Category: Leaders

“I have lIved by a sIngle mantra that Is If you cannot do great thIngs, do small thIngs In great ways”

Marching Ahead on The Green Road to Prosperity

Besides possessing a rich experience of more than 45 years and receiving numerous professional accolades, the Founder-cum-Managing Director of HPM Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd., Mr. Ashok Aggarwal

also has a heart of gold and is ever ready to share his insights with the youth and give back to the society in every possible way

the old adage, “Hard work is the key to success” holds true for Mr. Aggarwal who has been trodding on the path to fame and success owing to his earnestness. His humble disposition is quite apparent from  the fact  that he has high regards for his team and gives it due credit while elaborating on his success. Significantly, he talks about his struggles and disappointments unabashedly: “The story of my success is not just mine, it is the result of our whole HPM team’s hard work. Looking back at the past years,  I have grown and learned so much here in agrochemical industry. I have struggled tremendously in the past years. I never thought that I would actually accomplish my dreams and be successful in my life, but I definitely have proved, myself wrong. Many times I was confronted with huge disappointments, conditions were not generally positive to me. Obstacles came in my way and I continued pushing forward. Failure is the highway to success, ‘If you want to succeed, double your failure rate.’ I love knowing that I am doing great and I will really try to do my best in future.”

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES WITH ÉLAN

Life is full of challenges, it’s our perception which decides whether we choose to recognize them as opportunity or threat and this approach makes all the difference. Sharing with AsiaOne some of the challenges that Mr. Aggarwal faced and some of his self-devised techniques which he employed to counter them, he says: “In our personal and professional lives we face many challenges that test our emotional and mental condition. We are all learning. No one gets it right every time. The dynamic process of life — trying, succeeding, failing, and trying again — is the only way to develop lasting confidence in ourselves. I saw many fluctuations in my life. But I always thought about my farmers, my people and my country, that I could have done better for everyone.”

He adds, “I worked hard day and night and never looked back. Some of the times I had no idea how would I overcome the challenges. But I never lose hope. My whole life is filled with challenges. Many people spread rumours and many  negative  words about  HPM,  but I just did and am still doing my work with dignity and hard work, without paying any attention to their point of view. I specifically learned while overcoming those challenges that facing life challenges with fear will take you nowhere unless you accept the fear and make it your strength. Do something that will make your today better than what’s come before.”

SKILLED FARMERS; PROSPEROUS NATION

A noble soul who is deeply concerned about the welfare of others, Mr. Aggarwal is an ardent advocate of skill development of farmers and believes that they need to be trained in order to gain financial prosperity. He elaborates, “Despite the tremendous success of agro chemical industry, I feel farmers are not getting benefit in the real sense. What I feel is that a huge turnover is generated with the help of farmers so even they should get some real benefits from it. I think farmer education and awareness is intrinsic for improving the financial growth of farmers, as in many foreign countries they produce a relatively larger profit from farming than in India. If I get a chance, I would open an institution for farmers where they would be able to learn tactics to reap maximum profit out of their land, efforts and money.”

CHERISHING ASSOCIATIONS

Mr. Aggarwal is a person for whom family comes first and feels grateful to have a strong support system and always takes pleasure in giving his family due credit for his success. Reminiscing his moments of triumphs, he says, “Everyone has their own unforgettable moments, including me. I have many moments of triumphs. I have received many awards and all those are unforgettable moments. But when my daughter Mrs. Tapasya Goel joined HPM that was the actual moment of triumph for me. My family supported me in every thick and thin. Whenever obstacles came in my way they always stood up with me. As I said before, when my daughter Mrs. Tapasya Goel joined HPM as Executive Director of the company she took every responsibility. Today, the company is at the height of success and she has a huge contribution in it.” He derives motivation to work hard by working for the welfare of others and bringing about a positive change in the life of the people whom he associates with. As he puts it: “If I am talking about my motivation – that comes from providing excellent service to every farmer with whom I come in contact. Whenever I see farmers working day and night, their work inspires me to do better in my profession. I look for opportunities to improve my service skills so that each farmer I interact with will have a positive experience.”

