As someone who devoted much of his career to linking people together, Sarin believes in the power of connections, including those found through the Haas Alumni Network, which he calls “very supportive,” adding, “It is part of coming to Haas: it will help to propel your career in time.” As an alumnus, Sarin still comes to Haas and often makes time to share his wisdom with current students.

About business, Sarin says, “It is not about money, greed, and power. It is about doing something bigger than yourself.” He notes that Vodafone does business in 27 countries around the world and has 150 million customers. What resonates for Sarin about his former company's products and services is that “We connect people at the deepest level, through telecommunications. For us, to be a responsible business is tremendously important.” In fact, Sarin believes, “The key difference between Haas and any other business school is Haas produces leaders with a heart — leaders who are going to leave the world a better place.”

As a result of this and what he sees as the university's rigorous academic preparation, Sarin finds that the Berkeley name is recognized all over the world. “Berkeley and Haas both have a tremendous brand name overseas. Everybody recognizes the university. When I go around the world and meet chief executives, there are many who also graduated from Haas.”