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British
Punjabis
Dalip Puri: Punjabi passion to stop at nothing ocused, passionate, quick-thinking, always on the go, are just some of the words which begin to describe the man that is Dalip Puri. As we meet, he informs me that over the past three weeks he has been in Singapore, Bangalore, and Amsterdam. For him the world is indeed a small place! Dalip Puri is Head of Multicultural Commercial Banking UK and Global Head of Indian Business for HSBC Group; and he very proudly informs me this month marks his 30th year working for HSBC. What exactly is Multicultural Commercial Banking? The model is exclusive to HSBC, where dedicated teams of relationship managers are positioned in locations where large immigrant business communities exist in the UK. At present the business communities covered are of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Turkish and Polish extraction. As Puri explains, “We are able to give superior relationship coverage as a number of the relationship managers are from the same ethnicity as the customer and are embedded within the community at large. They are culturally aligned and are able to engage at all levels with the customer.” “Focused activity within target communities allows specific campaigns for acquisition and helps businesses use HSBC’s global network.” Puri feels that HSBC has a service which can provide, and is best in class because of the global footprint of HSBC which is unique. “We have a natural advantage over our competitors and by setting up these Multicultural Commercial Banking teams, we can really open up the gateway and enhance engagement for both our existing customers and prospects.” Last July Puri was appointed as the Global Head of Indian Business for HSBC Group, an international role. In this capacity Puri is aiming to take the concept of Multicultural Commercial Banking and
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Dalip Puri, Head of Multicultural Commercial Banking at HSBC
My work gives me a lot of thrill because to me, it's me. As I keep achieving, I feel a little bit less stressed
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rollout the model to other countries where large Indian Diasporas reside. “Once we have Multicultural Commercial Banking units in number of geographies we will connect them to form a web which will enhance our service delivery.” With Puri's successful endeavours, what are his secrets of success? He recollects his father giving him one crucial piece of advice which was, “Son, hard work has never killed anybody, so don't come home and say I'm working very hard.” It seems that working hard has become a trait innately ingrained in many Punjabis, perhaps the reason why we see them excel in almost all fields of work. As Puri reflects on the Punjabi community, he notes “they're very entrepreneurial, hard working and robust in their business endeavours. They don't feel scared to go anywhere and this is why they are able to create a space for themselves wherever they go. Boundaries and barriers don't usually exist for them.” Puri's Punjabi dedication is reflected in his time at HSBC. In a recent reunion of his MBA batch in Bangalore, he found he was the only one to have worked for the same company for 30 years. “I sometimes start wondering is it because nobody else wants me or is it because I'm in my comfort zone? I think the answer to me is that HSBC has always given me opportunities when I wanted them. They've never let things get stale and that's the organisational strength which makes HSBC great.” With these values and passion, it is clear that Puri will continue to excel in his field. In his words, “my work gives me a lot of thrill because to me, it's me. As I keep achieving, I feel a little bit less stressed.” As Dalip sees me out of the HSBC headquarters in Canary Wharf, he tells me that in half an hour, he's off to address a young entrepreneurs’ seminar in the HSBC Leeds office. A man truly always on the go!