Gaining a foothold in a market dominated by telecom leaders like Bharti airtel and RCOM can daunt any newcomer. Nevertheless, Olav Sande remains enthusiastic and quite eager to take on the competition.
?Competition is fun.? he says. ?Since my childhood, I have been driven to do my best, manage on my own and create as many options for myself as possible. I have always enjoyed competing, so a winning mentality has always been present. This has not changed over the years.?
This winning mentality certainly helps in tackling the competitive telecom market. ?The Uninorians are here to stay and win every day,? he emphasises. ?Looking at what we have achieved in a short period of time, I believe I can contribute to excellent results by developing teams with an outstanding performance culture.?
His management style is centred on building strong teams. ?Work hard. Play hard. That is the best kind of management style,? he says. ?In any business, one must be humble, learn the basics first and establish a common platform with vision, values and structure.?
That apart, several years of work experience in diverse industries also helps. A mechanical engineer, Sande started working on oil platforms in the North Sea while pursuing an MBA in finance in 1989.
Thereafter, during the 1990s, he worked in different positions in the oil and gas sector and the US advertising industry. During the internet bubble, he worked as CEO of start-up company Tiscali Norway for five years, until it was acquired by the Telenor Group. Next, he served as director, broadband and telephony services, consumer division, Telenor in Norway. He began his stint with Uninor in 2009.
Given his appetite for challenges, it is not surprising that he is excited about his current stint at Uninor. ?To establish a business in the most competitive mobile telcom market in the world was a challenge I could not pass up,? he says. ?We have had a fantastic start since we launched Uninor in Mumbai, Maharashtra and Goa, and Gujarat in June 2010. I am enjoying every moment of it.?
So, while the intricacies of the Indian telecom market keep him busy, the myriad of India?s people, cultures and festivals continue to remain a mystery. ?I live in Mumbai with my wife Marit and our three kids Margrete, Hans Kristian and Ingrid. India is very different from Norway, so we are extremely lucky to enjoy this lifetime experience together. I love Indian food and wish to participate in building the promising future of ?Incredible India?, living by my motto ?Carpe Diem?,? he says.
