Category: Leaders

Arun hails from a humble family based in the state of Odisha, India. The adventure of his life began with an Atlas Goldline Super bicycle and culminated with the possession of multiple Tesla cars and super-luxury cars in the UK. Motivated by the Kargil war of 1999, the young and determined Arun joined the Indian army as an officer in the year 2000 after clearing Combined Defence Services interview (conducted by the UPSC), & Service Selection Board interview. After serving seven years in the Artillery Division of the Indian Army, he opted for early retirement owing to injury & medical concerns. Following his retirement from the Indian Army, Arun decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge after finishing management studies at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. The military veteran is now the Co-Founder of the Nest Group of companies, which is designed across five subsidiaries, including Multinational Digital & Technology Innovation companies specializing in Information Technology & Environment Sustainability.

SURGING AHEAD WITH DETERMINATION

Arun believes that the qualities of courage, determination, and leadership imbibed while serving in the Indian Army have given him the confidence to embark on large-scale projects. The confidence he drew from the armed forces has also helped him deal with the hurdles of running a business. The Nest Group was founded by Arun and his partner Chintan Panara to develop game-changing solutions across industries & thereby creating a more intelligent world for humanity. Today the Nest Group has five subsidiary companies, including Xpertnest. Through Xpertnest, the duo aims to bring together technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, IoT, & sophisticated analytics for forecasting trends & optimizing processes to provide more value.

UNIQUE LEADERSHIP STYLE

Arun is inspired by many world luminaries, including Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani, Mr. Elon Musk, and Mr. Jack Ma, to name a few. He considers these business titans to be his pillars of strength, as their philosophy has helped him in developing a distinct leadership style of encouraging others, offering direction, and putting plans into action. Arun also has extensive expertise in developing & directing high-performing teams in multiple jurisdictions around the world. Like a true leader, he has built a healthy work culture where his team can perform at their best. Backed by a motivated team, the ambitious leader has successfully delivered multimillion-pound projects for clients in the United Kingdom, Europe, & the United States.

AN ENTREPRENEUR PAR EXCELLENCE

As a Global Leadership Cadre professional, he is proficient at engaging with C-level officers and decision-makers of Tier 1 companies in Europe, and the US. He is also fascinated by innovative ventures led by young entrepreneurs and enjoys collaborating with them. The dynamic entrepreneur has worked for numerous notable clients over the years, including the largest Telco in the UK, Big 4 consulting firms, Utility companies, Councils & Public sector authorities (at the National Level in the UK), world’s secondlargest CSP’, Global Banking & Financial markets clients, and smart city development projects. Arun is also relentless in his pursuit of exceptional customer experiences through the integration of utility and technology. Arun is an action-oriented individual who intends to bring the economy & society to a state of progress and prosperity. He has created numerous job opportunities in India, the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Dubai. What’s more, the self-motivated leader presently contributes significantly to the overall growth of India’s economy and employs over 100 people around the world, especially in India.

SOUND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Arun considers corporate governance as the cornerstone of any successful business. When it comes to corporate governance, the ex-Indian army officer goes above and beyond to ensure the compay runs smoothly. Emphasizing the importance of integrity in corporate governance, Arun says, integrity underpins the principles of fair, transparent, ethical, & equitable business dealings. Good corporate governance, he says, is based on integrity, trust, honesty, & responsibility. “At Xpertnest, we take corporate governance seriously and are devoted to ethical practices that guarantee the best results and value for us as well as our customers,” he adds.

Committed to Bringing a Positive Change in Society Arun says, “CSR activities are inbuilt in our business concept.” He explains, “A CSR initiative not only demonstrates that a company cares but it also helps businesses grow & set an example.” The socially aware leader strives to make the world better, greener, & more prosperous by leveraging advanced technologies to solve the needs of real people & their communities. “Everything Xpertnest does is centered on people, communities, & the places they work and live,” he asserts. Under Arun’s leadership, Xpertnest has made significant investments in corporate social responsibility by establishing Earthnest (Xpertnest’s sister company), to assist consumers in achieving a more sustainable future. It is revolutionizing the packaging industry by creating sustainable bio bags & sheeting made entirely of starch & other natural ingredients that are completely plastic-free. TÜV Rheinland (Germany) & UKAS (the United Kingdom) have verified Earthnest’s bio bags as biodegradable. The products have also been endorsed by CIPET, the Indian Institute of Plastics Engineering, & the Indian Institute of Packaging.

GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

Arun has achieved significantly in his entrepreneurial venture at a young age. His tireless efforts & phenomenal value creation in the industry have been duly acknowledged. His relentless efforts helped Xpertnest win the Most Impacting Company of the Year in 2021 awarded by the DotCom magazine of the United States. The company was also the finalist at the U.K’s National SME Awards 2020 – Business Innovation Category. In 2019, Arun was honored with the Young Entrepreneur Award for his valuable contributions to the Odia society in London. Arun is also an Offcial member of Forbes Business Council, and featured on International Media like Mobile World Congress, Telegraph, BBC and Smart City Expo. In 2019, the company has also won ‘Company of the Year’ title in Smart City Solutions Category.

Amitt, a qualified engineer, has also pursued business management courses to hone his entrepreneurial expertise. Using his cutting-edge ideas, he has been instrumental in restructuring his company’s business operations, expanding its market reach, and improving all aspects of profitably running the business. He is a sharp observer who is constantly one step ahead of the curve when it comes to utilizing technology. Under his stellar leadership, the Shiva Group of Industries has managed to enhance business profitability by five times in the last one and half years. In a short period, he has successfully achieved INR 500 crore topline with a lot of zeal. Nevertheless, the humble leader can’t rest on his laurels. He says, “This is just the beginning, we are all raring to grow and go further.”

