The vice chairman and MD of Bilt talks about the great paper chase over a South Asian meal with Bhupesh Bhandari
I have had the thrill of taking Gautam Thapar, the 40-year-old vice-chairman and managing director of Ballarpur Industries (Bilt), by surprise on more occasions than one. Buying out Sinar Mas? Selling out of Phoenix? Selling out of JG Containers?
The voice at the other end of the telephone line has always sounded guarded as if expecting me to pop some uncomfortable query. But when I offered to take him out for lunch, Thapar sounded stumped. He said with a chuckle:
