People are strange when you're a stranger

When I first came to the UK in the mid-1980s, I expected a grey and wet country where everyone carries umbrellas. But after coming here, I realised that the place is not really like that. And the stiff upper lip is also just a stereotype. You meet people and they gradually open up and get quite friendly. The place grows on you.

I came here in 1999 as the head of TCS’ UK operations. Settling down was easy. UK is fairly expat friendly — there are so many Indians around. My wife had also been here in a previous assignment so getting accustomed to the country wasn’t too much trouble.

In every country you will find challenges while running a business. But it is all about your ability to work through that. It’s been fairly easy for us here though. Nowadays there are several inward investment agencies in the UK that make it easy for companies to come in. London First, for instance, promotes London as an investment destination while Ireland has the Industrial Development Agency. They provide incentives and assistance such as finding a location.

It is very clear that UK is badly affected in terms of the downturn. And this is a long-term problem. The UK government debt this year will be about 12 percent of the GDP, the highest of any of the G7 industrialised countries.

Unemployment numbers have been going up and these will continue to rise for some time yet. But companies here are looking to the future in terms of how they can come out stronger — and they want to take measures to keep the business fit and lean. They have an eye on growth opportunities.

Compared to India, it’s a difficult environment. But the very basics of doing business are the same everywhere — whether it is India or the UK. Opportunities exist, even in a downturn. But to spot them, you need a deep understanding of the market and customer.

For instance, one of the businesses looking at jute and cotton products for packaging found a big market here because a lot of people acknowledge that the ecological downturn is even more important in the long term. You just need to know the market and see how you can seize the opportunity. Be prepared to go through the grind though.

An Indian Company in a Global Environment
Having been here for more than three decades, we know our way around the country. Both the Tata group and TCS are fairly embedded here.

For Indian companies coming to UK, the rules are simple: Establish your reputation through good work. When we started out here, people used to ask, who are these software providers from India? Today there is a premium that the brand carries and there is huge awareness of what India offers in IT.

We have taken up large, transformational programmes that have helped us get a firm foothold in this market. We are taking on projects which are more visible in the public arena, including for the UK Government.

Yes, there are some issues that companies face here around outsourcing and jobs going offshore. But those are contextual: It’s about innovation and being cost-effective. Our model calls for us to work with UK talent and leverage that with our global resource. It’s a matter of educating people. Our own customers talk about the value that we have created for them — and they say this in various forums.
At some level, everyone realises that in a global world, global talent is important. We haven’t encountered voices of protectionism. But sensitivities are always there and one needs to take care of them. We employ local talent wherever we go.

We use communication to assimilate them. We tell them about our value system. As people become more mobile, it becomes easier to integrate them into a common culture. Of course, it helps that everyone from the top to the bottom communicates the same message.

The most important thing is to understand that cultures are different and you need to be sensitive to that. In TCS we have some people who help sensitise people to aspects of different cultures. That way you will know of what behaviours to expect from a Britisher or an Indian.

(As told to Neelima Mahajan-Bansal)