Recovery in crucial urban market will take longer: Havells India CMD

Anil Rai Gupta says how managing costs, shedding bureaucratic shackles, and improving productivity at every level will be crucial to weathering a storm

From consumer behaviour to its long-term plans, Havells has witnessed sea change in its business since March. ANIL RAI GUPTA, chairman and managing director of Havells India, tells Arnab Dutta how managing costs, shedding bureaucratic shackles, and improving productivity at every level will be crucial to weathering a storm. Edited excerpts:

What was the impact of the lockdown? Do you see a silver lining yet?

The impact was quite profound for companies that are dependent on domestic consumption. April was practically a washout. While the share of consumer versus industrial business is 70:30, nothing really moved. In May, we witnessed little recovery.