Kaushal Nevrekar | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Kaushal: Personal growth is as important as professional growth. We have to create a work environment where we positively impact individuals’ character and make them better human beings.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Kaushal: Emotional Intelligence. This is what helps you successfully coach & manage teams, deliver feedback, and collaborate with others. A good leader should be masterful at managing their relationships in a positive way.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth
Kaushal: Our chairman, Mukesh Ambani has said that a business must serve a larger societal purpose, and as long as everyone in the value chain benefits, there will be sustained growth. For us growth is life and we have to keep growing at all times.

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by.
Kaushal:  ● “Think Big, Think Fast, Think Ahead. Ideas are no one’s monopoly “– Dhirubhai Ambani
● “Relationships and trust. This is the bedrock of life.” – Mukesh Ambani
● “I never dreamed of success, I worked for it.” – Estee Lauder

Ex:  How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Kaushal: I wish I could say it’s easy, but it’s not. It is absolutely necessary though. Work and life have to go hand in hand. A balanced personal life aids a good professional life.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Kaushal: Life comes first. Health, safety, mental health – these are top priorities. Life can be uncertain. On the professional side, adversity presents different opportunities.

Ex:  Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Kaushal:  Jio Mags – a great app to have all my readings in one place, MS Teams, Breathe, Audible.

Ex:  How do you see the physical retail world shaping up post-COVID?
Kaushal:  I feel things will get back to normal once the vaccine is widely available. But this has surely impacted consumer behavior. Technology in-store will play a big role. Stores will have to be realigned to being as contact-less as possible, adequately spaced out for key demonstrations & be less intrusive as well.

Madhav Seth | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Madhav: Keep things simple

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Madhav: Agility – This is one of the most important aspects. You need to be agile and do things better than before.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth?
Madhav: Having a vision and clarity about your goals is something that I consider is very important for sustained growth.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Madhav: Steve Jobs – Autobiography is something that I can keep coming back to and read over again and again.

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Madhav: “Dream about your success and make that dream as your goal” “See beyond what is visibly seen”

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Madhav: It’s definitely a cost to be fanatic about tech and bringing users the best of it, though I try to balance work-life over time but not each day.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Madhav:  I would say having more patience, learning from your past actions, and a better approach towards making a decision is my biggest learnings in the pandemic.

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Madhav: Email, word, and excel are a few of the key productivity apps that I use in my daily work.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Madhav: Getting deeper & Learning more about it.

Ex: When can we expect a comprehensive Realme ecosystem?
Madhav: Realme aims to be the most popular tech-lifestyle brand in India and globally, led by our redefined 1+4+N product strategy, which is 1 Core Smartphone + 4 Smart Hubs + N smart accessories. Realme aims to launch several products based on our latest strategy to benefit the life of the young and build a community for the trendsetting young people to communicate and share. We will keep working towards enriching the interconnected lives of our consumers and we will keep growing.

Sajjan Kumar | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Sajjan: I believe to achieve anything one should have and take out time for oneself and family. It is imperative to do things that help one revive and start fresh.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Sajjan: The ability to learn new things, change & constantly evolve with time Importance of each team member and keeping them motivated to perform

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)?
Sajjan: “What is now proved was once only imagined.” – William Blake “There’s a way to do it better – find it.” – Thomas A. Edison

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Sajjan: The time of crisis has historically also been an opportunity for change. As the world continues to fight and mitigate the impacts of the pandemic which has unsettled lives, livelihoods, and businesses worldwide, the outbreak has accentuated people in becoming more resilient and sharing their personal experiences through various mediums. In unprecedented times like these, we must think about ways to reinvent and renovate the current ways of operating efficiently.

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Sajjan: Smartwatch, Health apps, and Meeting organizer apps.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Sajjan: I particularly look forward to the weekend as it gives me a chance to rejuvenate myself from the routine that usually involves the usage of technology to a great extent. I start my days with brisk walking and jogging. It helps me avoid screen-time. If it’s a long weekend I prefer going to wildlife parks and sanctuaries with family, to get close to nature and explore my passion for photography too.