“I thInk farmer educatIon Is IntrInsIc for theIr growth … If I get a chance, I would open an InstItutIon for farmers where they would be able to learn tactIcs to reap maxImum profIt out of theIr land, efforts and money”

SERVING THE SOCIETY

According special emphasis on corporate social responsibility, Mr. Aggarwal feels that his highest career point was when his employees participated dedicatedly in a CSR initiative rolled out by his company. HPM has been an early adopter of a strong CSR agenda. HPM has had many different CSR ventures, which have proved to be massive crowd pullers & are great initiatives. All tasks are arranged in a participatory way, in counsel with the group, truly sitting with them, and checking their fundamental needs. HPM has taken the path of inclusive development to address their basic needs. HPM cumulatively touched the lives of millions of farmers in villages and various urban locations. HPM strives to uphold its dignity in every sphere of society. HPM had always indulged itself in the processes related to the social, economical & environment viabilities. We have had events like ‘ Green Nation Clean Nation ‘ which proved to be a massive crowd puller & was of great initiative. We have had events like ‘Santosh Krishi Divas’ where books & several goodies were distributed free of cost, enhancing the school outlook in backward areas. We have done CSR like ‘Help him to breathe’. It’s a story of a small child who was suffering from the heart valve blocked disease, we have done CSR like ‘Make Sure they have smile too,’ in this CSR campaign we adopted 9 girl children and took the responsibility of their education and bright future.”

INSPIRING FUTURE GENERATIONS

Mr. Aggarwal’s straightforwardness and humble approach has won the hearts of numerous budding entrepreneurs, giving them their major  life  goals.  His message for the  young  generation  is  “Get  out of negativity, stop blaming everyone else for your problems, and stop blowing up small issues into epic tragedies. If you wallow in misery, you’ll never find a way out. Find the strength within yourself. Stop giving others the responsibility and power to the outcome of your life. Stop looking to others, and be your own hero, be the best that you can be. Save your own life, because when it comes down to it you are the only one who can. Make every day something you can be proud of.”

An immensely successful international business leader who chose to don the role of a public representative as a member of the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, the man of many shades Dr. Kanwar Deep Singh is richly contributing towards the welfare, growth and prosperity of the nation

A first generation entrepreneur, Dr. Kanwar Deep Singh ventured into the world of business at a young age of 19 as he wanted to chart a unique course for himself. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, he had lot of dreams and a whole lot of conviction and willingness to work hard to realize his dreams despite the fact that he had no background in business,  no Godfather and no money in hand, he ventured forth like an efficient frontrunner and ultimately charted newer territories of success owing to his sheer determination to excel.

Dr. Singh laid the foundation of Alchemist Group in the year 1981 with a borrowed sum of Rupees 20,000 from a bank to initiate a trading business in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. Realizing that to grow to the next level he had to get into the manufacturing business, he launched the first factory of the group in 1988. After casting indelible impressions in the manufacturing sector with sheer hard work and innovative thinking, he set out to expand and explore.

EMBRACING CHANGE WITH OPEN ARMS

Charles Darwin has rightly postulated that it is neither the strongest nor the most intelligent of the species that survives but the one which is most adaptable to change. This theory has proved to be true in case of Dr. Singh who utilized the opportunities, which a liberal environment offered, to the fullest. In the beginning of 1990s, the winds of liberalization had started flowing in India and the economy started opening up – the economic reforms which were kick-started in 1991 brought about expansion of the services sector helped largely by a liberalized investment and trade regime which increased consumer choices and reduced poverty significantly.

Taking advantage of the changing economic scenario, Dr. Singh listed his company on the stock exchange and his organization’s first IPO and listing on Bombay Stock Exchange occurred in 1994. Thus, there was no looking back for Dr. Singh, who kept on expanding the Group by organic growth and also by the way of acquisitions of businesses and today the conglomerate has eleven companies operating in different segments and an asset base of more than 2 billion dollars and more than 10,000 employees.

As Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Alchemist Limited, Dr. Singh has achieved outstanding success whilst forging a reputation of integrity and promotion of fair business practices across a plethora of industries under his Group such as Food processing, Hospitals, Pharmaceuticals, Tea Estates, Aviation, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Hospitality and education.

