Take 10 with Mr Ganesh Babu

Take 10

get to know more about the life and work of the ambitious, ever-learning ganesh babu, the vice president of the finance department.

1Please share some highlights of your life’s journey. Qualifying as a Chartered accountant tops the list. next on the list would be the time when i went from finding it too hard to hold a bar of soap due to neurological issues to gaining enough strength to lift my teenage son and embarrass him. 2 what are the toP 3 things that have set aPart your time at max? to me, the first, second and third thing that sets max apart is the balance between passion and committment everyone brings to the table. no matter how passionately one believes in his/her views, once a decision is made, everyone commits to it wholeheartedly and works towards the common goal. that is the outcome of an inclusive environment where all employees are engaged

and can bring their authentic selves to work. 3 how would you advise your Col- leagues on man- aging their Personal finanCes? when investing, always remember that the safety of the capital is more important than the potential returns. in the case of personal finance, if something sounds too good to be true, it more often than not is indeed that. 4 what has really insPired you and left a lasting imPression? when i was young, i read the book Papillon that details henri Charriere’s wrongful conviction, incarceration and subsequent escape from prison. it is a story of how he never gives up on his escape to freedom despite numerous failed attempts. that book had a huge impact on me and on the importance of perseverance against all odds.

5Max Fashion is all about upholding FaMily values. tell us a little about your FaMily. i’m from the southern part of tamil nadu, near rameswaram. growing up, life was not easy but it taught me the core values that keep me grounded till date and stop successes from going to my head. the most important of those is to find contentment and remember to appreciate what we have, while aiming to reach high. it is this value that i would like my son to uphold as he grows up and faces the world out there. in this world of instant gratification, it is very easy to take what we have for granted. i want my son to know that happiness and contentment is a choice only he can make for himself and that it has to come from within. 6 What is a typical day oFF like For you? it really depends on my mood. some days especially when my son comes over, the whole day could be spent showing off my culinary skills. other days, it could be a long drive or a walk exploring new places. there are also some days when i laze around and catch up on my sleep. 7 hoW do you recharge and stay Focussed? a few years ago, i took a break and went to uk and europe. i learnt the importance of getting your priorities right and finding your work-life balance as a routine and not necessarily just through vacations. since then, i always make it a point to find my work-life balance and stick to it. 8 What do you think about the iMportance oF physical Fitness? physical fitness is very important in my view. it goes back to what i said

about work-life balance, but also to the fact that being fit physically gives you confidence in your personal and professional life. in my case, my day typically starts early at around 5 a.m. i spend at least an hour at the gym, come back home refreshed, recharged and ready for the day. 9 What deFines a stylishly dressed person to you? style is individual to everyone. dressing comfortably and based on what suits you is more important than dressing based on trends. What makes a person stylish is the confidence with which they carry themselves. 10 rate yourselF as a proFessional, a FaMily Man and boss on a scale oF 1-10. i would rate myself 9 as a professional, 6 or 7 as a family man and 8 as a boss. i rate myself highly as a professional as i never allow any personal bias come in the way of my integrity even if it can potentially have a negative personal impact for me. professional integrity is something i never compromise on. it is for the same reason i rate myself highly as a boss as well. you have to take difficult decisions which may affect the people you work with. Work took me to various places in india and overseas. i didn’t spend as much time as i would have ideally liked to with my family especially during my son’s childhood days. that is why i rate myself lower there, but life is not always fair and you have to make difficult choices. I think every child should find his/her own way in their life. The role of a parent is to be there for them through thick and thin and remain non-judgemental