CEO INDIA | 79
HEALTH
Forget about splurging on posh creams
and lotion potions. The best way to get
glowing is to feed your skin from within,
says beauty expert Vidya Tikari. So start
raiding your kitchen now...
Almighty Apples
Apples are a super skin treat as they
are loaded with important minerals like
potassium — essential for water balance
and muscle function; and vitamins,
especially the powerful anti-aging
antioxidant — Vitamin C. An apple contains
virtually no fat or cholesterol, and is
packed with more fibre than a serving of
oatmeal. Keep one close at hand at work,
to take the bite out of those hunger pangs.
Awesome Oranges
When life hands you oranges, make
sure you grab them with both hands. For
oranges, as you probably know but may
take for granted, are the best source
of Vitamin C. This vital vitamin not only
protects you from UV-rays, but it also
helps keeps collagen taut. If oranges are
out of reach, make lemonade, or add lime
juice to your salad, but do remember to
get your daily dose of citrus as your body
can’t store Vit C.
beauty
BUFFET
80 | July 2012
Tomato Trip
Help yourself to tomatoes everyday
to get your fix of free-radical fighting
antioxidants. Free rads are highly reactive
oxygen molecules that damage cells and
contribute to all kinds of dermatological
distress, from wrinkles to dryness.
CEO INDIA | 81
HEALTH
Broccoli Binge
Bow down to broccoli and its other leafy
buddies like spinach and turnip greens.
Fresh or frozen, steamed or blanched,
just pile ‘em on the plate for a Vitamin A
boost — the wow vitamin that aids in the
process of skin cell growth and renewal.
Tea-riffic Tonic
This beauty beverage contains an
impressive amino acid that combats the
stress hormone cortisol, which in turn
keeps collagen fibres in fab shape. Here
are a few more reasons to go ga-ga
over green tea: It helps prevent skin
cancer. Plus, it gives your skin a shot of
antioxidants that check inflammatory
chemicals involved in sun-related skin
woes, acne and other derma downers.
Go get a cup, now!
Yoghurt Yippie
Get an A+ for your skin with low fat dairy
products, which are (you guessed it right)
loaded with wonderful Vit A. Deprived of
this must-have vitamin, the skin starts
throwing tantrums, getting all dry and
scaly. So, keep it pampered with lotsa
low fat yogurts.
Oh! Omega
There’s no catch — fish is simply
fantastic for the skin. Salmon, sardines,
mackerel, trout or tuna — eating even
one serving a week can make your
derma dreams come true. As you must
have read or heard repeatedly before,
they come loaded with the famed
Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s fight
the skin’s most dreaded foes
— inflammation and sunburn.
Reduce
blackheads
and improve
hair texture
by nibbling
on nutritious
sunflower
seeds
Avocado Allure
Soothe angry, irritated skin with the
all-knowing avocado. Full of B-complex
vitamins and essential oils, avocado has
anti-inflammatory properties that make
it a wonderful ally in taming rebellious
skin. Eat one now, or if you fancy a face
mask, mash it up and slather it on.
Cheese Please!
Cottage cheese is well-known as a rich
source of calcium. But it also comes
stuffed with the mineral selenium that
works hard towards the cause of skin
radiance. Tuck in that paneer today!
Grain Goodness
Be it bread or pastas, go the whole
grain way. They are rich in B vitamins,
which are important for healthy skin
functioning, growth of new cells and
shielding the skin against infections.
When harsh winter winds cause skin to
become dreadfully dry, giving us rough
hands and cracked heels, whole grains
can save the day.
Seedy Sunflower
Is it possible to improve hair texture
and reduce those unsightly blackheads?
Nibble regularly on nutritious, fattyacid filled sunflower seeds and see for
yourself. They will boost your skin’s
ability to produce lubricating natural oils
and prevent water loss — and leave you
with soft, supple skin.
Papaya Pretty
Make sure you have papaya on your plate
often, as your low-cal pal’s Vit A vigour
82 | July 2012
could do wonders to lift the spirits of
your sulking skin. If you’re tempted
to chuck away the seedy centre, think
twice. That’s actually the best part
where most of the rich nutrients
hang out.