To embark on the route of entrepreneurship takes persistence, and Amitt is a live example of this. The leader credits his fastrising success to his father and mentor, Mr. Shiv Kumar, the Founder and Chairman of the Group. He reveals that the best leadership lessons he ever learned came from his father who is his inspiration. “I had to struggle a lot in my initial days. My father made me learn the ropes from the ground up, just like any other employee. I wasn’t granted any preferential treatment, not even a private cabin.” He recalls, “I used to sit with the sales staff and had to go on customer visits and wait for hours for appointments. These challenging lessons provided me with the opportunity to examine and experience things from different angles, and they served as the foundation of my learning.”

VALUES CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Amitt plays a crucial role in shaping the corporate governance of the Shiva Group. The responsible leader ensures that the company has the best processes and policies in place to deal with concerns related to how it is administered and operated daily. The honest leader also ensures that the company facilitates ethical and responsible decisionmaking conforming with all relevant policies, rules, regulations, and codes of best business practices, all while adhering to the ethics and operating principles of the Shiva Group. Stressing on the importance of sound corporate governance, the leader says, “I believe business ethics and corporate governance of an organization must go hand in hand. Shiva Group implements the best corporate governance principles as a firm that follows ethical principles in all of its activities.”

ALWAYS ON THE GO

Amitt is riding a wave of success and has grand plans for his company. His short-term plan is to grow exponentially and invest in an IPO. In the next three years, he plans to expand the reach of his company to over 15 countries. When asked about his longterm objectives, the focused leader says he wants to explore all possibilities by offering personalized chemical solutions to businesses while maintaining the highest levels of safety, quality, environmental protection, and community involvement.

Amitt is known among his peers for his curious intellect. It is curiosity that fuels his desire to learn new things and grow as a person. “It’s not just having curiosity that matters. What matters is how you follow your curiosity. My curiosity keeps me going and helps me to connect ideas better,” says the leader.

PRIORITIZING EMPLOYEES

Keeping his employees at the core of his thoughts, Amitt strives to build a positive work environment. He strongly believes that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business. He says, “Our continuous achievements are fueled by our employees’ devotion, zeal, and brilliance across a wide range of disciplines, and we owe our success to them.”

As the captain of the ship, I just give the direction and the team drives the organization,” says the enthusiastic leader.

The empathetic leader also values employee safety as well as their physical and emotional wellness.

The leader adds, “Though business growth is a crucial metric for evaluating a company’s success, the happiness and prosperity of our people is the most important metric for us as we consider our employees as our extended family.”

For Amitt, wellness comes before business. Under his stewardship, the company has sponsored vaccination efforts to immunize staff in order to ensure their safety. What’s more, there were no layoffs or salary cuts in his company amid the pandemic.

PREPARED FOR THE WORST

Amitt is a true visionary who can see around corners and make the most of what he has. The strategic leader strongly believes that if you don’t have a solid strategy in place to quickly resume your business operations, even a minor disruption can have a huge impact on your organization. He is skilled in taking decisive actions despite chaos, complexity, and ambiguity. It is his strategic mindset that has helped the company thrive through the ongoing pandemic. He says, “The coronavirus crisis demanded quick and resourceful planning to keep the business going. Despite the COVID-19 crisis and its short-term economic impact, our corporate goals remain intact.

PAVING WAY FOR A BETTER FUTURE

A socially responsible leader, Amitt leaves no stone unturned in making the world a better place. “Philanthropy is the heart of our organization. We want to be a responsible business that adheres to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism,” says Amitt. “Being in the petrochemical business, we feel responsible for not harming our planet. Therefore, we are consistently making moves to create an environmentally friendly business. To this end, we have set up zero-emission plants and are proud of the fact that we do not contribute to air or water pollution. Also, we regularly organize tree-planting drives in all the locations where we have a presence,” he elaborates.

Through SHIVASOUL, the CSR wing of the Shiva Group, he offers free education and medical facilities to the EWS of India. When the second wave of COVID-19 hit India, and it was facing an acute shortage of oxygen cylinders, Amitt stepped up to help people in need. He has also been initiating sanitization drives to supply sanitizers to underprivileged people free of cost.

Sankey Prasad, FRICS, founded a project management company in 2003, which went to become the number one project management firm in India. The firm delivered exceptional projects not just across the country but other geographies as well. In 2019, Colliers acquired the firm and merged operations to create a top player in project management and positioned itself as a force to reckon with in the Indian real estate market. Since the merger, Colliers’ combined business is led by Sankey as the Chairman & Managing Director.

Sankey leads a team of over 2500 professionals in India spread across 11 offices. Colliers offers Office Services; Project Management Services including design services, interior design services, fit-outs, technical due diligence; Real Estate Management Services (REMS), Capital Markets & Investment Services (CMIS), Valuation & Advisory and Industrial & Logistics Services.

ACCELERATING THE SUCCESS OF CLIENTS AND PEOPLE

Sankey is responsible for leading the client strategy and growth for Colliers’ India business. With over 35 years of real estate experience, Sankey has played an instrumental role in delivering numerous landmark real-estate projects across India and abroad. He has worked in various real estate sectors across India, UK, Africa, and the Middle East. Sankey is a highly respected industry leader and is an inspiration and a role model to many young entrepreneurs. He believes in leading from the front and has created high-performing teams that delivered some of the most complex and challenging projects for investors, developers, and real estate occupiers.

Sankey has won numerous accolades, both in India and internationally, for his contribution to the real estate sector, including “Most Aspirational Leader in India” by White Page International. Under his leadership, Colliers has been conferred several industry accolades like the Most Admired Brand in 2020 by the White Page International and most recently as the Best Brand in India by the Economic Times group. He is a firm believer in empowering people and values relationships above business. His courage in surviving the challenges makes him a leader one can rely on to provide game-changing solutions. Sankey attributes his success to his dynamic team of professionals and invests time and efforts in mentoring and creating future leaders.

INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS TO DRIVE EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

At Colliers, we invest in our people and clients to drive exceptional results. Under Sankey’s leadership, Colliers has become a place where market leaders are made. With strong dynamic leadership, enterprising solutions driven by a great execution plan, our people are empowered to deliver greater, enduring value for clients with a shared vision of taking the company to the leading position in India.

The brand’s investments will continue to be around being preferred advisors for our clients, creating a diverse culture with world-class talent, and leveraging our bestin-class integrated real estate services to grow our business faster than the competition. Sankey’s vision is to surpass the growth target within the next three years and be recognized as the country’s number 1 real estate management and investment management firm.

DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR OUR PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY

Reiterating Colliers’ global commitment to Environment Sustainability and Governance (ESG), Sankey in India has enabled the business to do what’s right for our people, clients, and community. Colliers has partnered with the IGBC and CII to be Net-Zero by 2050, supporting the country’s sustainability plans. He has initiated several COVID 19 vaccination camps across Bengaluru to spread awareness and empower people. In addition, Colliers’ workplaces are created on the concept of PACE to ensure that our employees receive a collaborative and flexible work environment prioritizing their health and well-being. Sankey is an inspirational and fearless leader who believes in walking the talk and seizing opportunities despite challenges. Sankey has created an enterprising work culture where our people are empowered to maximize the potential of property for our clients. At Colliers, it is not just what we do but how we do it. Under his leadership, Colliers is operating as a leading diversified professional services and investment management company. Over the years, Colliers has built a well-known and highly respected global brand and operating platform. Colliers’ entrepreneurial culture and partnership philosophy attract the best talent to lead the industry into the future. Colliers has a disciplined growth strategy with a focus on growing faster than the overall market. Additionally, under his direction, Colliers India is following the Global Sustainability Solutions Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance standards. The goal is to implement governance policies that will provide the clients access to practical and finest energy and sustainability expertise, allowing them to increase operational performance and resource productivity while lowering their carbon footprint.

AN UNENDING SERIES OF AWARDS

For his contribution to the Indian real estate sector, Mr. Prasad has garnered numerous awards in India and abroad. He has been honored with the Most Inspirational Leader award in Real Estate in 2020 by White Page International. The Realty Plus group has recognized him as one of the Top 100 Real Estate Influencers. Owing to his unwavering efforts, Colliers has been awarded as India’s Most Admired Brands in 2020 by White Page International and the Best Realty Brand by the Economic Times Group. His vision is to develop organically over the next 3 years, surpassing growth targets and emerge as the country’s leading real estate management and investment management firm. With a clear vision, confidence, and passion, he has been making an indelible mark in the field of entrepreneurship. He is someone you can look up to and strive to be!

Rajiv started his career in the year 1992 as a graduate engineer trainee at Essar Shipping Limited in Mumbai (Maharashtra), India. Since then, he has remained in the shipping and maritime industry, studying, implementing, and pioneering new ways for this centuries-old industry to adapt to modern-day trends.

One of the most astonishing characteristics of Rajiv is his zeal to make S’hail Shipping and Maritime Services outshine everyone in the competition. Within four years of its inception in December 2016, the company had grown to become Qatar’s largest owner of Dry Bulk Ships, with operations on six continents. From being the largest dry bulk ship-owner in Qatar, the company is on track to become the largest in the Middle East Region within the next few years owing to his relentless efforts.

He has a track record of enhancing organizational efficiency while growing sales and profit, earning him a reputation as one of the industry’s most renowned personalities. On being asked about his career highpoint, the elated leader says, “In 2016, Mr. Mohammed Khalifa Al-Sada, a veteran of Qatar’s maritime industry and the current Chairman of S’hail Shipping and Maritime Services, asked me to take on the task of establishing a non-oil and gas company in Qatar for sea transportation of dry bulk commodities. It’s been a fascinating journey for me since then.”

Rajiv considers his father as his mentor, guiding light, and pillar of strength. For him, his father’s guidance has been the source of his motivation to become a successful entrepreneur. “His best advice that has remained with me in my entrepreneurial journey is to march ahead with perseverance, productivity, and passion,” says the leader.

A RISK-TAKER

For Rajiv, entrepreneurship is all about taking risks because opportunities and risks are inextricably intertwined. Therefore, the optimistic leader consistently embraces new opportunities every day, along with the associated risks. He thinks that a company’s rewards are determined by the risks it takes. Therefore, as a leader, he takes, manages, and turns risks into rewards for the stakeholders.

For instance when S’hail Shipping and Maritime Services was established in December 2016, he was tasked to buy Ships for sea transportation of aggregates (stones used in the construction industry) from UAE to Qatar. With the abrupt economic embargo implemented by the UAE on Qatar in June 2017, that goal became a mission impossible in the next 6 months.

Since he was adamant about making the best of the situation, he decided to move his ships into international seas for dry bulk commodities. The success that followed demonstrated the leader’s organizational know-how, and determination to succeed. Presently, as Qatar’s largest dry bulk shipowner, the company is naturally one of the top contributors to Qatar’s 2030 vision of promoting the non-oil and gas service industry.

The bold leader says, “Identifying a worthwhile risk and then having the fortitude to take it is the unforeseen edge for successful entrepreneurship.” He believes that every move an entrepreneur makes is intimidating since nothing guarantees 100% success, no matter how brilliant your idea is. “You must take a leap of faith frequently and from higher altitudes to create and maintain a thriving business,” he adds.

UNIQUE LEADERSHIP STYLE

Rajiv not only preaches but also follows through on his words. His management approach is direct and to the point. His straightforward approach appears to be paying off for the company, which has experienced massive growth in the recent years. When asked about his leadership style, he says, he strives to drive constant due diligence and optimize the value chain to deliver worthwhile results for all parties involved.

SERVING THE SOCIETY

CSR, for Rajiv, is a norm rather than a duty. He says, “We are well integrated into our local and global societies for creating a meaningful and positive impact in various aspects.” The generous leader is involved in a variety of CSR efforts, including donating money to deserving local people in need, and investing in the maintenance and enhancement of global marine water quality. He also actively participates in developing decarbonization solutions.

