Tarun Sawney – Senior Director, APAC
From India and England. Living in Singapore.
I began my career as a policeman in London in 1981 and continued it in Hong Kong from 1984 to 1999. During that period, I also attended the University of Hong Kong, graduating with a degree in Social Science and majoring in Politics.
I joined BSA | The Software Alliance in June 2001 after a short stint as the Deputy Director of APAC for the Motion Picture Association of America.
What attracted you to work at BSA?
BSA provided a platform to combine the skills I had already acquired academically and professionally. These skills, which include legal compliance, an understanding of how government agencies work, and the ability to get things done through them to protect software intellectual property rights, are an ideal fit for my role at BSA.
What’s the most unique part about working at BSA?
BSA represents an industry that is changing the world for the better at a pace never previously experienced by humanity. The ideas that are coming forth — most recently, artificial intelligence and, previously, consumer and business software, the Internet, cloud computing, webcam meetings, etc. — are life-changing, and being a part of this journey is exciting.
What advice can you give someone who just started their career/wants to pursue a similar career?
Know and understand your client. Trade associations are member-facing, and it is critical that members are provided a professional service and a value add to their ecosystem. Enhancing one’s EQ (and diplomatic skills) in order to communicate with members is vital. Egos should be set aside and an environment of trust needs to be continually built upon. A happy client is a repeat client!
Tell us one fun fact about you (that might surprise your colleagues).
I grew up in a palace in the ‘60s in India’s principality of Datia, as my father’s sister married the Maharaja of Datia. They had their own armory of swords and rifles from the 1800s, a dairy farm, a temperamental supply of electricity, water from an open well, and snakes everywhere!
Do you have any pets, and if so, what do you have?
I have a dog. She is a labradoodle. Smart, cuddly, and they don’t shed.
What’s one thing on your bucket list?
To visit and spend quality time with all my boarding school buddies wherever they may be, whilst we still have all our faculties in full operation.
Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? What did you learn?
I love the “Tintin” comics by Hergé. Having an indomitable spirit and outlook can overcome any adversity.
If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher who campaigned for peace and wrote extensively on social, political, and moral subjects, including happiness!
Favorite spot in your hometown or current city?
My favorite spot was behind the Arts Centre of my boarding school. When looking out at the snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas, the expansive view was so beautiful and breathtaking that you were tempted to believe it could not be by chance.
When is the last time you completely unplugged?
I never unplug.
How do you unwind after work?
This is an interesting question. Since the pandemic and subsequent work-from-home options, I find work and leisure simply a stream of the same continuum.
