Month: August 2016

SPEARHEADING THE NEXTT ERA

A Business tycoon, a humanitarian and a scholar, Mr. Arun Agarwal’s personality has all the elements that make him an exceptional leader. Embarked on the way to a rising success chart, this CEO of Nextt, the largest bedding company in North America is marking touchstones in the Indian Home Textiles Industry in the United States

Success is a multidimensional achievement. One cannot define it in terms of one or two parameters; rather it is a part of a bigger framework which comprises of million little threads that weave into an exceptionally beautiful phase of accomplishments. Taking little sturdy steps and enriching his life with valuable experiences, the Chief Executive Officer of Dallabased Nextt, Mr. Arun Agarwal is also intertwining his extraordinary abilities with innovative ideas to arrive on a prolific destination. From his teenager days, Mr. Arun Agarwal aspired to become a magnate and lead his firm towards the pinnacle of success. That was the reason he entered the textiles market with his innovative ideas and excellent leadership skills.

THE ENCOURAGING ASPIRATIONS

“No dream is too big. Keep a good head on your shoulders and pursue it. There is fine line between self-confidence and arrogance, make sure to define that line.” Keeping true to his words, Arun Agarwal decided to give life to his dreams by establishing Alok International eight years ago. A U.S. subsidiary of India-based Alok Industry Ltd., the firm has more than 20 brands which occupy a renowned position in the home textile market.

Today, as the Chief Executive Officer of Nextt, the front-end marketing arm for Alok Industries, Mr. Arun Agarwal is guiding the Indian home textiles sector on an international platform. Mr. Arun Agarwal has more than Fifteen years of experience in the industry which helped him in understanding the ways of business world. These valuable times that he has spent in the textiles field proves to be one of the most significant parts of his eminent personality.

Possessing an impressive educational background, Mr. Arun Agarwal acquired prestigious degrees to enhance and refine his abilities. After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Maharajas College in Jaipur, he went on for his further studies from the Institute of Management Technology where he got an MBA degree. At that time, Mr. Arun got a job as the youngest regional manager of JVC Onida for eastern region. Under the leadership of Mr. Sonu Mirchandani, he created a history in color television industry of India. However, his desire of acquiring more knowledge took him to the University of New Hampshire for the study of computer information systems and he achieved another Master’s degree as well International Business from Harvard University in Boston. The years that he spent in his colleges has a very special place in his heart for they evolved him into a dignified scholar who had a keen zest to bring a tremendous change in the field of entrepreneurship. From being a Secretary of Maharajas College student union to the President of Graduate Student Association of New Hampshire College, Mr. Arun’s personality always had the glimpses of a great leader.

A DETERMINED PURSUIT

It was under his leadership that Nextt has been able to achieve whooping revenue of more than $500 million. The company is a leading manufacturer of products such as home textiles, garments, apparel fabrics and polyester yarns. The firm also unveiled a 17,000 square feet flagship showroom on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Today, his company creates masterpieces of comfort and luxury in its headquarters at Dallas for some of the internationally renowned retailers such as Dillard’s, JC Penney, Target, Kohl’s, and Wal-Mart, and brands that include Trina Turk, Iman, Kathy Ireland, Jessica McClintock, and Ellen Tracy.

Mr. Arun Agarwal believes that uniqueness is like a stepping stone if one wants to excel in his pursuit. He wants to do things that stand aloof among the prevailing industry ideas. That is why he formed a team of young and enthusiastic minds who can adapt with the ever-changing scenario of the business world. He does not think that in order to do business one should follow any rulebook. Rather, they should follow a simple ideology of delivering excellence to the customers. He remarks, “Selling is as simple as being honest and winning credibility that you will do what you say”.

In a short time span, Mr. Arun Agarwal helped the firm in securing a “dominant proportion of private label”. It was due to his efforts that the company established various collaborations with the international brands. “In such a short time our reputation as a company is incredible in the retail

world,” confirms Mr. Arun Agarwal with a gleam of happiness in his eyes. “With the ecosystems we’ve created, we feel we are far ahead of the competition. But we need to keep evolving” he added.

For Mr. Arun Agarwal, the quality of services and products matters the most. It is never about prices but the durability that enhances the customers’ trust in any establishment or brand. During his early schooling in Jaipur, he did door to door market research for IMRB, which gave him some deep customer insights which still helps him in shaping his company’s future. According to Mr. Arun Agarwal he is not just “selling a sheet, but selling a solution”. He thinks that towels and sheet is basic commodity. “It’s more about the functionality. If you can combine fashion with function, it’s a winning combination.” he stated in an interview. Accentuating innovation in the company’s products, a technology of wrinkle-free sheet was introduced that created a benchmark in the industry. This sustainable technology has the ability to produce sheets that has cotton on the inside and polyester on its top which can fit the mattress of every size.

