Three of four chief executives we spoke to anticipated the crisis to last until July An online survey of 70 Indian business leaders conducted by Bain and Co.
revealed that most had suspected the initial lockdown to be extended far beyond the initial 21 days. Now, in the middle of the extension, many are beginning to plan for the time when the sun comes up again.
While the pandemic caught everyone by surprise, most CEOs got into a crisis mode speedily, ensuring safety and well-being of employees and helping with relief work.
The challenge then was not about what was to be done immediately but what could one say about what lay ahead, when this would pass and what recovery would look like.