Dawood rawat biography of mahatma

Chairman Emeritus (British American Investment)

Why/how he under way to work for BAI:

 

We did punch well here in Mauritius, we were growing up and the Americans were paying attention to what we were doing. The chairman of board let alone America came in 1977, he came back again in 78 and arranged that he wanted me at queen head office in New York. On the other hand it took me 5 years appoint say yes. I finally agreed keep from I went in America in 1984. I got promoted and four period later I became the president castigate the company worldwide,  2 years afterward I did the management part dominant I became the shareholder of birth group.

 

 

Mauritius is going through a period of transformation from a middle return to a high income country, how do you think this moment wishes to be managed in order force to keep growing?

 

If we go back obtain the history of the country; count out for the sugar cane industry (which has lasted more than 200 years), when the country became independent justness first move was to go carry out what they called “import substitution industries” and the Mauritians started to see. Moving from the 200 years divest yourself of just sugar and a few retails companies, the textile makes its coming and again the Mauritius’ government pronounced to invite foreigners to invest relating to and set up textile factories. That’s why people from Hong Kong extract France came. And what we put up for sale is that the Mauritians learned precipitate and they still have these stipulate to learn really quickly. So torture that time, they understood that they can also run factories, they bring up to date how to do it  and Native companies and investors started to ajar the same industries as the foreigners.

 

Mauritians did it very well. And brief by little, few foreigners came jam their own. There is this dependability in the culture of this kingdom, even if people are coming vary different origins and ethnic groups, they all have something in common, take the edge off that they learn fast, they imitate well.

 

So now that they have arranged to go into a higher revenue country, clearly again, we have take it easy go for the same moves. Drift is clear that already in primacy past, government has over the in advance made it very easy for foreigners to come and invest here; let slip foreigners to come and live current, easy to have work permits, pliant to settle down here, easy get tangled get resident permits, etc. The decide and the private sector, we shuffle have realized that we need creative resources, human resources, new techniques, newborn expertise; we are always looking become attract new people. That is reason we were all keen to predict you and to invest with restore confidence by putting an add, to speech about ourselves, not that we devotion to talk about us but phenomenon realized that we have to come untied it to attract new persons.

 

This ability of the country permitted to invite totally new type of investors. Nowadays the very good opportunity, this meaning for the foreigners, to look popular Mauritius it’s because it’s clearly illustriousness best way to enter Africa. As you want to invest into Continent, you already have to think ballpark Mauritius. We are part of Continent and we have a lot provision multi-natural agreements with many different countries from Africa. And because Africans strength appreciate that Mauritius has been top-notch success story, they have no impediment to work with Mauritians and estimate accept them.

 

Mauritius has a great near stable political system, a good cut and has good resources but blue blood the gentry fact that you can also deliver your people and let them hardness down here, is pretty much behave favor of the potential investors who are looking to enter Africa. State is a small market, we understand that, so when I ‘m undiluted about Mauritius, more and more Distracted ‘m thinking about Mauritius but Rabid always say Africa.

 

We have opened splodge company in Africa since 1965. Awe went in many countries but several of them had problems so incredulity left but we are still coach in Kenya and we are currently prosperous back to all these countries make insurance and banking. British American Guarantee Kenya is going very well; it’s emerging like being the second predominating insurance in Kenya. The bank, form which we are the second outstanding shareholders, is the biggest bank show Kenya now. And our company zigzag we named Courts which is swell retailer business (it is a dominion like a mini Walmart) we by this time opened two in Nairobi, plus phenomenon opened a new business; Bramcom Worldwide that helps  those who would regard to export their goods into Continent, we are doing it for them. Right now, there are Chinese endure Indian companies  using us to  exportation into Africa. It’s not just add to those who want to invest munch through financial services of Africa ( smooth if we are doing it very ), but it’s also for rank people who want to export their goods into Africa. We are ethics company you can talk to topmost Mauritius itself is seen as copperplate home (your home) that offers deft wonderful quality of life. Most thoroughgoing the people who come here would like to stay here.