He believes in making a significant difference in people’s lives in several ways. He says, “One of our major aims is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We take part in Rightship’s GHG rating, which uses one of two sources to determine a ship’s design efficiency: the Existing Vessel Design Index (EVDI) or the Efficiency Design Index (EDI).

He ensures that the company maintains the highest possible rating for the existing vessel index. He also strives to improve the rating by adding cutting-edge new propulsion technologies to improve the environment, thereby assisting in the reduction of large losses caused by poor weather as a result of environmental degradation. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the leader ensured that preventive measures were put in place as soon as possible so that none of its 185 seafarers become COVID-19 positive. The leader asserts, “We maintained a policy of reaching out to and assisting any of the family members of our seafarers who had been left behind onshore, including, if necessary, repatriating the seafarer whose presence was requested by their family back home. He adds, “This method has aided in keeping our seafarers’ morale up, even as they work in seas far away from their homes.”

WELL-EARNED PRESTIGE

Rajiv has been bestowed with honors and recognitions for his groundbreaking achievements. The most valuable endorsement of the organization’s achievements and growth capabilities came from Qatar Development Bank, which allocated QAR 70 million from its fund to Rajiv’s leadership at S’hail Shipping and Maritime Services to acquire ships to expand its business for the development of Qatar’s economy.

Mr. Choudhary has been efficiently spearheading the first wholly-owned overseas facility of PMD Group UK. Under his exemplary leadership, the firm offers a complete range of electroplating and surface treatment processes to the automotive, electronic, printed circuit board and jewellery industries in the country. He has played a significant role in the appointment of distributors in key strategic markets. Owing to his dedicated efforts, the company has received India 5000 Best MSME Award.

WORKING HIS WAY TO THE TOP

After completing his studies as an aeronautical engineer, Mr. Choudhary made a drastic shift in his career path and ventured into the chemical industry. He elaborates, “When I passed out in the year 1992, at that time, there was not much scope for aeronautical engineers. The career options were restricted to the Indian Airlines, Air India or the Defence. So, I entered into the chemical industry and especially the electroplating, I found it challenging. Today, I am into this industry and I’m really enjoying it.”

An expert in Business operations, he possesses excellent Problem Solving skills, values Customer Service and holds rich domestic and international experience. Talking about how he began his journey with PMD Chemicals and bringing their operations to India, Mr. Choudhary elaborates, “I am an aeronautical engineer by qualification, but I ventured into the chemical industry, and worked in various positions. It was in the year 2011 that I decided to bring one company to India. There were so many companies in the pipeline but I went to the PMD UK, and we finally decided to start the operation in India during 2012.”

Having achieved remarkable success in the chemical industry sector, he declares with pride, “I started this company from scratch. In 2012, no one knew about the PMD in India, but now this company is so much popular. In the UK, we were supplying to Rolls Royce and all the big companies over there. This is a great achievement. I’m very proud to say we are a profitable company in India.”

Sharing his success mantra, he says, “Our excellence mantra is that your future requires our liquid. Because whatever our products are in liquid, and anything starting from the needle of the aeroplane or the BrahMos all require our chemistry. Our main mantra is processing chemistry, and obtaining the metal finishing deposit.”

CONSIDERING THE CUSTOMER AS KING

Mr. Choudhary is of the view that businesses must not hesitate in treating their customers as king. He vehemently believes that customers should be given topmost priority in every business. According to him, the USP of PMD Chemicals which differentiates it from the others in the industry is its customer-centricity. He asserts, “We develop our products after discussion with customers and their requirements. We understand what their needs are. They should be user friendly. In addition, all our products are environmentally friendly. In the chemical industry, being environmentally friendly is very much important and our company takes proper care of that.”

TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Mr. Chaudhary has faced numerous challenges in his career journey. For instance, building the brand PMD in India required a lot of consistency, focus and dedication. Talking about some of the challenges he faced, he elaborates, “One of the major challenge during this situation was to make sure that your colleagues and everyone associated with your business should not be affected by the downfall of the business and one of the major problems I faced was the cash flow. Thus, we have to take stock of numerous factors that affect the market. For instance, if you realize that the cost of raw material has gone up even if ample amount of raw material has been coming from the UK, it could be because the Sterling Pound is at a very high value. So, we need to manage all the tough times and challenges without affecting our customers.”

Sharing some of the steps that he has undertaken to overcome these challenges, he says, “We have discussed the issue with our Parent company in the UK and have suggested that the raw material can be procured from the UK in bulk so that the discount could be obtained. Also, I have received the credit period of more than 90 days so that the cash flow will not get too much affected over here and I can manage the business, my staff and my customers will also not get affected by the price increase.”

FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE

Referring to the present day changing global scenario, Mr. Choudhary feels that a leader must possess the qualities of flexibility and adaptability. Sharing about the future plans for the company and himself, Mr. Choudhary tells us, “In the school we are taught to make the five year plan but right now it will not work because the landscape changes. The reality over here is everyday one has to pay for new things. Whatever ventures we have, we have to plan accordingly. Also I don’t want to waste valuable time on drafting the five years plan rather I believe in sticking to the short-term or near future plans, so we are working on the six months or a year plan.”

STRIKING THE PERFECT WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The proverb ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ holds true for Mr. Choudhary. For him, hard work is necessary to achieve our goals in life, however, he puts an equal emphasis on rejuvenation. He strongly believes that concentration on work alone with no recreation tends to make a person dull and unsociable. Reminiscing some of the life’s lessons, the biggest advice that he would like to give to young entrepreneurs is to strike an effective balance between work and personal life. He rightly elaborates, “One good lesson that I have learnt from life is to work hard and play harder. An entrepreneur is bound to work harder, I would say, even working more than other people do. But don’t sacrifice your social life and the family life and fun. We have to accompany both the things together.”

