Mark D. Martin India's photostream  

Folks,

It’s been a while since I’ve either posted up any shots or stayed in touch with you so while apologies are in order, I think its best that I give you all an update of a few recent developments, which I am sure you guys would want me to buy you a round a beer for!

After spending two memorable years with the big 4 consulting firm KPMG LLP in India where I led the firm’s airline business advisory practice, I took a decision to get back into core airline operations and decided to join up with India’s only profitable low cost airline, SpiceJet and be part of its management team.

Getting back into the airline management boiler-room this time has been more intense for me as LCC operations focus on being ultra-lean and trusting that the business now is increasingly process driven, at SpiceJet, I’ve kept my key responsibilities to be operations planning, strategy, operations improvement and developing improved processes for maintenance, flight operations and terminal services.

While the switch happened kind of suddenly, even before I could get my new office, word was on the street of me joining through the ‘grape-vine’, and the press splashed my joining new all across the globe and the Big 4 alumni Group ‘Twitter’ed me online, which honestly has never happened to me before.

While still at KPMG I had two brief visits, one to a town in India called Pune (pronounced “Poonah”); a city known for its automotive industry, excellent weather, the sex oozing Osho Ashram(no offence meant to the Osho woman followers, its just that you look HOT in those body hugging saffron robes!) and home of India’s finest high society event, the Pune Derby; and the other to Mumbai to close a mergers and acquisition transaction for a Private Equity investment firm keen to invest in India’s aviation sector.

I’ve posted up a shot of my visit to a Pune and to Mumbai, where I met up with an old friend and business associate, Mr. B.P Baliga, Senior Vice President of Jet Airways, who retires after spending 40 glorious years in aircraft maintenance and engineering.

Before leaving KPMG, , some of the folks knew that I was into photography and wanted me to do a photo shoot for the Corporate image library. While I have never shot portraits before this would be a first for me to take up something as this. For me, this meant spending time to compose the shots well, especially since most of them had to be taken in office and in various work type situations. I’ve posted selected shots of the KPMG photo shoot for you folks to take a look. A lot of the credits go to the guys who modeled for these shots. All the guys you see in the shots are REAL KPMG India employees some of which include Partners. While this was my first attempt, it would be great getting your comments and views to this; and a special shout-out to all the guys in KPMG for being great sports.

On joining SpiceJet, I needed to go to Mumbai and Kolkatta, which was my first ever visit to that city. My work involved checking station maintenance operation and I managed to catch a glimpse of some really fine airplanes flying in and out. It was raining as hell in Kolkatta and Mumbai since India is think into the monsoon period so getting good light was pretty tricky, and I could not do much to improve the awesome shades of grey that the clouds had. Attached are the shots I took, do let me know if they came out well. Some of them sadly have noise in them; I guess this would go when I migrate to the Canon EOS or Nikon D70 line soon.

As always, it would be pleasure hearing from you and getting your comments to my shots, especially the KPMG photo shoot and the one’s I took in Mumbai and Kolkata.

Fly safe,

Mark

I took this shot from my hotel room. Mumbai's Anderi district, once the home to Mumbai's underworld and gangsta today is a sprawling residential area where some of Mumbai's swish set stay.

I took these shots while I was on the station maintenance operations review.

It was raining as hell in Kolkatta and Mumbai since India’s thick into the monsoon period now so getting good light was pretty tricky and I really could not do much to improve the awesome shades of grey that the clouds had. Attached are the shots I took, do let me know if they came out well.

This guy taxing out of the international apron making his way to Runway 27-09 for a mid afternoon take-off.

KPMG in India Corporate Photo shoot

The many sights of KPMG and the folks that work in the India partnership. These shots were taken in KPMG’s new office at DLF Cyber City in Gurgaon.

All the guys you see in the shots are REAL KPMG India employees some of which include Partners. While this was my first attempt, it would be great getting your comments and views to this; and a special shout-out to all the guys in KPMG for being great sports.

Modeling for me in this shot is the charming Simrat Singh, Manager for Markets and Partnerships, KPMG in India.

thanks Sims for being a good sport!

Images © Copyright 2009 Mark D. Martin Photography & KPMG LLP in India (Registered)

Unauthorized use, copying or reproduction is strictly prohibited.

After spending two memorable years with the big 4 consulting firm KPMG LLP in India where I led the firm’s airline business advisory practice, I took a decision to get back into core airline operations and decided to join up with India’s only profitable low cost airline, SpiceJet and be part of its management team.

While the switch happened kind of suddenly, even before I could get my new office, word was on the street of me joining through the ‘grape-vine’, and the press splashed my joining new all across the globe and the Big 4 alumni Group ‘Twitter’ed me online, which honestly has never happened to me before.

Standing with me here is the Mumbai line maintenance team; a great bunch of guys to hang out with!.