BUILDING THE NATION

Bent on giving back to the society by serving at the political front, Dr. Singh ventured into the field of politics as he decided to embark on nation-building.” He was inspired by Ms. Mamta Banerjee’s sense of simplicity and her untiring struggle for the upliftment of “Maa, Maati and Maanush,” her honesty and ideals rooted in one’s own identity, own soil and roots and one’s own people – which propelled him to join the Trinamool crusade.

Citing reasons for joining a regional party, he elaborates, “I didn’t want to get lost in a party like the Congress or BJP and sit idle. So I scanned through the regional parties and Trinamool Congress (TMC) came closest to what I wanted. There was instant chemistry and our thoughts gelled.” He was elected to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, in 2010. Regarded as respected and dedicated leader, he was made the head and party in-charge of 13 Northern and North Eastern states of India for All India Trinamool Congress party.

He further elaborates, “Expansion in eastern India is on my radar and I’m targeting West Bengal, Jharkhand and the North-East.” He already operates three tea estates in Darjeelingand two in Assam and intends toopenat least four hospitals in the upcoming years. His deep commitment to public service and industrial reform is quite explicit from his tenure as the Chairman of the Central Advisory Board on Minimum Wages, and as Chairman of the National Meat and Poultry Processing Board when he took adequate steps aimed at revolutionizing the food processing industry.

“i didn’t want to get lost in a party like the congress or bharatiya janata party (bjp) and sit idle.  so i scanned through the regional parties and trinamool congress (tmc) came closest to what i wanted”

A PASSIONATE PROMOTER OF SPORTS

Having completely realized the significance of games and sports and the positive implications they have for a sportsperson’s mind and body, in addition to being a platform for bringing laurels for the nation, Dr. Singh has always encouraged sports. An avid sportsperson himself, he likes to attend sports championships and encourage the emerging talents. His brand, Alchemist Group sponsored the Federation Cup hockey tournament organized by the Indian Hockey Federation in 2013 and he has held the positions of President of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and the Hockey Association of Haryana in the past.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Dr. Singh’s dedicated efforts in the public and professional spheres have been recognized through a number of awards, including the Rashtriya Ratan Award from the Integration and Economic Council of India, the Udyog Ratan Award from the Institute of Economic Study, and the Jewel of India Award from International Solidarity in New York. In view of his excellent business acumen, versatile personality, innovative thinking, exemplary contribution and introduction of an entrepreneurial revolution in India, a renowned and prestigious Accreditation body of UK – ASIC has awarded him with its highest honor of Honorary Lifetime Fellowship. He has also been bestowed with the Doctorate of Business from Anglia Ruskin University, UK in view of his extraordinary leadership, business acumen and strategic management skills.

An inspirational business leader and dedicated social worker, Dr. Singh has relinquished all positions within Alchemist Group of Companies, which  he very passionately established and spearheaded for more than three decades. After creating history in the corporate world with his numerous successful ventures in varied spheres, he has completely dedicated his life to social welfare by bringing about positive social, industrial and economic changes in India. Incessantly working on building the nation, Dr. Singh is a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs and passionate individuals who dream to make a mark for themselves.

Conferred with the Padma Shri Award by the President of India, Mrs Pratibha Patil, Mr Karsanbhai Patel has been quite well-known as an entrepreneur and philanthropist and the Founder of Nirma who has developed it to a stage where it has more than 18,000 employees and a revenue of more than Rs. 7,000 crore

STORY OF PERSEVERANCE

Karsanbhai Patel’s story is one of the most inspiring success stories of businessmen of all eras. Born into a farmer family from north Gujarat, Mr Karsanbhai Patel worked as a lab technician after finishing his B.Sc. in Chemistry. However, with an urge to start a business of his own, he started selling detergent powder, which he both manufactured and packaged in his own backyard in a 10 x 10 ft room in his house. However, he could not afford to resign from his job, and started this detergent powder business in the time left after his office. Initially, it was entirely a one-man show, where he himself used to bicycle through the neighbourhoods selling his handmade detergent packets door to door. He would sell 15 to 20 packets daily while going to his office on his bicycle, which was roughly 15 kms away. As he used to sell his detergent at one-third the price of leading detergents, his business was an instant success.

Within three years, he set up a shop at a small workshop in an Ahmedabad suburb, and thus established the brand Nirma washing powder, which is known as one of the most popular household detergents in many parts of India.

