Harmeet Ahuja, who is known to many by his nickname, Sunny, is a Director of Sun Mark Ltd as his primary occupation and also a director of a number of other companies. He has helped grow the company from a relatively small FMCG distribution business to one which now has business in over 110 countries and is flying the flag for the best of Britain.
The company is widely recognised internationally in its sector and has been recognised on numerous occasions for its growth and achievement. He is a regular speaker at business events and also serves in a number of voluntary roles. Educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith he went on to study at King’s College London and then completed an MBA at Henley Business School.
Sunny’s most recent voluntary role was his appointment as the Chairman of the Development & Alumni Council at his old school, Latymer Upper. He is married and has two children.
What is your current position?
I am a Director of Sun Mark, an international distribution company in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. We are headquartered in the UK but are engaged in business in over 110 countries with an emphasis on emerging markets. We continue to grow our footprint in far flung corners of the world. I am also a director of a freight forwarding business and a hotel group.
What are your proudest achievements?
I am heavily involved in business so a great deal of my focus is around that. My proudest moment was when we were recognised by Her Majesty the Queen when we were conferred a Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade but we were so spurred by that achievement that we ended up achieving five consecutive Queens Awards as well as a host of others along the way. It has been a lot of fun getting there too which has been nice.
What inspires you?
There is so much around to inspire you, particularly people who have a determination to succeed despite all the odds. I am also inspired by people who strive to help others when there is no apparent gain for them.
What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?
I am a believer that a great deal is possible if your efforts are directed in the right way and that your own destiny is under your own control. There are times when that may seem impossible to comprehend but you have to keep plugging away and through your actions you create further opportunity; so to answer the question, I believe the biggest obstacle is oneself.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
I have worked closely with my father in law, Dr Rami Ranger MBE, and without a doubt he has been the biggest influence for me. He has given me a different perspective to doing many things and helped me to develop my own skills and knowledge to help me advance with him. We continue to work closely together.
What is the best aspect about your current role?
When you are engaged in business in as many countries as we are and in many cases you are directly involved with people from all over the world and from so many different cultures you marvel at the sheer variety of experiences you are exposed to. This is one of the best aspects and one which I feel privileged to have.
And the worst?
There are so many pressures that come with working in emerging and frontier markets which include instability and unpredictability but then you have to appreciate that while on the one hand you are lucky enough to have exposure to such diversity it is also tinged with some negative aspects too.
What are your long term goals?
On the business front it is enjoyable to strive to grow the company we have and that is a real bonus; that you enjoy what you do every day. Beyond that I am now also trying to spend more time on social and philanthropic matters and to see how we can also give back to society, both close to home and farther out.
If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
I believe that if we can grow our inter-reliance on people from both near and far then our understanding would increase immeasurably and the potential for conflict would be reduced. The business environment being created by the government is helping but I would urge them to do more and try to achieve their goals on this front more quickly. I would also put greater emphasis on education and training – I believe education is a great liberator and can change the destiny of generations to come.
If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
There have been so many fascinating characters throughout history that to be able to speak with any one of them at length would be incredible but I have always been fascinated by President Abraham Lincoln. He was a true reformer and really stood up for something which he believed, but something which flew in the face of the accepted thinking of the time and helped put an end to the slave trade. It would be amazing to hear what he would have to say about our world today.
