Piyush Pandey- the Boss: Madhukar Sabnavis remembers the ad legend

He called me ‘Professor’ or ‘Partner’. I always saw him as ‘Boss’

Boss of creativity he was- generating ideas by the minute as soon as brief came in. His meter started ticking, he often said. And I was often amazed by the way he could generate fresh stuff on a client whom he had worked on for decades. Never getting stale. I often asked him ‘how’ and he just ‘smiled’.

But as a boss- a superior- and he was my line boss for 19 years, he was so amazing. He never once asked what I was up to- or where I was. Full trust. If he called and I said I was in a meeting, he immediately put down the phone saying ‘Please call after the meeting’. Full respect. He never ordered me to do anything- always as a request or suggestion. Even on creative matters, it was a polite ‘over-rule’. Our chemistry ensured I knew when a ‘polite request’ was an ‘order’ and obediently followed. But those were few! Full kindness and understanding. And whenever as leaders we got stuck in any dilemma of handling an issue- business, client, people- I would say ‘Let’s go and ask Piyush’. Not for approval but to just hear his wisdom. I always felt he was just that little more mature than all of us put together. Full wisdom.

For me, who had this long ‘boss subordinate’ relationship with him, I will forever remember him for his trust, respect, kindness and wisdom.

I feel both fortunate and privileged to be a player in his team for such a long time. And even though we were chalk and cheese, yin and yang as personalities, some chemistry happened that we managed as a team to achieve much in Ogilvy. That he felt satisfied and proud of and I felt too.

I wouldn’t say good bye to such a person. His spirit lives in me and I shall always carry with me the great times we had together.

Just want to close by saying Thank you Boss!

Madhukar Sabnavis is Consultant with Ogilvy India. He was last Vice Chairman and Director-Client Relations at Ogilvy India