He kept the name of his detergent as Nirma, based on his daughter’s name Nirupama. Though it took him three years to bring his business to a level where he could quit his job, he showed a remarkable spirit of enterprise, and made a successful business. The lack of any such precedence in his family meant that the chances of failure were bigger than the chances of success; however, he quickly established Nirma as a brand in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The level of his success can be gauged by the fact that in 2017 his net worth was USD 3.6 billion.

BUILDING THE NATION

Taking acute interest in education, he has also founded a leading pharmacy college – Nirma Institute of Pharmacy, and a leading engineering college – Nirma Institute of Technology, both of which have grown into leading colleges. Next, he instituted an Institute of Management, and then consolidated the entire structure under the Nirma University of Science and Technology in 2003, which is overseen by the Nirma Education and Research Foundation. He has also started the Nirma Labs education project, through which he trains and incubates entrepreneurs.

Born in 1945 in Mehsana, Gujarat, Mr Patel likes to be low-profile and has been unofficially leading a retired life, leaving his two sons and a son-in-law to manage the show. Mr Rakesh Patel takes care of procurement and logistics, Hiren Patel takes care of marketing and finance, and Kalpesh Patel manages human resources and healthcare – the Nirlife Healthcare. There was a time when his low-price Nirma brand had sparked a detergents war with bigger rivals like Unilever and Procter & Gamble; however, today Nirma is one of the largest producers of soda ash in the world, and is so successful that in 2016 it acquired the Indian operations of the French cement major Lafarge.

Bringing a Ray of Hope to Patients with Critical Condition

Mayank J. Shah is a prominent name in the pharmaceutical industry as a gutsy and energetic leader who has forayed into the pharmaceutical sector as the Director of Biochem Pharmaceutical Industries. This energetic stalwart has made the utmost use of his business acumen to enter into collaboration with the leading international pharma giants from Germany, the UK and Japan to introduce pharmaceutical products that have brought a ray of hope to different patients suffering with critical diseases or disorders and have proved quite effective in their successful treatment, thus establishing the reputation of the Group as a House of Antibiotics among the medical fraternity in India.

This strategic visionary has also been a prominent member of the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association, serving as its honourable secretary for 15 years. A foresighted industrialist, he is quite focused and adopts a hardworking as well as a smart approach to consistently strive for his customers, creating great values through innovation, quality, commitment and customer service building a great bond of trust with them.

Offering Customised Financial Solutions

Following a successful stint in the pharmaceutical industry, this stalwart divested the pharmaceutical business in 2011 and made long-term investments through M J Shah Capital in leading real estate funds, including HDFC, ICICI, Ask, Peninsula, Reliance, IIFL and Indiareit. Shah’s visionary thinking and able guidance has led the Group to successfully venture into the real estate sector with a strong portfolio of residential and commercial projects.
Under his strategic guidance, the Group has four residential real estate projects being developed in Bandra (W), Upper Chembur, Lower Parel and Navi Mumbai of over 50 lakh sq. ft with the objective of providing housing to more than 2000 families by 2022.

Shah and his team of financial experts enable custom-made financial solutions through M J Shah Capital Pvt Ltd in the field of capital markets, corporate finance, commercial real estate & mortgages, infrastructure project & structured finance, and debt capital markets & syndication to empower its customers to follow professional growth plans and carry out value-creating transactions. All these initiatives help the company’s customers by providing them finance for investments in the capital markets offering them the benefit of meeting their liquidity requirements. The SMEs and corporate clients are also benefitted with customized financial solutions to meet their working capital and finance needs, and customers are also benefitted with loans against property, lease rental discounting, commercial property purchase loan and construction finance. Setting his eyes on the emerging opportunities in the infrastructure, core and emerging sectors, Shah has been instrumental in expanding the company’s product portfolio to cover project and structured finance solutions serving the needs of growing mid-market customers around India. To achieve maximum excellence, Shah is committed to designing a unique architecture, and developing and executing an exclusive project, thereby, setting the highest standards of innovation and creativity in the real estate sector for its valued customers.