Check Your Pulse
A regular intake of husky whole pulses
can infuse life into sallow skin. Eating a
protein-rich diet will do more for glowing
skin and lustrous hair than applying
protein serums and shampoos. Pulses
also contain a ninja nutrient which may
help decrease dandruff, control hair fall
and heal brittle, dry nails.
In a Nutshell
For once, it’s great to be a certifed
nutcase. At least, you’re likely to have
superb skin to show for it. For, when
you nibble on nuts, you’re nourishing
yourself with fatty-acids and zinc.
The fats keep the skin supple and
hair healthy, while the zinc helps skin
cells grow and guard themselves from
ruthless free rads. To top that, nuts
also contain the anti-aging Vitamin E
that keeps the skin moisturised from
within, and protects it from damage.
Berry Healthy
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries,
blackberries... Take your pick or
have ém all — they’re all high on
antioxidants. So having berry good skin
ain’t so tough, is it?
Aloe Vera Elixir
Grow it in your garden and don’t get
taken in by its humble looks. This
wonder plant deserves all the glowing
tributes it gets. Drinking aloe juice
soothes patchy, red skin; prevents and
treats acne, and safeguards against
pigmentation. Glug down about 30 ml of
this miracle sap daily, and in just a few
days, catch your skin beaming.
Water Power
Glow like a 1000-watt bulb, sipping on
nature’s greatest drink throughout the
year. Drink 8 glasses a day or more for
grateful skin. No, sodas and energy
drinks don’t quite cut it. If you must
cheat, substitute with coconut water.
CEO INDIA | 83
UNWIND
time to liquidate
When things heat up in
office, head home and
shake, stir or muddle
a few things together
to cool off. Here’s how...
Words Kanika Dhawan
W
hen the going gets
tough in those airconditioned meeting
rooms, loosen your
silk tie and call up a few pals. Once
you reach home, throw your jacket on
the side of that Italian sofa and hit the
kitchen straightaway. Well, when was the
last time you made a summer cocktail
or mocktail to drive away any kind of
business blues?
It’s not always about making fancy
drinks to show off in front of your bigwig
buddies. But it can be as simple as
blending seasonal fruits with yoghurt
and serving the drink with a mint
garnish. Or how about making ginger
ale with orange squash (you don’t have
to put alcohol in everything)? It’s quite
simple, you know. Make yourself a glass
of strong orange squash and add to it,
one tbsp of ginger juice; freeze it for 5
minutes. And you’re ready to make a
dash to the TV lounge.
with a small cinnamon stick, cool it; add
mint leaves and drink up! Better still,
spice up your life with natural flavours
like lemon grass, strawberry and mango.
You can also make an oceanic range of
drinks with fruits or even regular spices.
An easy way to go about this whole
I-will-make-my-drink business is to pick
up that one favourite ingredient from the
kitchen or the fridge. So let’s see what
you can whip up with
a cool cucumber?
Well, for starters, peel and blend
it in a mixie with some sugar and mint.
Now add some soda and serve. Else,
dice cucumber and mango, layer it with
vanilla ice-cream; top off with soda and
nuts and your pretty pudding drink is
waiting to be slurped.
TEA-CH ME
As long as you have chai ki patti handy
at home, you don’t have to worry at all.
Make iced teas with lemon, mint, peach
and apple. But if you think its a culinary
cliché, then do something different. How
about adding chocolate to light tea and
making a chai-choco cooler? Or adding
rose petals to the tea for that exotic
taste? Well, rack your million-dollar
brain and we’re sure you will be able to
come up with ingenious ideas.
rustle rush
So, what are you drinking tonight? Follow
these simple recipes and make your own
poison or nectar:
Virgin toddy
Ingredients: Whole spices (cinnamon,
nutmeg), 10-15; honey, 10 ml and lemon
juice, 5 ml
MISTER EUREKA
Bring out the Archimedes in you and
invent your own concoctions. Start with
the condiments. For example, boil water
84 | July 2012
CEO INDIA | 85
UNWIND
Think Before You Drink
• Believe it or not, but in China there
is a popular wine made with lizard.
Ginseng and gecko lizards are
added to fermenting rice wine. And
after a year, the wine is ready to be consumed.
• In Alaska, Eskimos collect dead
seagulls and cork them with water
in a bottle. They let this mixture
ferment in the sun for weeks before
they can enjoy it.
