ASIAN GIANT SURINDER ARORA, FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, ARORA GROUP
AS HUMAN BEINGS WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES AND MUSTN’T BE SCARED OF MAKING THEM, HOWEVER, LET’S NOT REPEAT THEM. WE SHOULD MAKE NEW ONES AND KEEP LEARNING FROM THEM.
Left to right: Son, Sanjay Arora and his wife Raj Arora, Surinder Arora and his wife Sunita Arora.
LEARNING FROM MISTAKES “I used to be a control freak,” says Surinder. “Whenever we bought chairs, carpets or décor people wouldn’t decide without consulting me. After seeing what Sanjay has achieved over the last couple of years, I let him and the team get on with it. It doesn’t bother me if they make mistakes. As human beings we all make mistakes and mustn’t be scared of making them, however, let’s not repeat them. We should make new ones and keep learning from them. My team was surprised when I said to them last year that I was going to take a step back and let Sanjay and them step in and make a mark,” he adds.
THRIVING WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN In 2008 during the height of the economic crisis the Arora Group had just built the Sofitel and acquired a large property portfolio from the BAA. Says Surinder, “I had put a great deal of investment into the deal and suddenly the whole world collapsed around me.” But Surinder thrives under pressure.
He says, “When the chips are down I work harder. I have a family of over 2,500 employees who I am responsible for and that is what keeps me going. The golden rule for me is to have plans B, C and D. You must have other alternatives and a back up.”
MOTHER – A HUGE INFLUENCE With much fondness and reverence Surinder recalls the impact his mother made on his early life. After the painful partition of India and Pakistan, his family got a small grant to start a corner shop in Punjab which his mother managed. She also trained as midwife, which helped her get a visa to work in England. Recalls Surinder, “When I came to England in 1972 she had given up her job as a midwife and was working in a factory. She would work in the factory during the day and come home at three in the afternoon to cook for the family. She would then go away at six in the evening to nearby banks and offices to do cleaning jobs until late in the night. In
the weekends she would go to a nearby college and cook for the students.” Surinder would lend her a hand so she could finish work early and go home. “She helped me get one of my first jobs when I was just fifteen. It was a job in the local market in Southall for £1.50 a day,” says Surinder. Later she was instrumental in him becoming a clerk at British Airways. “Growing up, my mother would put restrictions and boundaries in order to instil discipline in us. I hated it then. Looking back, if it wasn’t for my mum’s love and discipline, I wouldn’t be where I am today. She always reminded us never to get big-headed” says Surinder.
UK – A LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES Surinder’s words of wisdom for the younger generation are, “You are very blessed in the UK to have abundant opportunities and to be able to make your dreams come true if you are willing to commit yourselves to the task. If you get an opportunity to go to university, make the best of it; I wish I had that opportunity. Once you have a recognised qualification, no matter what part of the world you go to, no one can take that away from you. You can become a billionaire and lose it all. Education is important. However, not everyone might want to go down the university route and there are many apprenticeship programmes available.” “If I could get one message across to youngsters it is this: not everyone has the aptitude to become a pilot, doctor or accountant, so don’t be reluctant to take up any job. Whether it is being a waiter or porter, if you are willing to work hard and commit yourself to the job it will pay off.”
SUNITA ARORA AND THE ARORA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION The Arora Charitable Foundation, founded by Sunita Arora, oversees and administers the company’s charitable activities. Charities supported by the Foundation include UNICEF, Lily Foundation against Child Trafficking, Cancer Research UK and Evelina London Children’s Hospital amongst others. Says Surinder, “Since 2010 we have been hosting a biennial charity ball and have raised over £1.8 million for causes focussing on healthcare and child welfare. Led by Sunita, we aim to improve our fund-raising targets this year. Nothing gives me more pleasure.”
SPRING 2018 I ASIAN GIANTS
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