The Bar is So High

Representing India on the global stage is not every business leader’s cup of tea. It is not only that the rules of the game are different but also that the markets and the challenges they bring differ astonishingly. Ratan Tata is someone who set benchmarks for representing India on the global stage. Ratan became chairman in 1991 when the Tata Group was a collection of loosely connected businesses. Over the next several decades, he restructured the group block by block, focusing on core sectors, divesting non-core businesses, and taking the brand abroad - breaking grounds all along. After a decade of restructuring, Tata Group started to take shape as a global force and in 2000, Tata Tea acquired Tetley, making it one of the world's largest tea companies. Tata acquired Corus

Steel in 2007, a major European steelmaker, for $12 billion and a year later, Tata established its name as a strong global player by acquiring JLR.

Under Ratan's leadership, the group's revenue grew over 40 times, and profit increased over 50 times, but he never made it to the biggest billionaires in the world! A chronic bachelor, Tata was not in the business of making money or building his portfolio, but improving the lives of his fellow citizens. That’s how he redefined what a true leader is for the country.

Ratan was the lord of resilience, strength, and empathy. And it showed during one of the darkest days the country has ever seen. The epicenter of the incident was the Tata family’s iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The unparalleled resilience and leadership Ratan manifested that day is a textbook for committed business leaders. He even took a pledge to pay the salaries of the deceased staff members to their families for the rest of their lives. For a man who acquired luxury car brands from a company like Ford, Ratan Tata set the bar extremely high for Indian global leaders. In this issue, we shed light on some of the stellar global business leaders who hail from India. Do let us know your thoughts.