Dare. Learn. Inspire. Shape. Listen. To some, these may simply be words. But imagine a workplace that had them engraved in boldfaced Helvetica into the steps of the entrance stairway. These are values that Tata’s subsidiary Titan cherishes, and the designers of its spanking new office in Electronic City knew how to get that message through.

Not just that — the jewellery and watchmaker’s chief Bhaskar Bhat, along with his team, knew that they had to make their latest HQ nature-friendly and efficient. Its cafeteria uses ceramic cups and steel utensils instead of disposable cutlery; the building’s design allows for plenty of air circulation and natural light. “We wanted to ensure that it was a green office. That’s why you see so many elements of natural light, breeze and ambient temperature,” says Bhat.

Titan is one company that has made a fortune moving with the times — be it about going green or venturing into businesses that are likely to be trendsetters. Bhat explains, “One thing we are not driven by is market cap. It is the outcome and not the objective. Growth, on the other hand, is something we pursue relentlessly.”

The second, and equally important reason, is recognising the growth potential in its core market, India. “This market is extraordinary for three reasons — one, the sheer size of the population and the scale that you can hope to achieve; the other two are an underserved and underpenetrated population catered to by unorganised players. Those are the three Us: Unorganised, Underserved, and Underpenetrated,” says Bhat. 

This isn’t a new strategy. In fact, the three Us are at the heart of Titan’s business strategy, on which, Titan has built three prominent verticals — watches and accessories, jewellery brand Tanishq and eyewear brand Eye+. Bhat says, “In every category we entered, these are prev