Sanjay Raina is the general manager and vice president for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Fox International Channels. Born and raised in Indian Kashmir, the 47-year-old moved to Dubai in March 2011 to head Ten Sports as the chief operating officer for international markets before taking on his current role. He is also actively involved in Tender Hearts, a recreational centre for children with special needs. Set up and run by his wife Neena and her business partner, it was inspired by their 17-year-old son who suffers from autism spectrum disorder.
What are your favourite things to do on the weekend?
In the mornings the entire family goes to the gym. On Fridays we watch a movie together as a family, and evenings are again spent together dining out. We devote our Saturdays to the kids. My older son plays in a baseball challenger league that is focused on special needs children, where I accompany him as a buddy dad. My younger son comes along and also becomes a buddy to the children. Our afternoon is spent at Tender Hearts. The centre offers differently abled kids a normal day to day life by providing recreational support through activities such as yoga, martial arts, arts and crafts, music, theatre and cooking. I volunteer every weekend; a lot of what Tender Hearts offers is modelled on what we, as a family, provided our autistic son with in his formative years. In the evening I play at least nine holes of golf with my 12-year-old son, a budding golfer.
What do you consider your favourite hobby?
I love playing golf. I play at least twice a week, mostly at night under lights. I am also an avid reader and I enjoy practically anything I can get my hands on. Gandhi is my personal hero and I have read a number of his autobiographies; I also enjoy historical anecdotes and my favourite fiction author is Charles Dickens. Once in a while, I team up with my cousins in Dubai for a sing-along. I have recently started learning how to play the guitar, which adds to the fun. Singing is my favourite pastime. My eldest son is also an accomplished singer.
What can’t you live without?
My BlackBerry, my golf bag and my family. BlackBerry remains the best smart device for sending and receiving emails, and it keeps me connected with the office as well as my personal life. My golf bag is my connection to golf; I simply love golf have been playing for over 10 years. I ensure that I catch at least one game every weekend. My family is the most important thing to me.
What do you consider the secret to your success?
I am a small-town boy who grew up in very humble and down-to-earth circumstances; however, I had great aspirations. My secret to success is very simple – hard work. When you work hard, it pays and you succeed. When people work hard they are determined, focused and willing to find solutions to problems that may afflict their work. Hard work is a differentiator of good and bad work.
What advice would you offer others starting out in your business?
Learn the medium well. Media, and all forms of it, is a people’s business. In order for you to succeed, you have to know how to manage people properly. Learn by example, start by looking at the people who have made a name for themselves in the industry, and learn from their success. Have heroes in the industry and follow their career; get inspired by their work and how they attained their success. At the same time, practice patience and media management, as this industry’s greatest assets are people, and those who learn to deal with people well will thrive in the industry.
How do you achieve a work-life balance?
This is tricky. Achieving a balance during a hectic week is tough. I manage to catch at least an hour of conversation with my kids every day and a late evening chat with my wife to discuss her day at the centre. During the weekends the work-life balance is far better achieved.
How do you relax after the working day?
By listening to what my kids have to say about their day at school, with a late night TV show and essentially having dinner with my wife, as often as I can manage it.
If you weren’t general manager of this company, what else would you be doing?
I would be playing golf, golf and more golf. I would be climbing mountains. I used to be an avid mountaineer, until corporate life lured me in. India’s first female to climb the Mount Everest was my instructor once, and I have attended high grade mountaineering courses early in life. I would also devote more time to kids with special needs. They need our attention and to be integrated within the so-called ‘normal’ fabric of society.
arayer@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
