When Vinayak Hajare arrived in Strasbourg in 2006 to meet the Anterist family in person and learn more about the worldwide InterGest network, he was welcomed by temperatures he had never experienced before: minus 17 degrees Celsius. “Luckily, a friend provided me with a parka. Otherwise, I might have frozen,” Vinayak recalls with a laugh. “In Mumbai , even 10 degrees can make the news. But the welcome was incredibly warm. Peter cooked for us at his home, and that made the whole experience very special.”
It was the beginning of a partnership that has now lasted 20 years.
For Vinayak, joining InterGest was a natural step. He already had a close connection with France: he had learned French at school and college and had worked for many years with Lazard Frères and Crédit Lyonnais, now Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank. “My French is a little rusty,” he says, “but I know I would not go hungry if I had to order a meal in a French-speaking country.”
Before joining the InterGest network, Vinayak had built more than 15 years of experience in investment banking, with a focus on domestic and cross-border M&A, corporate finance and advisory services for companies entering India. Among other projects, he worked on transactions involving international companies such as Legrand, the French specialist for electrical and digital building infrastructure.
When he became part of InterGest in 2006, Vinayak brought with him an extensive network of business relationships in India and a clear entrepreneurial vision: to support InterGest clients from Europe in building a reliable presence in India, while also helping Indian companies expand into international markets.
He quickly established a team of accountants and company secretarial specialists and began supporting German and French companies with setting up and managing their operations in India. Some client relationships have lasted for many years - one of them for around 18 years.
Today, InterGest India supports companies with market entry, company formation, administration, accounting, reporting, payroll-related matters and the local coordination that international expansion requires. Vinayak also helps Indian companies establish a presence abroad, including in Germany, France, Mexico, USA and South Africa. In addition, he uses his broad network to create alliances, joint ventures and acquisition opportunities for companies seeking faster access to the Indian market.
India itself has changed dramatically during these two decades. Today, it is one of the world’s major growth markets, with strong domestic demand, a broad industrial base, a growing services sector and increasing relevance as a production, sourcing and technology location. For small and medium-sized enterprises, India offers considerable opportunities, but it is also a market that requires local knowledge, clear structures, reliable compliance and the right partners on the ground.
“India is a highly interesting market,” Vinayak says. “But entering it successfully requires preparation, patience and a good understanding of local business practices. Our role is to help companies take the right steps from the beginning.”
Looking back, Vinayak is grateful for the journey, and proud that the next generation is already involved. His son Rohan joined the business in 2019 and has become an important part of the team. “Rohan is very strong in deep-dive research on Indian companies that may be interested in working with us,” Vinayak explains. “Thanks to his data and analysis, we are able to identify the right contacts and explore potential opportunities for clients.” One day, Rohan may take over the business. But not yet. “At 67, I still enjoy working very much,” Vinayak says. “It keeps me young and active.”
Prof. Peter Anterist, CEO of the InterGest Group, highly appreciates what Vinayak has built over the past two decades: “Vinayak is a strong partner whom we value very much. He is competent, loyal and completely trustworthy. We are very happy that he has been part of InterGest for 20 years, and we look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries with him.”
For Vinayak, InterGest has always been more than a business network. He still remembers his first InterGest Annual Meeting in China in 2007 and the many cultural lessons that came with it. “That is something we share in our network: learning about other cultures and embracing them,” he says. One year later, at the Annual Meeting in Paris, the wife of the late founder of InterGest invited him to dance Bollywood style. “We did a few steps,” he says with a smile. “But SHE had to teach ME.”
After 20 years, that spirit remains: professional, personal and deeply international.
And as Vinayak finishes another working day, sends his team home and locks the office, one thing is clear: tomorrow he will be back - ready to support his clients, together with his son and his team.
