Exhibit Staff, Author at Exhibit Tech

Zac Hollis | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Zac: This is a difficult one to start with. I have nothing unique in my leadership style and much of my personal learnings about having passion, energy and drive are not new to business or to life. I do however believe strongly that it is important to look after your own body and to be fit in order to achieve the best out of life.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth.
Zac: Surround yourself with the best people you can find and reward them well. They will deliver so much more towards the growth of your business. This hiring process cannot be underestimated.

Ex: When will you say you have fulfilled all your goals?
Zac: This is a difficult one as life keeps on giving you, new goals as soon as you achieve the ones you have. I don’t believe you will ever achieve all of your goals. It is important to keep setting challenging goals for the future and to keep looking forward and re-evaluating where you are going.

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Zac: Personally I don’t find this difficult and I have the ability to cut off and do what I feel is important at the time. Family, sports, and hobbies are what keeps the mind active and make you refreshed for business.

Ex: One futuristic feature that you can’t wait to introduce in your vehicle.
Zac: Autonomous vehicles will eventually change the way we travel completely. Imagine calling up a car on and it comes straight to you, taking you to where you want to go and then going on to the next customer, without a driver ever being present in the car. The business case for owning a car will become less and less, but in the short term, the innovations in technology that are moving down from premium cars are safety features.

Ex: Can you imagine how much safer our roads would be if every car was equipped with emergency braking?
Zac: This means that no car could possibly run into the back of the car in front. This I believe is coming and soon could be mandatory on all new cars, like seat belts or airbags.

Ex: Which old-school car/bike design inspired you the most?
Zac: I love the designs of the British Sports cars from the 1960s and ’70s. From the MG’s, E-Type Jag, and Austin Healeys. I feel these designs are timeless.

Ex: When do you plan to launch the VISION IN? What will you introduce after the VISION IN from the same platform?
Zac: We are extremely excited for the launch of the A0 SUV based on the VISION IN Concept, showcased at the Delhi Auto Expo 2020. We plan to launch it
in Q2 2021. It will be another splendid innovation from SKODA. 2021 looks promising because post the launch of the A0 SUV, we will be launching A0 NB Sedan, built on the same platform, which will provide best-in-class features and an amazing value for the luxury proposition.

Ex: Is Skoda India planning to enter the EV segment, given the launch of the Enyaq iV?
Zac: The future of mobility is going to be electric, however, it will still take time for the Indian market to adopt EVs on a mass scale. We are committed to the Indian market and will introduce the right EV models at an opportune time – but certainly not in the immediate future.

Vinay Shetty | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Vinay: Everything is possible if you give your 100% and that 100% is not based on someone’s perception.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Vinay: Any leader, aspiring or established, should remember that vision should be complimented with execution, an honest approach with the result in mind and a path of how to achieve it.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth
Vinay: A positive attitude and an ability to take on challenges without being bogged down by roadblocks.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Vinay: Mahabharata

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by
Vinay: Tough times don’t last, tough people, do.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Vinay: Don’t take your life lightly – don’t waste precious time on frivolous things and value and cherish what you currently have.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Vinay: In the current WFH scenario, I think having the flexibility to manage to put aside your gadgets for even a few hours would qualify as a detox for me.

Ex: Apart from computing and gaming components, which other areas of information technology would you like to delve into?
Vinay: Artificial Intelligence and Space Technology Development.

Sameer Bhatia | Top Leaders In Tec & Auto

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Ex: What is your target audience in the Indian market for Seagate’s video surveillance products?
Sameer: With safety and security being the prime concern of individuals and organizations, surveillance systems in India are becoming an indispensable part of the country’s endeavor for a secured environment for its people. The rising need for advanced security, India’s smart cities agenda, growing IT infrastructure, increasing IT spending, surging need for video analytics and remote monitoring are the trends that have been driving the video surveillance market in India.

Ex: How significant has your role been in the foundation of a smart city?
Sameer: Seagate is continuously working towards innovations in data management space that can help transcend Smart Cities from vision and conceptual phase to reality. We are helping put data to work to help cities in their quest for comprehensive data systems.

Ex: How long do you think till the need for offline data saving is eliminated?
Sameer: Managing the storage of data is among the top 5 challenges highlighted in the Rethink Data report to exploit the potential of the data collected by enterprises. Modern-day technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the growth of edge computing, edge data centers, and artificial intelligence (AI) coupled with consumer demand has led to data proliferation. This has led to the development of the concept of Data Sprawl. Defined by the Rethink Data report as the percentage by which the datasphere increases over time, data sprawl describes the spread of the growing data through various configurations—from endpoints through edge to cloud. Data sprawl also describes how business data is scattered. This distribution won’t change significantly over the next two years, indicating that enterprise storage environments will remain dispersed and complex for the foreseeable future. Enterprises will have an ever-increasing need to manage this scattered data wherever it exists.

