'India is safe choice for investors'

India-born Rakesh Kapoor, the CEO of RB (formerly known as Reckitt Benckiser), brought his own brand of change to the British consumer goods company when he replaced veteran CEO Bart Becht four years ago. The market value of RB - which makes of Dettol, Durex, Harpic, Disprin and other prominent brands - shrunk 8% the day Becht stepped down. But, Kapoor was quick to turn things around.He changed RB into a company that focuses on high-margin consumer healthcare products rather than household goods. While visiting slums in South Delhi's Khanpur, Kapoor took time off to speak to TOI about prospects of the Indian economy and his company. Excerpts:
Globally, you are focusing more on high-margin consumer healthcare products rather than household products. Will you follow the same strategy here as well?
Our products can be broadly divided into three verticals - health, hygiene and home. None of them can exist on their own. We need to improve hygiene here. But even then, people might fall ill, have a headache or catch a cold. Our healthcare products will take care of that.
How does India fit into your global strategy?
The BRIC countries were the four great pillars of hope of the world. But now, the situation has become complicated with Russia and Brazil plunging into crisis. India shines out due to its size, population dynamics and growth. It has invariably become a safe choice for investors. Global investments in India are bound to increase rapidly in the medium term. For us, it is our engine for growth and remains one of our top-most priorities.
Business for RB here has been sluggish. How do you plan to correct that?
We are seeing signs of recovery in consumer spending and our business. I have mentioned earlier that markets like India with the sheer strength of its demographics don't go into protracted periods of slump. The new government along with PM Narendra Modi has had a big role to play in the turnaround.
Do you think innovation is the way forward?
Innovation is the lifeblood of our company. We have launched two products in partnership with an NGO - a low-cost germ protection bar that can be used by families at the bottom of the pyramid and a game-changing toilet powder that can reduce the spread of infection from pit latrines. Partnerships are the way forward and we have tied up with many organizations to come up with innovative products. Companies can't change the world alone. We will plough back revenues from sale of these products into such innovations.
What do you think about the Swachh Bharat campaign?
There has been a lot of talk around Swachh Bharat. However, now it's time to build momentum and execute plans. Everybody wants to build toilets. But it's more important to keep them clean too. Has anyone figured out how?