Niira Radia exits communication consultancy Footnote to History 2011

Niira Radia, the high-profile lobbyist who featured prominently in the leaked tapes that emerged at the height of the second-generation spectrum allotment scandal last year, has decided to call it quits from the communications business
Niira Radia, the high-profile lobbyist who featured prominently in the leaked tapes that emerged at the height of the second-generation spectrum allotment scandal last year, has decided to call it quits from the communications business she built

She did so in a statement sent Sunday afternoon by the Vaishnavi Group, her consultancy, in which she was quoted as saying: “To give precedence to my personal priorities of family and health, I have decided against renewing any client mandates and to exit the business of communications consultancy.”

She added: “It is a painful decision which has been taken after much consideration and consultation with my family, doctors, clients and colleagues.”

It was all well-coordinated, as you might expect from someone in the public-relations business, with two statements included in the same release from her two biggest clients: Tata Group and Reliance Industries.NEW DELHI, 30 OCT: In a surprise move, Ms Niira Radia, owner and promoter of Vaishnavi Group which has mandate from Tata group and Mukesh Ambani-led RIL, has announced her exit from the business of communication consultancy.
“To give precedence to my personal priorities of family and health, I have decided against renewing any client mandates and to exit the business of communications consultancy,” she said in a statement. It is a painful decision, taken after much consideration and consultations, the statement added.
Ms Niira had been in news related to 2G controversy in the recent past. She was in media glare last year when leaked tapes of her conversations appeared in the media. Although there was no charge against her, she was named as a witness by the investigating agency.
Reacting to her surprise decision, Tata Group chairman Mr Ratan Tata said: “The Tata Group respects the personal wishes of Niira Radia in not renewing any client mandates. She has built Vaishnavi from scratch into the company it is today, often subordinating her personal and family interests in favour of her clients' priorities.”
Vaishnavi has had the PR mandate of the Tata Group since 2001 during which period it contributed significantly to the building of the Tata Brand, he said. Vaishnavi's engagement with the Group has been ethical and satisfactory, he added.
A Reliance Indutries spokesman said: “We regret the decision of Niira Radia to discontinue her association with the business of communications consultancy and not renew any of her client mandates. “We have enjoyed a professional and fulfilling relationship with Radia and her team over the last three years.”
"Radia's commitment has been very impressive and she has always led her team in a manner that tactical developments do not lead to a de-focus on the strategic issues. “We do appreciate and respect her wishes for a compelling need to focus on her family and personal issues. Ms Radia leaves behind a very capable team and an indelible mark on the communications consultancy business...., the RIL spokesperson added.“I thank our key clients for their understanding and mutual agreement to bring closure to this decision. I am also grateful to them for their support in taking my decision to its logical conclusion, offering assistance in mitigating the damages and thereby fulfilling all our existing contractual commitments,” Ms Radia said in her statement.

“The Tata Group respects the personal wishes of Ms. Niira Radia in not renewing any client mandates. She has built Vaishnavi from scratch into the company it is today, often subordinating her personal and family interests in favour of her clients’ priorities,” Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata said in the statement.

He credited the firm, which has represented Tata since 2001, for contributing “significantly to the building of the Tata Brand. Their engagement with the Group has been ethical and satisfactory.”

An unnamed Reliance spokesperson said in that company’s statement: “We regret the decision of Ms. Niira Radia to discontinue her association with the business of communications consultancy and not renew any of her client mandates. We have enjoyed a professional and fulfilling relationship with Ms. Radia and her team over the last three years.”

On a day when, if India was looking at the news at all it was probably to see the results of the Indian Grand Prix, it was a small, rather anticlimactic piece of news, lacking all the drama that accompanied Ms. Radia’s last foray into the public realm