John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” If this is so, Dilip Keshu is beyond doubt an embodiment of a true leader who has picked many careers, started from scratch and gone all the way to the top. A true renaissance man. An IIT Madras alumnus, Mr. Keshu graduated in Aeronautical Engineering and started his career at an aeronautics firm. He has since then, worked his way up and lived a life of unusual achievements. Mr. Keshu has had an illustrious career even before he came on board at BORN Group as the CEO. He moved to Singapore early in his professional journey wherein he worked at a high-tech firm. He then went on join a NASDAQ-listed services company focused on HCM/corporate learning. He became an entrepreneur by acquiring some of this company’s assets and focused the newly minted firm on consulting services and digital transformation. The company did well until it started to fail after the 9/11 industry slowdown. He then sold the firm to Scandent and became its CEO. He has made every move of his count and propelled forward by leaps and bounds. His current company, BORN, was started as a creative design, content production and commerce solutions provider. In the many years of his career, Mr. Keshu has been involved in the acquisition of many companies, the divestment of a few and the public listing of one – that in no way is an easy feat. Over the years, Mr. Keshu has led BORN group to become an award-winning global agency that focuses on enterprise commerce and experience design. BORN produces unique brand experiences and offers personalized solutions to each client. Mr. Keshu has led the company with a craft of a strategic winner who has delivered positive outcome every time. Under his aegis, BORN has become one of the most awarded company in its class. So, what is his secret formula for getting it right every time? One of his true beliefs is that success come to those who stay authentic. “People buy from people. So in the end to succeed one needs to be authentic. No one is perfect. No one has all the answers to every question. I have always encouraged people to only display the qualities they possess. The risk in being authentic is that you may not win all the business you pitch for but the flip side is that the ones you win are of a higher quality and longer lasting,” he says. Another core belief that he abides by is followership. It is rightly said that a good leader must be a good follower and Mr. Keshu practices that in his work. He describes himself in almost all written communications as the fearless follower. He also believes that being logic underpins success. “The world does not work on the foundation of flukes and happenstance,” he says. He truly believes that there is logic to everything – that science lies even underneath art. “It’s too easy when success or failure is credited to conveniences like fate or coincidence”, he says.

WORKMANSHIP

Under his mentorship, BORN has become a world-renowned name and best in its category. The company has always upheld astandard of excellence that distinguishes it from the rest. For its class-apart initiatives and branding outcomes, the business has won over 50 awards in more than 7 countries all under the helm of Mr. Keshu. The most notable ones in 2020 alone include – Agency of the Year by Marketing Magazine, Best Use of Technology at Digies, Best Digital Agency by Global Brands, SEA Brand Experience Agency of the Year by Campaign Asia among many others. Mr. Keshu’s work has been recognized far and wide. He was named the TechM Associate of the Year 2020, Best Employee of TechM, Entrepreneur of the Year – Advertising, Marketing, & Public Relations awarded Gold by the Stevie Awards for the year 2020, Best Entrepreneur awarded by the Alumni Association of IIT Madras (2019), Management Team of the Year – Advertising, Business Services Marketing and Public Relations awarded silver by the Stevie Awards (2017). It is under his guidance that BORN distinguished itself through unique commercial structures. “With customers, one size does not fit all. We worked hard to provide glove-fit solutions to our clients wherever possible”, he says. He, with his unmatched foresight and focus,grew BORN from a small company to the global giant that it is today.

The firm has 500 customers. He led the company to have presence in 8 countries and when the time was right, he sold BORN to Tech Mahindra and has continued to grow the company even after the acquisition to record levels. The firm has partnered with the world’s leading technology companies – Microsoft, IBM, Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, Adobe and Shopify among others. It was his untiring work that led to BORN’s acquisition by Tech Mahindra in 2019 and Mr. Keshu still continues to lead BORN. The company continues to innovate and dominate at the intersection of art and science, under his headship.

MILES TO GO

While this past year and a half has been unprecedented for everyone, Mr. Keshu believes that every year something will change, and businesses should be stay constantly agile to adapt and evolve. He applies this principle at a personal level. He had decided early on in his life to not do something again and again. And, he has lived by it – he went from being an aeronautics engineer to mastering computer-aided design and manufacturing software, to enterprise resource planning to corporate education to consulting to IT services to BPO to a marketing agency.

At every turn he started from scratch and reached the pinnacle. After attaining so much in his career and scaling so many professional peaks he is still working to reinvent and try things he hasn’t done before. He is now the author of 3 books, occasionally advises companies pro bono and is also an investor in a few new-age technology firms. He is certainly someone who has a farsighted vision of not only what he can become but also what he can make of the people and community he works along with and that’s what makes a true leader. A self-confessed introvert, Mr. Keshu likes to read and play chess when he is not working on million-dollar projects. He lives a life of gratitude and believes that every day is a gift. For him the whole journey of entrepreneurship was within himself. “Life is about discovery yourself as much as it is about appreciating others around you”, he says. He calls himself a professional dreamer and the way in which he has been leading his life, one can only say – dream big, because they can come true.

Dr. Mathur truly embodies the spirit of global business leadership combined with a new humanitarian approach. A successful business leader and a recognized corporate trailblazer, he takes pride in his humble background. As he puts it, “I always had big dreams. When I finished school, I decided to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and uncles and become an engineer. But I saw that only as the beginning – later, I added business and project management to my qualifications to take my career to a different and higher level altogether.”

A GLORIOUS BEGINNING

Armed with a degree in mechanical engineering from Jodhpur, he set his sights on the wider world outside his state of Rajasthan. In 1990, after a stint with Indian big names such as Bajaj and Birla, he arrived in Bahrain as a young engineer and worked in a couple of high-profile engineering projects, including Aluminium Bahrain – one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters. Seeking a larger canvas for his professional growth, he soon joined Ahmed Mohammed Amin Al Khaja & Sons (AMAK) Group of companies. The rest, as they say, is history.

