At the Assembly 2025 Corporate Communications Leadership Retreat at Taj Bekal, I was reminded of a simple but powerful truth: Brand, culture, values, and business are not separate things. When they are real, they are one and the same.

This insight didn’t just come from the formal sessions. It came from a magazine, a memory, and a quiet moment involving one of India’s most respected leaders, Mr. Ratan Tata.

While at the retreat, I came across a copy of The Taj magazine, its cover featuring a striking portrait of Mr. Tata, a man whose leadership I’ve long admired, not just for what he built but for how he carried himself. A decade ago, at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, I had a brief, unforgettable moment: we were just 20 feet apart in the lobby. Our eyes met, and we exchanged a simple nod. It lasted hardly a second, but it stayed with me. Sometimes, respect and presence don’t need words. A nod is enough when it comes from someone who leads with quiet integrity.

That gesture brought back what Mr. Tata and the Tata Group have long represented: humility, trust, and an unwavering sense of responsibility. As he once said, “Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” These values aren’t declared. They’re demonstrated, especially in how an organisation responds under pressure.

The 2008 Mumbai attacks, and specifically the siege at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, became a global story not just because of the horror, but because of the staff. Many put their lives at risk; some lost them to protect guests. They didn’t just react. They lived their values instinctively. That’s not training. That’s culture. That’s brand, at its deepest level.

I asked the general manager at Taj Bekal, Mr. Dinesh Varma, if a copy of the magazine could be sent to my room. As expected, it arrived swiftly and with quiet grace. A small gesture, but one that reflected something much bigger.

Not everyone will have that exact experience. But the lesson is universal.
When culture is authentic, it shows up not in presentations, but in choices, especially in the moments that test us.

This truth extends far beyond hospitality. In any industry, whether technology, finance, healthcare, or design, organisations that endure are those where values aren’t confined to vision statements, but are lived across every interaction, decision, and crisis.

At Lopez, we believe this deeply. In our work in design, communication, and strategy, we often tell clients that coherence is not cosmetic. It’s structural. It’s the consistency between what you claim, what you choose, and how you act over time.

So here’s the question I leave you with:
Are your brand, your culture, your values, and your business pulling in the same direction or just coexisting under the same roof?

Anthony Lopez,
Founder and Chief Creative Director,
LOPEZ