How to explain India

During my professional career in India I have always been exposed to try to explain India as a market. With the change in government and the assumed turnaround of the economy, this task is more than ever important, working for a Multi-National Company in India.

But how to explain Leaders, who have never been to India but read in the Financial Times, that India will be the fastest growing economy in these days to come.

As one knows that ‘learning’ always starts with the already known, I have to compare India with something known to my European friends. Being fully aware, that India cannot be compared with any other economy; I am left with no option than to compare.

So, I do a chart to only be surprised myself:

So many similarities were not expected and nowadays I can spend hours talking on this single chart. Starting from distance and travel time between locations, covering the aspects of different culture, climate, food, language, laws or even ethnics, it has become a ‘walk in the park’ to visualize the dynamics of India.

If still not satisfied, I start to give examples: How would a Norwegian Key Account Manager approach an Italian Retail Chain? Why does Germany not keep the same product assortment as Spain? How many companies keep one marketing department or strategy for entire Europe? Is the shopping behaviour on consumer goods the same in Greece and in Switzerland? And the story goes on..

Being fully aware that I don’t give full justice to the diversity of India (it is more diverse than Europe), I am blessed to have a good starting point to explain India as a market to complete strangers to our culture and economy.

Getting Started

Inside India is my perspective as an Expat in India. There are ups and down in every country we live in and India being a very diverse country with different cultures is definitely the learning ground for the emerging markets. My series of blogs will touch certain parts of my personal experiences in India. To start with I am writing my first blog about my brief stint in India before I go to specific experiences.

I am a Swiss national, who has all his life worked in Europe. My stint had been in Electronics and FMCG. After working in mature markets I got an opportunity to work in Emerging market.

My story in short so far.

Inside India

On January 7, 2008. I moved to India. My knowledge of the country was limited, probably a bit more than an average tourist. This was my big moment. I had opted for a change in my life without knowing what I was getting into. I only knew I was marrying the woman I love and had decided to leave the safe environment of my country to come to India. In the beginning it all seemed very strange, not that it does seem strange today after 8 years but now I am used to a lot which I was not earlier.

lndia the land of diversity, different cultures, and different mind-set all together. One can compare India in its diversity with Europe. No two states in India are alike much like no two countries are alike in Europe.

My experience of this diverse culture and habits started from Bangalore, South India. The IT city which is compared to the Silicon Valley in the USA. Unlike the city in comparison, Bangalore does have a lovely climate but no infrastructure to be acclaimed as a global city.

Bangalore or Bengaluru as some say, is a city of young adults, having a very cosmopolitan culture and busting with energy and fun. A culture easy to blend in socially, humble polite people and very friendly.

I started my work with The Nuance Group. My first job in India and it was fun to do the start up of travel retail at the new airport yet to be launched BIAL.

My days were spent to understand excise and customs laws of India. The work culture here is very unique to me, no clarity of laws and no easy access to information makes it a very challenging country to work in as an Expat.

Fortunately, I had help from my friends and colleagues and with ease I managed to understand the people and do my job with satisfaction. I will say the first 2 years were tough, but then creating history by putting a structure for duty free retail was exciting.

During my stay at Bangalore I got a chance to visit Coorg and Pondicherry, very serene, very beautiful places. I have somehow got an affinity to Pondicherry. A home away from my country and I like visiting this state as often as I can. The place is so serene and calm, for me to spend 2 to 3 days here is as good as going for any vacation in India.

The years just flew away in Bangalore, we never felt that it was 4 years and then one day we had to take a personal decision to move to Delhi. This was an exciting phase again for me. After working in South India in travel retail, I was excited to move to domestic retail and moved to Delhi with Safilo, India.

This was a totally different phase for me.

There is a huge difference in culture and work ethics in Delhi/ Gurgaon. This has been my learning so far. My work gets me to travel within all around India but more intensely to Mumbai and Gurgaon. It is interesting to understand the domestic market of India. Many a times the best practices of mature market which I have worked all my life come very handy for me to work in this environment. These are very interesting times in India and I am hopeful to gain more experience in these markets. It’s challenging to work in emerging markets and the mind sets of people are very different. That’s when I am grateful to my work experience in Europe.

The story will continue further as in my follow up blogs I will share fun stories and certain challenges which I have faced till now.