Dr. Mathur is quite meticulous and technical in his approach. His unquenchable thirst for new knowledge has facilitated his participation in many workshops and courses that helped him to bring new skill sets to his work including an MBA and a doctorate study in project management from the USA. No wonder under the joint leadership of AMAK’s Managing Director Mr. Mohammed Al Khaja and Dr. Mathur, AMAK emerged as the first contracting company in the Kingdom of Bahrain to be ISO-certified – ISO 9001: 2015; ISP14001: 2015 and ISO 45001: 2018 – denoting excellence in quality management, health and safety and environment.

In his own words, “I learnt very early on that quality control is not just about the right tools and technology but also about peoplemanagement. In 1996, I was entrusted with leading our company’s certification for the globally recognized ISO quality control label.

We succeeded in installing a management system that is responsive to the strict requirements of the certification process – we were among the pioneers in getting the certification in this field in Bahrain and we focused not just on technical expertise but also on aligning the management experience and deliverables as well because a strong, committed and excellent management automatically guarantees a great endproduct.” He adds, “While quality standards and environmental standards were laid down, we also implemented several worldclass health and safety measures so that workplace accidents were cut to minimum and working conditions improved.”

PRIORITIZING CUSTOMERS

A game changer, Dr. Mathur has always emphasized on uncompromising quality when it comes to offering goods and services to the customers. This has led to a prestigious track-record that stretches from government contracts to blue-chip companies such as the brand-new Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain Petroleum Co. (Bapco), Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (GPIC) and some VVIP clients who engage the company for palaces, private resorts and industries. It has also spurred a growth of new business ventures in the Group: from decorative wrought iron, marble contracting to industrial car park shades in a country that faces harsh climatic conditions for most of the year.

AN INFALLIBLE SUCCESS MODEL

Over a 27-year period, he has helped to grow the business of AMAK by a stunning 1700% with exports representing a major portion of the total business. This is very good news as Bahrain seeks to recast its business model and move more actively into engineering services and goods, promoting itself as an emerging technical hub for the busy United Arab Emirates and the Northern GCC, especially the giant neighboring markets of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

In recent times, Indian technology and expertise has increasingly been chosen by Bahrain to pace its development and CEOs and professionals like Dr. Mathur are at the vanguard of the new Bahraini boardroom. He has found a responsive business environment in the Kingdom of Bahrain, widely celebrated as the best place in the GCC to do business because of its cosmopolitan and inclusive lifestyle, transparent and strong legal framework and relatively low business cost. He rightly points out, “The Kingdom of Bahrain is very welcoming of new ideas and we all know that a successful business thrives on diversity.” “Bahrainis are highly educated and hard-working. They are open to innovation also. This makes it easy for expats like me to share our expertise and be a part of the progress of the nation,” he adds.

He is particularly appreciative of the vision of the leaders of the Kingdom. As he puts it, “One must also pay respects to the late Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa who was a stalwart leader and laid the foundation for modern Bahrain in the early ‘seventies,” he says. He further elaborates, “India and Bahrain share a historic and warm relationship that stretches back 5,000 years and that warmth continues to this day.”

GARNERING GLORY

Dr. Mathur’s winning streak began in school when he won the President of India’s President’s Scout Award. Of the
hundred-plus awards that he has won, he is particularly proud of the Standard Chartered Asian Businessman of the Year Award 2012 which he received from the Deputy Premier of Bahrain in recognition of his powerful role as a partner in Bahrain’s progress. He is a tireless community leader with key roles in the Lions Club movement, the community Indian School which is the largest single-shift school in the GCC, serving 13,000 students and in the business-oriented Bahrain India Society.

Going forward, Dr. Mathur, like most senior businessmen, is keen to realign priorities in the company’s growth. He says, “We are working to position ourselves as front-runners in the regional solar energy shift. We have already invested in a factory manufacturing solar energy panels and have implemented plans that bring together our existing business in car parking shade solutions and solar panels that generate solar energy electricity. We see this as the future, especially in a region where solar heat is in abundance and untapped.”

An aspiring boy from a village in Andhra Pradesh to an entrepreneur, philanthropist and an educationist – Dr. P Shyama Raju has carved his name into the city of Bengaluru. From his early days, Dr. Raju has been a seeker of excellence. He dreamt of having a business to his name. After graduating from Andhra University in Commerce, he moved to Bengaluru to find his calling. Instead of settling with a secure income of a routine job, he chose to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. Many challenges awaited him but he rose to the occasion. In 1975, he established DivyaSree Developers. He started humbly with small construction activities and public work related projects but his vision and foresightedness made DivyaSree a name everyone knows.

With the passage of time, Dr. Raju moved from government projects to development of software parks and integrated commercial enclaves. He pioneered the Public-Private sector partnership with the first integrated state-of-the-art IT office in Bangalore, DivyaSree Chambers, which has become a prominent landmark in Bangalore CBD. The Group, under his leadership, has executed several international standard projects (commercial, residential, etc.) which have garnered immense praise from all quarters. Each project of DivyaSree was completed with utmost sincerity and diligence that became a legacy. His vision is reflected in all his projects that illustrate a perfect balance of art, technique and technology.

LAYING THE RIGHT FOUNDATION

Dr. Raju arrived in Bengaluru from Andhra Pradesh to make a living. But, it is his sheer brilliance and dedication that made him into a name that resonates with architectural brilliance in the city of Bengaluru.

He had achieved what many only dream of with DivyaSree Developers, but, he wanted to do more. He had a strong urge to give back to the society. What better way to give back than to educate? And thus was laid the foundation of Rukmini Educational Charitable Trust in the name of his beloved wife the Late Smt. Rukmini Shyamaraju. She strongly believed in the value of academics to be imperative and something that should be available to all. “When the business was at its peak in DivyaSree Developers, we were thinking of what we can give back to society. My wife, Rukmini suggested starting an educational institution but I was reluctant to start one. Later, I felt that I must fulfil her wish and decided to start the educational institution in her name. Therefore we named it as REVA which means Rukmini Educational Vision Academy.”

