Communicating success  ( July '21,2008, DNA)

Ashish Bhasin, chairman (India) & CEO (Southeast Asia), Aegis Media, the world’s fastest-growing marketing communications company, feels most media companies are caught in a time warp and are living in an unreal world. It is time they took a quantum leap and ushered in radical changes to adapt to the new world, he tells Yogesh Saigal.

Early aspirations
Right from the beginning, I was very clear that irrespective of which profession I chose, I would always endeavour to be the very best in that. I had no clue that I would end up in advertising and media, but once I did get into this profession, I tried to make sure that I was always counted among the best in the industry.

Academic credentials
A BSc (Hons) in science helped me since it instilled discipline and taught me to work hard and systematically. MBA was a big gain because it imparted general management skills and taught me the value of ‘working in teams’, ‘handling situations,’ etc. However, once you start working, what matters most is your attitude towards your job.

Work experience
Straight after MBA, I was recruited as a management trainee for Lintas. I spent over 20 years with them, in client servicing, handling the Unilever business, working as head of the Chennai branch, as the president — initiative media, and then as the director — integrated marketing, looking after eight different companies. Thereafter, I was executive vice-president, Lowe WorldWide, a global role that involved extending integrated marketing in Asia and other countries. My current assignment with Aegis Media Group includes leading global companies like Carat, Posterscope, Isobar and Vizeum and the areas of operation include Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and the Indian subcontinent.

Keys to professional success
Passion is the key distinguishing factor between successful people and the not-so-successful ones. Stability and consistency. Too many people treat their career as a 20:20 cricket slugfest rather than as a series of test matches. It takes discipline to excel. It is extremely important to be committed to the long term rather then take uninformed and hasty decisions in the short term.

Commitment to excellence
You have to be world class in what you do. There are no two ways about this.

Work ethics
To show extreme commitment and loyalty to any cause, task or assignment that I have taken on and to give more than 100% to it. To never do anything which does not feel right in the gut.

Biggest professional achievement
The amount of goodwill and the number of well-wishers who support me in the industry. After my recent job change, I was completely overwhelmed by the huge trust and confidence that everybody reposed in me. It was a humbling experience.

For people starting out in media
Start at the grassroots — one’s grounding needs to be solid. Climb the ladder by doing every kind of task and you will be prepared for all eventualities. Consistency, resilience and the ability to cope with pressure are must-haves.

Pressing the ‘job eject button’
Never press the eject button. Focus on building a career, don’t just do a job. Frequent job changes will damage you in the long run.
You need to be focused and need to have the ability to hang on during the tough times, because they will come in your career. Good days and bad days are a part of life. It takes a lot of effort to make things work. Patience and determination are keys to this.

Advice for ‘bosses’
It’s very easy to fall into a trap of either being too task-oriented or people -riented or too product-oriented, etc. I think the best way to be a boss is to be yourself and to just be a nice person, but fully committed to making sure that there is no compromise ever on the task and job on hand.

Management mantra
You can never go wrong if what you are doing is right and if it makes you feel good.

Teamwork
Teamwork is not an option but a necessity in any business. In my team, there is no place for prima donnas and we will only succeed if each one performs his or her role to the best of their ability. So, teamwork is a must have for someone in my team.

Favourite line
Devotion to duty decides your destiny

Biggest strength
To remain calm and retain my sense of humour, even when the world is crashing around me.

Work-life balance
India is at a stage where we really have to work a lot more before we can even think about balance. This is an area that is my weakness; I tend to be more work-oriented and I don’t see myself changing that in the foreseeable future. My wife, children, family and friends are my biggest balance.

Vision for your company
To be the best media communications agency group in all of Southeast Asia, particularly India, with a comprehensive offering that delights the clients.

Future of the industry
The future of the media industry is extremely bright, but the future of many players I see around me, including very established ones, is very bleak. The reason for this is that most media companies are caught in a time warp and are living in an unreal world, not responsive enough to the dynamic changes around them. Our business can no longer be run by improving things incrementally. We have to take a quantum leap and usher in radical changes to adapt to the new world. Many large media buying and planning companies in India will soon find themselves having ‘coffee with the dinosaurs’ — so rapidly will they get outdated in the current scenario.

My take
What do you call a person who spends 20 years in his first job? Remember the classic tale of the ‘hare and the tortoise’? Now, imagine a scenario where the hare never stopped to rest but just kept running. That is exactly the case with Ashish. He spent 20 years in his first job and by the time he changed, he was too far ahead of the rest to be even bothered about the race anymore. Such achievers are the bright spots of the corporate world — flag bearers of the brilliant and positive role models to emulate for the rest of us.