Ambanis fight for talent

Anil is doling out substantial salary hikes to some executives at Reliance Info, reports Venkatesh Ganesh.

You don't have to be nice to a brother you aren't talking to. Or do you? Anil Ambani, for one, doesn't believe in Bollywood values. If it's war, it's war: hit the mattress and look after the boys.

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Anil has drawn up a list of Reliance Infocomm employees who he wants to keep at any cost. In the reorganisation following the split of the Reliance empire, these employees can stay or join another group company.

Junior Ambani doesn't want to lose some of these people. And here is how he is keeping them: an upfront 10-20 per cent pay hike, backed by a three-year projection of career and salary growth possibilities, sources in the know say.

To qualify, employees have to impress Anil. They must be specialists and must look of critical use in the long run. At least two people were selected from each department for this special treatment.

When contacted, a Reliance Infocomm spokesperson declined to comment.

The strategy appears to be working. Some employees have announced they are staying. But some are moving on -- and these are mostly people who joined when Mukesh Ambani was in charge.

"Some executives, mainly chemical engineers who don't have any career prospects in Infocomm, are in the process of moving to RIL," says a source.

While RIL pay levels average less than Infocomm, Mukesh is offering fatter pay packets for his new retail venture.

So, who’s winning this one?