Dr. Raju not only honoured his late wife’s wish but also aced the area of academic administration in which he had no previous experience. Under his able guidance and leadership REVA become a front-runner in the field of education where thousands of youth come each year to fulfil their dreams and become future leaders. It had started getting recognised for its technical education even in the starting stage and with time it has gained more recognition. It is one of the top universities in the state of Karnataka. One of the most innovative initiatives that the university took under his guidance is to go paperless during exams. From a mere thought to a working university to an apex institution that is sought for its education system, Dr. Raju proved his mettle once again with REVA.

UPHOLDING MORAL VALUES

Be it in his real estate venture or his education institution, Dr. Raju has ensured excellence by entrusting his instincts and values. Dr. Raju abides by a few key qualities like integrity, humility, transparency, honesty. As a Chancellor at REVA or as the chairman at DivyaSree, Dr. Raju is always approachable, open to new ideas and approaches.

Through his educational ventures he aims to prepare youth with ethical and moral values and social commitment. He is thinker, go-getter with a penchant for learning. Even after achieving so many milestones, he has the same exuberance of a newbie. If a new idea comes to him, he will make sure to share it and make it happen. Dr. Raju is a first generation entrepreneur, who built everything from scratch and perhaps that is why he values hard work and dedication even more.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Dr. Raju is a humanitarian and a philanthropist. He has undertaken numerous initiatives that stand for the larger good. Apart from leading many educational projects for rural Karnataka through REVA, he was also actively involved in ‘Jagruti’ a voting awareness campaign by students and faculty of REVA. He was also felicitated by the State Election Commission for leading Jagruti Campaign to create voting awareness among people. Under his guidance, not just altruistic, but environmental challenges are being battled at REVA by building environmental conscientiousness; he has made a macrocosmic eco-friendly utopia in REVA.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Dr. Raju has earned many awards in his career spanning decades. The most recent was in January 2021, The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave 2020 recognized him as ‘The Most Promising Business Leader of Asia’ for his exemplary leadership qualities. Earlier, he has been conferred ‘Indian of the year 2019 (Education)’ Award by Indian leadership conclave 2019, and has been nominated as the Karnataka Education Board Mentoring System Committee Member in June 2020.

He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Realty South and Swachata Award from MHRD in 2018. Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, aptly conferred him with the Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) on the occasion of the 14th Annual Convocation of the University in recognition of his service to the higher education.

Dr. Raju is truly a leader in every aspect of the word. He leads by example and personifies hard work, grit and excellence. One of the beliefs is ‘To labor is to pray.’ Despite having reached the pinnacle of success, he is a grounded man who has never forgotten his humble beginnings. ‘A true leader must be able to empathize with every level of society’ and he has been perfectly doing just that. His brilliance is a legacy that will remain till the end of time.

Dr. Suresh Menon hails from the beautiful town of Vengali, Calicut. He belongs to the Meempat Malappuram families. After finishing his graduation in Science from Mumbai University in India, he went on to complete a doctorate in engineering science from Pennsylvania State University. He is the man behind the path breaking agri-tech company Menon Renewable Products. A serial entrepreneur, he has more than 100 patents and trademarks under his belt.

WORKING FOR A BETTER WORLD

Deeply concerned about the collective welfare of the planet, Dr. Menon asserts that “We have only one planet.” From the beginning of his journey his aim has been to make the world a better place for humans as well as the animals. He has worked to find sustainable methods of improving the condition of animals, eliminate trade practices that harm the ecosystem and in turn make a viable difference in the preservation of renewable resources.

He has pioneered two very successful and mindful ventures – Menon Renewable Products, that makes disruptive animal feed technology and Menon Biosensors, which provided confirmatory technology for detecting bio-weapons for the US government and is currently expanding applications to population-scale testing for COVID-19, and other viruses and bacteria in animals and humans.

He had a keen interest in improving the condition of animals and thus he started Menon Renewable Products in 2007. When he noticed increased density in farm animals and a number of unintended consequences for the animals associated with that, he decided to jump in. “We need to understand what the animal needs from a nutritional perspective in order to enhance their immune system. I understand that we need to have an adequate food supply, but we cannot just randomly increase usage of chemicals and antibiotics to treat the disease just to have more produce. We need to look at the whole situation holistically,” he explains.

He established Menon Renewable Products to discourage the use of antibiotics in animal feed. It may sound simple, but it certainly wasn’t; he pioneered a nowpatented technology that reduces infection and improves digestibility for animals without antibiotics. He did this by inclusion of a spectrum of unique pre-biotics, nucleotides and peptides. His technology became disruptive animal feed technology yielded unprecedented results. He named it MrFeed®. Today, MrFeed is a market leader in its niche and sells worldwide, promoting animal health while reducing waste and environmental impact.

ENSURING SUCCESS WITH GRIT & DETERMINATION

It might all sound meant-to-be now, but Dr. Menon worked unstintingly to prove the merit of this product. He adds that it all was possible because he and his team had an irrefutable faith in their product. He went all out to validate his product so that it was unquestionable. He believes to first have a product that sells itself and then work tirelessly to execute. “As a team, we knew for sure that technology is positively disruptive and can protect animals. This is what propels me and the team forward.” With the help of untiring work of Dr. Menon and his team, Menon Renewable Products now sells to the largest players in the world- including Tyson, Pipestone, and Costco in USA, National Aquaculture in Saudi Arabia, Walmart supplier in Indonesia and Martec in Costa Rica among others.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Menon is a self-confessed philanthropist. He has dedicated a major part of his life to innovation and activities that improve food sustainability, preservation of endangered species, and enhance human nutrition to improve immunity against infection and disease.

He gives back always and in whatever ways possible. In addition to their on-going work to fight COVID-19 through rapid testing and bringing sustainability to the animal feed industry, Dr. Menon and his team contributes equipment and funds to groups responsible for safeguarding endangered species and animals in the wild. To him, “Giving back to the community brings about a satisfaction unlike any other.”

Through his other company Menon Biosensors, Dr. Menon is also helping the elephants in India. “In the wild there are many health issues such as TB infection in elephants. We were happy to provide our technology at no cost to help the elephants get the right treatment in time.” Their technology is now being promoted to help other animals in that country, and could eventually help endangered wild animal populations worldwide.

