Harish Bhat
Chief Operating Officer, Time Products Division
Titan Industries Limited

Mr. Harish Bhat is the Chief Operating Officer, Time Products Division, Titan Industries Limited, part of the Tata group. He leads the watches, opticals and precision engineering businesses of Titan. This includes the Titan, Sonata, Fastrack and Xylys brands of watches ; the Fastrack brand of sunglasses ; the World of Titan retail network ; and the precision engineering business of the Company.

Harish was earlier Chief Operating Officer of the Jewellery Division (Tanishq) of Titan Industries. He was a key member of the senior team which scripted the successful turnaround and rapid growth of Tanishq, which is today India’s largest and most admired brand of jewellery.

Harish is a member of the Tata Administrative Service (T.A.S.), and has worked with the Tata group since 1987. Prior to moving into his current assignment in Titan, he headed the marketing function at Tata Teleservices Limited, where he led the disruptive innovation “non-stop mobile” to create very rapid subscriber growth for Tata Indicom, the last entrant on India’s exciting telecom landscape.

Harish has also headed the marketing function at Tata Tea, where he built a formidable reputation in creating and nurturing consumer brands. Significant amongst these were the successful launch of “Agni”, a major success story in the tea industry ; and the development of “Chakra Gold”, the most exciting brand of tea in South India.

Harish was also a member of the core team which led Tata Tea’s successful acquisition of the global brand Tetley, a path-breaking acquisition for the Tata group and for India.

Harish is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad, graduating top of his class in both institutions, and winning the IIM Ahmedabad Gold Medal for Scholastic Excellence. In 1997, he won the Chevening Scholarship for Young Managers, awarded by the British Government. He has strong professional interests in consumer behaviour, business economics and retailing. He writes and reads extensively, and is passionate about fitness. Harish is also currently Secretary General of the All India Federation of Horological Industries (AIFHI), the apex industry body for watch manufacturers and marketers.