CAPTURING THE GLOBAL MARKET

Pitambari Products Pvt. Ltd. was established in 1986 at Thane, Maharashtra, as a small business entity for manufacturing and supplying household products, and cleaning materials. Mr. Ravindra Vaman Prabhudesai has been playing a pivotal role in carrying forward his late father’s vision of taking the business to the next level. Currently, it is known worldwide for its innovative products in food care, healthcare, solar care, perfumery, incense, and digicare divisions. Mr. Ravindra Vaman has also created a large client base of three million across 19 Indian states.

He is an ambitious entrepreneur who has worked diligently to expand his business globally. Honesty, hard work, integrity, and improvisation are his guiding principles. These virtues have not only enabled him to grow personally but also helped him carve a niche in the competitive marketplace.

Under his able leadership, Pitambari Products Pvt. Ltd. has managed to establish a strong presence in the countries of the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa. What’s more, the goal-oriented leader plans to expand his business in Germany, Korea, as well as the USA.

SETTING HIGH STANDARDS

Mr. Ravindra Vaman consistently aims at delivering breakthrough products and services. The honest and dedicated entrepreneur always adheres to a customer-centric approach, which has helped him win the trust of his customers across the globe. For Mr. Ravindra Vaman, the customer is God; therefore, he never compromises on the quality of products. He constantly aspires to serve clients better and aims at attaining 100% customer satisfaction.

A TECH-SAVVY ENTREPRENEUR

The products offered by his company are tested and checked for ensuring the highest standards of quality. Mr. Ravindra Vaman has invested in the most advanced microbiological testing machines, such as analytical testing, gas chromatography testing machines, packing and material testing machines, and so on for maintaining high standards of governance. The products are sent to the packaging department only after the quality testing unit approves the quality of products.

GAINING PROMINENCE AS AN INDUSTRY LEADER

Mr. Ravindra Vaman has earned a remarkable position for himself in the national as well as global market.

He is a proud member of prestigious organizations such as Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export Promotion Council (CHEMEXCIL), Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (PHARMAEXCIL), Indian Merchants’ Chamber (IMC), and IndoAmerican Chamber of Commerce.

CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIAL WELFARE

As a responsible corporate citizen, Mr. Ravindra Vaman leverages his business to help the less fortunate. Being a generous supporter of charities, he donated 35 copper water vessels to the schools of AVANI organization. In the year 2018, he donated INR 5 lakhs to RSS Jankalyan Samiti.

Last but not least, when the state of Kerala was experiencing one of the worst floods of the century, the generous leader donated funds to extend assistance to the countless flood-affected families.

“From the beginning, his journey has been driven by the unyielding determination to enable sustainable development for provision of clean energy for nations, consumers & industries”

Believing that sustainable development is the pathway to the future, as it offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance, Tulsi Tanti, the Chairman & MD of Suzlon Energy Limited is making a huge contribution to the world by promoting sustainable development with the use of best technology

showing way to the world

Founded by Tulsi Tanti in 1995 Suzlon Energy            Limited            is         a              wind        turbine supplier having its head-office in Pune, Maharashtra. It is a vertically integrated wind power company and makes wind turbines, blades, generators, panels and towers in-house. The company’s spread is all around the globe including Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, South America and North America.

The story of the formation of Suzlon goes back to the days when Tanti was busy managing his family textile business in Surat, Gujarat. His business was doing well but the rising cost of electricity was becoming a headache for him. Despite taking every possible measure he was not able to control the price of power. After doing deep research he ordered two wind turbines from Danish manufacturer Vestas and started generating his own electricity. As a result of this other business organisations started showing interest in his solution and this changed everything.

Making a Clean world

Tanti recognised the power of wind energy and Suzlon was born. And with it Tanti’s vision of making the world a clean and green place also originated.

Tanti has more than 25 years of experience in various technical and commercial fields and is also the president of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association.

From the  beginning  his  journey has been driven by the unyielding determination to enable sustainable development. His endeavours led to the provision of clean energy for nations, consumers and industries thus creating a better environment.

Soon after the inception of Suzlon,   it established a technical collaboration with leading German wind industry player, Sudwind Energy Gmbh and commissioned its first 0.27 MW WTG for Indian Petrochemicals Limited at Dhank, Gujarat. Since then Suzlon has diversified its operations in various other states in India. Over the last two decades it has converted challenges into opportunities and has written a story of change and sustainability. Tanti being a world renowned expert on alternative energy believes in creating sustainable businesses and economies through energy independence and security. He is well aware of the fact that sustainable development requires human ingenuity and people are the most important resources.