Ex: If you would like to make a category-specific camera, which category would you opt for and why?
Sajjan: As an imaging brand we have to meet the expectations of various professionals through our innovative product range (Cameras and Lenses). Apart from professionals such as Wedding, Wildlife, Fashion, Nature photographers one segment which has emerged in the last few years and growing at a brisk pace due to high video consumption and SNS penetrations is “Content Creators”. As we continue to stay indoors, people are relying on different methods to stay creative and communicate their art to the world. This has in turn given rise to a new set of business models, creating a plethora of opportunities. Although we have introduced a range of offerings for this category, including the latest innovation – The Mirrorless Z50 & Z 5 with the range of NIKKOR Z lenses. We will continue to offer more to creators and enthusiasts who desire to elevate their artistic aspirations.

Prashanth Mani | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Prashant: “Quick decision making will not impact business negatively; it does not mean lack of enough thinking thru an issue”. I really liked what Michael Dell said about decision making- if an action from any decision is reversible, take it asap. You can change it tomorrow. Most of the decisions we take are reversible on a day to day basis. We just need to be cognizant of that fact and have a regular cadence to review decisions.

Ex:  What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Prashant: Finance and accounts – Everything needs to be measured in terms of financial impact. I recently saw an interview with Aditya Puri, ex. MD of HDFC Bank, who had a ‘Laddu’ theory which really makes sense to me. At the end of any action, we need clear results which are measured in terms of financials! This is either cost reduction, revenue increase, etc.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth?
Prashant: Consumer Centricity. Deep understanding of what really matters to consumers. Really easy to preach, but not easy to practice.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Prashant: “Surely, you’re joking, Mr. Feynman”- Book by Richard Feynman. There is a chapter in that called “Lucky numbers” in particular. I just loved it since my Engineering days. In this chapter, Feynman uses approximations to arrive at an answer and is able to arrive at quick and easy solutions that are very close to the right answer without having all the tools and information to support the decision. And this mirrors what I believe should happen for decision making in the real world too.

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Prashant: I have personally never faced this dilemma. As long as you keep enjoying your work and taking care of your family, it doesn’t really matter.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Prashant: The biggest learning for me is that there are always unknowns and you can’t plan for all of them. It is important to be flexible and agile to adapt. Adaptability is key!

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Prashant: In the current context, I am spending most of my time using all kinds of connectivity apps such as Microsoft Teams/Zoom/Hangouts, etc. For a personal time, I tend to spend a lot of time binge-watching on OTT platforms.

Ex:  What is your technology detox like?
Prashant: Spending time with my kids without my smartphone around me!

Ex: What’s coming next from Motorola?
Prashant: Motorola has stood for trailblazing innovation for almost a 100years..with innovations that matter to consumers. It goes without saying that we will continue to deliver the same through our wide range of products even going forward!

Ex: One futuristic technology you can’t wait to bring in smartphones?
Prashant: Bendable Phones, Gesture-based UIs

Vishal Gondal | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: Knowing you, how are your marathon runs going, we somehow feel your passion for fitness and running must have instigated the birth of Goqii?

Vishal: Yes , certainly now I am practising headstand and handstand now and getting good at it, running is always there but missing marathons now and that can certainly wait.

Ex: Has the lockdown been a blessing in disguise with uptick in the app downloads with the fitness wave sweeping across the country?

Vishal: Yes we have seen a 300% rise in our downloads and revenues also and because travel costs are reduced by team, so it’s going to be an interesting year.

Ex: How much revenue does the smart wearable vs the fitness coaching and consulting business share amongst each other?

Vishal: It’s a joint plan, we believe in the complete ecosystem.

Ex:  Is WFH better or working in the office?

Vishal: WFH is not an option now, but when meetings are in person you get 100%
mindshare, another issue is that people mute and switch the video off and play video games at times!

