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The face that has become synonymous with Jotun Oman is moving to greener pastures – literally. Vijay Kumar talks to Letha Jose about the past, present and future

His is the kind of success story that would inspire thousands of others, a real-life story which shows that nothing is impossible if you dream big and relentlessly work towards it. His is the story of the coming of age of a quintessential small-town boy from a middle class family in India who joined the factory of a multinational paint company in Dubai and in 20 years went on to create history of sorts by becoming the first Asian general manager in that company’s 70-year history.

But now Kumar thinks it’s time to hang up his boots and spend time with nature, no worries, no targets, no deadlines, play some golf and probably travel a bit. “Some people want to work till they burn out. I’ve a different philosophy. I feel 55 is the right age to retire. That should give me time to do some of the things I love peacefully, away from the hectic pace of corporate life. If you run after money and fortune there’s no end to it. And what can money do beyond a point? At this point I feel I’ve done my duties to my family and company. Now I want to do what I like in life.”


Kumar has spent an entire lifetime being a loyal penguin, as he puts it. He joined Jotun Paints in Dubai in 1976 as a chemist, went on to become a factory manager and then production manager. “At that time they found my skills and talent suitable to send me to another country to set up a factory. That’s how I was sent here as a project manager cum technical manager to set up the factory in Oman in 1985.” Three years on, he approached his boss and asked, “‘I want to do more, can I be a sales manager?’ At the next available opportunity Jotun made me the sales manager.” In 1996, he became the first Asian general manager in Jotun, exactly seven decades after the com-pany started in 1926. In fact it was such a departure from the policy so far, Kumar says the Jotun HQ sent a circular to all company managers on his promotion.


Jotun is a family owned company, where over 60 per cent of the shares are held by one family. Loyalty, honesty and hard work are the prerequisites for any senior position. Senior positions are given only to those who exhibit these three qualities and in whom the management has a confidence that he’ll run it as his own company. “But once that’s done I don’t think there’s any other company that gives such freedom to its managers. There’s never interference on a day to day basis. You are given the guidelines and strategy and then it is left to you to use your ideas and innovations to take your company to greater heights.”

For Kumar, the thirst for challenges and the quest for greater heights did not end with becoming the general manager. He wanted to do more. The market was more or less saturated and Jotun was the undisputed leader. By 1999 Kumar asked for permission to develop some export market from Oman. “The company gave me Yemen and east Africa to explore and develop. The team from Oman successfully developed both the markets and today Yemen has developed so much that we have a factory in Aden. We don’t have a factory in east Africa but we are doing business in Tanzania and Kenya from here.”


By the time Yemen was reaching a level where Jotun could think of opening a factory there, Kumar was thirsting for more challenges. He asked for permission to develop India. However, this time it was different, the nod didn’t come so fast. The Norway office was apprehensive.

There was a perception that India’s administrative system was complex and unhealthy business practices were rampant. Kumar insisted that was a past story and that India has opened up and asked for an opportunity to try out the market. In 2000 it was orally communicated that he could test the market for one year. "But I was told not to put in too much investment." In an intensely competitive market like India, Kumar says he entered with a unique strategy. “We recognised that consumer spending power was increasing and quality consciousness was on the rise as disposable income for upper middle class went up. We focused only on high quality products and that strategy really paid off.” Today Kumar stands vindicated. “To make a long story short, on March 5, 2008 we are opening two factories in Pune. This is one of the biggest investments of Jotun outside Norway. From zero ground level we developed the market for decorative products (coating was being managed from Jotun Singapore) so much that it is now feasible to begin two factories – one for paint and another for powder.”


In 1996 Jotun Paints had 30-35 per cent market share in Oman. Today it is over 55 per cent. A main reason for his success, Kumar says, is the fact that he could understand the culture of his customers. “I had worked clo-sely with Norwegian bosses in Dubai and Oman. When I became the general manager I had a great advantage that they could not explore. That was cultural similarity. In Oman 99 per cent of decision makers are Asians and Omanis. I could understand my consumers’ culture, their expectations and behaviour. It’s not about price all the time.” To better tap this potential, and to take it to the next level, the company has come up with a new initiative, international management trainee programme, to develop Arab nationals as future managers. The company officials are visiting SQU and Sohar University to identify future managers. “We will hold seminars and campus recruitment. Those selected will be trained on an international level before assigning them to managerial positions.”

As market conditions and consumer behaviour change, Kumar says a manager has to make sure that he has people who are capable of tackling such volatility. Thus, over the last ten years or so, the way he picks his people has changed. “Till about a decade back if a candidate’s resume pointed to job hopping I would not touch him. I would think ‘he has changed so many jobs, he’s not a reliable guy’. I’ve a different mentality now. If a candidate has changed three companies in the last six years I seek the reasons. If he gives a sensible answer I hire him.”

According to him, each employee has a unique talent. The manager should be able to spot those talents and position them as per their skills. “The biggest challenge is to manage the company by hiring the right talent and use that talent by giving them a free environment. If you overpower them it can’t work. Release them, let them work free and you will get the best result at the end of the day.”

The company holds at least three information meetings a year. He believes that all employees, from the cleaner to the senior manager should know the business details and these meetings are aimed at achieving that. “I want staff to know what’s happening because each one has contributed to the company’s success in his own way no matter what his job is. This creates a sense of ownership in everyone. I fully believe that even the cleaner is doing his job of contributing to the bottom line. He should be as proud of his contribution to Jotun's business and profit as I am.”