It is a year since U.S. Consul General took charge of the U.S. diplomatic mission at Chennai and AmCham members wanted to hear from Consul General Phillip Min, his experiences and thoughts on the past year.

Consul General Philip Min said he was happy to talk to AmCham members in Chennai, emphasizing that the Consulate will continue to support AmCham in all activities and support American businesses. Consul General Min explained his role as the Principal Officer at the American Consulate General and his responsibility for the safety of both American and Indian personnel working at the mission. He added that the smooth working of various departments was part of his responsibilities. The territorial jurisdiction of the mission at Chennai extends to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands besides Lakshadweep.

One of the first things Consul General Phillip Min did soon after arriving in Chennai was to interact with other diplomats in the city to get a feel of the business environment and life in the state. From these meetings CG Phillip Min learnt that the basic requirements were persistence and patience. He said that the Americans are very good at being persistent but they had over time mastered the art of patience.

The CG spoke about the recently concluded Global Investor Meet in Chennai and complimented the manner it was organized. He said that it would be in the states’ best interest to follow up on the investment intentions as the state has great potential in terms of talent, infrastructure, ports etc.

Consul General Min also dwelt on how life in the south of India was good with very hospitable people. He added that for him and his wife, living in Chennai meant being at home, since they are quite used to living in the tropics.

He also said that all the officers at the Consulate and him are willing to be available to AmCham members to help American business grow. The meeting ended with a very lively interactive session with members.