Ex:  Book/s that you read, and re-read?

Vishal: Bhagwad Gita

Ex: What are the productivity apps or technology that you use?

Vishal: I have hacks like I use my morning time for important decisions and have not been having breakfast, just coffee with ghee and wearing red shoes and red t-shirt. This saves me a lot of time thinking about what to wear and what to eat etc. So normally by the time people reach office they are already exhausted.

Ex:  What do you read of the pandemic and how it will change humanity and the environment in the years ahead?

Vishal: 95% of people will come back to their previous self, human beings are lazy and social animals. But the important thing is how organizations change, like after 9/11 airport security was beefed up everywhere. Whether the government takes care of health care and provides more in that department is yet to be seen.

Ex: What’s your ultimate vision for Goqii in the next 5 to 10 years?

Vishal: To be the largest healthcare company in the country. Healthcare as such is flawed and it’s more of “sick care”. The challenge is to make people fit and healthy with healthy habits so that we progress towards a healthier nation.

Ex:  Akshay Kumar signing up for GOQii is a big bold step? How much of that has helped Goqii?

Vishal: Before signing him up, we researched for a while. Baba Ramdev and Akshay Kumar came out on top of whom people have trust and listen to. Baba Ramdev was out of our league, of course, so we went to Akshay and deduced that our visions are the same. He is a vegetarian and is an example of idealistic living, early waking up, etc, which marries well with GOQii. So, as a brand, we are totally wired in together and it’s a great compliment!

Rahul Agarwal | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Rahul: Call a spade a spade. Do straight talk and don’t dance around the point

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth?
Rahul: There are 2 elements here. A battle hard mindset to gain share from the current market and growing the market itself. Challenging the current assumptions & continuously innovating while keeping customer preferences in mind can help
the latter. We have launched a range of new initiatives during COVID times to help PC customers – these include offering free service to all PC brands, virtual digital demos, launching the PC Pal website to provide brand-agnostic product recommendations for buyers, Lenovo on wheels to take stores to our customer doorstep, to name a few.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Rahul: The art of thinking clearly by Rolf Dobelli. And “ fooled by Randomness” by Nassib Taleb The first one calls out different biases and how to consciously counter them. It has definitely made me more self-aware and conscious as a leader.
The second one is about interpreting data, trends and making correct conclusions

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Rahul:  -Don’t worry about the things that you can’t influence
– Trust is the oxygen we all need, but it cannot be blind and needs to be earned
-Being too busy in meetings is one of the biggest corporate scams
-You and only you control how u spend time and on what
-“ I don’t know” and “ I made a mistake “ are rare gems in our world

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Rahul: – You can never be too prepared for future
– If u have a choice, take a positive view than a negative. We initially thought the PC market may crash but that didn’t happen
– Protecting the mind from disease is much more important than protecting the body
– Your true character comes out when one is put in an unprecedented situation.

Ex:  Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Rahul: My Thinkpad. It never let me down in the last 20years. And of course the Moto phone

Ex:  What is your technology detox like?
Rahul: In today’s progressive age, one cannot really take a break from technology. I don’t feel the need to do this but wish that I would check my phone less often

Ex: Any plans for introducing a comprehensive gaming chair?
Rahul: No, we don’t have such plans.

Ex: What changes do you see in consumer buying?
Rahul: The pandemic and lockdown have increased the overall adoption of laptops due to work-from-home and learn-from-home needs. Consumers are treating it as an essential device, given the growing need for virtual communication. Indian middle-class families are also beginning to investing in more than one laptop per family, to meet their children’s growing dependency on remote learning methods. While buying laptops or any other product, consumers also continue to follow physical distancing norms and prefer buying everything online. At Lenovo, we keep these consumer preferences in mind, and we have introduced a completely ‘contactless purchase’ model that allows a virtual salesperson’s assistance, online payment, and zero-contact home delivery of the device.

Nikhil Arora | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?

