We respect Niira Radia's wish to quit: Tata Group, RIL
Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia set up Vaishnavi Corporate Communications after winning the public relations mandate for the Tata Group companies in 2001.
MUMBAI: Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia set up Vaishnavi Corporate Communications after winning the public relations mandate for the Tata Group companies in 2001. At that time, several public relations firms handled different Tata companies. Progressively, the group consolidated its external media relations activities with Vaishnavi. If Vaishnavi handled the group's celebrations like Tata Steel's acquisition of Corus and Tata Motors' buy of Jaguar Land Rover, it also managed its crises such as the financial mess at Tata Finance and the Tata Nano-Singur land row. The group had renewed Vaishnavi's contract for another five years in 2006.
By then Radia-a PIO who believes in numerology and is a die-hard Bollywood fan-had turned Vaishnavi into India's top public relations firm with clients including RIL. Last year, Radia courted controversy when tapped telephone conversations revealing her intense lobbying involving politicians, industrialists, bureaucrats and mediapersons reached the public domain in the context of the 2G scam.
Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata, in a statement, appreciated the controversial communications consultant's work for the group in the last 10 years. "The Tata Group respects the personal wishes of Niira Radia in not renewing any client mandates. She has built Vaishnavi from scratch into the company it is today, often subordinating her personal and family interests in favour of her clients' priorities," Tata said.
Reliance Industries, too, regretted Radia's decision. "Radia's commitment has been very impressive and she has always led her team in a manner that tactical developments do not lead to a de-focus on the strategic issues," said an RIL spokesperson in a statement issued by Neucom Consulting.
Reacting to Radia's move to exit communications consulting work, a rival PR firm promoter said: "This business runs on trust, reputation and creditability, which she lost after the tapes were leaked."
Radia, on her part, said, "I thank our key clients for their understanding and mutual agreement to bring closure to this decision. I am also grateful to them for their support in taking my decision to its logical conclusion, offering assistance in mitigating the damages and thereby fulfilling all our existing contractual commitments."
By then Radia-a PIO who believes in numerology and is a die-hard Bollywood fan-had turned Vaishnavi into India's top public relations firm with clients including RIL. Last year, Radia courted controversy when tapped telephone conversations revealing her intense lobbying involving politicians, industrialists, bureaucrats and mediapersons reached the public domain in the context of the 2G scam.
Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata, in a statement, appreciated the controversial communications consultant's work for the group in the last 10 years. "The Tata Group respects the personal wishes of Niira Radia in not renewing any client mandates. She has built Vaishnavi from scratch into the company it is today, often subordinating her personal and family interests in favour of her clients' priorities," Tata said.
Reliance Industries, too, regretted Radia's decision. "Radia's commitment has been very impressive and she has always led her team in a manner that tactical developments do not lead to a de-focus on the strategic issues," said an RIL spokesperson in a statement issued by Neucom Consulting.
Reacting to Radia's move to exit communications consulting work, a rival PR firm promoter said: "This business runs on trust, reputation and creditability, which she lost after the tapes were leaked."
Radia, on her part, said, "I thank our key clients for their understanding and mutual agreement to bring closure to this decision. I am also grateful to them for their support in taking my decision to its logical conclusion, offering assistance in mitigating the damages and thereby fulfilling all our existing contractual commitments."
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