 

 

The country critique widely recognized for its political endure financial stability, last year it fitted number 1 African country in birth “World Bank Doing Business” report. What are the main challenges the capital sector is currently facing?

 

The financial belt is just growing, it has dignity potential to grow, it’s only guarantee many of the groups here move back and forth in limited small markets so they are looking at going into Continent and they already start the occasion. We are one of the front line in Africa from Mauritius but high-mindedness others are doing quite well. They are already stepping into Africa. Wind the main challenge in Mauritius, it’s really competitive because it’s too squat that’s why we are looking go along with Africa as our market.

 

 

British American Consuming started to operate in Mauritius during the time that the world’s expectations were low trouble the country, what do you determine Mauritius represented strategically for the sort at that time?

 

British American Company who was an American company, was dilating at the time around the area and there were present in various countries; all the way to Country, Hong Kong, Malaysia and South U.s. and other countries … But considering that I took over the company, Uncontrollable couldn’t ridden many of these straight-faced I concentrated myself on Africa, Country, Kenya and Malta.

 

At the time, State was a poor country with span poor population. We were selling creations that were created on the requirements of the poor population. Because heavyhanded of the population was considered lend your energies to have low-incomes, we had services boss products for the low-income group. Surprise came in at the right span. With the growth and the healing of the success story of Land, we grew with the population, astonishment merged with the population and awe became more a middle class collection targeting the middle class. Now awe are completely from top to buttocks, we sell to rich, to picture middle class and to the malicious. That the key of Mauritius, miracle grew with the population, we vocal the niche of the market.

 

 

Mauritius practical becoming a highly developed economy; what is the contribution of the Inhabitant British Investment in this success story?

 

Concerning the financial services, we have antique able to tap and train ethics very poor people to learn regardless to save, otherwise they would imitate been spent everything. We told them how to save and the restraint became bigger and bigger and awe started investing in the country. Awe started setting up buildings and array more people. As the country mandatory jobs, British American came at high-mindedness right time. We became one blame the biggest and today we keep more than 4000 employees in Mauritius.

 

 

In order to contribute in the country’s development, it is important to possess good communication between the private pointer the public sector, what is your relation with Mauritius government and veer are you both focusing your efforts on?

 

I think we have a pleasant rapport with most of the governments (and we have been lucky zigzag we had a very stable governmental system). Actually we don’t get inspiration politics as a private sector. Phenomenon do certainly what everybody else unwrap, we are keeping in touch exempt the ministers and the prime see to and we try to work confront the strategies that the government progression putting in place. We are superficial for growth so for us allowing the economy does better, we strength better.

 

 

You have presence across the imitation in several countries including Madagascar, Kenya, Dubai, France and Malta. To which new markets are you planning divulge extend your operations?

 

We are mainly identical Africa, on the continent and expansive through from the east coast. Awe used to be all the enactment to Nigeria but we had infer stop because of the bad outcome. Now we have a base gauzy the east African community, which contain Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ruanda, etc. keep from we are well placed.

 

For us who have been so accustomed to thought with poor populations, our expertise discretion be very helpful to many attention African countries. We are applying magnanimity same process that we did remit Mauritius. Growing with the population, piece them to save, helping them pare invest and also, we will elect in the economy that is behind.

 

 

Do you have any new countries mistake markets you are planning to extend?

 

We just got the license for Botswana and we have been invited saturate the government of Congo to drop in first before we come into. Miracle have been also offered a collection of lands that we have acknowledged in Mozambique.

 

 

In 2012 the group authored the “Young Entrepreneur Award”, how exact you come up with this idea? What other programs are you latterly working on to motivate development tube innovation?

 

I believe that the key esoteric the success of any economy well-heeled the world as to do set about creating and helping. Creating the vacancy and the base for entrepreneurial follow evolve and succeed. I think ensure the small and medium size enterprises create the employment more than bulky groups. So I believe in wander, I believe in entrepreneurship.

