Interview

My Life as Marketing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO — Tarang Gupta Says, “Nigerians are indeed, the happiest people on Earth”

June 30, 2016

Tarang Gupta with the GDA of Asabeafrika

Tarang Gupta , Marketing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO

–
Born in India. Has lived his life in
13 cities and 3 continents. Has one daughter 8 years old and his family lives
with him in Nigeria.

–
Completed his masters in Business
administration in India.

–
Started his career in sales &
marketing with Unilever before moved into Sara Lee in Global Marketing role.

–
Joined FrieslandCampina global team
in 2010 in Malaysia before moved to Singapore and now heading marketing team
of FrieslandCampina WAMCO in Lagos from

Tarang has worked in thirteen countries across three continents of the world
before he was redeployed to Nigeria recently. During the launching of a brand
new product, PEAK 4-5-6 for kids of ages 4 to 5 on Wednesday June 15,
2016 at the Oriental Hotel,
Lekki-Ajah, Lagos, this gifted
marketing guru who loves Nigeria passionately opened up to your Africa’s number
1 Celebrity Encounter blog, Asabeafrika.
He told us the story of his skills,
passion and love for Nigeria. Enjoy the excerpts.

Tarang Gupta (R) with his Chief Marketing Officer, Arts Jan Triest and others at the launch of PEAK 4-5-6

How do you feel today after launching
Peak 4-5-6?

That is not
the question; I think it all starts with what is the purpose? We start with the
purpose of nourishing Nigerians with quality diary nutrition and this is one of
our other next step to do it. It is all about giving the Nigerian kids the best
nutrition that will enable smart growth and development. Peak 4 5 6 is all about
making a quality effect on Nigerian kids. And here we are to bring specialized nutrition
to our 4 to 6 six years old. Age 4 to 6 is a delicate age which needs the best
of nutrition in the world to ginger growth. The big question to us is ‘how many kids can we make smarter? How
many more kids can we help to live longer? How many kids can we help to make
stronger?’ That is what we have done as a company, as an individual and as
a brand? We have done our job. We can’t do that alone but with the support of
the media, with the support of the nutritionists and that of the entire diary
industry, if we keep giving the right nutrition and at an affordable price to
our children, I think the future is really bright.

“Wherever I will have to live for the
rest of my life, what I will always go back to is the power of Nigeria, the
power of being happy, and today I can still say the happiest people on earth
are Nigerians. And that I think is fundamentally important”.

Tarang Gupta unveiling his newest product PEAK 4-5-6 as Guests looks on amidst pomp and celebration

What does it takes to be a
father?

Fatherhood
comes with a lot of priorities and anxiety. You are always asking whether your
kid is ahead of the others. At the same
time you are very proud of what they have achieved. That combination is something
that you always go through as a father. You are proud and very anxious. Anxious
how the future would be and you are proud of what they are achieving today.
That is a life of a father and the responsibility of fatherhood.

Tarang
Gupta to Asabeafrika….’Only few companies in the world can open their
eyes and look up to the ceiling to say ‘we are happy with what we do’

TARANG GUPTA The Chef and family man who loves cooking for his wife and daughter

I learnt you have lived practically
in 3 continents of the world being a marketer at great compnanies like Unilever before you joined FrieslandCampina? Can you tell me what the experience
looks like?

I have lived
in thirteen
countries, and three continents and I think to me
one of the best continents is the African continent. Nigeria thought
me one very important thing; it is the optimism and the attitude. What we are
going through, all of us, with the tough times in the country I sincerely
believe what will bring the country out of the bad situation is the Nigerian
spirit. Nothing else. And that is something I am fortunately taking back unto
myself. Wherever I will have to live for
the rest of my life, what I will always go back to is the power of Nigeria, the
power of being happy, and today I can still say the happiest people on earth
are Nigerians. And that I think is fundamentally important.

“I think there are very few brands
and very few companies in the world who can open their eyes and look at the
ceiling and say ‘we are proud of what we are doing”.

Tarang Gupta… the incurable sales man

Tarang Gupta to Asabeafrika….’My Company takes pride in caring for the well being of families’

Tell me what do you enjoy about your
job, being a marketing director of a giant diary company like FrieslandCampina
WAMCO?

I will refer
that question to the big question being asked by my daughter ‘Daddy, what do you do and what do you like?’. And I say to her ‘when I get up in the morning what I
like about my life is that I am making a difference’. Everything that we do
(FrieslandCampina) is only helping people to get better. I think there are very few brands and very few
companies in the world who can open their eyes and look at the ceiling and say ‘we are proud of what we are doing’. In
whatever we do, we make a difference in
the health, nutrition and life of people; adding value to their health. And I
think there is nothing better than that.