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Friday, January 26, 2007
India's key destination for international job seekers
When Yossi Yehiel, V-P, operations, Tejas Networks, told his family that he was going to work in India, there was a big hue and cry. Yehiel had previously worked for 3Com in Israel where he managed worldwide contract manufacturing business.
Tejas needed Yehiel’s expertise to manage its contract manufacturing relationships with global suppliers, a skill that was difficult to find in India. Says Yehiel: “People from Israel usually go abroad to work in the US, the UK or Canada.
But I chose India, because the opportunity here was very good.” A few years ago who would have thought that an Israeli engineer would want to work for an Indian startup. Now, Yehiel says a lot of his friends are interested in knowing about other openings in India.
MNCs like Nestle and Coca-Cola have had expats running the show in India for many years. But unlike five or six years ago when expats came in at very senior positions and could only be seen in large global corporations, now they are working in Indian firms, starting businesses and are even joining at middle and entry levels. What’s more they are coming from countries as diverse as Korea and Austria.
“There is no need to sell India anymore to expatriates,” says Peter J Leitgeb, president, Hotel Leelaventures. Leitgeb, who has 18 years of work experience with the Kempinski and the Steinberger Group hotels around the world, says: “India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and offers a great quality of life at very affordable rates.” He says: “An annual medical checkup in India costs $150, whereas in Germany it costs $1,400.”
When New Yorker Joseph Sigelman first came to India 22 years ago, things were so bad that he promised himself he would never live here. Seven years ago, Sigelman, an MBA from Harvard Business School, chucked a well paying job with Goldman Sachs and moved to Chennai to set up OfficeTiger, a BPO firm, along with his Princeton classmate.
OfficeTiger works with top 12 investment banks in the world and has grown to 10,000 employees. Says Sigelman: “People ask me why we started OfficeTiger in a conservative place like Chennai. But I find that to be a good trait, it means people are loyal and hardworking.” The present generation of expatriates in India understands the sensitivities and culture much better.
Roy Gilbert, director, online sales and operations, Google India, stumped his Indian classmates at Stanford Business School when he told them he was headed to Hyderabad to set up Google’s operations.
Gilbert, a former US Navy officer, says Google looked at several countries before deciding on India. Says Gilbert: “I worked in the Silicon Valley for seven years. But the pace of growth and excitement in India surpasses that of Silicon Valley.”
It isn’t just work that keeps the expatraiates happy in India. They spend time in exploring the country and understanding local cuisine and culture. When Harry Ahn, V-P, IT business, Samsung India, first moved to Delhi, he said he hated the place.
Three years later, Ahn says when he went to Korea this time he found himself watching Zee TV on satellite channel. Ahn, who considers the India experience an important milestone in his career, says the only regret he now has is that he can’t spend enough time with his mother who lives in Korea.
Source: Economictimes 29-12-2006
Tejas needed Yehiel’s expertise to manage its contract manufacturing relationships with global suppliers, a skill that was difficult to find in India. Says Yehiel: “People from Israel usually go abroad to work in the US, the UK or Canada.
But I chose India, because the opportunity here was very good.” A few years ago who would have thought that an Israeli engineer would want to work for an Indian startup. Now, Yehiel says a lot of his friends are interested in knowing about other openings in India.
MNCs like Nestle and Coca-Cola have had expats running the show in India for many years. But unlike five or six years ago when expats came in at very senior positions and could only be seen in large global corporations, now they are working in Indian firms, starting businesses and are even joining at middle and entry levels. What’s more they are coming from countries as diverse as Korea and Austria.
“There is no need to sell India anymore to expatriates,” says Peter J Leitgeb, president, Hotel Leelaventures. Leitgeb, who has 18 years of work experience with the Kempinski and the Steinberger Group hotels around the world, says: “India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and offers a great quality of life at very affordable rates.” He says: “An annual medical checkup in India costs $150, whereas in Germany it costs $1,400.”
When New Yorker Joseph Sigelman first came to India 22 years ago, things were so bad that he promised himself he would never live here. Seven years ago, Sigelman, an MBA from Harvard Business School, chucked a well paying job with Goldman Sachs and moved to Chennai to set up OfficeTiger, a BPO firm, along with his Princeton classmate.
OfficeTiger works with top 12 investment banks in the world and has grown to 10,000 employees. Says Sigelman: “People ask me why we started OfficeTiger in a conservative place like Chennai. But I find that to be a good trait, it means people are loyal and hardworking.” The present generation of expatriates in India understands the sensitivities and culture much better.
Roy Gilbert, director, online sales and operations, Google India, stumped his Indian classmates at Stanford Business School when he told them he was headed to Hyderabad to set up Google’s operations.
Gilbert, a former US Navy officer, says Google looked at several countries before deciding on India. Says Gilbert: “I worked in the Silicon Valley for seven years. But the pace of growth and excitement in India surpasses that of Silicon Valley.”
It isn’t just work that keeps the expatraiates happy in India. They spend time in exploring the country and understanding local cuisine and culture. When Harry Ahn, V-P, IT business, Samsung India, first moved to Delhi, he said he hated the place.
Three years later, Ahn says when he went to Korea this time he found himself watching Zee TV on satellite channel. Ahn, who considers the India experience an important milestone in his career, says the only regret he now has is that he can’t spend enough time with his mother who lives in Korea.
Source: Economictimes 29-12-2006