Ex: Can you describe in brief Seagate’s marketing strategies for India?
Sameer: We connect with our customers and partners in the markets through the Seagate Insider partner program. This year, we will continue to focus on providing comprehensive training sessions and seminars as well as working on co-marketing initiatives to better identify evolving opportunities in the changing norms currently.

Ex: What are some opportunities emerging for Seagate keeping in mind the new normal?
Sameer: Over the years, there has been a surge globally in data creation and consumption – a trend that is helping us grow. Also, with an increase in the
number of connected devices in the new normal, there has been exceptional growth in the creation and consumption of data. In India too, we have been seeing strong demand growth in enterprise data management and also video surveillance.

Ex: What steps is Seagate taking for customer’s data protection?
Sameer: Improving data security is the most important factor driving the changes to how organizations manage central storage needs. Awareness about data preservation is another challenge that needs to be overcome to protect organizational information. Recurring data backup helps in keeping the data secure throughout and provides easy access to the information as and when it is required.

Ex: Apart from storage and surveillance devices, will Seagate like to venture into a completely new segment?
Sameer: In the recently concluded, Seagate’s first annual Datasphere event, we introduced revolutionary open-source object storage software, a reference architecture powered by it, and a corresponding developer community. All three additions have been developed to manage the massive surge and sprawl of unstructured enterprise data.

Rajan Vagadia | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Rajan: I believe that the pace of change that will bring technologies such as AI, ML, Robotics, and Cognitive Computing will certainly lead to better times for humans. History has persistently proven this point; however, we need to believe in it rather than being skeptical.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Rajan: Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts.

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by
Rajan: “Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” –William Pollard

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Rajan: It is not difficult at all if you know when to stop or stop when you know.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Rajan: Technology saved us yesterday, did it again today, and will do it tomorrow too. It is important to embrace it.

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Rajan: Meditation applications to relax Video conferencing to stay in ‘touch’ OTT apps to stay entertained

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Rajan: Meditating with help of smartphone apps.

Ex: How long do you think till AI is integrated into your processors?
Rajan: Qualcomm’s on-device Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a core player of Snapdragon chipsets since the 6-series (SD 660). We have fueled some brilliant attributes of AI to create intuitive and immersive everyday mobile experience. Today a good camera is a must and AI comes to aid. Snapdragon-enabled cameras capture stunning, professional photos and videos. We have also harnessed AI to create extended reality (XR) mobile applications across sectors. Our 5th generation AI Engine continues to bolster the interactive mobile gaming industry with real-time AI translation powering voice and speech recognition processes. Furthermore, since its dawn, the on-device personal assistant has been enabling
a truly customized performance. AI is everywhere, beginning with our processors.

Ex: If you would like to make a new category-specific processor, which category would you opt for and why
Rajan: At Qualcomm, we are fascinated by technology and how it can transform various industries. Our innovations have boosted the dynamics of the telecom world. But, more recently we have been empowering AI gaming, smart cities, automotive, and connectivity. The aim is to propel digital transformation beyond the capabilities of today’s applications. We are constantly brewing ideas to catalyze growth through our existing tech offerings. For instance, we are rediscovering the infinite role of 5G. So, we look forward to exploring and being inspired by the power of technology. We have and want to continue making technology available to all; we did it with 4G and now we are working towards ‘5G-for-all’, in India.

Sameer Raje | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by
Sameer: “I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung “You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people cannot do something themselves, they’re gonna tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.” – Will Smith (from the movie – The Pursuit of Happyness) “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Sameer: That wealth can also be measured as an ‘attitude of gratitude’, with which we remind ourselves every day to count our blessings.

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Sameer: Zoom for meetings, calendar for scheduling, unified communication hardware like Jabra and Poly headsets, speakerphones and smartwatch with inbuilt GPS to track sports activities – integrated with the phone for calendaring and Zoom chat notifications.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Sameer: Focusing on my fitness is a detox time for me. I usually go for a run in the evening for 5-10 km. On the days when I don’t have early morning meetings, I cycle around Mumbai city and try to cover nearly 50 km before the city wakes up.

Ex: What are your views on the unanticipated boom for Zoom?
Sameer: Zoom saw huge adoption because of the simplicity and reliability of the platform. We are helping governments, schools, corporates, large businesses, and standalone users around the world to connect during these trying times. I am glad to be part of an organization that is helping humanity in this hour of crisis and will continue to do so.

Ex: How does Zoom plan to introduce AI in its software?
Sameer: At Zoom, the privacy and security of our users are of utmost importance and we will never compromise on this. We will continue to build and innovate on our platform, and announce the right features at the right time.

