ON THE CLOCK

How do you figure out how to maximise the impact of your humanitarian efforts?

I have always felt that the most vulnerable section, particularly where I grew up, was the society of women, so my focus has always been on helping women. The schools that I have built are solely for girls to gain an education, and we provide everything they need to ensure they become educated, including food and clothing. Young girls are often the most abused and disadvantaged globally, even in the Western world.

Through our Sri Kurumba Trust, we have a God-given opportunity to give back and change lives forever. Currently, we have Sobha Hermitage, which is a home for the elderly sprawling over 27 acres of green estates in the heart of Kerala. It’s a place of warmth and affection, a true haven for the less fortunate. Further, our social rehabilitation scheme for young mothers ensures their safety and security with no costs incurred.

Through the Sobha Rural Women Empowerment Program, Sobha covers the expenses of fifty widowed mothers of the Kizhakkenchery Panchayat, including an allowance, clothing, medical, and other personal accessories, and educational expenses for their children. Our vocational training program enables the less privileged to pursue a vocation of their choice with access to training centres with computers and music, and paid apprenticeships and employment opportunities.

We have a dedicated healthcare centre, which currently provides access to healthcare for over 2,500 families from the adopted panchayat, the Sobha Academy, and Sobha Hermitage. Our beneficiaries receive free medical consultations, checkups, and treatment.

I am now working on building an integrated housing community in my village of Kerala, which will house 100 female orphans and 100 elderly women. In our culture, family is very important, so this is a unique approach that brings together the two generations of girls and elderly to have a mutually beneficial coexistence.

I run my philanthropic projects like a business, though it is totally not-for-profit . I am very invested in overseeing the development of these projects and ensure that I visit the sites regularly to meet the people and ensure the quality of everything that we do as part of our mission.

You joined the Giving Pledge, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. Why is the Giving Pledge such an important thing for wealthy individuals to sign onto?

I had committed to donating half of my wealth over thirty years ago. Joining the Pledge was only recent. I was pleased to find such a group of unified individuals, and it’s a great community to share ideas and join forces for the sake of philanthropy.

What life lessons do you try to pass along to your own children?

All of my children believe in the power of philanthropy, and they all hold a strong value system, which I give my wife credit for. We were able to give them a privileged life with all the luxuries, but my wife was devoted to ensuring they were raised to be humble in their outlook and keep their head on their shoulders. If there was a Nobel Prize for mothers, she would certainly be eligible for it. My mother was not able to provide me that guidance and support, so I admire what Sobha has instilled in our children, and never take for granted a mother’s role in her child’s life.

For those who want to get involved in philanthropy, but don’t have the financial means per se, where is a good place to start?

There are a lot of people out there who want to get involved, but may not have the monetary resources, but a little goes a long way. As a charitable brand, trust is of the utmost importance because people want to ensure that their donations are reaching the people or causes that need them. Most funds available can be attributed to the masses of smaller donations by good, hard-working individuals who come together and join hands and funds. Just because you can’t afford to build an institution, doesn’t mean you can’t contribute to a lofty charitable goal.

Every donation and effort counts. The trouble is that most people lack the trust for the organisations who are collecting resources, so one of the most important things we can do is build trust and transparency about where charitable money is going and who it is benefitting.

ON THE CLOCK

With a passion for luxury retail and client experience, Mehdi Rajan has honed his expertise with some of the world’s leading Maisons, including Cartier and Gucci. Now, as IWC’s Regional Brand Director for the Middle East, India & Africa, Rajan is charged with leading the brand’s regionwide growth. In this exclusive interview, he discusses IWC’s much-anticipated expansion, and the brand’s latest launches unveiled at Watches & Wonders.

What were your early career ambitions? After my studies, I was pursuing a career in consultancy and while I was working towards this, I found opportunities in the luxury industry that peeked my interest. I have always been fascinated by craftsmanship, by the quest of excellence and most importantly, by stories. And so it became obvious that my career would evolve around the world of luxury watchmaking.

What did you do prior to your current role as IWC Regional Brand Director for the Middle East, India & Africa? I have been part of the IWC Schaffhausen family for few years now, wearing many hats across departments. I started off with driving sales for the region where I learnt the importance of an omnichannel approach. Whether it is between boutiques, internal departments, online, duty free, retail across countries, the brand is at the center of our strategy.

What led you to want to join IWC? Before IWC Schaffhausen, I spent several years working at Cartier Middle East, across their main line products - from perfumes, leather goods, accessories, and finally to watches. Then, I crossed paths with an IWC Schaffhausen representative and we went for a coffee that lasted over 3 hours. I rediscovered the brand and its values, its philosophy and mindset. This inspired me and a few months later, I joined the IWC Schaffhausen team in Dubai.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt you’ve carried with you throughout your career? Throughout my career, I have followed a compass that guides all my decisions and a mantra that is at the corner stone of our client centric strategy: always be curious and empathetic. These two guiding principles have not only pushed me to be solution driven and creative, but has also pushed me to constantly challenge and improve client experiences.

Who or what inspires you? Inspiration comes from everywhere. Life is full of opportunities, we just have to observe, listen and challenge the status quo. But what motivates me every day is working with my colleagues across Middle East, India, Turkey and Africa. Our teams are truly multicultural and I learn from each one of them on a daily basis. The most inspiring fact is that each one of us is led by the same passion and drive to bring IWC Schaffhausen to new heights.