In yet another expert talk session at TAPMI, Mr. Biswajit Chakraborty of Willis engaged in a very interactive and insightful session with the students of TAPMI. He began the session by asking the students what they wanted to talk about. Questions shot up from every corner of the classroom regarding the current financial market situation and future trends for the same.

He began addressing the queries of the students by saying, “There is always a good market for good people”. Taking the example of his own life, he explained how in the past people had very limited opportunities when it came to careers, but now the time has changed and students have enormous opportunities waiting for them out there in the world. They have the power and means to shape their own careers.

Talking about the current financial market scenario, he said that there is definitely a high demand for a finance driven workforce in every company, be it a Chartered Accountant or a Company Secretary, but there exists a shortage of supply. Referring to the very recent Sensex crash in India and the volatility in the Chinese economy, he said India’s financial market is safe. This is mainly because of the fact that India as a country is not over-influenced by the global market. India being the second highest populated country in the world, enjoys a young demography and the economy, be it the retail or financial market, is thriving on this huge population. Our public sector banks are well-off and can take care of the population. Citing examples of Blue Chip companies in India like TCS, Infosys, he said that such companies always operate in the safe zone, neither too high nor too low. They earn good returns in the long-run. So a market crash in India is unlikely in the years to come because of these factors. He further emphasized the importance of embedding strong values within a company. A strong value system keeps an organization stable and safe, no matter what market a company is operating in.

Mr. Chakraborty later shared his experience as a manager and advised the students on how to choose an organization according to one’s career. “Look for a company that has existed for as long as 40 to 50 years, has seen ups and downs but has survived through testing times”, he said. Another important aspect to look into while selecting an organization, is how well the organization will support and invest in the learning experience. Its’ important that that one grows and develops in an organization.

He spoke about the difference between being successful and being effective. One should try to be effective and success will follow. Running only after success will always come at a cost. He emphasized the importance to identify the different roles in life one has to play. One should take the roles as they come in life and should not overlook one for another. For example, just being a good manager with a professional MBA degree is not enough. Being a good son, a good father, and a good husband is equally important. One should set objectives according to their roles in life, develop a 360 degree personality and only then one can achieve and cherish success.

He ended the session by showing a beautiful short video clip. The message was that don’t wait for others to take charge of the situation. Be the change you want to see in the world. Go out there yourself and take control of the situation in your own hands.