Arun Seth’s guiding principle at work is to move a step at a time but keep moving ahead tenaciously. “Not being able to convert a weakness into a stepping stone towards progress is actually the real cause of defeat,” he says. For Seth, the word “failure” is not the end of something, but rather a part of the process that culminates in success.
“Five years back, the BT Group was faced with its worst business loss. We had debts approaching ??30 billion, limited broadband capability, and an international business which was losing ??10 million a week. From a situation where we were on the verge of shutting shop, we have bounced back with our `new wave’ business based upon networked IT services, broadband and mobility, enabling us to deliver new services faster and at the global level,” he says.
His point is that had BT not been in such dire straits, it would probably not have made such a sustained and determined effort to push forward. “Now we are the leaders in a revolutionary new technology. Our business has reached ??24 billion since the past four years with earnings per share having grown for 16 consecutive quarters since we started this new business,” he says.
To accelerate this incredible transformation, BT is also investing ??10 billion in building the world’s first national all-IP network ?? the 21st Century Network ?? which will enable the company to deliver new services at a faster pace for the convenience of customers.
This is a fundamental remaking of BT’s business. Dissolving the complex systems and infrastructure to offer a simpler and more reliable network, Seth’s aim is to transform the customer experience, increase the speed-to-market, and bring a radical reduction in costs.
He believes that “collaboration with sustainability” is the key to success. As chairman of BT India and with 30 years’ experience in the IT and telecom industry, Seth has found these two qualities indispensable. “If the two qualities are combined, they become a force with which one can win over the most difficult situations,” he says.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that as head of BT in India, he is the representative collaborator of BT dealing with the company’s various service providers and partners. Seth also oversees the IT and BPO global resourcing activity of BT in India. This is an important role, given that India is the pivot, offering support to BT’s global services business worldwide.
For Seth, sustainability is not a concern only within the BT office. He seeks to make the country more sustainable in the telecom and IT sector, and is concerned about making a difference to poor Indians. Seth has been active in implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) at BT and helping to spread IT skills. He is also a member of the board of governors of leading charitable organisations such as Helpage India.
As part of these CSR efforts, Seth linked BT with a Delhi-based NGO, Katha, in a project called KITES or the Katha Information Technology and ECommerce School.
The school offers training in information and communication technology to children from Govindpuri, the largest slum in Delhi. BT has provided computer labs, equipment, software and employee volunteers in the school, offering the slum-dwellers a ray of hope for a better future. So serious is Seth about this work that he has set a target for the company: to train 1,400 children in IT skills over the next three years to a point where they earn a certificate as computer specialists.
Another of Seth’s ventures is “BT Lifelines India” in support of the UN millennium development goal on digital inclusion aimed at supporting developing countries to become part of the digital revolution.
In this project, farmers and other people in remote rural areas can get answers to their agricultural or veterinary concerns via the telephone. All they do is call a number and their question is recorded by someone who then gets the answer from a panel of agricultural and veterinary experts. This support is available for farmers 365 days a year.
For Seth, joining BT opened up a whole new career path. An alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIM Calcutta, he entered the IT and telecom sector in India 30 years ago. He feels fortunate to have witnessed the magnificent rise in the sector. “BT has definitely been the most memorable of my assignments. In a very short span, we have been successful in establishing the company as a leading global communications service provider in India.”I joined BT India as its first country manger in 1995. After working for 10 years, I was appointed chairman,” he says.
Apart from being BT’s negotiator in India, Seth also advises the company, offering an independent view on strategic and tactical decisions in India. His role is also important as a contact point and a BT representative for international companies wanting to establish business connectivity in India as well as for national companies seeking global connectivity.
“Our new services revolve around convergence of networks with services, mobiles with fixed communication and media and communications. This is where the future lies,” he says.
Prior to BT, he worked as senior vicEpresident with the UB Group’s corporate management division in Bangalore and Delhi. Then he joined Unitel Communications, the telecom arm of the UB Group, where he worked for five years.
Asked about what leadership style has worked for him, Seth replies that a style which takes everyone along and is open and participative is the best. “I believe in empowering employees and encouraging them to take risks and innovate,” he says.
His objective is to extend this same openness to BT suppliers, business partners, and customers. “Managers need to discourage prejudice in the workplace and be fair in their conduct, leading by example,” he says.
With the IT and BPO industry having a special corner in his heart, Seth has contributed to the sector by being founding chairman of the BPO Forum for Nasscom. He is also a member of the executive committee of Nasscom.
Having been country manager of BT for 10 years before becoming chairman, Seth has built a reputation in the organisation of being an enabler. He is action oriented and a strategist, and believes in getting things done fast. His role in establishing the BT brand in India as a sourcing hub has been crucial as the India operations holds the largest geography outside the UK with almost 20,000 employees (permanent and freelance) in India.
Although he has very little free time, Seth enjoys an occasional game of golf. “A good balance between mind, body and spirit is vital for a healthy life,” he says. To survive the stress caused by the lack of time, he prefers to work smart ?? a BlackBerry always by his side monitors all his e-mails and BT conferencing facilities allow him to conduct meetings on the phone, even while he is on the move. “I pretty much let the technology rule me,” he says.
Seth views India as not only the fastest growing telecom market globally but an important geography for BT. “We deliver global services from here, which cater to the requirements of our multi-site corporate customers and Indian customers looking to take their operations to a global audience. Also, market access into India is available through a unique network, which is connected to BT’s comprehensive global network via the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America.”
A recent achievement has been the acquisition of i2iEnterprise, an enterprise services company specialising in internet protocol communications services. With this, BT seeks to gain an edge as the leading global carrier in the Indian market.
All in all, Seth and his team have exciting challenges ahead. They plan to hire an additional 6,000 people in the next two years and want to achieve $250 million worth of revenue from India by 2009. In addition, this will help BT to build a broad-based platform for growth in India, and create a single BT-branded channel for the Indian market.
Broadband communication is also a focus area for Seth. He wants to make it possible to do business across time zones and borders. “We are building an IT infrastructure for globalisation. We want to help businesses reach new markets and customers, and improve their productivity and operational efficiency. We aim to be the world leader in this new networked economy,” he says.
With BT’s new structure coming up, the emphasis is on delivering faster, more resilient and cost-effective services to customers wherever they are, and accelerating BT’s transformation into a networked IT services company, delivering softwarEdriven products over broadband.
“Convergence and Web 2.0 ?? dealing with collaboration over the internet, blogs, etc. ?? are the future trends of this century,” he says.