INITIATING A NEW PHASE

Mr. Arun Agarwal is the first Indian American to be appointed to Product Development and Small Business Incubator (PDSBI) Board in Texas. The board provides financial aid “for the development, production and commercialization of new or improved products and to foster the growth of small businesses” in the state. This achievement gave him a new perception towards the propensities of innovative ideas.

Impressed with the youth of India, Mr. Arun Agarwal feels that the pace at which the new generation of the country is moving ahead with their groundbreaking ideas, they can become one of the world’s best leaders that has the potential to set a new trend in the industry. He has a belief that if one gets a little help from the state then there is no doubt that his/her “ideas can turn into a big commercial success”.

Having a belief in the “Make In India” initiative taken by the Government of India to forge business growth in the country, Mr. Arun Agarwal thinks that this strategy can fuel the economic growth of the country to a great extent as it will give firm reasons to the international companies to invest in Indian establishments.

Mr. Arun Agarwal has a firm belief in business relationship. According to him, an honest approach and sincere commitments can make these associations fruitful for both the parties. Talking about his future vision for Nextt, Mr. Arun Agarwal hopes to utilize their exceptional infrastructure to subsidize the developing business models and trends. He also wishes to use his “knowledge of India to promote some products which are core to Indian economy” as well.

Even though Mr. Arun Agarwal is living away from India, his love and respect for the country is clearly visible in his constant efforts. As a proud Indian, he speaks to his daughter Anya about how lucky he feels, “We are the most fortunate people in the world. Connected to two of the best countries on earth– India and USA.”

THE COMPASSIONATE PERSPECTIVE

Apart from being a successful tycoon, Mr. Arun Agarwal is also an altruistic person. He engages himself in various CSR activities not only on a local level but on global platform too. Among these activities and initiatives, DIFFA and Chetna are radical steps taken by him through his company. The former initiative works towards the awareness and treatment of AIDS while Chetna helps the victims of domestic violence. For making a contribution towards the empowerment of women, Mr. Arun Agarwal also supports Living Dreams Foundation situated in Delhi. He also helped in the establishment of the largest Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in Dallas and also helped the Bhutanese refugee kids in DFW area.

This Founding father of Nextt is also an active participates in diverse organizations. For instance, he is one of the board members of various organizations such as Gift for Life, US-India Chamber of Commerce DFW, Indian American Friendship Council, and Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, Mr. Arun Agarwal also received NRI Entrepreneur of the Year award. Apart from that he also won awards such as “Outstanding Entrepreneur Award”, “Minority Business Leader Award” and “Entrepreneur of the Year Award”. Due to his perseverance and creativity, Mr. Arun Agarwal is laying the groundwork for his future success and also inspires the people around him to achieve big in their lives. His confidence in his self flashes through his words, “A good idea, with proper support and execution always succeeds”. This NRI entrepreneur is making headway with the help of the plans that he has designed for being one of the front-runners of the industry.

Before Evelyn Mungai opened the first school of design in Nairobi, there was no such industry as fashion design in East Africa, and so of course there were no fashion designers. She took it upon herself to train thousands of young people across the continent. Under her expert guidance, some went on to start their own businesses in this lucrative field, while others were employed in the related textile and graphic and interior design sectors.

GLOBAL APPEAL

Her graduates span the globe, grateful for the foundation they received at the college. Because of her hard work and dedication, the name Evelyn College of Design has come to be associated with quality. In 1981, she was invited to join the prestigious Africa Business Round-Table (ABR), the high-profile continent-wide private sector body of the African Development Bank. She was its first woman member.

She has also been closely associated with the establishment and promotion of the Corporate Council for Africa and the Global Coalition for Africa, two influential US-based bodies that bring the American and African private sectors closer together. She later served as a board member of the Africa Project Development Facility of IFC, the private sector development arm of the World Bank.

VARIED INTERESTS

For many years, she published Presence Magazine, which provided a platform for strengthening and promoting women. She also published Kenya Women Reflections, a book about Kenyan women active in the struggle for independence.

She has several other business interests, including in property development, and at one time was Founder Chairman of Faida Biashara, a private-sector-driven micro-finance company that empowered small-scale business people.

She is also the member of the International Advisory Panel of the World Islamic Economic Forum representing Africa in this prestigious and influential global body that promotes business between Islamic countries and between them and the rest of the world.

