Remembering Ulka’s Anil Kapoor: Imraan Surve
After a series of disappointing no's from several companies I appeared for a job interview at Ulka in 1990. Despite making the cut-off list at a management institute in Bombay/ Mumbai my father felt I should work for a few years before I did my MBA. And it was really difficult to get a job without an PG Degree.
As luck would have it, I was selected to join the Ulka Star One management trainee program, a big shout out here to Mr Kapoor, Jalal Agha and of course Shashi Sinha. That was beginning of my MBA course.
A few years before that Mr Kapoor had come in to head Ulka and had put together a team of fabulous professionals Shashi Sinha, Niteen Bhagwat, Ambi (MG Parmeswarn), Arvind Wable & Nagesh Alai– all of whom came from very strong marketing and corporate back grounds.
It was the revival of Ulka and I was really lucky to be part of the ride... and.... what a ride it was!
AK’s vision was to create an advertising agency that solved marketing issues for clients and gave them ads that worked. I remember him telling me ever so often that the client servicing and planning teams at Ulka have to be like strategy consultants to the brands that they work on. And boy – was Ulka good that.
Enough case studies around so I wont go further – Santoor soap, Sundrop, Amul, Tata Indica and ZODIAC to name a few
Even today, when I reminisce on trying to get any major campaign brief past AK, the hair on the back of my nape still stand. The endless hours of debate – his insistence on data, consumer insights, market maps et al. And of course, the unending plates of food.
Kapoor sahab inculcated in all of us youngsters a very strong ethic of full transparency and total integrity with clients on all fronts. I for one never ever had to sleep feeling I was asked to do something that didn’t go down with own set of morality. He made us develop an eye for detail and on how to close the last mile.
One of his favorite quotes was Murphy's Law "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong" He was clear that that this coupled with advertising that works & building relationships based on trust is the only way that accounts will stay with us. It taught us how to take ownership of the work we did for our clients.
But let us go beyond the mountain of a man at work.
Mr Kapoor was also a very high-end finishing school. He taught us how to enjoy the better things in life to the fullest. Be it fine food (and a lot of it), dressing well or even social and business etiquette (read: how to hand over a business card) – it was a full grooming on all fronts. He was a fantastic judge of character and made us realize the fine art of investing in people and teams. His benevolence towards looking after people in need is something I will keep private.
I moved from Ulka in 2000 and for few years he sulked with me whenever we met- but a few tight hugs and the “gigantic glacier” melted.
In 2002 I became his client at ZODIAC (later he was on the company's Advisory Board) and phew was it hard. Very, very hard when he did a business review with us. Or when we made his linen shirts. On both counts it was not about what was being spent – it was the how, why and results thereof.
Once he moved to Singapore our meetings (subject to him being in town) became frequent. I was fortunate to spend many an afternoon in his garden with what started as a long lunch and ended up becoming an early dinner. With Qeema & Pav from my house and his favourite Baida Roti from my chap in Bandra
R.I.P. Mr Kapoor – my friend, philosopher & guide - I will remember your “Abbe Sale Badmash” fondly.
