Seven Questions With Satish Sharma, President - APMEA, Apollo Tyres
Your views on the Auto Sector?
I saw the bottoming out of the economy in October. In November the festive season kicked in with Diwali and the customer was being given a number of deals, which propped up November.
From an OE standpoint, things have been sequentially improving. If November is better than October, and December is projected to be better than November, one can say a rise there but it is gradual, and not a sharp recovery curve like in 2008. We have already seen one year of a slowdown. It started exactly during the 2018 festive season, that’s when the first air pocket came and after that, every month has been sequentially down. It is only in Q3 that some progress was seen although it was very mild.
We are still facing headwinds from the transition of BS-4 to BS-6. Even if the economy was to do better the transition will play out differently for people. From December to March we are likely to see an uptick in sales.
Expectations from the upcoming budget?
We need to prop up the demand side, the supply side has already been acted upon by cutting corporate tax. Looking at the quantum of our problems, the steps taken are good but not sufficient, we still need handholding and propping up.
I am positive that the government must be thinking on these lines as well.
Apollo Tyre association with the City Marathon
We use sport as a way to communicate with our stakeholders, especially our customers. This is because we believe that qualities like performance and endurance, which are part of any sport connect very well with our product.
Are you a marathon runner?
Yes indeed. I have been running for 13 years.
What is your favourite food?
Simple Indian vegetarian fare
An alternate profession you would have picked for yourself?
Would have been connected with the education sector
A book you loved reading?
'What I talk about when I talk about running' by Haruki Murakami
A quote that inspires you?
‘Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional’