Method: Muddle all the whole spices
and add lemon juice to it along with the
honey. Put all ingredients in a brandy
balloon glass and pour hot water on it.
Garnish it with whole spices.
Virgin Mojito
Ingredients: Lemon juice, 5 ml; mint,
10 leaves; lemon chunk, 1; crushed ice;
castor sugar, 1.5 tsp and a Sprite
Method: In a highball glass put lemon
and mint; muddle it together. Now add
castor sugar, lime juice, Sprite and
crushed ice in the glass. Stir and serve.
Fire on Ice
Ingredients: Khus syrup, 5 ml; chopped
green chillies, 4; lemon juice, 5 ml and
a Sprite
Method: In a zombie glass, add the khus
syrup and chopped green chillies along
with the lemon juice and ice cubes. Top
the drink up with Sprite and garnish it
with a slit green chilli.
86 | July 2012
Mango Margarita
Ingredients: Corralejo tequila,
60 ml; fresh mango chunks, 4-5;
mango juice, 60 ml and sugar syrup,
10 ml
Method: Blend all the ingredients in
a blender. Put some ice and pour into
a sugar-rimmed margarita glass.
Garnish it with a slice of mango
(preferably Alphonso) and serve.
Mango sochutini
Ingredients: Sochu (Japanese rice
spirit), 60 ml; mango juice, 50 ml; sugar
syrup, 10 ml and fresh mango chunks
Method: Muddle the fresh mango
chunks with sugar syrup. Add mango
juice and Sochu with ice; shake it and
strain it into a chilled martini glass.
Red Wine Sangria
Ingredients: Red wine, 150 ml; triple
sec, 10 ml; orange juice, 20 ml;
pineapple, 20 ml; red apple and
strawberry chunks as per requirement
Method: Infuse red wine with triple
sec, orange and pineapple juice for
24 hours. Garnish with red apple and
strawberry chunks and serve.
Rossy Foot
Ingredients: Orange juice, 45 ml; lemon
juice, 30 ml; pineapple juice, 45 ml and
Grenadine, 45 ml
Method: Shake all the ingredients
together with ice cubes. Strain and pour
into a highball glass.
White Wine Sangria
Ingredients: White wine, 150 ml;
passion fruit syrup, 10 ml; peach syrup,
5 ml; apple juice, 30 ml and fresh peach
and green apple as per requirement
Method: Infuse the white wine with
apple juice, peach and passion fruit
syrup for 10 hours. Garnish it with fresh
peach and green apple chunks.
Courtesy: The Park Hotel, New Delhi
Courtesy: Hard Rock Cafe
CEO INDIA | 87
GAME CHANGER
warm-up right
Most golfers tend to forego the all-important warm-up. But it could
make the difference between your being a stud or a dud on the greens
Words Divya Sharma
D
o you often find that your
first swing of the day is not
as smooth as you expect it
to be? That happens when a
golfer arrives at the club, finds little time
to change, and hits the course without
a proper warm-up. One needs to keep
in mind that a golf swing is a powerful
athletic action wherein maximal power
must be created with a small margin of
error. All the conditioning, flexibility and
swing mechanics are useless until we
warm-up correctly. I believe that if more
golfers used a proper warm-up prior to
their next round of golf, it would improve
performance much more than a new set
of clubs or a better pair of shoes.
The purpose of the warm-up is twofold — to get all the body parts working
in a coordinated way so that one can
swing the club correctly; and preventing
injury. In our endeavour to improve the
game, we often forget that what we do
before we play can make a huge impact
on how we play. We must prepare the
body for the actions we are going to
require it to perform. Golf is a game
of precision, timing and agility. These
are characteristics that cannot just be
turned on exactly when they are needed;
they must be simulated during warm-up.
There are several ways to warm-up but
what is common to all these is that they
provide an increasingly complex set of
movements done slowly at first, and later
with more speed. Plus, they all involve
movements that are required during a
swing. The following warm-up exercises
will help you stay out of the rough:
Dynamic Warm-up
• Hold the club overhead in both hands
and bend forward to touch the feet.
Maintain normal breathing and go up
and down for 8 repetitions. Each time,
you should feel a stretch at the back
of the thighs.
