Going local

ICE PEOPLE

Think global, go local. That, it can be argued, has been the post liberalisation mantra of India Inc. But Vivek Gokarn, CEO and managing director of SAS India, is going local after going global.

After spending years in international products development, implementation and sales, Gokarn is now developing the Indian market for SAS in India.

"In the domestic market, in areas like business intelligence solutions in which SAS operates, we are actually building awareness. In certain cases we are just not growing the market, we are actually creating it," says Gokarn.

A mechanical engineer, Gokarn spent his first three years on the shop floor of Mahindra & Mahindra's Kandivli factory in Mumbai.

The next stop was the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, where he did a graduate management diploma in systems and finance. After that it was 11 years in CITIL (COSIL in its previous avatar) which later became i"�Flex.

In 1999, he joined SAS's Indian operations as he felt that he had done everything that he could in CITIL.

True to type, he suggested that SAS set up another subsidiary in India for research and development and consulting. The company to which he gave shape"� SAS Global Services (SAS) is today an independent profit centre at Pune.

Now, he is busy developing the domestic business for SAS's other Indian subsidiary, SAS India. The principal customers for SAS India are from the banking and financial services, services and pharmaceuticals and telecommunications industries.

The next step? " We are keen on expanding into the government and manufacturing sectors," says Gokarn. That's called going really local.

Gokarn divides his time between Mumbai, where he works, and Pune where his family stays.

"My biggest stress buster is spending time with my family. Also, we have a good garden at home, which again helps in relaxing," says Gokarn. His happiness is complete when he gets to listen to his favourite Asha Bhonsle and Mohammad Rafi duets.