IF anybody could be said to be high on life, it is Pradeep Gidwani, the suave and rugged 40-year-old managing director of Foster�s India Limited with the distinguished salt-and-pepper look. He has been Foster�s head honcho only since May 2000, but already, there must be more people drinking this Australian beer in India than they are Down Under entirely because of Pradeep�s enthusiastic marketing pitch for the brand. He�s even got the Australian cricketers who toured India recently to promote their national beer at a series of successful events in the country that had them socialise with people at all levels.

�I enjoy what I am doing,� says Pradeep of his job, which is the challenge of building up a brand from scratch. A marketing genius with 18 years of business experience, Pradeep has done front line sales, advertising, public relations, integrated brand communications, and several new brand launches that have been thumping successes. He holds a Bachelor�s degree in Mathematics and an MBA in Marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management in Pune. For Foster�s, over three years, Pradeep has spent time in developing business strategy, improving production efficiencies, finance re-engineering and public development. �From a clean sheet of paper to being a brand to reckon with,� he says.

Somehow, perhaps because of his years with leading multi-national and top Indian companies like Moet Hennessey, the UB Group and now Foster�s, and including Diageo PLC, Louis Vuitton, Unilever and Everest Advertising, Pradeep has got the image of being a spirits person. But he would rather be known as a brand builder. �I�ve not always been in the spirits division,� Pradeep protests.

�I�ve also been in spices and cosmetics.� But it is true, the man is a connoisseur of fine whiskies and spirits. And despite moving on from those companies he once lent his creative juices to, Pradeep admits that when he drinks champagne, it is always Moet & Chandon; when he has a cognac, it must be Hennessey; and it it�s whisky he is having, then that whisky must be Johnnie Walker Black Label.

�Now there is Foster�s,� he says with a rich laugh. �I drink it almost every day!� At his home in Bandra, on the slopes of the Mount Mary�s Church, he keeps a fine collection of single malts and wines. �I have different spirits from different parts of the world that I like to experiment with and try out,� he says. But, yes, he is partial to Foster�s, the brand he went on to expand and build in his years with the company. Modestly he admits to being able to pass a blind tasting test on beers out of which he would coolly identify Foster�s. �I�ve done it before,� Pradeep says with the confidence of a managing director who knows his product.

India will always love and admire the man. Not only because of his beer, but also his promotions that have seen Foster�s involve itself with Formula One racing and cricket. He has played lots of cricket himself, at school and college level, and has been the No. 4 bat in the teams and an off-spinner. Plus, Pradeep Gidwani has been active in tennis, badminton and football. �But cricket has always been close to my heart,� he admits. �Especially now, because Foster�s is a brand that is known for its association with sports, and cricket in particular.� That apart, his other passion (or thirst!) is for building up a complete knowledge on drinks.