Leadership Is A Juggler’s Act
Someone said, “leadership is a juggler’s act”. Indian corporates are constantly evolving, creating new leaders, with BW Businessworld hot on their trail. The issue in your hand offers not one, but a triple cover package with ITC as our lead story. The company’s CEO, Sanjiv Puri, has to fill the large shoes of his predecessor, Y. C. Deveshwar, who like the company he headed, had assumed proportions that are larger than life. But are ITC’s mega growth plans realistic?
In a candid conversation with deputy editor, Suman K. Jha and senior special correspondent, Monica Behura, Puri spells out what distinguishes him from Deveshwar, even as he stresses that continuity was the hallmark of the ITC tradition. The multinational, the agro-products of which now span from tobacco to tomato chutney, is venturing into newer businesses, with its eyes set firmly on Target 2030, set by Deveshwar. Puri emphasises that with its ‘India first’ philosophy, the group aspires to contribute a significant chunk to India’s GDP one day.
In the second cover package, we track a trend. Senior associate editor, Ashish Sinha and Monica Behura report on the growing presence of Japanese and Korean companies, which first began establishing a base in India a couple of decades ago. Meanwhile, Chinese companies too strive to increase their influence over the Indian business firmament.
Senior special correspondent, Himani Chandna, probes whether India was losing the “world’s pharmacy” tag. This third cover package, replete with interviews and guest columns, examines what ails the Indian pharma sector. Senior associate editor, C. H. Unnikrishnan, meanwhile, looks at how India was turning into an aerospace hub, with global companies making a beeline for India and using the country as a manufacturing base.
BW Businessworld’s last cover story on the rollout of the GST, evoked a favourable reader response. As a leader in the domain of business publications, we cover various issues that impact businesses, corporates and entrepreneurs. We have consistently maintained that the biggest indirect tax reform since Independence, was good for the country. Yes, there was an issue of readiness of India Inc. to adapt to the new tax regime, which incidentally was what our 8 July lead story was all about. We do a follow-up report, anchored by Mumbai bureau chief, Clifford Alvares, who examines the teething troubles of the industry and how it was readying for the new regime. Alvares also reports on evolving brokerages in the stock market.
In our endeavour to track policy, we peer into the portals of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati. In an interview with media reporter, Ruhail Amin, Prasar Bharati’s new CEO, Shashi Shekhar Vempati, outlines his vision of a public broadcaster that was a “strong global voice”. Meanwhile, group editor, Advertising and Marketing, Noor Fathima Warsia, speaks to Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, on what Facebook is doing to stay relevant. In the interaction that coincided with Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Sandberg also talks of the role India plays in Facebook’s business plans.
American scholar, Warren Bennis said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” We, dear reader, strive to bring you that vision and hope that you stay a leader. And of course, we need to know from you whether we succeed in doing so. So do give us your feedback — and happy reading!
