Consensus was never more necessary than today in FNCCI",
views Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, the first vice president of the country’s
apex chamber who is most likely to be the next president of FNCCI, provided
the business community upholds its two-years old understanding. But Shrestha’s
worry is not much about whether his fellows in FNCCI keep their promise
of accepting him as new FNCCI president, it is largely about the on-going
political situation. "Monarch, the government and political parties,
all of them have to have a consensus among themselves, especially now
in view of the tragedy that befell the royal family," he notes, and
underlines the need for the business community to strengthen such a consensus.
"Business community has to take a lead," asserts the future
president of FNCCI.
Such a consensus is in no way less important for Shrestha’s
own business, when viewed against the fields of his business involvement.
His NE Group is heavily involved in joint-venture with foreign companies.
Beside being the Nepali promoter of Nepal Lever Ltd. set up as a Nepali
subsidiary of Uni Lever, NE Group runs National Soap Industries, a unit
which exclusively manufactures detergents to be marketed by Nepal Lever.
And the next business he is about to go into is tourism. A hotel, again
with foreign collaboration, is about to set up, but the plan is held up
for the uncertain political climate due to Maoist movement and lack of
political consensus between the ruling and main opposition parties, a
malady that is continuing for quite a long time now. Put these businesses
together with banking and insurance, two of the other businesses of Shrestha’s
major involvements, and you have a perfect example of a business house
highly sensitive to the political situation.
With educational background is Business Administration
from Tribhuvan University of Nepal and New York Business School of USA,
Shrestha has, as his agenda for his expected tenure as FNCCI president,
formulated one-page "Vision of FNCCI, 2001-2003" with 15 points
covering national, international and organizational issues. The paper
addresses all conceivable issues related to business sector (such as image
building of the private sector, lobbying with government for private sector-friendly
policies, industrial relations, challenges of WTO /SAFTA, and professionalization
of FNCCI secretariat). But one may wonder why he could not do anything
substantial in these very issues while being the second man in FNCCI and
how he thinks he would be able to do it better once he becomes the first
man. Though one may or may not agree with him, Shrestha claims that FNCCI
has been making its efforts for these purposes to the best of its abilities,
and the agenda for the future is largely a continuation of the past efforts.
Regarded by his colleagues as a straightforward person,
true to his commitments, Shrestha has to face his testing times as the
job of FNCCI chief will demand also an ability of diplomatic maneuvering
.
The consensus that Shrestha emphasizes so much is, however,
quite elusive, much so within the business community itself, as indicated
by binational chambers forming their own federation which is very much
likely to be a parallel organization to FNCCI. Moreover, one section of
FNCCI members (industrialists, to be precise) are also reportedly preparing
to form another apex chamber in the style of CII of India, on the pretext
of having an exclusive association of industries. Though business houses
with interests only in industries are very rare in Nepal as almost everyone
seems to be in trading as well, the rebel group can do sufficient damage
to FNCCI strength by causing a rift in the community.
About that, Shrestha’s reaction is only this: "They
(the rebels) have to think with cool head whether such a step will really
help them." However, he also expresses hope that he will be able
to tackle this problem as well, once he becomes the FNCCI president. In
fact, FNCCI already has an official policy to have a separate wing exclusively
for industries as some FNCCI executive committee members close to Shrestha
inform. Similar imminent split in the business community was averted at
the penultimate moment two years ago after Shrestha pulled out of the
election race.
If everything goes as planned, FNCCI’s AGM, likely
to be held in July, will elect Shrestha as its president. But that will
not serve as a precedence for future, clarifies Shrestha. "That understanding
is just for this time. For every first vice president to automatically
become the next president, the federation has to amend the constitution
itself". And that has not happened so far.
