| What industry do you work in and how would you describe what you do (your elevator pitch!)? |
| A result oriented ambitious strategy consultant with a total of 21 years of experience that includes 13 years of Strategy and Operations consulting experience plus 8 years of Digital project management and development experience. Typically, I lead large scale client engagements that are global focused on boosting overall business performance, cost management and strategic transformations that include changes to performance metrics, organizational structure and governance, digital transformations or strategic implementations. In addition, I drive business development activities by defining Valid Business Reasons, client challenges and translating client issues into potential use cases that can be run as large programs. I practice a “Servant Leadership style” supporting and enabling those around me to succeed. I call myself the “Business Sculptor” who shapes ideas around using modern innovative technologies into reality
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| What was your favourite subject in school and why? |
| I loved history books and was fascinated by biographies as well historical accounts of events. For me history is “His” Story which is reality mixed with the splash of author’s vocabulary and thoughts to make it interesting to read and get inspired or horrified by events that have taken place. I see history repeating in patterns in terms of behaviours of people with only the tools of engagement changing. The best part of reading history is it makes travel more interesting and relatable rather than a checkbox exercise.
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| How did you get into your line of work? Can you talk us through a quick overview of your career path to date? |
| I completed my Bachelor of Engineering in India in Electronics and joined one of the largest technology consulting firms as a software engineer. Through that I navigated to the technology side developing digital solutions for fortune 500 clients. After 8 years my passion and interests was more towards business side for which I pursued MBA in the Netherlands in Rotterdam School of Management with a specialization in Finance. After this I worked as a strategy consultant for one of the BIG4 -KPMG for 8 years travelling across the globe and delivering C-suite projects in strategy, M&A , Supply Chain. In my current role I have combined my business and technology skillsets to bring in technology drive in supply chain business innovation while not losing a pragmatic sense of doing business. I believe in best way to adapt is to unlearn and relearn that helps you to adapt to new changes but also sharpen existing skills
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| When do you use creative thinking and problem solving in your line of work? |
| I am usually deputed into organizations who are figuring out the best way to use a technology within their business context. My problem solving skills come into play of making use of minimal means to achieve tangible outcomes that can be hopefully scaled with sustainable investments. By sustainable investments I mean making the technology investments over time where the business financial outcomes can be reinvested to scale rather than identifying new pockets of investments. Creative thinking comes into play as I try to balance Cost, Quality, Outcomes for stakeholder and Schedule to drive from ideas and discussions to real outcomes. My role includes a splash of sales, a dose of focused delivery with a sprinkle of business development that requires me to think on my feet to make the project succeed. |
| Any top tips for young people looking to get into your area of work? |
| Practice a lot of ways in presenting your ideas – Videos, via blogs, LinkedIn posts, PowerPoint presentations, word documentation, using an AI Agent. This will be skillset that will exist since one needs to always present your ideas in a conversations. Try participating in a lot of CSR activities, ESG activities since this provides for unstructured thinking and best way to stretch boundaries of thinking beyond a business financial outcome to have an wholistic view Work Smart – Learn to be efficient in a few repetitive things you do. This can be from home cleaning, cooking, managing your finances, way you get dressed up. Remember efficiency saves time and making use of that extra time to think, reflect, prepare sharpens your messaging Plan Plan Plan – Putting things on paper , calendar helps you stick to your objectives. |
| What professional failure have you experienced that has made you a more resilient person as a result? |
| Learn to say No rather than Yes. Sometimes we are eager to please and don’t want to define boundaries of work. School is about individual grades and excellence but working in corporate is dependent on other people’s objectives intertwined with yours. So understand what works best for you and what are your priorities before committing to take additional responsibilities.
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| What is your go-to resource to help you with creative thinking and problem solving in work? – a website, tool; app or framework – whatever! |
| I am a fan of Pareto analysis – 80% of challenges are linked to 20% reasons. So it is a framework i recommend to all to pick key things to focus on in life. 5 whys – make use of this iterative technique while doing any activity till you find an answer |
| If you had the opportunity, what advice would you give your 16-year old self now? |
| Learn soft skills and use every opportunity to try them out. Maybe a fashion show in your school, cultural event, community cooking, learning a new langugage that can practically help you. Don’t forget these skills will accelerate your growth more than the hard skills |
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