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Foreign executives cool to souped-up travel advisories

BS Bureaus

The strongly worded warnings from the British High Commission and the US Embassy in India asking their citizens to leave the country immediately have had little immediate impact on corporate houses.

Most of the senior executives of multinational companies from these countries have decided to stay on while a few have packed up.

The US and UK governments on Thursday escalated their advisories to their respective citizens to say that their nationals "should leave" India and Pakistan, in view of the heightened tension prevailing between the two countries.

The US Department of State, in a warning to all Americans in India, said it "strongly urges that American citizens in India depart the country. This warning supersedes the one issued May 31, 2002."

The British foreign office has also revised its travel advice for British nationals in India and Pakistan and has "strengthened" its advice.

A statement issued by the British deputy high commission said: "Instead of advising British nationals in these countries to 'consider' leaving, the foreign office is now advising that they 'should' leave."

According to diplomatic sources, even the Australian High Commission has informally sounded an alert and has advised its citizens to leave the country.

Dabur CGU chief executive officer Stuart Purdy, feels that like the captain of a ship, he cannot afford to leave. "I feel very comfortable and at home here," he stated. Many expats holding key positions in the new private insurance companies feel it is their "duty and honour to stay back".

Most insurance company chiefs see the action taken by the British High Ccommission and the US Embassy as pressure tactics. Tata AIG Life Insurance Company's managing director Ian Watts is away and expected this week. A source said: "He had gone for a three-week trip".

Similarly, Birla SunLife Insurance Company's chief financial officer Peter Akers is currently on his annual leave, and is expected back next week. A company source said: "His overseas trip is purely coincidental".

All companies say it is business as usual for them. "We are fully committed to the country and our expats are very much here," said Anil Bhatia, ING Vysya Life Insurance general manager.

"It was important at this stage for the heads of new companies to stay back to preclude the creation of a wrong impression in the minds of prospective customers," the head of an insurance company said.

However, ICICI Prudential executive vice-president Kevin Wright is currently staying back in Hong Kong as a result of the war-scare situation in the country.

Said the company's managing director Shikha Sharma: "Unless something urgent happens, we do not feel Kevin needs to come back now".

British Gas has informally asked its non-essential staff to leave the country with their families. Coincidentally, Nigel Shaw, managing director of British Gas, is in UK to attend a board meeting. He would return next week, company sources said.

Robert Thomas, managing director of Gujarat Gas (a subsidiary of BG Plc), and Peter Costello, technical director, Mahanagar Gas (a joint venture of British Gas and Gas Authority of India Ltd) were expected to stay back, sources added.

However, a British Gas spokesperson said: "No company expat is leaving the country. They will stay put".

Jimmy Sarbh, Australian director of P&O Ports, the largest multinational investor in the Indian ports sector, has also decided to stay put. "The captain does not abandon the ship. I have only asked my employers to take out additional war-risk insurance".

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