- Mr. Ajay Sethi - Managing Partner, Baker Tilly ASA India LLP
1. What is the biggest opportunity you see for Indo-French business collaboration by 2030? Please let us know how your company/organisation is preparing for it.
By 2030, the Indo-French corridor will be defined by scale, trust, and complementarity. France is among the few countries with deep manufacturing and technological capabilities, and India, while a vast consumption-driven market, is also an increasingly serving as a springboard for global expansion and product innovation. Unlike the US or UK, where large players already dominate, France has a strong mid-market that is yet to fully tap India’s potential. With over 750 French companies operating here today, I see this number comfortably crossing 1,200 by the end of the decade.
At Baker Tilly ASA, we have prepared ourselves to guide companies through this growth. Our dedicated French Desk provides a bridge of language, culture, and expertise, supported by French colleagues in India, including a French Chartered Accountant. We have launched French-language collaterals, co-published a ‘Doing Business in India Guide’ with Bpifrance, and actively collaborate with Business France as an empanelled Solution Team France Export. Our longstanding association with IFCCI, where we have been serving on the Governing Council since 2019, further strengthens this ecosystem.
Being part of Baker Tilly International, the 9th largest accounting and consulting network globally, with active support from Baker Tilly France, we offer French companies not only India entry but also continuity in their international ambitions. The Indo-French relationship is at its best-ever phase geopolitically, and I believe the decade ahead is one of expansion, trust, and shared prosperity.
2. In today’s evolving global landscape, how are you building resilience and agility in your leadership strategy?
Leadership today is about agility, information, and clarity. In India, where markets evolve rapidly and client expectations demand efficiency. We prioritise faster decision-making, sharper communication, and continuous learning. I personally emphasise timely and precise responses, and we embed this culture across our 1,200 professionals working from eight offices in India.
Resilience, however, comes from investing in people. We conduct internal training sessions, organise external speaker workshops, outlook change sessions, and host leadership conversations with global leaders. Recently, we had the privilege of Baker Tilly France’s CEO, Laure Mounier, addressing our teams directly. A powerful symbol of how global perspectives inspire local action. We have also institutionalised a Learning & Development subcommittee, organizing a weekly session, to continuously challenge mindsets.
Our strength lies in over 70% of our clientele being international businesses, some of whom we have supported for three decades. That experience has taught us that agility does not mean reacting faster. It means anticipating change, preparing teams, and creating a leadership culture that is confident yet adaptable. For Baker Tilly ASA, resilience is not about weathering storms but ensuring we are positioned to grow stronger with every disruption.
3. With sustainability and innovation now essential to business success, could you share some recent initiatives your company has undertaken in these areas?
Sustainability and innovation are no longer optional, they are core to our profession. Traditional lines of business in audit, tax, and consulting cannot remain relevant without digital transformation and a strong ESG lens. We have therefore expanded our portfolio to include services in ESG advisory, cybersecurity, digital automation and transformation, and forensics for fraud detection.
Internally, innovation drives efficiency and resilience. We have invested in digital tools for workflow automation, data-driven reporting, and knowledge sharing across teams. This not only enhances delivery but also frees bandwidth for higher-value client advisory. On sustainability, we are engaging with clients on their ESG journeys, helping them structure reporting, measure impact, and align with global benchmarks.
An equally important part of our innovation journey has been strengthening the French Desk, which has grown into a diverse team of French and Indian professionals. This cross-cultural expertise allows us to serve French companies in India with precision and cultural fluency. We are also investing in the next generation by offering internships to young French students from leading French Business Schools, who join us in India for several months in order to gain first-hand exposure to one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.
The next phase of growth in professional services will be defined by how quickly firms can innovate their service mix. Our approach is simple: remain ahead of client needs, embrace digital, and create sustainable value that transcends compliance.
4. With 2026 being celebrated as the Indo-French Year of Innovation, how do you envision this initiative creating new opportunities for growth and collaboration?
The Indo-French Year of Innovation in 2026 is a landmark initiative that will place bilateral cooperation firmly at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and culture. With priority areas such as health & well-being, aerospace, cultural & creative industries, and sustainable development & energy transition, the programme creates an opportunity to align French expertise with India’s scale, innovation and dynamism.
Innovation is no longer sectoral, it is cross-cutting. AI, the digital economy, and citizen initiatives will act as bridges across these domains, and France and India together can build an Indo-French innovation platform that generates long-term synergies.
For us, the initiative is directly aligned with our French Desk strategy. As advisors to French companies in India, we are preparing to support not just market entry, but innovation-driven collaborations, be it with aerospace clusters, ESG projects, or creative industries. Our partnerships with IFCCII, Business France, and Bpifrance allow us to remain at the centre of this dialogue. 2026 is not just a celebratory year; it is the beginning of a decade where Indo-French innovation can redefine business models and create shared value globally. We are committed to ensuring we play our part in enabling and supporting this transformation.
5. As a CEO, how do you view India's role in your global growth strategy and what strategic advantages does the country offer your business or the industry you operate in?
Today India is where China was 10-15 years ago: at the centre of global economic momentum. With a rapidly expanding consumption class, a favourable geopolitical environment, and a proactive stance on Free Trade Agreements, India is entering its golden decade.
In the past three years alone, India has signed Partnership and Trade Agreements with the UAE, Australia, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Simultaneously, talks are progressing with the UK and the European Union, with expected conclusions by end of 2025. These agreements position India as an increasingly integrated player in global trade, making it more attractive for investors and businesses alike.
For Baker Tilly ASA, India is not just our home market; it is the anchor of our global growth strategy. The scale of opportunity here enables us to grow across every service vertical, from audit to advisory, while building talent pools that serve both domestic and international clients. Our 1,200 professionals represent a depth of capability that allows us to engage seamlessly with global businesses.
Strategically, India offers several unique advantages: size, stability, speed and global access. The size of the consumption market makes it a magnet for foreign investors. The geopolitical stability fosters long-term confidence. The speed of digital adoption and innovation positions India as a hub for future-ready business models and finally its trade agreements with other countries combine with its other benefits to make it an ideal destination to access and create new products for the rest of the world.
As part of Baker Tilly International, we are uniquely placed to leverage India as both a growth engine and a service hub. For our French Desk in particular, India offers an unparalleled opportunity to anchor global expansion strategies of French companies, while contributing to a stronger Indo-French corridor.