Creating   renewable    energy

It is a fundamental thing that’s going to change the entire world by making it clean and green. Tanti leads from the front and manages the strategic growth initiatives for the businesses of Suzlon group. Suzlon diversified its operations outside India with the formation of Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, USA; a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzlon Energy Limited, India.

Soon after that in 2003 it entered China by opening its representative office in Beijing. Presently Suzlon has installed over 17000 MW of wind power capacity in 18 countries. It crossed 11000 MW of cumulative installations in India and has cumulatively added over 11000 MW of wind power capacity for over 1700 customers in India across 40 sites in eight states.

In 2017, Suzlon Energy achieved 10000 MW installed wind energy milestone in India and is capable of powering 5 million households per annum.

“His business model for AirAsia is based on the motto of democratizing air travel so that everyone can fly, and has crafted a strategy aimed at targeting unexplored & un-served locations”

A serial entrepreneur, famous as an airline business magnate and challenger to the establishment, Tony Fernandes has brought low-cost travel to a large populace of Asians who have never flown before, and to destinations spanning vibrant air travel hubs to lesser known locales that were deemed “off the map”

GETTING THE FOOTHOLD

With the start of other business activities such as Tune Group, a conglomerate of hotels, telecommunications, financial services, sports, media and creative industries subsidiaries, it’s really hard to make out what box to put Tony in.

A graduate from London School of Economics, Tony is well-known for transforming debt-ridden AirAsia from a struggling airline into one of the top low- cost airlines in the world, and in doing so he has followed his passion, which bestows AirAsia a unique way of doing business. An eternal optimist, his belief that people should dream the impossible and pursue their passion has become a part of the organisational DNA.

DISTINCT MANAGEMENT STYLE

His management style is truly distinctive. His business model for AirAsia is based on the cherished motto of democratizing air travel so that everyone can fly, and has crafted a strategy aimed at targeting unexplored and unserved locations and luring disregarded market sectors – essentially making a significant impact in the Asian aviation industry by playing at low price points and presenting customers with travel options nobody else had offered before.

To unlock creativity and bring out the best from its people, he believes in creating a conducive environment where people can take risk without the fear of failure, where every success, big or little, is celebrated and admired and where creativity finds its roots.

With the setting up of AirAsia Foundation, he believes in  giving  back to the communities it serves. AirAsia Foundation works with social entrepreneurs to promote a wide array of ethical purposes and at the same time creating fair, inclusive and sustainable businesses.

ADOPTING BEST PRACTICES

To provide best flying experience to its customers, Mr. Fernandes is highly positive on using data and technology to improve AirAsia’s reliability and on- time performance and learn more about their customers. At the same time, he believes in adopting the best practices to benchmark its operations and processes. “I don’t benchmark myself against other airlines – I benchmark with who’s the best in the world. Amazon is one of the best in the world in terms of e-commerce, so we’ve got to try and be as good as them. They’re very good at replying to customers quickly, live. So that’s the big drive for me,” he shares.

PROVIDING UNMATCHED WORK EXPERIENCE

He is committed that the aspirations of people – be it employees or customers – find a meaningful expression in all the business endeavours it undertakes. He doesn’t have a strategy of cherry-picking new destinations; he says if there are a considerable number of people, AirAsia can fly there.

Not      having    a     straight-jacketed corporate working culture, his connect and bonding with his people is akin to talking to a good friend. He has created an incredible, inspiring culture at AirAsia. To move up the ladder of success and to bring phenomenal success to AirAsia, Mr. Fernando, not even by mistake, underestimates the power of branding. He believes that the fruits of branding do not reflect in the bottom line in short term, but bring profit in the long run.

“Under his dynamic leadership, Mayapada Group has become one  of Indonesia’s biggest conglomerates, with businesses in financial services, healthcare, real estate and media”

Believing that every crisis brings its own opportunity, Dr. Tahir – Founder of Mayapada Group, who goes by one name and is a self-made entrepreneur – has over the last three decades built the Mayapada Group, a consortium of businesses in banking, insurance, healthcare, retail, real estate development and media

Offering StrOng LeaderShip

A devoted Christian, and immensely self-inspired, Dato’ Sri Prof. Dr. Tahir’s story is quite motivational as he has built his business brick by brick with a long- term vision, and an emphasis on stability and sustainability. His most prominent interest is in real estate, as he also owns the recently completed Strait Trading Building in Singapore as well as the Goodway Hotel in Batam.