88 | July 2012
Warm-up to improve
performance and prevent injury
• Hold the club overhead and bend to
either side feeling the upper trunk
stretch. Repeat 8 times on each side.
Maintain normal breathing.
• Hold the club overhead and bend
forward to touch the outside of each
ankle. Do not hold any movement, go
slow and feel the stretch as you rotate
to each side to touch the outside of
each ankle.
• Put down your club; move your hands
to your hips and rotate them like
you would if you had a hula hoop
around your waist. Do this 5-8 times
clockwise and anti-clockwise.
• Shoulder circles: Rotate your
shoulders forward like you would if
you were doing the butterfly stroke.
Now after several of those, reverse the
direction so that both arms are doing
big circles backwards (like a double
arm backstroke).
• Do wrist rolls in both directions
about 10 times each.
• Shadow a few golf swings, first from
left to right if you are right-handed,
and then from right to left about 8
times each (vice-versa if you are lefthanded). This activates both sides of
the muscles and warms you up for a
coordinated golf swing.
Divya Sharma is a consultant sports
physiotherapist and biomechanist. She
conducts camps with the Indian Golf
Union and Team Tennis Academies.
Next Month: Cool down correctly
cinema
Business On Reel
Worried about the significant slump in post-lunch productivity among your
employees? Just play one of these captivating corporate dramas during lunch
hour for your staff — it’ll keep them alert, apart from making you Mr Popular
Words Nimish Dubey
ERIN BROCKOVICH
Based on a real life tussle between a
legal clerk and a power corporation,
Erin Brockovich is a prime instance
of corporates not just forgetting their
responsibilities towards the general
public, but also attempting to get away
with murder. Watch it not just for Julia
Roberts' amazing performance but also
to see the shenanigans of the Pacific
Gas and Electric Company, which tries to
wash its hands of having contaminated
the water supply of a town. A great
advertisement for corporate citizenship.
GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS
Four real estate salesmen are informed
that two of the least successful of them
will be fired within a week. What follows
is sheer desperation by each of the four
to save their jobs by some of the wildest
and least legal means possible as each
tries to generate the most possible sales.
Compelling and tense watching, not least
because of a masterly performance by Al
Pacino, who plays one of the salesmen.
DADDY DAY CARE
A comedy revolving around kids' poo?
Not really. This was also one of the few
films that highlighted the difference
between an institutional approach and
an individual one, as two out-of-work
men try to make ends meet by opening
a day-care centre. They end up making it
work by thinking different. Legal hassles,
competitor pressure, consumer feedback
issues — this film has it all.
YOU’VE GOT MAIL
90 | July 2012
ROGUE TRADER
THE GODFATHER
In 1995, Nick Leeson, a derivatives
broker, reduced the UK's oldest
investment bank, Barings, to a state
of bankruptcy, with reckless and
fraudulent trading. It resulted in losses
of hundreds of millions of pounds. The
film version of the episode remains
required watching for all executives in
the corporate circuit, as a lesson on
just how a single person can bring an
institution to its knees. Ewan McGregor
as Leeson was simply outstanding.
For many, The Godfather is sacrosanct
as the ultimate gangster movie, and
that’s the end of the discussion. But, it
can also be seen as a tale of the troubles
of running a family business (which has
various shades of grey as far as legality
goes) and how its patriarch attempts
to hold things together, even as rivals
try to sow discord and pull it apart.
Both Marlon Brando as the head of the
business, and Al Pacino as the reluctant
son, were irresistible.
It may be best remembered for the
romance over e-mail between Tom Hanks
and Meg Ryan, but You’ve Got Mail also
encapsulates the battle between the large
retail store and the corner bookstore —
the battle between a corporation and an
individual business person. The scene of
Meg Ryan closing her bookstore (yes, this
is a spoiler) for the last time will bring
tears to your eyes.
WALL STREET
THE film for those interested in
corporate warfare. Michael Douglas
plays the power hungry Gordon Gekko,
who unscrupulously uses information
gleaned from a variety of sources to grab
companies. Of course, most of these
sources are less than legal, making this
film perhaps one of the best examples
of corporate espionage and spying. The
interplay between the masterly Michael
Douglas and the wannabe Charlie Sheen
is one of the best instances of corporate
greed influencing corporate innocence.