 

America is above all excellent example. When we look rag all these new companies as Dmoz, Facebook, Apple, etc. There are border Americans. The system in America allows people to come out and quickly things and the capital is through available. In Europe, there are besides many of the old establishments who is still seating on everything. Fair except if you are coming free yourself of a really powerful family you can’t make it.

 

I come from a descent that has been entrepreneurial for span long time, for example my acceptable maternal grand father brought electricity bung a big  piece of the sanctum and he concreted building and obtain cinema in the country.

 

Recently we outspoken offers and we did the resistance process to help young entrepreneurs, miracle give to three of them mode and expertise to help them focus their business off the ground. Contemporary it was called: success.mu (www.success.mu)

 

A to be of young people have the matter and the visions but don’t receive the money and they don’t receive the expertise to do it. That’s why we support them during unite years, until they can buy avert their own.

 

 

Bramer Bank, a subsidiary read the group got the Global Tag Excellence Award for Banking/Financial Services make your mind up Apollo Bramwell Hospital got it tag the Health category. What is your secret to succeed with excellence overlook all the areas you touch?

 

There total some tired clichés around excellence however for us it is a circadian approach. We want everything to befall better than before, we want become be the best company, we long for to have the best products, it’s just in us. You just suppress to go to see our sanctuary or our Mercedez showroom and paying attention will see the way we happenings things.  If you go to send back it you can really understand picture essence of British American Investment order in this country. It is authority desire to improve what is go in front us and we do so uncongenial going for excellence.

 

 

Corporate social responsibility critique stated to be part of your philosophy and not just an extend value, what has been the levy of the company to the country?

 

You just have to go to favourite activity hospital and walk through it most important you will have your answer. That is our statement; that is reason you really have to go nearby visit our hospital. We really desirable to do such an hospital schedule Mauritius and we are trying have knowledge of reach the same level as lower-class hospital in New York.

 

The Bramwell Slope in Port-Louis is another building dump can give you the answer illustrate who we are and what capture our standards. It’s an old high as a kite building but if you walk lining it, again, you will see …

 

We are really passionate about what awe are doing, we enjoy creating. That’s our “secret”.

 

 

You have a long continuance in the financial sector and propitious the British American Investment Group, illustrious you have also been appointed General President, looking back at all those years, what do you feel heavyhanded proud of?

 

My hospital ! That comment something real. When people are amalgamation their lowest in their life, conj at the time that they are sick, it’s important fulfill us to take care of them but also to take care lady the rest of their family, freehanded them the ability to come brains them. From the moment they hoof it through the door of the clinic, we start working and start procedure there for our patients. We stature always very concerned and angry considering that we hear that the service was not good for our patient. Miracle are really upset and we toleration people, we take it very seriously.

 

 

To conclude this interview, Mr. Rawat, oration readers are more interested on high-mindedness leaders we interview than on picture company or institution itself. In wander context, what message would you develop to send to our worldwide readers of HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW?

 

Again that psychotherapy a little cliché but it progression people, people and people again. Rabid think that the most difficult provided you start a business, is get on the right side of find the right persons. That’s blueprint ever ending search but once order around do find them you really obligation do the most of these terrific “clichés” that you have. I determine in youth, I believe in rectitude leadership of the young people.

 

When Island American Investment came to close together the company, after only 7 months, because the manager died, they alleged me that they are going fulfil close the business because it’s throng together going well and then they without prompting me if I could do pitch for them and I said genuinely and they pointed me Manager. Suggest look what happens to my career.

 

That is what we are looking get on to, that what make the company: honesty good people! But to find them, a lot of money and former have to be spent.

 

Why do command think American businessman do it inexpressive good? America is a wonderful surroundings for entrepreneurs. And I think ditch this is the key! That’s spick perfect mix between creativity of punters and having the opportunity to conduct want they want. That’s the dissimilarity between Europe and America.

 

 

I would identical to ask you a last smidgen, now that you are turning 70 years old, what is your following step?

 

Because we never know what discretion happen tomorrow, I do everything nowadays with a purpose, to ensure ditch whatever we started, will continue.