| It was Sanjay
Pandya's affinity for numbers that led him to choose the career
of a chartered accountant. He changed two jobs because he
did not find them exciting enough. He was looking for opportunities
abroad, a job that would give him the chance to grow in his
profession. That's when he got a call from a head hunter for
the post of finance manager in a Tata company in Zambia.
"The only association that I had had with Africa up
to that point was when Winnie Mandela and Sam Nujoma, former
president of Namibia, visited our school to talk about apartheid
in South Africa," recalls Mr Pandya. "Our school
always celebrated UN Day on October 24 and on several occasions
invited prominent personalities to express 'solidarity'
with the South African freedom struggle."
Mr Pandya seized the Africa opportunity. He met Raman Dhawan,
then director of Tata Zambia, and was briefed on the challenges
of doing business in the continent. "It seemed like
an exciting project. I was just 26 and ready for anything."
Mr Pandya came to Zambia without any preconceived notions
about the country. He knew that it was a socialist nation,
with a once-rich economy but going through a difficult period.
There was a lot of business potential though, and that was
what interested him. It was a tough life initially but professionally
he found it very satisfying.
Working as an expatriate has been challenging and fulfilling
for him. "You have a small setup and, therefore, a
greater sense of responsibility. More importantly, you learn
things beyond your functional area." Apart from looking
after the finances and preparing accounts, Mr Pandya would
at times have to take over a colleague's job when that person
went to India on annual leave. "The processes and systems
had to be kept going. It gave us a chance to learn about
other operational areas and interact directly with our customers.
Also, you had to work round the clock; you may not be in
the office but you never stop thinking and that is what
helps you and your business survive."
Working with the local population was another chapter of
learning. Of
Mr Pandya's team of 20, there were 17 local people. "You
had to earn your spurs with the Zambians. It's human nature
to challenge the outsider and I had to prove my capability.
It took me nearly a year to understand the local psyche
and earn their respect, but I had a great group of people
to work with."
Striving for perfection is second nature to Mr Pandya and
it is this trait that he feels has held him in good stead
in Africa. Mr Pandya believes in the maxim: a place for
everything and everything in its place. "I don't like
leaving things half-baked," he says. And if that meant
going on Sundays to clear paper work, then he did that too.
"I felt that I had a responsibility towards the company
and towards myself to deliver results."
Doing his job well also meant training his team. "You
have to know the psyche of your people and how to get the
best out of them. You put systems in place that your team
can follow. I found that if you are organised in every aspect
of your day-to-day life, it gives you the strength to do
well."
Striving for perfection also means that he gets impatient
with inefficiency. "When things don't work or are not
done properly, I get worked up." But he's mellowed
with age. "As you mature you accept that you cannot
change certain things."
After eight years in Lusaka, Mr Pandya was in a state of
ennui when a new challenge came his way. He was offered
a move to Tata Africa in Johannesburg, to look after the
finance and accounts area. "Looking back, I think it
came at the right time."
South Africa was, again, a challenge that Mr Pandya relished.
It was a developed country where the Tatas were trying to
establish a presence. "There is a difference in the
style of functioning between the two countries. Our activities
are more focused here." The experience and knowledge
gained in Zambia helped Mr Pandya in his new assignment.
Mr Pandya credits Raman Dhawan for much of his professional
learning. "Mr Dhawan is more than just a boss; he is
a leader and a good human being. He has an open-management
style of functioning and we can always discuss anything
with him."
Commitment to his work has meant that Mr Pandya has had
little or no time to cultivate a leisure pursuit. He manages
to catch a game of tennis on weekends or spend time with
his family, but he always leaves time for reading. Mr Pandya
loves reading; his parents are avid readers and so are his
children.
An indulgent but practical parent, he once took his children
to a bookshop, on a weekday at midnight, to buy the first
copies of the fifth Harry Potter book (he bought one for
each child so they would not fight). Then he promptly locked
them away when they reached home at 2 in the morning. He
gave the books back only on the weekend. "It was one
of the most peaceful weekends I have ever had," he
says with a broad smile.
Mr Pandya came to Africa on a two-year stint not knowing
at the time whether he would stay on. However, as he says,
“The company and the country have been good to me I
love my job. I find it challenging and that's why I have
continued. We have set up our office in South Africa, but
there are many new developments and projects happening.
It's an exciting time to be here."
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