JERRY MAGUIRE
The ultimate film for the entrepreneur
aspiring to break free and start out on
their own. Jerry Maguire, a sports agent,
loses his job in a posh firm when he tries
to point out that all is really not well with
their business. He tries to make it on his
own, but has just one client — and his
morals — to bank on. A touching, thrilling
tale with a great cast to boot, with
Tom Cruise playing the lead and Cuba
Gooding Jr. playing his talented but
super-eccentric football star client.
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Perhaps the best film made about an
internet company, The Social Network
was based on the bestselling The
Accidental Billionaires and traced the
story of Facebook, and all the brouhaha
surrounding it. Jesse Eisenberg stars as
the cunningly astute Mark Zuckerberg,
while Justin Timberlake plays the glib
Sean Parker. The film is a great example
of not just how a small idea can become a
big one but also the attendant problems,
especially when personal and professional
worlds collide.
BARBARIANS AT THE GATE
F Ross Johnson’s attempts to take over
RJR Nabisco provide the real-life basis
for this awesome film. The battle for
the company between different investors
and the routes they take to convince
stakeholders to support them makes
for compelling viewing, especially if you
happen to be from the corporate world.
Watch it partly as a real life corporate
documentary, partly as an entertaining
corporate tussle. Not too many films
manage to be both.
BOOKS
This Month’s Collection
in CEO INDIA Book Club
The 4 Disciplines of Execution:
How to Realize Your Most Wildly Important Goals
By Sean Covey
Publisher: Simon and Schuster India
Price: `475
Anyone can set goals but when it comes to implementation,
it is a different game. This book is about a simple, proven
formula for reaching goals as a business or individual. It
allows leaders to create a strategy that requires a change
in behaviour, since only by ensuring that everyone on the
team understands the goal, knows what to do to reach it,
and knows whether progress is being made, will a leader
produce consistent breakthrough results. The book shares
success stories of companies that have implemented the
‘Four Disciplines’ — resulting in greater profits, increased
market share and improved customer satisfaction.
Repeatability:
Creating Enduring
Businesses for a
World of Constant
Change
By Chris Zook, Allen James
Publisher: W. W. Norton
& Company
Price: `995
9781422157299
Buy In
Kotter
` 495
Hardcover
We’ve been successful, why change?
Money (or some other problem a proposal
does not address) is the only real issue. You’re implying
that we’ve been failing!! What’s the hidden agenda here?
What about this, and that, and this, and that…? Your proposal
goes too far. Your proposal doesn’t go far enough. You
have a chicken and egg problem. We can’t afford to do that.
You can’t have it both ways.
buy*in
*saving your
good idea
Tried that before—didn’t work. It’s too
from getting
difficult to understand. Good idea, but the
shot downtiming is wrong. Won’t work here, we’re
ine
It’s just too much work to do this. Won’t
work here, we’re different. It puts us on
a slippery slope. We can’t afford this. You’ll
never convince enough people. We’re simply
not equipped to do this. It’s too simplistic
to work. No one else does this. You can’t
have it both ways. Tried that before—
didn’t
work. We can’t afford
the
hidden
What
different. It puts us on aWhat’s
slippery
slope.
Weagenda here?
about
this,
and that, and this, and that…?
can’t afford this. You’ll
never
convince
Your proposal
goes too far. You have a
enough people. We’re simply
not equipped
chicken
and egg problem. You’re
to do this. It’s too simplistic
to work.
No one else does
this.
abandoning
our core values. It’s oo
simplistic to work. No one else does
You can’t hawon’t work.
ss
rev
iew
pre
ss
92 | July 2012
Leading Change and Our Iceberg Is Melting
lorne a. Whitehead
bus
This author presents a clear vision of a new marketplace
where demand will drive supply far more directly, efficiently,
and compellingly than ever before. The book puts the
consumer in-charge of everything. Soon they will be able
to dictate their own terms of service, and tell markets what
they want, how they want it, where and when they should be
able to get it, and how much it should cost. As customers
become more independent, and the Intention Economy
emerges, only vendors and organisations that are ready
for the change will survive and thrive. This is a new kind of
economy and one that requires a new philosophy.