She is a past Chairman of the Kenya chapter of Transparency International, and serves as a Trustee of the President’s Award Scheme. She was a founder board member of the Nairobi Central Business District Association, and also of the Kenya chapter of Safety on the Roads International.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND AWARDS

As the first woman member of the Rotary Club of Nairobi, she launched initiatives in the fields of education, agriculture, health, infrastructure and income generation, and provided for a home for 50 AIDS orphans.

Above all Evelyn Mungai has been a leading champion of women economic empowerment, in Kenya and all around Africa. Her mission as the Founder President of the All African Businesswomen’s Association (AABA), is to facilitate networking and personal development among senior women in the private sector.

Finally, she lives and promotes the best of traditional African values, in terms of respect for the family, awareness of cultural heritage, and integrity.
In 1993, she was awarded the Lincoln University President’s Award for excellence in business and finance. President Kibaki honoured her with the national award of the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW).

Rizwan Sajan arrived in Dubai in 1991 with nothing in his pockets but a dream in his eyes. The only positive thing he could cling to was his first-hand experience in the building materials industry. He didn’t have money, but had a heart of gold!

He was 28 years old then, and had been working for more than a decade with his uncle in Kuwait. He had lost his father at the age of 16 and had made his way up from the streets. He had started feeling settled in the business with his uncle, when suddenly the Gulf War started and things got so bad that he had to leave Kuwait and his job.

The decision to leave Kuwait and go to Dubai wasn’t easy; however, he had to survive and take care of his family. When he arrived in Dubai, he looked up to the sky and promised to himself that he would work, work and work until he builds a future for himself and his family in this land of dreams and opportunities.

… and the journey started.

LAND OF DESTRUCTION VS. LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES

In the year 1991, when most people were glued to their TVs watching Scud missiles devastating Kuwait during the infamous Gulf War, the citizens and traders of Kuwait were actually living the horror of being in the midst of the destruction. Two names relevant here are Jacob Moses and Rizwan Sajan.

Before 1990, they didn’t even know who Saddam Hussein was, but in 1991 Rizwan Sajan had to leave his home, family and job in Kuwait because of him. For many that would have been a dead end. But Sajan was determined to do good in life, and came to Dubai. In Dubai, he worked for a hardware store initially where he earned AED 1,500 per month. Gradually, the situation in Kuwait started getting back to normal and as the word got out that he was in Dubai, his former business associates started calling him to place orders for building materials.

He recalls all good things about his uncle Moses and how he taught him to do business and survive, “My business ethics are largely due to the influence of my uncle Jacob Moses who taught me that 2+2=5.”

After about 10 months in Dubai, he thought of using his savings and his know-how of the building materials industry and went about starting his own company, Danube. He started as a small shop in Deira and his first employee was Mrs. Sameera Sajan, his wife. Today, Danube is present in over 50 locations in 9 countries with employee strength of over 2,500.
25 years after he came to Dubai in 1991, he is considered as one of the persons who literally helped in building Dubai. The growth was mutual and he has already created a close to 3 billion dollar company.

THE FORCE CALLED RIZWAN SAJAN

Creating relationships and bonds is not easy, especially if it is not your own country. However, like everything else, he has created a strong network and his ability to sell building material is unparalleled.

He has established the UAE’s largest building materials company – Danube Building Materials FZCO. Currently, he is the Founder & Chairman of Danube Group that comprises Danube Building Materials, Danube Home, Danube Properties, Milano, DanubeDirect.com, Danube Systems, Alucopanel, Cha Cha Chai, Xti and Tudors. He has grown his empire brick-by-brick from one office to more than 50 branches with a global reach into the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, India, China and Africa.

It is said that it is very easy in Dubai for people to become super-rich. However, people see only the wealth and fail to see the blood and sweat that goes in the making of the wealth. Sajan kept on taking different risks and turns when others believed in going steady to grow.

He has established different businesses at different times – brokerage business, timber, Buildmart (now called Danube Home), etc. and has created astounding success in all of them.

Being a highly self-assured personality, he states, “I feel proud when I share that all my business units are doing well, in spite of tough market conditions. My team is confident to close the year on a high; however, I have a few words of advice for them: stay cautious in your approach and make informed decisions and don’t act in haste.”

He is excited about the upcoming Expo 2020 in Dubai. “The biggest opportunity will be supplying building materials to major projects in the region; especially, Expo 2020, which is less than 4 years away and we are expecting almost 25 million people visiting Dubai within a span of 6 months.”

