My name is Om P. Garg. My story began 65 years ago when I was born on June 25, 1943 in Narnaul, Haryana, India. I graduated from high school in the small town of Narnaul and then earned a Bachelor's an d Master’s Degree in Geology from Punjab University in Chandigarh, India in 1966.In 1967, I migrated to Canada to earn a second Master’s Degree in Mining. I then joined one of the largest producers of iron ore in the world, and was eventually promoted to Director of Mine Planning at M.A. Hanna's corporate headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.
In 1987, I pursued my entrepreneurial passion by starting Ram Trading Company, an importer and exporter of gold and diamond jewellery, with my wife Veena. We built this into a very successful business, and over the years, we made several other investments, including an investment in Cupid Ltd. in 1993. Cupid Ltd. is based in Nasik, India, is a leading manufacturer of condoms and is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. In 1998, I became the Chairman of Cupid Ltd.
My first action as Chairman was to develop a new corporate plan based on the following beliefs: (i) rising worldwide demand for condoms, (ii) the need to increase Cupid's production capacity to compete in the world market and (iii) the importance of aggressive marketing to increase Cupid's market share.
The most prominent aspects of my management style are: (i) a combination of making prompt decisions and planning ahead based on all facts available today, (ii) taking calculated financial risks, including utilizing leverage, (iii) emphasizing execution, (iv) delegating responsibility and (v) welcoming input and ideas from employees, particularly productivity improvement ideas, (vi) motivating the senior management team, and (vii) breaking down major problems into several smaller ones, which are easier to solve.
In addition to my management style, the other important aspect of my business success has been my extensive world travel. I have traveled to over 35 countries, for both business and leisure, and I believe this exposure has been critical to my success.
