Living The Porsche Life

A globe trotter, an avid car enthusiast and the head of the most desirable sports car company today, Deesch Papke, Managing Director, Porsche Middle East & Africa, takes time out during the launch of Porsche Carrera 4 and 4S in Mumbai to talk to Bhavika Jhaveri and Gavin D'Souza about his life in the fast lane

Making a living out of your passion is something which many people aspire for, and one such privileged individual who has the best of both worlds is the newly appointed Managing Director of Porsche, Deesch Papke. Passionate about cars since childhood, the first car Papke drove was his brother's green Volkswagen Golf 1100, which he fondly refers to as his 'chariot'.

A South African by birth, Papke began his career in the automotive industry in 1986, after completing his studies. Papke has held various positions within the industry with a variety of leading car brands in South Africa, Russia and Europe. His job has virtually taken him around the world and Papke gives full credit to his wife Vivienne for holding the family together. "My wife Vivienne is the strength of the family. The old cliché is true; behind every (relatively) successful man is a strong woman," retorts Papke.

The family, which includes his nine-year old son, Thomas and six-year old daughter, Claudia has spent a lot of time in Pretoria in South Africa, Russia, Finland and are currently based in Dubai. According to Papke, the children love the change but there is always the challenge of adapting to a new environment. "But I must confess my kids are highly adaptable and in fact, they are also beginning to learn Arabic," states Papke.

He further adds that with the amount of travelling involved in his work, his kids had become truly global. "With the ability to travel, they get to experience many wonderful things, learn many new languages and absorb new cultures." Both his kids seem to have taken after their father as they love sports and especially enjoy water skiing. His son Thomas also owns a motorcycle. It doesn't come as a surprise when Papke announces, "We are a family that likes to do things outside."

The love for his kids and for adventure was quite evident when Papke narrated an incident where he made time from his busy schedule to be with his son on his birthday. "I surprised my son on his birthday which was a few days ago by hiring a private helicopter and taking him for a joy ride over the Dubai Creek for a memorable experience in the skies."

When quizzed about India, Papke confesses, "So far I have only visited New Delhi and Mumbai, and both strictly on business. It was simply a flight, a car ride, a meeting, another car ride and a flight back. I can do nothing but marvel at how rich and diverse the culture is in this country and would wish that I could spend more time in the country as that is the only way to appreciate it fully and also could bring my kids here some day."

For a man who is constantly leads a life in the fast lane, strives hard to strike a balance between his work and family. "I handle work and leisure simultaneously. You need to balance between work and personal life, but mostly it is skewed towards work as I generally put in 12 hours a day," informs Papke. He gives a whole new meaning to the term workaholic as by his own admission the longest vacation he has taken in his 18 years of married life was just 10 days!

Married to the job, one is familiar with the jibe but how can a man carry on working relentlessly for so long, there had to be a method to the madness, a key to survival and we pressed Papke to let us know his secret. A way of releasing stress for Papke is revving up his Porsche engine to about 6000-rpm, which seems to release some form of endorphin inside him. The car he currently drives is the same model as the one on display at the launch: a Red Porsche 911 Carrera 4S with black leather interior. "I love the machine as it is a perfect blend of relentless power mated to the sublime handling of the all-wheel drive system. I have to drive a great distance to work (47.8km one way) but given my passion for driving, it is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the day. I tend to get into a zone when driving my Porsche," says Papke and we nod our heads dreamily. Who wouldn't with a Porsche!

Apart from driving his Porsche, music too forms an integral part of his life. Papke loves listening to Sting, Simply Red and more than anything contemporary jazz while he drives and when he is at home. "The new type of music like techno is uninteresting and lacks creativity. I also enjoy watching live music concerts and also listen to Dido sometimes as my wife is quite fond of her music," discloses Papke. While he might sport the image of a veteran traveller that he is, his favourite peeve about travel is waiting at the airport. He simply hates it. "I enjoy the dynamics of flying, but I don't like having to wait at an airport," reveals Papke.

Speaking about the introduction of Carrera 4 and 4S coupes in India, Papke says, "Porsche's profound heritage, which in combination with India's fascinating culture promises a successful future for our business in India. 'Shreyans Motors Private Limited' is in the process of setting up a state-of-the-art facility which will soon be in a position to offer everything that our new Porsche customers expect and deserve. With the introduction of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S the environment is set for a good future," he says as a parting shot to add a business touch to the interview.