Good communication makes the difference between building bridges and burning them. Build bridges through communication.

Tehiya Narvel

• creates awareness for appropriate Indo-Swiss management on sectoral, corporate and cross-functional levels.
• enhances relationships between organizations in areas of strategic alliances, negotiations, partnerships and joint ventures.
• develops concrete and tailor made action plans for companies doing business with and in India and Switzerland.

We tend to use our own culture as a reference point to evaluate others. From sizing up a handshake or gauging unfamiliar rituals, to making significant business decisions. This stresses the need for building bridges in cross-cultural interactions; to communicate better, to understand people better, to attain goals sooner.

I facilitate coherent interactions between my Swiss and Indian clients.

Helping businesses maintain a high level of communication enables them to understand cultural diversity, identify potential sources of problems and encourages Indo-Swiss synergies.”

Born and raised in Mumbai, Tehiya Narvel has worked in the major Indian cities. Her extensive professional travels took her across many cultures from Asia and the Middle East to Europe.

From 1996, Tehiya owned highly successful businesses in Switzerland, leading multicultural teams of Indians, Swiss and other Europeans. Her entrepreneurial pursuits include hospitality, export, lifestyle and fashion.

• Tehiya studied Intercultural Management at the University of Zurich. Her passion for bringing people together is deeply reflected in her past and present work.
• She conceptualized and owned Indian restaurants in Switzerland. In 2004 one of Tehiya’s restaurants was voted best amongst 140 restaurants in Switzerland.
• Tehiya has an in-depth knowledge of securites and other investment instruments and has studied at CISI UK.  She has a B.A Degree in Political Science, Sociology and Economics from Mumbai University and has worked for Citibank India.
• Tehiya speaks English, German, Urdu, Hindi, Marathi and conversational Dutch.

Do the Indians drive on the left side of the road or on the wrong side? What seems strange to one makes perfect sense to the other.

In a world that is shrinking, India continues growing.

One of the world’s largest economies with the fastest growing middle class, over 20 million millionaires, the fastest growing Telecommunications, Automotive and Pharmaceutical industries to name a few, India continues to evolve as a powerhouse.

India is a land of social, linguistic and religious contrasts. It lives in several centuries simultaneously. Consequently, it is as modern as it is conventional, as rich as it is poor and as advanced as it is traditional.

Religious beliefs are often the driving force behind business decisions. The poorest hawker to the richest hedge fund manager starts his business day with a prayer.

Economic progress may have led to the adoption of western management styles, but it has also led to the reassertion of traditional business values.

Challenges to consider:

• Is there a recipe for simplifying the collaboration process with Indians?
• How do I ensure reliability in my interactions with Indians?
• How do I ensure HQ/subsidiary alignment?
• How do I accelerate decision implementation?
• How do I achieve efficient time management?

Bridge cultural divides for better results.
Contact Tehiya Narvel

Experience with other cultures leads to a better understanding of one’s own.