Deba moved to Dubai to head up Kearney’s Consumer and Retail practice in the Middle East in 2019. He has almost 20 years of consulting experience behind him, during which time he has helped clients across multiple countries and industries achieve their strategic and operational goals. He was named one of India’s hottest leaders under 40 in 2015.

His studies in mechanical engineering were the ideal launchpad into consulting. “Engineering develops a strong sense of problem solving and how things work in reality, which is useful everywhere in the business world. And in consulting, you get to tackle some of the biggest problems going.”

Deba is fascinated by consumer behavior and choices. “This might be controversial, but for me, product wins every time. You can have a great logo or a nice app, but if the product or service fundamentally isn’t right, you will run into problems.”

In his spare time, he is a keen drummer, and sees parallels between this role and that of a consultant. “The best drummers are like the best consultants—holding incredibly complex rhythms together, but playing along to the music, not playing for yourself. It’s all about teamwork.”

Doing the right thing is fundamental. “Empathy and sincerity really pay off in the long run, there is no substitute. Helping clients to be successful is the best part of the job.”