Nikhil: The fact that I believe that focus on holistic wellness not only belongs in the workplace but should also be an actively tracked parameter like other enablers of productivity and excellence. More than disagreement, I would say that most people don’t directly connect wellness with bigger wins or better growth in the workplace.

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

Nikhil: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a lot of shifts for businesses; for example, we all talk about how businesses were forced to speed up their adoption of digital. This need for agility and the ability to operate in constraints will continue through the recovery period.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth

Nikhil: In today’s post-crisis scenario, it would be a corporate purpose. We saw many examples of businesses that pivoted from their usual business models or offerings to continue serving their customers during the lockdown. What remained the same was their focus on customer needs and the purpose to impact their customers for good. For example, in India, we introduced GoDaddy Academy, offering free online courses to web professionals as well as MSMEs and entrepreneurs to help speed up digital adoption.

Ex:  One book you keep coming back to?

Nikhil: The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey; and Good to Great by Jim Collins

Ex:  Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)

Nikhil: I am very inspired by billionaire investor John Doerr’s quote about the best business leaders being missionary first, before being mercenary.

Ex:  Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?

Nikhil: I use the Garmin app extensively for my training; it helps track my workouts, achievements, and key parameters like heart rate, sleep, and stress.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?

Nikhil: My usual escape from technology overload is getting involved in any new form of physical activity. I truly believe sports and fitness is an important facet of my physical and mental wellbeing, especially amidst these unprecedented times. Besides giving me the much-needed break from work, it helps me right-zone and
refocus my mind, while enabling me to constantly push the boundaries of what has been achieved before. Due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown, I started indoor cycling and have been doing more of that lately.

Ex: Apart from Domain, which other website services are planning to provide?

Nikhil: GoDaddy provides a full suite of integrated online products and solutions to help entrepreneurs and small business owners start, run, and grow their business online. We offer everything from domain to hosting, website building, professional email, and website security, to help our customers along the way. In addition to this, our award-winning, 24×7 customer care is a major differentiator for GoDaddy. In India, GoDaddy Customer Support is free of charge and offers support in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu, besides in English.

Ex: What are some of your signature security measures to protect data?

Nikhil: At GoDaddy, we are committed to the complete security and privacy of our customers’ data across geographies. Our business is built on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs make a name for themselves online – not selling their data to other companies. GoDaddy security products allow our customers to protect themselves as well as their users’ data. We offer security products and services including SSL certificates and Website Security and Backup, for businesses to protect the assets of their customers in a simple, cost-effective way.

Ali Rizvi | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?

Ali: In our world, where change is the only constant, I personally feel that ‘Nothing is permanent’. Everything is constantly changing and evolving around us. Be it science, technology, society, human evolution, nothing stays the same. We are
always seeing new mutations and generations with each passing day.

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

Ali: An aspiring leader should not only have the effect to keep their management and work in sync, but one should also have the Ability to Listen as well. Good listening skills and the perfect amount of humbleness can be the answer to a lot of tricky situations.

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth?

Ali: I believe that Hard work and persistence is the only way to reach the top.  There are no shortcuts in life to success.

Ex:  One book you keep coming back to?

Ali: The book is called Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim which gives a whole different perspective on how to compete in the market today with a more challenging and innovative approach.

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)

Ali: This quote is one true quote I believe in with all my heart: “Integrity is the quality needed to succeed in business – John Maxwell”.

Ex:  How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?

Ali:  Work-Life Balance seems like a big obstacle for many. But It’s not if you really want a balance. It’s something you need to do to keep a healthy life be it professionally or your personal life.

Ex:  What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?

Ali: These past few months have been really tough for everyone. I am extremely grateful for all the things around me that have made my life comfortable and I have been able to sustain the pandemic from the comfort of my house.

Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?

Ali: Since the pandemic has forced us to find alternative ways of working out from indoors, I have been hooked onto the Cult Fit App, religiously following their workout regime, and has helped me keep an active workout schedule at home.