“Social responsibility is very important to me. If I have a position of advantage, I would use it make an impact on how we take care of the urban versus nature conflicts,” says Dr. Menon. He added that it is pertinent to balance both – protect the needs of human population for food and nutrition and prevent extinction of the precious plants and animals in the wild. “Reducing waste and even going further by converting the same to fulfill the need for humans and animals should be top priority,” he adds.

He is also proud of their work in the Covid-19 testing. “We are bringing a solution to help screen everyone to corner the virus in efficient manner. Fast, affordable and accessible testing is crucial to containing the Covid-19 pandemic and safely reopening schools, businesses and other vital institutions around the world,” he shares.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Dr. Menon started his entrepreneurial journey when he was all of 16. The experience gained at that time in starting and building a business has made him realise the significance of innovation. There are a few lessons that he learnt on the way and swears by. Firstly, one should avoid thinking that they know everything and that any mistakes will not be made along the way. Instead, find innovative solutions to those problems, he believes. Secondly, he is of the view that success is often due to what you know and others don’t. Once you have the initial idea then work tirelessly to put together a most motivated team around you to execute it.

Armed with a Masters Degree in Commerce and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management, Himansu has a rich experience of around 2 decades spanning into Investment Banking, Portfolio Management, Private Equity, Real Estate Development, Strategic Management and Organizational Development.

His key fortes are investment evaluation, fund raising, deal structuring and negotiation, strategic tie-ups, setting up new ventures and executing exit strategies. He has worked with a sovereign wealth fund in Oman and other leading financial institutes in India in the past.

He was featured among 100 influential CEOs in Oman by Oman Economic Review (OER) Magazine in December 2020. He is inspired by the values of his late father and feels that his guidance has played a significant role in his success.

REAPING SWEET FRUITS OF SUCCESS

Himansu is of the view that by working diligently, with focus and passion, one is bound to achieve success. Having sown the seeds of hard work, he is reaping the fruits of success. As he puts it, “Currently, I lead investments, strategy and organizational development for Muscat Overseas Group, and manage various operating businesses under Al Tamman Investments. I count my achievements in successfully setting up and managing of seven new business verticals for the Group including Retail & Shopping malls business, Hospitality – F&B business, Education services & facilities, Entertainment business, Pharmaceutical manufacturing, Healthcare services, and Technology business.”

He adds, “I play strategic role by holding directorship in companies including Oman Investment & Finance Co. SAOG, Muscat Thread Mills SAOG, Computer Stationery Industry SAOG, Al Sahab Al Zomardy SAOC, Deepak Oman LLC, Al Tamman Group Limited, MOG Holding Limited, English Education Management Company LLC, Modern Healthcare LLC, Drug Manufacturing Company LLC, and Oman Aquaculture Company LLC. I am also a member of the Executive Committee of Muscat Overseas Group of Companies. I am privileged to work for this group and take pride in the fact that we are in the forefront of economic development of Oman, creating employment opportunities and successfully participating in the wellbeing of the society.”

Talking about his leadership initiatives and business innovations, he elaborates, “Traditionally, Muscat Overseas Group was into trading, real estate businesses and local security investments and used to run as a typical family office. I joined the Group in late 2011, and with the blessings of our Chairman and Vice Chairman, I led the path of restructuring, diversifying and renovating the Group on various fronts. I started with devising a corporate structure and governance to the family office by constituting the board/executive committee; including setting up an independent internal audit department, legal department, organizational development department, and renovating the market perception with new logo and strong identity for the Group. During the process, I also diversified the group portfolio by adding new business verticals and investing globally in equity, fixed income and private equity portfolios.”

A SKILLFUL LEADER

As a leader, Himansu believes in making a real difference. He excels at leading from the inside out. Describing himself as a leader and sharing the uniqueness about his leadership style, he says, “I am an optimistic person; I believe every situation has its own opportunity and positivity, only we need to have the right strategy to achieve it. I believe nothing is impossible, sometimes it might not be possible by current actions but definitely it will be achievable by adopting and changing parameters. I am quite determined in my action plans; I put my best efforts until I get success.”

He further adds, “I believe in shared vision and collective efforts. I pursue participative management, completely trust my team, delegate the responsibilities, and keep them accountable, at the same time I take the burden of any failure, so that the team has the freedom to work on new ideas and practices. We give chance to the people to experiment and yet support them to abort in right time any unsuccessful ventures and invigorate them for new assignments. I adopt continuous improvements policy, encourage betterment everyday whether in marketing strategy or in service innovation or new business practices; we always brainstorm for new avenues and ventures. I lead from front, inspire by example, walk the talk, accept the challenges and hold myself accountable for failure, and yet aspire for success. I treat my team as family – sharing responsibilities and giving them adequate comfort, respect and recognition.”

He is leaving no stone unturned in making the Group “a leader in the social infrastructure and services businesses by enabling new technologies and focusing on customer orientation.” He aims “to add value to people’s life and contribute actively towards social wellbeing and sustainable development that spur economic growth.”

PAVING THE WAY TO A BETTER WORLD

Himansu is of the view that “CSR is the key for a successful and sustainable company” and feels that “it should be integral part of conducting business.” He asserts, “We are committed to provide smart and quality education facilities and services in different locations of the country as well as through eLearning platforms to build the future generation of the nation.”

Throwing light on the Group’s various social initiatives, he says, “We offer quality and specialised healthcare facilities, worship facility (Mosque) for the community, social and entertainment facilities for wellbeing of the people. Moreover, we create many employment opportunities for local as well as expat communities and groom them for being future ready. We also support SMEs by providing them with various business opportunities, and offer support to the weaker section of society.”

He concludes with satisfaction, “We have created many employment and business opportunities during this pandemic in spite of all the hurdles. I believe that we have quite actively contributed in sustaining, reviving and giving back to the society and economy at large.”