For Saahil Kumar, General Manager – Sennheiser Consumer, India, technology may be evolving at breakneck speed, but leadership still comes down to sound judgment, resilience, and empowering people. Believing that AI is a catalyst rather than a substitute for human creativity, Kumar shares his perspective on navigating change, leading a new generation of talent, and making decisions that stand the test of time. In this edition of Tech Titans, which comes right on the heels of our 20th Anniversary Issue, he reflects on the habits, philosophies, and experiences that continue to shape both his leadership journey and the future of the business he leads.
What’s a personal habit or ritual that quietly shapes how you make big decisions?
I picked up tennis during the pandemic when work from home became the norm. The game stuck,
and now you will find me in the court 3 times a week. Without realizing it, I’ve been training my
muscle memory while making dozens of micro-decisions each game. Every rally demands constant
judgment calls.
That loop has carried into how I approach work. In a typical workday, I am making just as many
rapid decisions – I need to balance speed, clarity, and adapt. Today, I am more adept at
navigating high‐stakes situations where action and risk management collide, and I’m expected to
make bold, well‐reasoned decisions. I am also more deliberate about trade-offs, trusting the
instincts I have built through repetition and focus.
What’s one childhood incident that shaped who you are today?
One thing that shaped me early on was growing up in an environment with strong contrasts. My
parents set a foundation of discipline and integrity through their work ethic. At the same time,
navigating tough peer dynamics taught me the importance of communication – how to stay
composed, understand people, and handle situations without escalation.
Those experiences made me both grounded and adaptable. I value transparency, and I’ve
developed a strong instinct for connecting with people, which shows up today in how I approach
conversations, influence, and teamwork.
What are your thoughts on Gen Z work culture, and how do you shape your work style to align
with them?
Gen Z values clarity, flexibility, and purpose. They are not asking for less – they are asking for
better reasons. I focus on enabling flexibility in how and where they work, while ensuring their
responsibilities align with their long-term career goals. The ownership that follows is remarkable.
What’s the biggest lie the industry is telling itself about AI right now?
I still see a certain hesitation around openly embracing AI. That using AI means you did less.
There’s a strange snobbery developing – as if the tool you used somehow diminishes the result.
Nobody questions whether a musician used a studio or produced it with a laptop. What matters is
the output and whether it moves someone. AI is the studio. The creative judgment is still yours.
What problem in the world still frustrates you enough to keep you awake at night?
Wasted potential – One persistent challenge is operating within ecosystems where timelines and
accountability are not always structured, and even genuinely talented people become victims of
it. The cost is not just efficiency. Over sustained periods, there is a tendency for everything to
become a fire drill, which leaves no space for long-term thinking.
What’s a decision you made that looked risky at the time but turned out?
Moving from a marketing role to a full P&L responsibility was a significant shift that paid off in
perspective and impact. Marketing was comfortable – I knew the language and the metrics.
Taking on the business mandate meant being accountable for more things – margins, distribution,
and commercial negotiations. From a business standpoint, evolving our go-to-market approach
and rethinking distribution was a bold move that unlocked new growth opportunities, even though
sometimes that means sitting with discomfort.
What brands of gadgets do you use every day?
While travelling, I use the Sennheiser HDB 630 headphones for noise cancellation. At home, I have
the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar as it delivers an immersive experience, and it’s something we
cherish as a family. And when I want to really sit with an album, the Sennheiser HD 660S2 is what I
reach for because the audiophile in me takes over.
When people look back at your work decades from now, what do you hope they say you
changed?
I’d like to be remembered as someone who enabled the people I worked with, supporting
their growth and nudging them to explore new roles or step into leadership where they
could create meaningful impact. I’ve often used the Johari Window to help people recognize
their blind spots and discover their potential.
What’s harder: taking a bold decision or sticking with it when things go wrong?
Sticking with it, without a doubt. Staying committed when things go sideways is when the
self-doubt hits. What matters is learning quickly and recalibrating; the skill is not stubbornness –
it’s knowing the difference between a plan that needs time and patience and the plan that needs
changing.
What part of AI genuinely excites you—and what part quietly worries you?
What excites me: a younger team member can now showcase and express ideas better as well as
solve problems, which reduces dependency to a certain extent. That’s genuinely democratizing.
What worries me: the same capability gap that’s closing fast can create a false sense of expertise-
someone who’s good at prompting AI but hasn’t yet developed the judgment to know when the output is wrong. Closing that gap is a real organizational challenge.
Rapid Fire
- Books you swear by: The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins
- Current car: BMW 3 Series GT
- Dream car/bike: Land Rover Defender
- Fitness gadgets you use every day: Apple Watch, Withings smart scale, and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
- Go-to AI tool: Claude for day-to-day, Notion for knowledge management
- Quote you live by: “Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.” – By Simon Sinek.
- Podcast recommendations: Leadership podcasts by Craig Groeschel and Simon Sinek