Nandan Nilekani Version 2.0
By HARISH BIJOOR Brand Expert & CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc If I am to pick a successful case of reinvention in the Indian context, I would not pick a commercial brand, but a business and social leader (if I may rechristen him that) – Nandan Nilekani. Nilekani was a fledgling player in the market for end-to-end-services in the IT space. From Patni Computers to Infosys, the transition was one of courage and conviction, led by vision. While some of it was his, some of it was the collective vision led by N R Narayanamurthy, who needs no introduction at all. Within Infosys then, Nilekani rose first as a tech leader and then traversed the path of being a sales leader and eventually a business leader who led from the front. And then he hit the ceiling and became CEO. While many in the space of IT would remain content with what they had built for themselves and their team of employees, and while many more would have wanted to do the home-in-Milan and home-in-New York bit, Nilekani did more. A nagging belief that he was made to deliver more than just IT end-to-end services and create wealth all around, made him jump into the world of governance itself. While many stand outside the periphery of governance and become armchair critics of what is being done, Nilekani did otherwise. He jumped in. This was reinvention of Brand Nandan Nilekani Version 1.0. And he did it well, as the future will tell. And now, having done it, I am told there is the reinvention of Brand Nandan Nilekani Version 2.0 on the cards. Reports say that he is slated to jump into the rustic and active world of politics as a candidate for the next general elections which will make him attempt an entry into the Lok Sabha. Rumours say a lot more – that he will not remain content just as a member of the LS. If rumours were horses, the reinvention of Brand Nandan Nilekani has just about begun, and the real ride is yet to start. To me, reinvention means moving your cheese. Your personal cheese and your brand-cheese even. It means the ability to rethink strategy, tactics and often, an entire life-plan. Reinvention means never being happy with what you have. To that extent, reinvention is an impatient trait, a good attribute in an ever-dynamic and ever changing brand market. Those who reinvent themselves and their brands live and believe in the “Power of Now”. So, make the best of it. Do things differently. Create a new success. Reinvention specialists do not gloat on the glory of the past and are equally not deterred by fright of the uncertain future. Reinvention evangelists think the language of the present. The present is all they have to play with. And they play with that well. The reinvention of Nandan Nilekani is my gold-standard brand reinvention case for now! Feedback: harishbijoor@hotmail.com
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