Varinder Rehal
Group Head of Legal at IPL Ltd
Varinder Rehal, group head of legal and company secretary at International Procurement & Logistics Limited
What time did you wake up this morning?
6am, which is actually a lie in, as one of my two daughters usually wakes me up before then!
What’s your favourite object in your office?
I guess it must be the ice-cream machine that we bring into our office every summer.
Who is your closest colleague?
Well, that has to be my PA because she sits next to me.
Do you have a favourite family heirloom?
I used to have a lion’s claw on a chain that my grandfather gave to me when he came from Kenya. I lost it whilst playing football when I was younger. I didn’t tell my parents until many years later.
What’s your favourite song of all time?
Ain’t no Sunshine by Bill Withers
What’s your favourite play?
Kiss Me, Kate by Samuel and Bella Spewack (it is based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew).
Who’s your favourite movie star?
Leonardo Di Caprio.
What’s your favourite book?
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
What book are you reading right now?
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
What book do you wish you had written?
Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
What’s the greatest invention of all time?
Is it not the legal system? Leaving aside fire, electricity and the wheel, I would say it is the worldwide web. It has changed how we do things on so many levels.
Is there a sport that you wish you could play?
I can play most sports, but none of them with any level of competency! Being captain of the England cricket team would have been nice!
Who inspires you in business?
Sam Walton – founder of Walmart. One quote I remember in particular is: “There is only one boss – the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else”.
Dress up, dress down or somewhere in between?
I like to dress for the occasion, so it can vary. But if in doubt, dress up.
Where do you go to relax?
Any local cricket club to watch a weekend game.
What country have you always wanted to visit?
Cuba.
Besides your phone, what do you always have with you?
My wrist watch.
What’s the best part about your job?
Although I’m a lawyer, I am lucky enough to have a multitude of different roles and responsibilities within my organisation, which means I am constantly learning new things.
What’s your favourite post-work tipple?
A smoky single malt.
Finally, what’s your guilty pleasure?
Without doubt it’s candy floss – it has to be fresh and on a stick, or in a plastic bag, but not from a bucket like you find in cinemas!
