Book Review | The Brand Custodian : My Years with Tatas

The brand Custodian : My years in Tatas

Author : Dr Mukund Rajan

Recently there was a report published in the social media on how long the corporate houses survived post-independence in India.  The Living Company by Arie De Geus who cites a research report that says average life expectancy of a large corporate (Fortune 500) is about 40 years. On the Similarly lines, Rahoul Joshii an Indian scholar studied Indian corporates starting from post-independence and his study, available in LinkedIn, showed that 50% of 1950 companies were wiped out of top 20 in 1990. 75% of 1990 top companies wiped out by 2016. The only company or corporate that could make it consistently on the top from 1951 till today is TATA – Leadership with Trust. 

Many of the small town / rural guys dream is to work in Tata’s, and mostly it’s because of the brand and respect it carries.  Today the large corporate have the treat not from the rival competitors, but from the small entrepreneurs, who establish themselves in a small garage with brilliant concept and technology. The future  business Is driven by two key attributes

1.     Great Brand where the customer has complete loyalty and  trust

2.     Companies that drive great Technology   

Others needs to critically do something to sustain.

The brand custodian : My years in Tatas, I call it as an autobiography of Mukund Rajan – who was the first brand custodian of Tata brand. The author takes his twenty three years of service working with Ratan N Tata and Cyrus Mistry as they headed the Chairmen of Tata Group.  The author has broadly classified the book into three major chapters – Part I - The budding Manager,  Part II – Coming into my own, Part III – From success to influence and part IV – Conclusion.

When reading Part I and II, the author showcase the working with RNT and his thoughts.  The reader gets an essence it’s all about Ratan Tata’s work, culture, influence and corner office. People who admire Ratan Tata would love reading these parts as the author has diligently affirmed the actions, aspirations and leadership attributes that made the Tata group touch 100 billion company.

Part III is all about the moving the ladder, influence, politics and horizontal, vertical growth from TAS to becoming the first brand custodian. It touches the ethos and values the group inherited and the passion to give back to society and Mukunds roles and responsibilities that he successfully sail across with great insights.   This chapter touches every aspect of business and social responsibility engaging employees for volunteering, innovation, engaging etc.

Part IV is a thought on the future on employment opportunity, technology disruption, climate change etc. This chapter touches some of the initiatives that Cyrus Mistry has group chairmen had his vision.  Whether it will wither or not  time can only convey.

A good story telling and beautifully articulated book to read about Tata’s and especially about the corner office, as the author worked with chairmen, then into board and then rose to becoming youngest MD in the telecom industry. Further he narrates the politics, scams and controversies during his time in Tatas, including his surprise on the board cope on Mistry. 

A balanced view !!!!!

Recommend a good time reading !!