DANUBE IN THE DESERTS OF THE UAE

Hailing from the State of Gujarat in India, Sajan’s choice of the name Danube may seem strange to others; however when he started, a lot of his materials used to come through Europe via the river Danube. The river itself is believed to be the life blood of Europe and a source of nourishment. “That’s what I wanted my brand to be: a source of pride, growth and nourishment for me and every single person who invested in me.” So, Danube arrived in the deserts of the UAE, and the nourishment proved to be mutual.

He feels that he has been successful in creating an excellent journey for himself by the grace of God, and because the rulers of Dubai, over the years, have sustained a conducive work environment. The fact remains that any business would thrive here, if only passion and hard work are the main ingredients in it.

He remarks, “The leadership of the UAE have always believed and delivered on their promises to people since 1970s. The ‘never-heard-before’, innovative and best ideas see the day of light in this great nation, time and again. I have been a witness to the futuristic leadership for long now and these great leaders have made sure that no matter what, people, businesses and economy must thrive. Happiness, brotherhood and integrity have always been on the forefront to support the UAE’s march to become the most advanced country. The world history beckons the leaders of the UAE.”

THE MAN AND HIS FAMILY

On asking who is Rizwan Sajan as a person, he was straightforward, “I am a loving husband, a loving father, an astute businessman, a billionaire and I appreciate all my roles because I happen to be Rizwan Sajan of Danube under destiny’s hands. It was the support of almighty, family, friends, business associates, Government of Dubai and my roots – which can be traced back to India.”

He describes his typical day as, “My passion is work which I don’t take for granted, so a typical day would start with a half-an-hour swimming session followed by breakfast with family, and by 10:00 AM I am in office. My day-to-day activities would include discussing the innovative ideas with various teams, though once finalised, the ground work and other decisions would be passed on to the respective team leads.”

His family is his world and his small world comprises his wife Sameera and son Adel. He is nowhere near the retirement age; however, has helped Adel grow into a responsible gentleman and a smart businessman already.

When he thinks or talks of his wife, Sameera, his eyes shine and show great admiration for her. “Sameera played and continues to play an important part in my business. She has supported me through the bad times and applauded through the good ones. She has always given me the freedom to give 100% of my focus to the business. She has tackled all domestic issues with utmost ease throughout our married life.”

He lovingly talks about Adel, “I have been a businessman for most part of my life. Now I see the second generation of Sajan family playing a bigger role in managing the business and taking Danube to greater heights. As far as my role is concerned, I will still be at the helm of the affairs, guiding the young generation.

“Adel started quite young and I remember, during his early days, I would put him in various tasks and departments at Danube during his summer breaks. His first assignment was working in the warehouse with the blue-collar workers and from there on he worked in almost every department until he turned 19. That was the time he was given a real responsibility – starting the chandelier division in the Danube Buildmart (now Danube Home), which had just begun operations. By the time he graduated, he had good knowledge and experience in marketing, logistics, buying and all things retail. Our retail division was kicking off and that’s when Adel took the reins of our retail divisions.”

Adel Sajan is no stranger to success; he has grown up as the scion of the Danube Group, the region’s largest building materials company. He continues, “With his maiden venture, Danube Home, already going from strength to strength, Adel is poised to take over from me and I have no doubts even as a businessman about his capabilities.

BRAND LEGACY OF DANUBE

He chose Sunil Gavaskar, Juhi Chawla and Shilpa Shetty as the brand ambassadors of Danube, because like Danube they too are regarded as greats in their respective fields, given their brand legacy and trust which are also Danube’s traits.

Obviously, it works both ways. “The brand ambassadors we have would have never come on board with us, had they not been convinced of our dedication and quality. It goes without saying that these associations invariably result in visibility, bonding and reach-out of the highest level.”

WELCOME HOME

Danube had successfully floated the idea of home-ownership two years ago. The idea grew and matured as a record number of customers joined the sustainable and affordable housing bandwagon. “Danube is known for quality, and once again there would be no exceptions as quality reigns supreme on all accounts in our latest launch: Glamz.”

The unwavering customer trust in the brand for over two decades has established Danube’s projects as the preferred choice across geographies, which is why each project stands 100% sold-out because of its immense popularity, which prompts sales to close within weeks of their respective launches.

Now, Danube’s first project – Dreamz – is well on schedule for delivery, whereas other projects – Glitz 1, Glitz 2, Glitz 3 and Starz are all 4–5 months ahead of schedule. So he adds, “We are hopeful that Glamz would be no different.”

Danube has established itself as an innovative organization, be it venturing into varied sectors, bringing in new products or reaching out to customers – directly/indirectly. Hence, the brand promise is innovation. As a matter of fact he says, “It doesn’t matter what is the size or scale of the project, if the right intent is there, then Danube will adapt it to serve its customers better.”

