Second largest contingent, India Adda campaign make a mark.
Bureau Report
India is making a huge impression at the 43rd edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, with banners promoting the country’s retail sector displayed all over this city in Switzerland, and the Indian contingent very visible at the meet, as its strong delegation of 113 representing among others, the government and corporate houses, only next in size to that of the United States who, despite their economic travails, boast of around a 700 member delegation.
India’s delegation for the six-day annual meet has grown with the country’s burgeoning economic muscle and this year they’re ahead of even France, with a strong contingent of people from the country’s IT sector such as senior executives from Wipro Ltd. and HCL Technologies Ltd., reported the Wall Street Journal. China’s delegation is only half the size of India.
The Indian delegation is one of the strongest ever in terms of the sheer number of ministers and corporate honchos showing the enthusiasm to promote the country and respective businesses, in the aftermath of the country opening up its retail sector to Foreign Direct Investment.
India had yesterday approved Swedish business IKEA’s Rs. 10,000 crore investment proposal, with Commerce, Industry & Textiles minister Anand Sharma saying the decision would “resonate not only in Davos but in the all major countries of the world”.
The Indian delegation’s political heavyweights include the Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, Sharma, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Praful Patel and Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The crème de la crème of industrialists include the veritable billionaires Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal, Anand Mahindra, Rahul Bajaj, Azim Premji and banker Chanda Kochhar.
From the US, the big name CEOs attending include John S. Watson of Chevron Corp., Michael S. Dell, Merck & Co.’s Kenneth C. Frazier, Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo Inc., Muhtar A. Kent of Coca-Cola Co., Mike Duke of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Marissa Mayer of Yahoo Inc. . Of all the sectors it is probably the bankers who are fielding the highest concentration of big names: Anshu Jain of Deutsche Bank, Brian T. Moynihan of Bank of America Corp., and Lloyd C. Blankfein of Goldman Sachs Group, reported the Wall Street Journal.
This year’s theme is ‘Resilent Dynamism’ and other key personalities of the total 2,500 delegates or so expected at the meet include UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, WTO Chief Pascal Lamy and American Senator John McCain.
The India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) has made an impact at Davos this year with their India Adda campaign – akin to a cafe, responsible for promoting the Made in India label both domestically and overseas. Working closely with the Ministry of Commerce, IBEF lends branding and marketing support for creating greater awareness of the number of success stories germinating and blooming in India.
The India Adda remains at the epicenter as the hub and an open forum now being established for the third consecutive year by IBEF at Davos. It has emerged as a rendezvous point for free flowing conversations and exchange of views on matters Indian and international.
The IBEF nation brand messaging is already highly visible on numerous buses crossing the main Promenade and atop hoardings at major sites. This year the brand messaging theme is – ‘An aspirational nation of potential and promise, Land of limitless opportunities, INDIA BECKONS THE WORLD – which has been conceptualized in discussion with Anand Sharma.
IBEF this year will also be hosting INDIAFRICA: A Shared Future program at the India Adda in partnership with the Public Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and M/s Ideaworks. From an engaging luncheon session, digital display of winners of poster design and photography competition, to a musical performance by leading Indian and African bands – the India Adda has a packed calendar with something to offer to everyone.
As part of the endeavor to promote the Made in India label, it is collaborating with various organizations at the India Adda at Davos 2013 – APEDA (Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) will be contributing with exquisite wines, Tea, Coffee, and Spice Boards of India will contribute with tea, coffee, and spice laden chocolates, respectively. The select Made in India products will also be on display at the India Adda.
In a unique achievement and pursuing its goal of promoting the Made in India label in overseas markets, IBEF has also facilitated an alliance between Premiere’s Tea – a leading Indian exporter of teas, and Café Schneider – one of the finest cafes in Switzerland for launching India’s finest teas at Davos, during the Annual Meet of the World Economic Forum.
“What marks this initiative as truly unique is the very nature of this alliance where a country’s product witnesses its launch at Davos – possibly the first of its kind at Davos,” says Aparna Dutt Sharma , CEO, IBEF.
The MoU for this alliance between Premier’s Tea and Café Schneider will be signed on January 23rd, at the India Adda at Davos during an opening reception in the presence of dignitaries both from India and abroad.
ITC Hotels, the hospitality partner, with India Brand Equity Foundation, for three years in succession, will showcase the world’s finest Indian cuisine and India’s finest global cuisine through its culinary repertoire and beverages. The theme of the cuisine this year draws inspiration from the newly opened, iconic ITC Grand Chola in Chennai and its diversity of culinary offerings.