As senior principal at Dua Consulting, Brijendra K. Syngal heads the consulting and advisory team of telecom experts that advises a large number of telecom companies on matters of licensing, regulation, policy formulation and government affairs. Having worked with companies such as BPL Communications, Reliance Telecom and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), Syngal has gained in-depth knowledge about the dynamics of the sector. Prior to his current job, he was vice-chairman of BPL Communications, where he was responsible for all licensing, regulatory and policymaking decisions. He also headed the company’s Innovision Business Group, which is involved in providing wireless, internet, broadband and technology solutions. Earlier, he served as chairman of Reliance Telecom for two years, and was responsible for defining the vision and strategy of the company.

His biggest role was as the chairman and managing director of VSNL. It was during his tenure that the company was awarded Navratna status by the government and it became one of the top ten companies in terms of market capitalisation and profit on the Indian stock exchanges. Also, under his leadership, VSNL became an internationally recognised telecom company. Syngal played a key role in introducing the internet and data services in India. In fact, he recognises this as his most memorable assignment. “I did not believe that the coming in of the internet could generate so much euphoria in the country,” he says. Syngal was also a part of the team that launched the first satellite voice call from Leh to Delhi. He also considers the successful global depository receipt (GDR) issue by VSNL on the London Stock Exchange in 1997 as a high point of his career. At $527 million, it is the largest GDR to be listed on the London Stock Exchange to date.

In the global telecom arena, Syngal took on key responsibilities such as serving as chairman of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation and governor of the Intelsat Board, Washington DC. He has received a number of awards in recognition of his contribution to telecom. These include the Telecom Man of the Decade Award by the Wisitex Foundation, India, and the International Excellence Award, 1994. Syngal describes his management style as being driven by optimism and considers his ability to engage his team on key decisions as his greatest strength.

He spends his spare time doting on his two-year-old grandson, and watching movies and listening to classical music and old Hindi songs. S