THE HUMAN FACTOR

He had a humble beginning and now he is counted among the richest in the UAE and the world. He puts it simply, “I believe my background helps me stay grounded.”
He is also successful because people who join him stick with him. He shares, “Relationships are for life, that’s what I have always believed in. And while you are at it, make sure all you do is work, work and work, as there are no shortcuts to success. I find the right people and invest in them followed by trust – and their empowerment – to do the job perfectly.”

He also believes in training his employees well. “The objective is to formally create the opportunity of continuous learning for team members, thus leading to improved organizational and individual effectiveness which proves beneficial for the team members as well as the organization in the long run.”

Now that he has almost unlimited wealth, he doesn’t flaunt it. He has a humble disposition. He believes in living to the fullest rather than living for profit.

He has won numerous awards including the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award and the Dubai Quality Award. Recently, he was on the cover of Forbes Middle East magazine’s May edition and retained the number twelve ranking in the “Top 100 Indian Leaders in the UAE” List.

He is also involved in philanthropic activities helping people who are currently in need of a support. He feels that it is the duty of every human being to help people and give back to the society in his/her own capacity.

Since the time Danube was established, he has been promoting community initiatives. In 2012, the company designed its own social initiative called the Danube Welfare Centre (DWC) to address the challenges faced by the blue-collared individuals in the UAE. The Welfare Centre aims to provide formal training and assistance to the trainees and helps them meet the demands of the labour market. The Welfare Centre offers a 3-day training program to a batch of 15–20 participants from diverse nationalities free of cost. He explains further, “We train them on communication skills, personality development, interview skills, building self-confidence and developing positive attitude.”

One of Danube’s most popular initiatives involves holding a lucky draw amongst blue-collared workers, whereby the company sends two employees on “Hajj” and other four for “Umrah” each year.

Additionally, to lift up the spirits of the labourers working in the region, Danube serves Iftaar to more than 60,000 labourers every year during the month of Ramadan.

Born in 1944 and a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW), Mr. Deepak Parekh is at the financial helm of India Inc. In 1978 Mr. Parekh joined India’s premier housing finance company HDFC Ltd. as Deputy General Manager and then went on to become its Chairman in 1993.

ACCELERATING GROWTH

HDFC’s growth in stature and strength since its inception (1977), has been achieved by a steadfast focus on sound values such as integrity, transparency and professionalism, and underpinned by a basic belief of trust by the Indian middleclass.

Mr. Deepak Parekh, has not only preserved the ethos of the company, but has also strengthened it with time. His astute business acumen and farsightedness has not only made HDFC the leader in Mortgages, but also transformed it into a financial conglomerate with presence in Banking, Asset Management, Life Insurance, General Insurance, Real Estate Venture Fund and Education finance.

In 1970, Mr. Parekh began his career with Ernst & Ernst Management Consultancy Services in New York. Thereafter he worked with Grindlays Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank for about three years each prior to joining HDFC in 1978.

LEADING FROM THE FRONT

Besides HDFC Group Companies, Mr. Parekh is on the board of several leading corporations across diverse sectors. He is the Nonexecutive Chairman in India of BAE Systems India (Services) Pvt Ltd, Glaxo Smithkline Pharmaceuticals and Siemens. He is also on the boards of Fairfax India Holdings Corporation, Indian Hotels Company Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Network18 Media and Investments ltd and international boards of DP World – UAE and Vedanta Resources Plc.. He is also on the Advisory Board of several Indian corporate and MNC’s. In addition to being known for his vociferous views seeking standardization and transparency in the real estate sector, Mr. Parekh is dubbed as the unofficial crisis consultant of the Government.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

Taking care of such important positions in life, he never forgets to ensure that neither he nor the people he meets ever forget the importance of clean business. And values or culture are not developed overnight. It’s a painstaking process and Parekh ensures that neither he nor the people he is associated with ever forget the importance of correctness. It is one of the prime reasons that he has the habit of gifting miniature yellow signboards to colleagues and business associates. The little yellow signboard has compliance written on it, with a sketch of a slippery slope below it. Parekh has made clean business not only a cornerstone of how the HDFC group is run, but also embodies that spirit in his dealings with others in the world of business and politics.

It’s perhaps for this that young professionals often turn to him for advice when they have a doubt. Every week, he devotes time for young guns that often pick his brains on a variety of subjects. His ability to rise above narrow interests and passion for doing the right thing has drawn even the government and policy makers to his doorstep. Over the years, he has emerged as the crisis manager for the government, even on subjects that have nothing to do with finance.