Under his dynamic leadership, Mayapada Group has become one of Indonesia’s biggest and most successful conglomerates, with businesses in financial services, healthcare, real estate, specialty retail and the media.

PT Bank Mayapada Internasional, Tbk (known as ‘Bank Mayapada’) is the flagship business of the Mayapada Group. Bank Mayapada is a publicly listed company with shareholders consisting of investors from the United States and Singapore, and has nearly two hundred branches throughout Indonesia.

Dr. Tahir has been featured as one of the 50 Most Successful Overseas Chinese Citizens in the National Archives of the Republic of China, and has been variously awarded including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

HeisregularlylistedasoneofIndonesia’s wealthiest by numerous publications. Dr. Tahir holds many other positions, such as Senior Advisor at the Coordinating Ministry for People’s Welfare, Chairman of the Association of Chinese Indonesian Society and Entrepreneurs (PERMIT), and Chairman of Chamber of Commerce at Chinese Committee (KIKT).

He is also the first Asian to sit on the board of trustees at the University of California, Berkeley.

An avid sportsman, Dr. Tahir is also the Chairman of the Executive Board of Indonesian Table Tennis Association (PB PTMSI) and South East Asia Table Tennis Association (SEATTA), and is a black belter in karate.

A high-pOwered buSineSSman

Even though Dr. Tahir has firmly cemented his legacy as one of the nation’s most successful entrepreneurs, it is his philanthropy that he would want to be remembered by. In fact, the industries in which the Mayapada Group does business in are all selected with the intention of improving the health and wellbeing of the surrounding communities. And thus the Tahir Foundation was founded. Through the foundation, Dr. Tahir aims to create a better future where every individual in Indonesia has access to adequate healthcare and education, and enhanced quality of life. He has donated generously to combat the worldwide refugee crisis, research on the prevention and treatment of diseases, and to improve education in Indonesia.

Giving baCk tO SOCiety

Dr. Tahir is committed to giving back to society, and is the first Indonesian signatory of the Buffett-Gates Giving Pledge. His guiding principle “Built by the society for the society” has played a major role in the phenomenal growth of his businesses, and drives his generous philanthropic contributions through the Tahir Foundation, which has supported various initiatives in healthcare, education, legal reformation, and has made a $200 million investment (in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) to address healthcare issues in Indonesia.

“At his heart lies building long-lasting relationships with customers through quality offerings,which reflects upon his unwavering commitment to build every project better than what has been offered before”

In this cut-throat business of real-estate, Mr. Krishnan, a great inspirational and an innovative leader and a Chartered Accountant, has created a highly respectful place for himself through his dedicated efforts and commitment towards his objectives to provide his clients with their desired accommodations and return on investments

Man of Many Roles

Mr. Krishnan joined the Appaswamy Group two decades ago as a Group Financial Controller and rose to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the real-estate group through his discipline, professionalism and passion towards the job.

In this profile he has gained the trust of his team and the clients alike. During his long 30-year tenure of professional life he has gained a vast experience in the fields of hospitality, pharma, and IT apart from real-estate. During his dynamic leadership, the Appaswamy group has expanded its horizon and diversified its business from real estate development to include hospitality and non-conventional/renewable energy.

expanding HoRizons

Though the Appaswamy Group already has a vast experience of more than 50 years, as Mr. Krishnan joined it under his charismatic leadership the Group has seen a meteoric rise in its infrastructure and development business in various parts of Chennai. Using his extraordinary foresight, Mr. Krishnan has focused on those areas of Chennai which were in dire need of development. This has led to overall growth of the city fulfilling the residential dreams of lakhs of residents in and around Chennai.

