Sandalwood firm to cash in on Gichrist's popularity

Adam Gilchrist will be the face of a Perth-based sandalwood supplier who looks to capitalise on the former Australian captain's popularity while entering the Indian market.

Gilchrist, one of Australia's most destructive batsmen, has been roped in as director of TFS Corporation, which operates sandalwood plantations in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. The company plans to penetrate the market in India where he is a popular figure because of his cricketing achievement at the highest level and more recently in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

And Gilchrist acknowledges his presence in India will help the business of the company.

"It certainly helps the first five minutes of any meeting," Gilchrist was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday.

"We are talking about common interests and that's cricket. You can spruce it up and fluffy it up all you like, but when it comes to the actual business transaction, cricket doesn't really hold a great deal of power."

Gilchrist says he has a decent understanding of how business is done in India, having visited the country 15 times in as many years.

"There is a perception from outside India from people who haven't been there, or haven't dealt with business in India, that it's all doom and gloom, nothing can get done, and it's all hard work."

"But I beg to differ ...like in any game, if you have got a sturdy business and sound foundation to work from, and there is a negotiation that is required, things can get done and get done well."

It is not the first time Gilchrist has been associated with something other than cricket. He is a non-executive director of foreign exchange company Travelex Australasia from 2003 to 2008.