Dilip Cherian: The mastermind behind India’s image management evolution

exchange4media feels proud to shine the spotlight on the illustrious career of the industry veteran, Dilip Cherian in today’s edition of Luminaries series.

Dilip Cherian is a pioneer in India's public relations industry and is renowned for his groundbreaking work in image management and communications. In his three decades of career, he has revolutionized how organizations and individuals present themselves to the world. As the co-founder of Perfect Relations, South Asia's largest image management consultancy, he has worked with over 3400 Indian and internal largest corporations and advised top business leaders, politicians, and celebrities on managing their public image and reputation. Also known as "India's Image Guru," Dilip has contributed to the field of public policy, artificial intelligence, and social impact initiatives through his knowledge and expertise. His efforts to empower the next generation of professionals have made him a respected voice in the industry and a sought-after thought leader.

In a candid conversation with him for e4m’s Luminaries series, we uncovered some of the most intriguing and unexpected moments from his three decades of journey in the industry like his early ambitions and the challenges of building Perfect Relations, to becoming India's Image Guru, his contributions to PR education and social causes in India, what he values in professionals he mentors and works with, his debut on Netflix, and so much more.

His Unconventional Career Path

When asked about his early aspirations and how he found his way into the PR, Dilip shared that in terms of career decisions, he had a GenZ trait of never planning a specific career for himself. He expressed that his path was more linear and stated, “The first job I applied for was in the civil services as I thought of becoming a police officer. However, I found the idea boring, so I decided to pursue a career in banking instead. Then, I passed the banking exam, but ultimately didn’t join because the role didn't seem fulfilling to me.”

However, his path took a winding road and during his master's studies, a serendipitous meeting with his friend’s husband helped him to secure a contractual role as an Economist with the Bureau of Industrial Costs and Prices (BICP). For two years, he worked with vengeance on the calculations for government pricing of essential goods like tyres, steel, and more. Then, he had a twist of fate when a senior economist at his organization suggested he try business journalism for a magazine named Business India. He took the leap, appeared for the interview, got selected, and joined Business India magazine in 1980. Talking about his rollercoaster journey, he says, “My series of jobs from there personally driven by two things; first, it should align with my personal interests, and second, it should leverage the skills.”

After concluding his stint at Business India, he was approached by the late Dhirubhai Ambani with an opportunity to help establish a national newspaper, the Observer of Business and Politics. Then, as a founding member, he put his heart and soul to create and run this newspaper for three years.

His professional path showed that the career paths are not always clear-cut. Sometimes, the most fulfilling roles are found by embracing opportunities as they come and focusing on what truly engages your skills and passions.

The Inception of Perfect Relations & His Bold Entrepreneurial Journey

From co-founding Perfect Relations to becoming India’s ‘Image Management’ Guru, Dilip Cherian proved that being a little crazy for your passion is important to seize new opportunities and attain growth in your life.

Cherian shares that the co-founding of Perfect Relations was a result born out of a chance conversation with an old senior schoolmate who was the Head of PepsiCo in India. Recalling the moment that gave birth to the idea of starting his agency, Dilip shares, “My schoolmate expressed frustration with the existing PR agencies and asked if I could do something for him. I agreed and told him that I’d start my agency and took the risk for a year. He thought I was crazy, but he agreed to give this idea a try.”

Starting an agency from scratch with a single client was surely a bold move back then. However, he was fortunate to have secured a prestigious client like PepsiCo from the outset.

He was believed to be slightly crazy for not following the typical startup script and starting an agency the very next day after his conversation. But this wasn’t the only unconventional decision he made. Unlike many entrepreneurs who opt for sleek, high-end office spaces, he started Perfect Relations by subletting the Member of Parliament's house as his office.

Talking about countless challenges he faced, he reflects, “During the initial days, I would write out the press releases and I had a motorcycle, so from that my business partner used to deliver those releases to various press offices in ITO. The other problem was that we couldn’t use MP’s phone to make calls so we would go to Rashtraprati Bhawan to make calls through local phones by putting coins in.”  

