Steve Waugh pads up to bring select Oz brands to India

MUMBAI: At 60, when few people gather the courage to try something new, Steve Waugh is undertaking an entrepreneurial stint in India.

The former Australian captain who enthralled fans with his gritty batting is launching Australia Essence, a business venture he co-founded, here to tap into the country's booming retail market where consumers are increasingly seeking better choices and willing to spend on premium products.

"I have always had that entrepreneurial spirit. I love doing deals, being involved with something new, it takes me out of my comfort zone. I love the challenge of being successful," Waugh told TOI.

Waugh's ties with India, a place he calls his "second home" goes beyond cricket. Deeply influenced by Mother Teresa, he has been actively involved in steering philanthropic endeavours in the country though his foundation. Since 1998, Waugh has supported Udayan, a home for children whose families are affected by leprosy and helped raise funds for Nivedita Bhavan, the girls' wing of the facility.

Entrepreneurship is not new to Waugh-he has been invested in the Australian business landscape including investments in startups. In India, where the number of startups is growing, Waugh said he will not shy away from backing companies as long as the offer is attractive and the company is interesting.

Australia Essence is building a house of brands platform-the strategy is to onboard varied premium consumer brands from Australia and launch them in India which the company said is riding on a "premiumisation wave." To begin with, nine brands are foraying into the country.

The focus will be to build a play in the food, artisanal beverages, skincare and high-performance apparel where high earning Indians are looking for differentiated products, spending on clean labels in food and beauty.

The target consumers will be the urban middle class whose aspirations are "rising." With digitisation making premium more accessible, the market opportunity extends well beyond metros, said Tim Thomas, CEO at Australia Essence. Waugh said that his strong partnership with India over the years will help in growing the venture in the market. "My area of expertise is contacts, networks, knowing people and putting people together," Waugh said, adding that cricket has taught him perseverance, a trait which he will be carrying with him in the echelons of the business world.

Waugh doesn't miss the cricket field any more but he does follow the game, especially Test cricket. Rishabh Pant is his current favourite Indian cricketer and Waugh likes the way he plays. He was also full of praise for Test skipper Shubman Gill and was impressed by his performance in England. Asked about his favourites from yesteryears, Waugh said, "It's a hard to pick one....Tendulkar, Dravid...Gavaskar."