Names can be misleading at times. I made that faux pas when I first heard his name. I beleived - yes, I believed that Louis Yiakoumi, Publisher & Conventions Director, Ultimamedia Group, London must be Japanese. How wrong I was!
As he walked into the lobby at Crowne Plaza, Gurgaon, India on a wet Wednesday half past noon, I understood my mistake. He's not Japanese. Finito.
Another mistake I made was my assessment of his age over the past 4 months I have been interacting with him on phone and emails. I guessed he must be in his mid-30s.
Again wrong. He was in late 40s. August 1962 born.
Two wrongs in one go.
With Mercurio Pallia Logistics chief Vipul Nanda and Logistics Times Marketing Chief Ved Shukla in tow, we trooped into the luncheon lounge.
Louis' maiden question was: "Is your onroad trip on?"
Of course, he was referring to my proposed Gurgaon-Chennai plan to accompany Maruti vehicles for delivery in the cabin of Mercurio Pallia carriers.
Vipul told Louis that I would be his "brand ambassador" and of course, I would be wearing MP logo-ed T-shirts with Logistics Times name tugged somewhere. Yet to be decided.
Louis is on a pre-convention trip to INdia. Automotive Logistics would be hosting a convention in Chennai in December.
Now he is in India, criss crossing cities to meet potential invitees personally.
Before flying off to London (his homebase), he was halting at Delhi.
Mind you, INdia is not new to Louis. He had been here several times.
Here are a few of his observations:
- To taste authentic Indian food, better go/come to India. But authentic Chinese food, on the other hand, will be available only outside China.
- Mobile phones are the cheapest in India. His son, studying in France, opted to use his British mobile from French soil because it was too expensive to buy a local sim card for usage.
- Gurgaon hotels are expensive than Taj Palace.
- Not perturbed over the Commonwealth Games fiasco India is currently witnessing. He recalls that when the Olympics was held in Greece, (by the way, his origins are Greek), the city was getting fresh paint coasting even a couple of hours before the games opened! Indians, take heart.
- 2009, he held the convention in Chennai. AGain the same location this year too. Next year, he is looking at fresh options - preferably in the north.
- Goa? No. The impression is going to Goa means holiday, but serious business.
- India's best hotels are best like any other in the world. The worst or the world's worst.
- He wants to add a convention in the Middle East/Gulf region. and possibly a South Asia location.
One global convention - maybe in China - every year
Louis almost lives out of his suitcase because his calendar of events takes him to various places on the planet month after month.
He should be back in INdia first week of December.
Till then, bye, Louis!
No comments:
Post a Comment