His influential leadership has inspired the Appaswamy group to expand its loyal customer base to more than 10,000. Mr. Krishnan’s sustainable strategy and planning has inspired the group to develop properties of impeccable quality, modernity and excellence aimed at fostering an ever-lasting bond of customer relationship built on trust, confidence and customer delight while adhering to principles of ethics and professionalism. His untiring efforts towards taking Appaswamy group to further heights has made it possible for the group to set and surpass new benchmarks through conscious, consistent and concerted display of dynamism, unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and excelling in all its purposeful pursuits through quality, efficiency and integrity – on time, every time.

Of late, Mr. Krishnan has established himself as a pioneer and visionary in the fieldofreal-estaterendering his invaluable advice through various columns of magazines and newspapers. His opinion is sought on various policy matters pertaining to the field of real estate. His powerful insights and guidance have led the way for Appaswamy group as it has built the concept of creating townships in key suburban locations through the urban development model that is now being emulated by others in the industry. He        is        resolute           on        building establishments with innovation, quality and timely delivery of the projects to its customers, which will lead to the penultimate objective of profitability, following customer goodwill and trust.

CReating long-lasting RelationsHips

At his heart lies building and nurturing long-lasting relationships with customers through its quality offerings and robust structures, which reflects upon his unwavering commitment to build every project better than what has been offered before. He is adept at negotiating for land acquisition, building strong and world- class infrastructure and  conforming  to customer requirements through delightful customer service.

“Bahwan would drop by fellow shop owners, introducing himself & trying to sniff out opportunities. He attended gatherings & befriended government officials, building a list of contacts”

From humble beginnings, Suhail Bahwan became a billionaire in Oman, as he first went into business with his brother Saud in 1965, selling fishing nets and building materials, before scoring the Toyota dealership in 1975, and then became the Founder and Chairman of Suhail Bahwan Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Oman

A Born EntrEprEnEur

Bahwan was born in Sur, a small seaport along a barren stretch of coast one hundred miles southeast of Muscat. It’s near where the Strait of Hormuz widens into the Indian Ocean, which made it for centuries a convenient waypoint for ships sailing between India, Iraq, Zanzibar and beyond.

Bahwan was born into a large family, and along with his brother, he used to accompany his father on sailing trips to sell dried dates and fish in exchange for rice, sugar and other sundries.

Bahwan attended primary school in India, but dropped out after sixth grade. His father put him in charge of a dhow. On voyages, he haggled with merchants from different corners of the world, picking up early lessons in spotting good deals.

trAnsforming LocAL chALLEngEs into gLoBAL opportunitiEs

Bahwan never made  much  money  as  a trader in Sur, but he was creative, and most importantly, business was  in  his blood. He took loans from Indian merchants, which he used to buy gold that he would then sell in Oman. Still, after paying back lenders, profit margins were slim. By the 1960s, he often made the sea voyage from Sur to Muscat,  where there were more opportunities to sell his wares. In 1965, Bahwan and his brother decided to move to the capital permanently. They  opened  a  shop  in  the labyrinthine Muttrah Souq, selling fishing nets and later building materials and tools.

The  brothers  immersed  themselves   in Muscat’s small business community. Suhail Bahwan would drop by fellow shop owners and businesses around town, introducing himself and trying to sniff  out opportunities. He attended social gatherings and befriended government officials, building a list of contacts. His efforts would serve him well.

However, in 2002, he split with his brother, who kept the Toyota dealership and passed it along after his death to his son Mohammed.

crEAting A roBust nEtwork

Not content with fishing nets, the Bahwans were  eager  to  obtain  foreign licenses. It was with Japanese watchmaker Seiko that they scored their first major license in 1968, followed by electronics maker Toshiba. It proved to be a very good timing, and Bahwans were quite successful in their business endeavours.

In 1970, Sultan Qaboos ousted his father in a coup. Once in power, the new ruler opened Oman to the outside world, initiating a program of  modernization and economic liberalization, which created demand for consumer goods and industrial projects.

Another Japanese  company,  Toyota,  was looking for partners in the Gulf, an opportunity too good to pass up for the brothers. They were not the only ones competing for the tender. But royal intervention helped seal the deal for the Bahwans and they got the coveted license in 1975. That year ships began offloading brand new Toyotas on the quays of  Muscat. Within three years, they became the automotive market leaders in Oman. The Bahwan brothers had wind in their sails. Suhail Bahwan however dedicates  his success to his over 15,000 employees and most importantly, his customers.