To new beginnings in Bengaluru

These are exciting times for Michael Page India. After Gurgaon and Mumbai, we are beyond happy to add a third Michael Page office in downtown Bengaluru. With that said, a new office is not the only reason why the new team here is abuzz with excitement. Bengaluru itself is a city full of opportunities and excitement.  

Bengaluru is showing no signs of slowing down. The city recently claimed the title as the most dynamic city in the world according to JLL’s 2017 City Momentum Index, and it has successfully shed reputation as an outsourcing hub to become the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. By 2025, India is expected to see up to 105 unicorns — up from the current 24 — and the economy is expected to grow on an 8.5% year-on-year GDP growth between now and 2035. 

Joining the action

Even though we have only just started operations for the brand new Michael Page office in Bengaluru, the plan has actually been in the works for the better part of the last decade. While we were busy setting up shops in Gurgaon and Mumbai, we witnessed the astronomical growth of Bengaluru’s technology industry, as well as the flourishing of the local start-up ecosystem. We knew early on that we wanted to be a part of that action. 

With that said, the tech industry was not the only reason why we earmarked the tech-forward city. South Indian cities like Chennai and Hyderabad, too, have thriving industries of their own. For example, you have the automobile and manufacturing hubs in Chennai, as well as a lot of IT-related industries in Hyderabad. What we wanted was to have an office in close proximity to these hubs, which allowed us to serve our clients better in the long run. Bengaluru, then, became the ideal city of choice — it checked all the right boxes.

The prospects of launching a new office is exciting on a personal level as well. 

I have been with Michael Page India for over eight years now. When I left my job as a banker at Yes Bank in December 2010, I started my journey here as a Consultant for Banking and Financial Services in January 2011 — hardly a break or breather in between. It was then when Michael Page launched its business in Gurgaon and Mumbai, our very-first offices in India. Even though I was not in charge of driving the launch at the time, it was still exciting to see the team grow along with the business. Eight years on, it is surreal that I am the one heading up the new Bengaluru office, this time as the Regional Director. It’s humbling to say the very least. 

The great teacher

The possibilities are endless when you are given a blank canvas. I’ve learnt a lot from our experiences over the years. For example, I remember when we launched Gurgaon for the first time, things didn't go as smoothly as we had planned. We used to think that the business should be structured in a particular way, and we held on to preconceived ideas of how things should and would work. 

However, India is a great teacher in that regard. It very quickly taught us that different regions have drastically different ways to conduct their businesses. We had to be agile and flexible in order to create success. In retrospect, we took about six to eight months to develop better, more appropriate strategies — and things, I daresay, have worked relatively well so far. 

Going back to the topic at hand, what’s exciting is to be able to take some of those learnings and apply it to the new office in Bengaluru. This time, we know the market because we have been successfully working with a lot of clients here. We know the business structure that works, and we know how to cater to the requirements of our clients without wasting time. In short, we can now afford to hit the ground running. 

With that said, we are starting things lean in the Bengaluru office. We now have a team of six or seven people, with plans to double within the next six months. I will not divulge too much with regard to the specific roles we are looking for, but it’s safe to say that all relevant businesses, from sales & marketing, finance and HR to technology, fintech and analytics, are areas of interest going forward. We want to be meticulous and hire the right people for the right roles. 

Make no mistake: this is as big a move for Michael Page India as it is for me on a personal level. As a true Delhiite, moving to a new city is exciting as well as will inevitably take some getting used to. However, for those of you looking to Bengaluru for brand new opportunities, you can expect a vibrant metropolitan, as well as a wonderful weather all year round. However, a word of advice: be wary of traffic!