A construction, banking and investment veteran is taking a stab at overhauling a broken real estate sector by cementing it with loads of technology and accountability. Will Ram Yadav's audacious gambit pay off?
Mumbai, 1999. The choice was between Arthur Andersen and Shapoorji Pallonji. And for the young Mumbai lad who had just cleared his MBA in finance, it was definitely a no-brainer. Swanky building, luxurious office, a storied brand, and an opportunity to start a career with a marquee multinational accounting firm was undoubtedly a dream start for Ram Yadav. But the dream got interrupted. Yadav’s father brutally injected some realism into his son’s fantasy world. “Who are you going to work with?” he asked. “Arthur Andersen,” replied Yadav, who was enamoured with the American brand. Not satisfied with the reply, his father kept probing. “I asked who, I didn’t ask which brand,” he said sternly. It was turning out to be a difficult question for Yadav.