Ex: What is the one truth you believe in, that most people disagree with you on?
Sameer: It is all about the focus. No goal or dream is too big. If you set your mind, you can overcome any hurdle, achieve any target that may seem impossible at first.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn/focus on? Sameer: Establish a culture of caring from the beginning – caring for your customers and your partners. Most importantly, caring for your employees who feel proud to contribute to building great customer experiences. A grumpy employee cannot make a customer happy, so make sure you are taking care of your employees really well.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Sameer: The book that inspires me the most is Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. This is for people who pursue their passions, push their limits, and strive to do better every day.

Manohar Bhat | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Manohar: Most people tend to disagree with my notion that India is solely value consciousness driven. With time, Indian customers are evolving and they seeking better products in their lives regardless of how much money they spending.

Ex: When will you say you have fulfilled all your goals?
Manohar: I strongly believe that peace of mind should be of topmost priority for everyone and one should try every day towards attaining that.

Ex: When have you failed and how did you overcome it?
Manohar: Failure is a part of the life journey. First of all, I accepted that and with every failure, I remind myself that I have to get up and keep trying.

Ex: One futuristic feature that you can’t wait to introduce in your vehicle.
Manohar: Although it’s becoming reality in some of the global markets, I can’t wait to introduce Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) in India. A fuel cell electric vehicle, or an FCEV, drives using the electricity that is generated when the hydrogen stored in the vehicle is joined with air. The vehicle emits zero pollution, and the only thing that is discharged from the vehicle when it generates power is pure water. Not only is this but an FCEV capable of removing 99.9% of ultra-fine dust (PM2.5) from the atmosphere.

Ex: Which old-school car/bike design inspired you the most?
Manohar: Among the numerous cars, I have seen and experienced, my pick would always be my Willys MB. My father owned one when I was growing up and back then as well, I use to be awestruck by the simple yet powerful appearance of the jeep.

Ex: Kia has made it clear that they will only focus on MPVs and SUVs in India. When can we expect the sedans and hatchbacks in the Indian market?
Manohar: We have witnessed a significant shift in consumer preferences in India. For instance, hatchbacks were incredibly popular in the past, but now they are increasingly being replaced by crossovers and smaller SUVs. In India and globally, the demand for SUVs is growing stronger and stronger. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Anantapur produces midsize and compact SUVs. Our aim is to fully utilize the capacity and investment in the Indian market and hence, we are using our India plant as an export hub for SUVs. We are also observing the SUV trend globally and will produce them in our Ananatapur manufacturing unit. Hence, currently, we are focussed on the UV segment but that doesn’t mean we are restricting ourselves.

Ex: What is the motive behind calling the Sonet “Wild by design”?
Manohar: The term wild by design originates from the unexpectedness of Kia Sonet. It simply says that so much packed into one thing cannot be normal. It has to be something more. It has to be wild. The muscular built, powerful engine, futuristic features, and bold and aggressive design give it a strong presence on the road.

Atsushi Ogata | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth.
Atsushi: ‘Accepting the change’ be it in your professional life or personal, it is important to adapt to the change. The business environment is becoming more and
more dynamic and the needs and demands of the society are constantly evolving.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to.
Atsushi: It’s a book called ‘RYOMA SAKAMOTO’ by Ryotaro Shiba. The book is a biography of samurai Sakamoto Ryoma, a founder of modern Japan.

Ex: When will you say you have fulfilled all your goals?
Atsushi: Probably towards the end of my life when I will look back at the entire journey with utmost happiness and a feeling of content.

Ex: When have you failed and how did you overcome it?
Atsushi: When I have decided something without considering other view points. Upon realizing the mistake, I have always focussed to do right things based on the actual situation and harmonizing with others’ opinions.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Atsushi: Pandemic has given us many advanced digital solutions for business continuity & taught us to connect virtually. I have personally learnt how to communicate through online platforms without having face to face meetings.

Ex: One futuristic feature that you can’t wait to introduce in your vehicle.
Atsushi: Any feature that could take us in the future…may be like Time Machine.

Ex: Which old-school car/bike design inspired you the most?
Atsushi: In four-wheelers I would say it was Honda Prelude (2nd Generation) and among two-wheelers it was Honda CB750K0.

Ex: When does Honda plan to begin electrification of its line-up in India?
Atsushi: Electric vehicles are not new for Honda Motors, we had the technology for more than two decades and was being used in the Japanese market. In spite of
having a long history, there are still many challenges pertaining to cost, range & infrastructure. In India, our first task is to prepare a complete roadmap for EVs. We have already started our research and market study on EVs. However, there is no concrete timeline for its introduction in Indian market.