Author of
and
rd
By Doc Searls
Publisher: Harvard Business School Press
Price: `750
John P. Kot ter
r va
are revoLuTIonIzIng ManageMenT
By Paul Krugman
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Price: $24.95
When Customers Take Charge
9781422155554
The India Way
Cappelli
` 395
Paperback
9781422124987
The First
90 Days
Watkins
` 695
Hardcover
9781422157381
The Other Side
of Innovation
Govindarajan
` 695
Hardcover
ha
t he
india
way
End This Depression Now!
The Intention Economy:
9781591396192
Blue Ocean
Strategy
Kim
` 995
Hardcover
H a r va r d B u s I n e s s p r e s s
How IndIa’s Top BusIness Leaders
A call-to-arms from Nobel Prize winning economist and
best-selling author Paul Krugman. In this book, he puts
forth his analysis and prescriptions for the crisis that has
gripped America and the world since 2008. The Great
Recession is more than four years old — and counting. Yet,
Krugman points out in this powerful volley, "Nations rich in
resources, talent, and knowledge — all the ingredients for
prosperity and a decent standard of living for all — remain in
a state of intense pain”. Readable and engaging, we strongly
recommend this book even if you disagree with Krugman's
policy prescriptions. Why? Because he has been right so far!
9781422139066
Employees First,
Customers Second
NAYAR
` 395
Paperback
peTer CappeLLI a HarBIr sIngH a JITendra sIngH a MICHaeL useeM
Zook and Allen’s Repeatability
is an invaluable resource to
anyone owning or managing
a business. Clear and concise
with numerous interesting and
helpful illustrations, the focus
of the book is in the essence of
what drives sustained growth
and profit. And that essence,
which is based on extensive
research, study and interviews,
has been expertly distilled into
a three-part business model.
The book stresses the value
of repeatability in business,
showing how the “big idea”
today is really made up of a
series of successful smaller
ideas driven by a simple and
repeatable business model.
The book is also a practical
source — at the end of the
chapters explaining each of
the three elements of the
business model. And the
authors provide questions
designed to help the reader
gauge how their business
measures up.
Please send us the below form (or a copy)
in order to make your purchase:
Choose from the following options
1. Employees First, Customers Second
Tick
Turning Conventional Management Upside Down
2. The India Way
How India’s Top Business Leaders Are
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Revolutionizing Management
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3. Blue Ocean Strategy
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How to Create Uncontested Market Space
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Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
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Solving the Execution Challenge
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favouring Imagine Media & Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd.
7. Being Global
How to Think, Act and Lead in a Transformed World
Title
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Imagine Media & Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd.
SCO 22, First Floor, Sector - 15, Part -II
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E: [email protected]
T: 0124-4372050
CEO INDIA | 93
HUMOUR
LAST LAUGH
A businessman walked into a New York City bank and asked for
the loan officer. He said he was going to Europe on business for two weeks
and needed to borrow $5,000. The loan officer said the bank would need some
security for such a loan. The businessman then handed over the keys to a
Rolls Royce that was parked on the street in front of the bank. Everything
checked out and the loan officer accepted the car as collateral for the loan. An
employee then drove the Rolls into the bank’s underground garage and parked
it there.Two weeks later the businessman returned, repaid the $5,000 and
the interest which came to $15.41. The loan officer said, “We do appreciate your
business and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a bit puzzled.
While you were away we checked and found that you are a multimillionaire. What
puzzles us is why you would bother to borrow $5,000?” The business man
replied: “Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for
fifteen bucks?”
The boss called one of his employees into
the office. “Rob,” he said, “you’ve been with
the company for a year now. You started off
in the mail room, one week later you were
promoted to a sales position, and one month
after that you were promoted to district
manager of the sales department. Just four
short months later, you were promoted to
vice-president. Now, it’s time for me to retire,
and I want you to take over the company.
What do you say to that?” “Thanks, dad,”
said the employee.
The CEO was scheduled to speak at an
important convention, so he asked one of his
employees to write him a punchy, 20-minute
speech. When the CEO returned from
the big event, he was furious. “What’s the
idea of writing me an hour-long speech?” he
demanded to know. “Half the audience
walked out before I finished.” The
employee was baffled. “I wrote you a 20-minute
speech,” he replied. “I also gave you
the two extra copies you asked for.”
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