His Contributions Vision to Create Industry-Ready Professionals

Dilip has worked extensively to nurture the next generation of PR professionals through the Perfect Relations Centre for Image Management Science (PRCIMS).

He reflects that 25 years ago, the courses available in the market were insufficient in preparing individuals for the real-time demands of the PR industry. Recognizing the gap between the skills taught and the skill required, he explains, “It was not enough to just have a person who had writing skills. It’s also important for a person to have the ability to write in large quantity, summarizing large quantity data into English crisply without having to waffle.”

Explaining his vision for PRCIMS, he states, “The idea of setting up the institute was to bring up courses, having exams, making sure people are ready for the industry.” He further revealed that PRCIMS was led by a respected professor and his classmate from the Delhi School of Economics. Through the institute, they taught an average of 20 students per year. However, despite its success, Cherian decided to discontinue the institute after six years as he didn’t want to be a part crowded marketplace.

His Contributions to Social Change and Digital Literacy

Dilip’s fervour for elevating India's presence on the global PR stage and social change is commendable.

Through his multifaceted roles at the IPRA Global Council, Communication for Social Change Consortium, and Advisory Board Member of One Laptop Per Child, he transformed and contributed to the industry’s growth. Reflecting on his mission at the IPRA’s Global Council as the India Council Member he illustrates, “My aim was to elevate, expand, and sustain India’s professional standing in terms of the PR world because, at that time, Indian services companies were not as dominant in the world business as it is today.”

Furthermore, he is fervently working to bridge the digital divide among underprivileged children and empower the next generation with the tools they need to succeed through initiatives like One Laptop Per Child and Yuva Unlimited. “We are working on providing laptops to children in schools, especially in municipal schools and schools in backward areas,” he explains. Through these efforts, Cherian contributed significantly to providing digital literacy to about 50 to 60 lakh children and ensured that they don’t fall behind in an increasingly digital world.

His Approach to Mentor Industry Leaders

Dilip Cherian is not only a veteran PR and communications professional but also a mentor who assists several industry leaders in decoding their leadership DNA.

With his idiosyncratic approach, he dodged many odds and made a name for himself in the industry. When asked about his approach to mentoring industry leaders and CEOs, he shared that he follows a rigorous and highly selective approach because with talent he also looks for deep commitment and unyielding work standards. He emphasizes the importance of absolute commitment, stating, "The quality I looked for in them was the ability to work 24/7. Anyone who is looking for work-life balance is not a potential hire for me." This might seem harsh to many, but in his view, any distractions whether personal or professional are deal breakers because success in a competitive world demands total commitment. In return, he ensures that his mentees are provided with a conducive learning environment and are constantly challenged to grow.

His Netflix Debut

Other than the professional sphere, Dilip was also featured in the Indrani Mukerjea web series on Netflix. Reflecting on how this opportunity came about, he shares, "I was one of those who have the advantage of having both Peter and Indrani professionally, and so when Netflix wanted to do a web series, they requested my time to consult them on the psychological interaction, and the broad anxiety society has." In the series, he shared his valuable insights into the depth and nuances of the psychological aspects of the case.

His Views on AI and Public Policy's Impact on PR

When discussing his current passions: Public policy and Artificial intelligence, Cherian shares that these areas are crucial for the PR and communications industry’s future.

Talking about the emergence of AI, he emphasizes, "AI changes communication enormously because unless you become a professional communicator, you're kicked off the job." He believes that AI can handle much of the basic work, such as preparing reports and making PR more cost-effective. However, he also states that AI is a double-edged sword of PR and apart from benefits, it also poses a serious danger to professionals who are not adept at using these tools or fail to recognize redundant tasks.

Sharing his views on public policy, Dilip highlights the significant changes that occurred over the last decade and states, “Public policy has seen massive changes in the last 10 years, dependent on three things: the availability of data, the presentation of data, and how publicly data can be exempted.”