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GetYourGuide CEO revealed it took 6 months for former Netflix executive Gaurav Agarwal to get a German visa, despite his top-tier profile.
German CEO slammed the visa process. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
It’s no secret that getting a German visa can be a challenge for the average applicant, but what’s surprising is that even the man behind Netflix’s global expansion had to struggle through it.
Johannes Reck, the CEO of Berlin-based travel-tech company GetYourGuide, revealed how his company went the extra mile to make the process smoother for its international employees.
In a recent podcast with Harry Stebbings, Mr. Reck shared how he had to step in to help Gaurav Agarwal, formerly with Netflix, secure a German visa after he was appointed CTO of GetYourGuide.
He said, “We hired a CTO from Netflix, Gaurav Agarwal, last year. Amazing guy. He was the one who led all of the growth at Netflix. Very successful—he was at Meta before. Tremendous resume. He’s Indian.”
Mr Reck further stated that Mr Agarwal had to struggle for six months to get a German Visa despite an impressive career. He said, “For him to get a visa to come to Germany after he had signed a job contract—this guy makes a lot of money—took him 6 months.”
He explained that Mr Reck had to go to the consulate in San Francisco, and they only take appointments two times a week, and they’ve been booked out for the next six months.
He mentioned that he took the matter into his own hands to get Mr Agarwal’s visa process moved forward. He contacted Germany’s foreign office to book an appointment for Mr Agarwal at the consulate in San Francisco to carry out paperwork.
Mr Reck stated, “If you make it that hard, it’s no wonder we don’t have a tech ecosystem in Europe.”
He also disclosed that there is not enough talent in Germany to staff his company, stating that 90 per cent of the employees in Berlin are immigrants, having been brought in from the US and India.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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