Ex: Since motorsports has been officiall recognized by the Indian government, what steps will you take to promote it in the future?
Atsushi: Motorsport is in Honda’s DNA. We have been actively promoting motorsports in India for more than a decade now. I’m proud that today we have Indian team & riders competing in the Asian Championships. We will continue our talent development programs in India using our advanced racing machines like NSF250R (Moto 3) and best trainers from global Honda. At the same time, our new advanced & sporty products will continue to expand the fun riding culture in India.

Shashank Shrivastava | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: One book you keep coming back to. Shashank: “Thinking, fast & slow “ by Daniel Kahneman

Ex: When will you say you have fulfilled all your goals?
Shashank: When I reach heaven and get all the secrets of the universe from God!

Ex: When have you failed and how did you overcome it I fail every day. Shashank: The way to overcome it is to realize that every day is a new day. Ha ha ….. that’s complicated.

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Shashank: Very difficult to maintain that balance . Optimization is what one can hope for at best.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Shashank: Nothing can be assumed as a given.

Ex: One futuristic feature that you can’t wait to introduce in your vehicle.
Shashank: Can I ask for two please … Biometric Car Access & 3D Gestures control.

Ex: Which old-school car/bike design inspired you the most?
Shashank: Porsche 911

Ex: How has the shift to only petrol options affected sales?
Shashank: Not much actually. But missing the Diesel option in B Segment.

Ex: By when can we expect a production-ready electric vehicle from Maruti Suzuki?
Shashank: Sometime in the future!

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Shashank: That people don’t really know what they want till you show them the infinite possibilities.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Shashank: Psychology

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth.
Shashank: Ability to maintain a learning environment.

Anil Jain | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Anil: No one will give you responsibility & ownership on a platter, you have to take it and own it.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Anil: How to work in the new normal and get maximum productivity and cost control. The pandemic has changed the business rules and management control mechanism.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth
Anil: A dedicated and motivated team. Growth will follow.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Anil: Tipping Point

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by Anil: Leadership and ownership is not dependent on what is your level in the organization. One needs to own and demonstrate these qualities, success will follow.

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Anil: In the new normal it’s a problem since WHF is a 24 hours work schedule.

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Anil: Good EPR solutions at the company level and a good smartphone for personal use.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Anil: Stop use of any gadgets that are Wi-Fi enabled on Sunday and listen to soft music.

Ex: What is the biggest change in trend you have seen since the IT boom in India?
Anil: The biggest change in trend has been work culture, change in office interiors, more use of IT, need for faster computing, and availability of data on the fly leading to faster decision making.

Kapil Gulati | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by
Kapil: “A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see.” – Leroy Eimes “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” – Andrew Carnegie

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Kapil: The pandemic has forced us to ask what we really need to live reasonably well; and the answer in most cases is – not too much. The availability of food, water, shelter, communication, medicines, education, and entertainment on television & the internet has kept us going.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Kapil: Unlike on workdays when you are digitally tethered by your colleagues, I spend my weekends with my family. We mostly spend our time playing badminton, watching movies, even eat midnight snacks. I stay away from my phone and laptop and give my full attention to my family while I am with them.

Ex: What is Sennheiser coming out next with?
Kapil: For the past 75 years, Sennheiser has been shaping the future of audio. We have introduced some of the finest products across the globe and we believe in creating unique sound experiences for our customers. We are already working on the audio products that could define the segment 2 years from now. Additionally, we have a few products lined up in the coming few days and we are looking forward to seeing how consumers here respond to the same.

Ex: Upcoming audio trends to look out for?
Kapil: Currently, wireless earbuds are revolutionizing the entire audio industry. The smartphone makers are now doing away with the 3.5 mm headphone jack to make wireless headphones more convenient and appealing to customers as even consumers are looking for a seamless and hassle-free immersive audio experience. Sennheiser’s current focus is on creating 3D audio solutions to achieve as natural and immersive experience as possible in a range of applications. Sennheiser has a long history of pushing the boundaries of innovation in audio technology and a holistic approach to sound from capture to listening. AMBEO is born from the desire to deliver the ultimate sound experience, selectively including the most advanced 3D audio technology into new products, tools, and features.

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Kapil: I am a strong believer in miracles and it only happens if you have faith in them. Sometimes you feel lost, confused, and frustrated with life, and then things become better that changes your life. I believe that when you wish from all your heart and mind, even the universe starts working for you in your favor.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth Kapil: Pursuit of resilience is something that I feel is the most important aspect and the first step for sustained growth. When complex business problems arise, one needs to meet them head-on and be resilient while working hard towards providing a solution. When we go through difficult circumstances at work, it’s the resolve of not getting bitter, weaker, or frightened, but rather get braver and face those challenges.