Ex:  What is your technology detox like?

Ali: My technology detox is definitely, No Internet, all gadgets off, and quality time with self and family.

Ex: How extensive is your data on offline navigation?

Ali: Garmin offers a robust satellite navigation system to its users, which means internet data is not required. Thus the cost of navigation is zero. We offer Navigation features to Outdoor expedition, Golf, Marine, cycling & automotive ensuring they get the best and accurate navigation results.

Ex: Apart from wearables, is there any personal electronic accessory that you would like to delve into?

Ali: To me Self Driving cars & Gesture Control Technology is quite interesting and this is something I would like to get my hands on.

Tushar Singhat | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Tushar: I believe, Truth is Truth and universal – It can’t be changed! People disagree as per their
convenience.
Ex:  What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Tushar:  No specific subject as aspirational Leadership has to be a 360-degree perspective – have to keep learning every day to maintain relevance.
Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth
Tushar: A very concrete and strong foundation that is knitted with multiple risk mitigation strategies across multiple variables.
Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Tushar: I believe – “Life itself is an encyclopedia and I love to turn a page each day.”
Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Tushar: Keep walking, Never give up!!!
Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Tushar: Well its all about prioritizing and that is something – I encourage everyone in my team to do as well. Make time for yourself, pursue your hobbies, spend quality time with your family & friends. Most important is to keep gadgets away for at least sometimes in a day, as this allows one to be present at the moment & reflect on oneself.
Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Tushar: I use almost all popular Apps across businesses and consumers as all add some value to productivity at some level or other.
Ex:  What is your technology detox like?
Tushar: Music & Workout
Ex: What is coming next from D-Link?
Tushar:  Very recently we have introduced a new line up of EXO Routers with Wi-Fi 6 features. Considering the current pandemic situation that has brought about a radical change in the way we function. Work from Home has become the new normal and Digital engagements have taken over, as a result, demand for connected devices is on the surge. Also, Modern households today have multiple
devices that are connected to the network throughout the day. In such a situation our new EXO Routers with Wi-Fi 6 features are engineered to perfectly meet the demands of the modern-day household. Going ahead our customers will see more advanced products coming out from the house of D-Link.

Harish Kohli | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex:  What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Harish: As a leader of a large organization, I strongly believe in the amalgamation of diverse skills of teams for success. A good team brings to the table diversity of thoughts, creativity, perspectives, opportunities, and problem-solving approaches. I encourage constructive criticism which is healthy and strengthens accountability and can help make effective decisions faster, than when done alone.
Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Harish: There are a lot of leadership quotes that I live by. Few are as below:
● “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” by Nelson Mandela.
● “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Harish: 1.Teams: The app which lets me stay connected to all my colleagues and conduct meetings on my laptop and phone has been a boon during these times.
 2.To Do apps: App that helps me to first list everything that I need to get done no matter how small it is. This helps me to organize my daily tasks
3.Amazon Kindle: My travel companion and the best way to carry your favorite books
Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Harish: From staying fit to connected with people, technology has become a crucial part of my life. But for everything, there has to be a balance. The key to maintaining balance in our hyper-connected world is adopting healthy and sustainable habits around the way we use tech so that you are in control of it.
Ex: What’s coming next from Acer?
Harish: Acer is bringing 5G tech-enabled laptops to the market that offers much faster data download and upload speed. Also, we believe that there is a drastic increase in the creation and consumption of content which encourages us to introduce concepts, especially for creators and designers. For AI-based technology, Acer is bringing customized solutions across industries. For example, smart wearable devices, smart parking, smart water meter, and air quality monitor. We believe in the coming future, digital communication, tools for mobile working might become the preferred form of communication. AI and IoT will also play a major role in the future to assist enterprises or individuals to engage in communication more easily and effectively. That’s also what Acer is focusing on at the moment. Through AI and IoT, we are determined to offer a smarter and more convenient lifestyle for people.
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