Interview / Dr Jean Heuschen

'India's enormous IT skills and intellectual capital attracted us'

But what exactly is the John F Welch Technology Centre doing? The centre's vice-president and managing director Dr Jean Heuschen explains why GE chose India as the hub of its global research and development operations in a tete-a-tete with rediff.com's George Iype. Excerpts:

Why did GE decide to set up one of its largest multi-disciplinary research centres in India?

GE chose India for two reasons. All of GE's major businesses already have a presence in India and throughout Asia, and that presence is growing. India is a key enabler for technology.

GE recognises India's impressive intellectual and technical talent. More importantly, this centre is well positioned to leverage India's unique multi-disciplinary skills -- from engineering and science to information technology -- to innovate for the benefit of our customers worldwide.

This state-of-the-art facility reiterates our growing confidence in the talent here, and that India delivers results for GE and its customers.

Currently, India's enormous IT skills base, combined with basic engineering and science, is putting together some of the most powerful technologies that can be applied anywhere around the globe.

What are the research and development activities at the India centre?

The John F Welch Technology Centre's team of scientists and engineers, of which nearly 75 per cent possess advanced degrees, works in the areas of catalysis and advanced chemistry, polymer science and new synthetic materials, chemical engineering, advanced Six Sigma and process modelling and simulation, mechanical engineering, electronic and electrical system technology, ceramics and metallurgy, information technology and e-business.

To be more specific, the centre has divisions in chemistry and catalysis, polymers and synthetic materials, chemical engineering and mathematical modelling, mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering, IT software engineering design.

Moreover, it houses a GE Centre of Excellence for e-engineering and a knowledge centre to disseminate technical knowledge globally.

What are the keys programmes that the John F Welch Technology Centre is supporting?

The John F Welch Technology Centre is an integral part of GE's global corporate research and development organisation, collaborating with the company's other technology centres -- including its US lab in Schenectady, NY -- to conduct research, development and engineering for all of GE's diverse businesses worldwide.

Our mission is to develop new technologies that will be implemented to serve our global customers and markets better with newer products and services -- from new material, electronics to software engineering.

Is GE happy with the Indians' skills? How many people are currently employed at the centre? Will the centre create global career opportunities for Indians?

GE has always been a big believer in terms of the great opportunity India represents for this company for more than a decade. It's the people of India -- the exciting, energetic, smart, highly educated people of India -- who have demonstrated to GE the real opportunity that India provides.

Currently, India's enormous IT skills base is putting together some of the most powerful technologies that can be applied anywhere around the globe.

At present the centre's team includes 370 scientists and engineers -- 75 per cent with advanced degrees -- and this is expected to grow to 1,200 employees technologists and scientists by 2001.

With the setting up of the centre, GE provides globally competitive and exciting multi-disciplinary engineering and technology research career opportunities.

Has the company enforced new management practices or work culture at the centre?

The John F Welch Technology Centre's mission is innovation and execution with Six Sigma e-engineering and the well-known GE leadership values -- like anywhere else in the world of GE.

The centre incorporates the latest technology and e-engineering tools that facilitate real-time global interaction with GE's businesses, technology centres, customers and suppliers.

Its knowledge centre, which is fully integrated with the facility, accesses and disseminates technical knowledge globally to accelerate competitive technology developments for the benefit of GE's customers.

Further, the centre's boundary-less, virtual global laboratories and facilities are equipped with world class, state-of-the-art scientific equipment.

Was it the high quality Indian technology talent or the intellectual capital of the country that compelled GE to start the centre in Bangalore?

The establishment of this centre is an effective way to expand GE's research and development resources where abundance of intellectual talent can be found in order to accelerate the company's ability to deliver advanced technology to its global customers.

Moreover, India's rich intellectual capital has made this the perfect location for the centre. This state-of-the-art facility reiterates our high confidence in the talent here, and that India delivers results for GE and its customers.

After exploring several locations across India, Bangalore was selected as the preferred site because of two reasons. First, it is the most favoured location by prospective employees. Second, its proximity and synergies with several GE businesses already based in Bangalore.

Have you tied up with any Indian companies for your research and development programmes?

We have been working with several major national research institutions like the National Chemical Laboratory on many collaborative research projects for over five years. We are also in the process of expanding our relationship with many of India's leading laboratories.

Where do you place India in delivering world class research, development and technology solutions for global businesses?

India is a great place, especially in delivering world class research and development. For GE, India represents a great opportunity because of the country's enormous IT skills and rich intellectual capital.

Many scientists and researchers in India are unhappy that the Indian government has neglected high quality research and development with the result that there has been alarming brain drain from the country to the West. Do you think centres, like yours, will help arrest the brain drain?

Over so many years, India's intellectual capability was exploited with the brain-drain syndrome.

Our plans with the John F Welch Technology Centre are to help attract and retain the best talent from India and around the world by providing globally competitive and exciting multi-disciplinary engineering and technology research career opportunities locally.

Over 20 per cent of our centre's Indian scientists or engineers have either studied or worked abroad and come back to India, largely contributing to the referred to 'reverse brain drain'.

The opening of the technology centre in Bangalore marked a new level of commitment by GE in India. What are GE's future plans for the country?

GE has always been a big believer in terms of the great opportunity that India provides. For more than a decade, India has remained a top priority country for GE. It's also a mutual strategic fit where the opportunities available in India are significantly helping GE to compete globally.

GE expects to continue its double digit growth at 15-20 per cent annually for the next three to four years.

GE's aim is to recreate GE in India with a significant presence in some form for all the major global GE businesses. It will continue to compete locally, and use India as a key country for sourcing high quality products, services and technologies, and intellectual talent.

As a leading global company, GE has always been focussed in leveraging global resources efficiently. The establishment of this centre is an effective way to expand GE's research and development resources where abundance of intellectual talent can be found in order to accelerate the company's ability to deliver advanced technology to its global customers.

What are your comments on India's leap in the information technology sector? Do you think the current boom in IT will make India one of the economic giants in the world in the years to come?

IT is a critical technology enabler for India. It has put India and its intellectual talent on the global economy map. Now India must realise that the country needs to go beyond IT.

IT should be to India what the light bulb has been to GE. IT should be the thing that should get the country started.

We believe that our multi-disciplinary centre will be a strong contributor to engineering and technology beyond IT. India must learn to leverage its huge engineering and science talent, not just IT.

The inflow of foreign investment in India compared to China has been very low. What do you think are the measures that India should take to attract more foreign investment?

I think India must develop beyond IT, retaining first, then developing its engineering talent base, including high-tech manufacturing -- in a logical expansion from pure software to software engineering to computer science, electronics, high-tech assemblies and advanced materials technologies.

That is where China and other developing countries have moved ahead of the game.

Many companies, including GE, have proven that India can be a premier ground for high technology, global product manufacturing and design. For instance, Wipro GE Medical Systems has had enormous success in developing hi-technology products for global markets.

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