An evening with Mr. Karan Billimoria
On Friday, September 22, 2023, we had a fascinating session by Lord Karan Billimoria. Lord Bilimoria is the Founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer. Under his guidance, the Cobra range of beers has achieved remarkable acclaim, solidifying its status as one of the most decorated beer brands globally. Lord Bilimoria has forged an illustrious career marked by numerous achievements and roles of influence.
About Lord Karan Billimoria
Lord Bilimoria’s academic qualifications include a Chartered Accountant (FCA) designation achieved with Ernst & Young, a law degree from the University of Cambridge, and executive education programs at renowned institutions such as Cranfield School of Management, London Business School, and Harvard Business School.
In 2006, Mr Karan Billimoria received the prestigious title of Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, becoming the first Zoroastrian Parsi to hold a seat in the House of Lords. He was presented the Pravasi Bharti Samman, by the President of India in 2008.
Lord Billimoria is the former Chancellor of Thames Valley University, now known as the University of West London. With this appointment, he became the youngest university chancellor in the UK.
Lord Bilimoria is also an Honorary Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge. He has also played a pivotal role as Chair of the Advisory Board at the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. He later assumed the position of Honorary Ambassador.
Lord Bilimoria has been Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and President of the UK Council for International Students Affairs (UKCISA). Since 2017, he has served as a Bynum Tudor Fellow at Kellogg College, University of Oxford.
Lord Bilimoria is Founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council and serves as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London. He was appointed as President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in June 2020. In September 2020, he became a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford, Centre for Corporate Reputation.
About his family
Lord Bilimoria spoke with a lot of affection and respect for his family. He also expressed his pride in being a Hyderabadi. He was born and grew up in Hyderabad. The ancestral home of the family is the small town of Bilimoria, in Navsari district of Gujarat. This is a district which is literally worshipped by the Parsis. It is also the birthplace of Jamshetji Tata, the founder of the Tata group.
Lord Bilimoria's family had a strong background in trade and commerce, but his father and maternal/paternal grandfathers served in the Indian armed forces.
In 1931, his paternal grandfather, N. D. Bilimoria, was one of the first Indians to be commissioned as an officer into the Indian Army. He retired as a Brigadier.
Lord Bilimoria's father, F Noshir Billimoria (1933–2005) commanded the 2/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Central Command. He was deputed to Sri Lanka to review the work of the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) in Sri Lanka. It was on his recommendation that the force was recalled in 1990, ending India's military engagement with the LTTE.
Lord Bilimoria's maternal grandfather was Jamshed D. Italia, a Squadron leader in the Royal Indian Airforce. His maternal great grandfather was D.D. Italia, a (Hyderabad-based) businessman and politician who served as a member of the Rajay Sabha in the 1950s.
About the Parsi community
Lord Billimoria expressed with pride the achievements of the Parsi community and the respect they have gained from the larger community. For example, Mr and Mrs Narayana Murthy have been full of praise for the Parsis. The Parsi community has thrived and created a lot of wealth. One reason for the success is that it has always invested in the larger community and done business with integrity.
About his school
Lord Billimoria recalled his Hyderabad Public School days. The school is flourishing and indeed going from strength to strength. The alumni have done the school proud. The famous alumni include Ajay Banga, President of World Bank and Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft. It was a moment of great pride for him when he was invited to be the guest of honour at his school’s centenary investiture ceremony in July this year.
Entrepreneurship in the UK
After studying in Osmania University, Indian Institute of Management and Commerce, Lord Billimoria came to the UK. He set up a business which, despite some ups and downs, has done well over time. Taking a lesson from his great grandfather whose motto was to inspire and achieve, Cobra has also aspired and achieved against all odds. It is available in 7000 restaurants and 10,000 supermarkets in the UK. It is exported to 40 countries all over the world. Cobra Beer is today a household name in the UK. Indeed, it is the most famous Indian brand in the UK. One reason for Cobra’s success is that Lord Billimoria has always played with a straight bat running his business with the highest integrity.
India and the UK
The Indian community is doing well in the UK. It is by far the most successful ethnic community in the UK and has reached the top in all fields. The best example is of course, Rishi Sunak who became the Prime Minister on Oct 23 last year. Years earlier, Lord Bilimoria had predicted that an Asian would become the Prime Minister of Britain. Indian students form the largest group in the UK.
The India UK Free Trade Agreement is making good progress. The two countries are a study in contrast. The UK has a population of 67 million and a per capita income of $ 45,000. India has a population of 1.4 billion and a per capita income of $ 2600.
Lord Bilimoria’s universities have 40 collaborative projects going on India at any given point of time. The University of Birmingham and IIT Madras have joined hands to offer a 18 month joint degree in AI and DS. The students will spend time at both the institutions and the degree will be jointly awarded.
