Famous As Entrepreneur
Born In 1949
Born In India
Nationality Indian
Banker turned entrepreneur, M. Arunachalam is a name to reckon with in the business world. One of India's top-notch business magnets, Arunachalam has established himself as a bigwig in the domain of leather garment bourgeoises. With a slew of leather garment factories in both China and India and a humungous market in the overseas including the US, South America and Europe, this business whiz has indeed stamped an indelible impression on the global business map. It is said that his single-handed efforts and unassisted contributions towards trade and commerce over the years has boosted bilateral trading activities between Hong Kong, China and India. Besides presiding as the chairperson of Indian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong, he has been the active member of several international economic committees. Arunachalam has been rewarded with several prestigious awards by numerous global institutions that have recognized his contributions in the growth and development of economic affairs.
Career
Arunachalam's success story is unlike other entrepreneurs. He started his career as a regular bank employee, working for Indian Overseas Bank, and held that designation until 1977. In the same year, he left to Hong Kong for better opportunities. However, it was only in early 1980s that he kicked-started his first trading venture between India and Indonesia. Soon after, he went on to expand his business by diversifying into different sectors. Several export, trading and production units were set up on the global front, which included products like textiles, leather garments, food grains, steel, newsprint, plastic products, construction & loading equipment, and software. In India, he set up an engineering division in Ahmedabad and textile mills in parts of Tamil Nadu. Arunachalam made his presence felt on a global platform in countries like China, Europe, the Middle East, America and many other places, with a profitable annual turnover of more than $129 million. He soon leapt into the board of members for many international committees and vigorously promoted and encouraged trade and commerce, primarily encouraging trade relations between the Asia Pacific countries.
Achievements and Awards
He presided over the chair of Indian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong for nearly four years. He also held the position of the president of the Asia Pacific Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In 2004, he was elected as the member of Investment Ambassador, which is a governmental body that supports investments in the city. Due to his contributions towards the growth and development of Hong Kong economy, he was appointed as an advisory for the HKSAR Government and for the Trade Development Council of Hong Kong. During his tenure as a chairperson, he initiated and encouraged bilateral trade activities between India and China. In 2005, the Indian government honored him with a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award as an acknowledgment of his outstanding and commendable contributions towards economy. Apart from promoting trade and commerce in Hong Kong, he also encouraged Indian culture in the city by hosting several cultural shows, in order to augment India's image on the global face. Arunachalam was appointed as the president of Overseas Indian Organization of Hong Kong in 2007 and in following years he was employed as the chairman of Indian Chamber Fiftieth Anniversary Education Trust and the Disaster Relief Fund for India.
Time Line
1949: M. Arunachalam was born in India.
1977: He resigned from Indian Overseas bank and moved to Hong Kong.
1980: Arunachalam had already set up several manufacturing units and diversified into several products.
2004: He held several top influential positions in various international organizations.
2005: He received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award from Dr. Abdul Kalam the then President of India.
2007: Elected as the president of Overseas Indian Organization of Hong Kong.
2009: He was appointed as the chairman of Indian Chamber Fiftieth Anniversary Education Trust and the Disaster Relief Fund for India.
