The Biz Pied Piper from Germany

For the past one year or so I have come to known my friend & business acquaintance Mr.Wolfgang Hoeltgen from Germany . A man probably in his sixties but combines the vivacity and inquisitiveness of any bright teenager around. He is also a known Indophile, someone who combines his love for India alongwith Business acumen, honed by his multi Industry & country work experience, to foster better Business ties between India & Germany. It is in this connection that he had made a trip to India recently and I had extended him an invitation from the Mysore chamber of Commerce & Industry to hold a colloquium on “gateway to Germany” in the heritage city. Wolfgang readily acceded to this invitation even though it had not been a part of his original plan & Budget. And so we traveled together to Mysore in the company of my colleague Sakharam Athavale over the last weekend.

India has not ceased to amaze Wolfgang, the colours and people around in India are something that he confesses to be captivated of. He has traveled extensively throughout the country and he says that the real India does not lie in the common tourist places that foreigners are so accustomed to explore. Such is his penchant for sightseeing that he is always ready to hop into any kind of Bus provided it gave him a window seat and a daylight ride in the countryside. During our trip he clicked away relentlessly with his Nikon camera and everything from hillocks to hawkers got captured in his inquisitive mind through his overworked camera. An oft repeated remark that you get to hear from him is that he may have been an Indian in his previous birth & that the past karmas may have brought him back to this country.

On the Business side he is a firm believer that the effects of globalization & a flat world has not truly reflected in the Commerce and Business relationship between India & Germany . He sees a tremendous opportunity especially for emerging Indian Businesses to explore in Germany. It is this conviction that made him to set up the German India Business Center that is supported by German trade & Industry especially by the region of Niedersachsen. His road shows emphasize the cultural differences between the 2 countries & how this can be harnessed in the right direction to make a potent combination. His remarks on the cultural differences  essentially highlight some of the inadequacies we face in our system and the difference it makes while engaging the Germans or operating in their home-country. What he finally underscores at the end of the day is a sense of optimism about the future and his eagerness and sincerity in pursuing the cause of furthering the German-Indo Business relationships.