On India
India is the most diverse country in the word. This diversity has undoubtedly contributed to this success.
Till 1990, Indian consumers were starved for choice. They had just three old car models to choose from. The waiting period for a phone line was more than a year. It was a closed economy with little competition and enterprise. After the liberalization of 1991, the country began to move forward. By 2001, the country was ready to take off. India is now a booming economy.
India has raised the bar after it became the president of G20. There have been dozens of events in many cities. India has showcased its achievements like the India Stack and Aadhar. Some 112 outcomes have been achieved, more than in any other presidency.
Inda is poised to become a member of the G8 and likely to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. By 2060, the country may well emerge as the largest economy in the world.
Q&A
Lord Billimoria believes in hiring for will than skill. Attitude certainly matters in life and business. Our mindset should be one of curiosity, and lifelong learning. This is what we often refer to as the growth mindset. Creativity is also important. The creative people have a big advantage.
Along with all the above, luck is also an important factor. We become lucky when determination meets an opportunity. Only if we are determined, we can catch one of the emerging waves. If we are not determined, we will miss the wave.
Luck is also about timing
- If we are ready but the market is not, the idea may not click.
- If we are not ready but the market is, the idea may not click.
- If we are ready and so too is the market, we may get lucky.
Cobra Beer has succeeded because of the timing.
G20 is a diverse group of nations. The key challenge is to get the countries to work together despite all their differences. They must be able to find common ground.
India’s leadership of the G 20 has been fairly successful. Much depends on what we make of a role. For India, the presidency has been front and centre. The world has started looking at India with respect. The momentum is building for the country.
But India has still a long way to go. Some 400 million people need to be pulled out of poverty. What matters is not the size of the economy but the per capita income. States like Telangana have doubled their per capita income in the last 10 years. This is what the country too must achieve.
If there is a silver bullet to solving a country’s problems, it is quality education. Education, skills and lifelong learning will be the critical success factors going forward. Lord Billimoria pointed that despite having less than 1% of the worlds’ population, the UK has 4 of the top 10 universities and 17 out of the top 100 universities in the world.
India has taken important steps to liberalize education. Foreign universities can now operate in India. The famous British schools, Harrod and Wellington have already started operations in India. An Australian university has set up shop.
The Indian services sector is also being opened up to foreigners. Law firms can operate in India though they cannot appear in the courts on behalf of clients.
The Indo Pacific is becoming important for trade. The UK is veering in this direction. Recently, the UK and India did joint Air force exercises. India is a part of QUAD (along with US, Japan and Australia). These countries have similar values and have a lot to offer each other. India should join regional and global security alliances proactively. Trade and security go hand in hand. Authenticity, logic, and empathy are needed to build trust and forge alliances. The relationship between the UK and India is based on trust.
India may be having tensions with China. But China is a huge trading partner. The realities of trade cannot be wished away.
There is a strong air force tradition in Lord Billimoria family. Lord Bilimoria's maternal grandfather was a Squadron leader in the Royal Indian Airforce. He is following in his footsteps. The Royal Air Force has decided to resurrect the well known 601 squadron. This squadron operated Hurricanes and Spitfires during Second World War and came out with flying colours though there were heavy casualties. 30 Honorary Group captains have been appointed. They act as advisors and ambassadors. Lord Billimoria is one of them. Lord Billimoria is actively involved in discussions on defence matters in the House of Lords.
Climate finance is becoming increasingly important. London has emerged as the global headquarters of green finance. London’s financial institutions offer a wide range of options to clients. Trillions of dollars are needed to deal with climate change. To deal effectively with climate change, industry, government, and academia must also work closely. Then we will see a multiplier effect.
In the UK, several universities are members of the CBI. In India, the CII has done phenomenal work in strengthening the interaction between academia and industry. FICCI has also undertaken various initiatives. Institutions like CII ad FICCI have a catalytic role to play in making this happen.
Be it climate change or cold chain technology, the collaboration between academia and industry can be rewarding. The retrofitted hydrogen train is another great example.
Lord Billimoria recalled a lecture by the late Prof Clayton Christensen. He raised the question: What is the purpose of your life? Subsequently, Prof Christensen raised another question: How do you measure your life? Lord Bilimoria has thought about this. He fees that if he can inspire future generations just like his great grandfather he would have left behind a legacy.
There are some countries with which India enjoys a good relationship. The US is a good example. Of course, India has a special relationship with the UK. Canada should also be a special friend of India. Indeed, Canada should become India’ trusted partner. It is important that the situation be quickly addressed, and trust established between the two countries.