Tata, one of India's biggest group of Companies on an acquisition spree has emerged as one of the largest global brands, according to a UK-based independent consultancy firm.

Valued at USD 11.4 billion, Tata is ranked 57th among top 100 brands listed by Brand Finance, an independent company focused on the management and valuation of brands.

Coca-Cola heads the list followed by fellow American Companies Microsoft, Google, Wal-Mart, IBM and GE while UK's HSBC is placed 7th.

Expressing his happiness, R Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director of Tata Sons, and member of the Group Corporate Centre said it was a first for an Indian brand to be listed among the world's largest.

"For the first time, an Indian brand has got into the list of the largest global brands, although it is number 57 and they have valued it at USD 11.4 billion," he said.

Referring to recent acquisitions, Gopalakrishnan said, "each of them have a strategic significance for the company. If you see the three biggest acquisitions in value, the Anglo-Dutch steel company Corus is the biggest. When completed and approved, Ford's Jaguar and Land Rover will be second and the third will be Tata chemicals' purchase of General Chemicals."

He said the total amount of acquisitions done by Tata is probably around USD 25 billion in the last 4 to 5 years and ‘apart from the apparent glamour, it is hard work’.

"A lot of Tata Companies are focussed on extracting value from these acquisitions by setting up integration committees, by cutting costs, by enhancing values, market access, so on and so forth," Gopalakrishnan said.

He also said that the Group has achieved ‘some significant progress’ in South Africa in the last two to three years. Now it is making forays in the USA and UK.

"Wherever we go we are trying to present ourselves as responsible people, community-sensitive and yet be there to make profits," he added.

Noting that the greatest brands have withstood the test of time and have a sharp image in the mind of the people, he labelled Tata as one of such brands from India.

"In most people's mind it represents largeness, leadership and trust," he said.

Citing actions initiated by Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group to measure and track the brand by international firms, Gopalakrishnan said Tata brand has increased its value over a period of time quite successfully.

"The first step he (Ratan Tata) took was to get Inter-brand, a UK-based company...

Courtesy : THEFINANCIALEXPRESS.COM

Indian-born steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal is the richest man in Europe with his fortune estimated at a staggering 27.7 billion pounds, even as he emerged as Britain's wealthiest person for fourth year in a row.

Over all, the steel baron, whose wealth saw a whopping increase of 8.5 billion pounds in a year, is the sixth richest in the world, a rich-list published by the Sunday Times said on Sunday.

His company ArcelorMittal is now worth more than 57.2 billion pounds and the Mittal family's 43 per cent stake is worth 24.6 billion pounds.

According to the list, the Ambani brothers, Mukesh and Anil, although they have parted ways, together were rated as the richest in the world at a combined worth of 43 billion pounds, ahead of America's Walton family, owners of Wal-Mart (38.4 billion) and Microsoft chief Bill Gates (29 bn pounds).

There were two more Indian entries in the list of 50 richest in the world in 2008 - K P Singh (property - 15 billion pounds and Shashi and Ravi Ruia (steel, oil telecoms - 7.5 billion pounds).

Meanwhile, the Hinduja brothers, S P Hinduja and G P Hinduja, Chairman and President, respectively of the group were Britain's second richest with 6.2 billion pounds.

Leading NRI entrepreneur Lord Swraj Paul was the fourth among the ten richest Asians in Britain, the list said.

The London-based Caparo Group of 77-year-old Lord Paul, British Ambassador for Overseas Business, is making hefty investments in the booming Indian Economy.

In 2006, its profits were 55 million pounds on 660 million pounds sales.


Courtesy : THEFINANCIALEXPRESS.COM