Sudarshan Banerjee, CEO, Hutchison Essar Telecom, quits

After his 30 months stint (he joined on May 15, 2000) at Hutchison Essar Telecom as the chief executive officer, Sudarshan Banerjee has put in his papers. While Banerjee was unavailable for comment, sources close to agencyfaqs! indicate Banerjee is set to join a fast moving consumer goods company very soon.

This development comes close on the heels of Hutchison Essar's plan to unify, albeit in a phased manner, its cellular brands across India under a unified brand name Hutch. Banerjee, say company sources, strongly believed that a clear focus on customers was integral to the success of the company and that the Hutch brand was a reaffirmation of that commitment. "The Hutch brand is not just a logo or only a telecom brand, it is a service philosophy and represents our unique way of doing business," points out a Hutch executive.

While Banerjee's destination could not be ascertained, his professional achievements leave nothing to doubt. A graduate in Electronics and Telecommunication from IIT, Kanpur, Banerjee has diverse work experience ranging from consumer products and durables to direct selling and telecom in India and overseas. The companies he has worked with include Crompton (UK), Keltron Bailey (France), Eastman Kodak (USA) and Amway Corp USA and Hutchison Essar Telecom in India.

To his credit is the growth of Kodak's photographic business in India, which he spearheaded after his return from Eastman Kodak in the Middle East and Southern Europe to take over as the country head of the company's India business. He was the first Indian to be appointed as managing director of Kodak International Operations and as managing director of Kodak Near East Turkey, managing six countries in Southern Europe. He also pioneered the direct selling industry in India as chairman and managing director of Amway Corp.

It is for his contributions to the photographic and direct selling industry in India that Banerjee was awarded the ‘Millennium Award of Top Marketing Person' by Indian Institute of Marketing & Management (IMM), Delhi, in the year 2000. IMM instituted this annual award in 1974, and has honoured senior professionals who have made significant contribution in the area of marketing in the country. © 2002 agencyfaqs!