Going global for talent

According to a Mint report, the number of foreigners who have assumed key leadership positions in Indian companies has multiplied many times in the past couple of years. A few of such names are: Karl Slym, managing director at Tata Motors Ltd; Israel Markov, chairman of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd; Gary Kenneth Toomey, who was recently appointed as the new chief executive officer of Jet Airways (India) Ltd; Tony Fountain, CEO of Reliance Industries Ltd’s refining business; and Neil Mills, who till recently served as CEO of SpiceJet Ltd. The report raises a question: Is there a dearth of leadership in India, forcing firms to shop abroad for talent, or do foreign leaders bring in a fresh perspective to local businesses?

The report mentions Debashis Chatterjee, director at IIM Kozhikode as saying, “It is not possible to produce leaders in classrooms. They emerge with experience they gain by working in various geographical contexts. Expatriates are welcome to lead Indian companies as they come with such experience.”

Read the complete report here