Category: Power – Talks

Sunil Jose | Top Leaders In Texh & Auto

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by
Sunil: A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. – John Lenon John Quincy Adams, a former US president once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”.

Ex: What is the biggest change in customer relationship management you have seen in the past decade?
Sunil: Computing is evolving. It began with systems of record, which hold your customer data in silos that are not user friendly nor easily accessible. It moved to systems of engagement, which are systems like email, collaboration systems, and new social networking and learning systems. More recently, we’ve entered an era of more intelligent systems, where artificial intelligence and reporting bring the data we need to life. Now, we’re in the era of a single source of truth. There must be one singular place that has all of your customer data, from your CRM and other parts of your organization to the data that lives outside your organization completely.

Ex: With e-commerce gaining prominence and WFH becoming the new culture, what changes do you plan to bring to your system?
Sunil: Over the last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need to enable distributed and remote work almost overnight. Now, as we slowly but surely turn to recovery and ensure business continuity, technology will play a key role in enabling this transition while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of employees. With all of our employees currently working from home around the world, our top priority is ensuring their safety. To this effect, we have brought in some changes in our system. As employees continue to work from home, one of the biggest challenges for organizations will be to ensure productivity. With the right setup, individuals tend to be more available, more productive, and happier.

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Sunil: This is indeed an interesting question. I would have to say, the ability to take risks and leap forward with conviction irrespective of the doubts that plague your mind while making an uncertain decision.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?                                                                Sunil:  I have always been an avid reader. Two books which have particularly had a great impact on me are – Playing to Win by A.G.Lafley by Roger L Martin and Factfulness by Hans Rosling. Both these books have predominantly shaped my outlook on a professional and personal front.

Suvajit Karmakar | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Suvajit: I haven’t been in a position where people do not believe or disagree with me. If there is a difference of opinion, either I convince them, or I get convinced.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to.
Suvajit: Bhagwad Gita

Ex: When have you failed and how did you overcome it?
Suvajit: There have been some instances of failure however, I use these as learning experiences. It is important to introspect, analyze the reasons for the failure and get back to the drawing board to correct those shortcomings. I analyze what I could have done better rather than blaming others.

Ex: One futuristic feature that you can’t wait to introduce in your vehicle.
Suvajit:  Zero emission, full charge in 15 mins for a 1000 km range.

Ex: Which old-school car/bike design inspired you the most?
Suvajit: The 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom.

Ex: do you plan to diversify your network in India?
Suvajit:  The next decade is going to be an interesting phase for the mobility sector. Customers will want more flexibility and lesser commitments. There are many new and promising segments bringing in new opportunities. However, we will explore these opportunities, evaluate the risks, and then step into the segment. Once we are confident that our core competence and strengths will help us and place us like a long and sustainable player and make us the preferred choice of our customers.

Ex: In light of the ongoing pandemic, what precautions are you taking to ensure the maximum safety of your customers?
Suvajit: Keeping our customers safe is our top priority. Which is why we follow stringent hygiene practices at every point of contact – during car pick-up/drop of our vehicles. All our drivers follow these steps: Equipped with mask, gloves and a sanitization kit all the time Avoid handshakes and maintain their distance while interacting with anyone Do not share their pen for signatures Keep the car windows rolled down between rides Ensure that the car is completely clean before taking the delivery from the workshop Ensure replaced parts are not placed in the
vehicle to avoid any transmission Use disinfectant on vehicle’s high touch areas such as door handles, steering wheel, gear, etc.

Amit Saraf | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

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

Amit: Humanity is the mother of all Religions. Religion creates a divide.

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

Amit: Leaders must learn the fact that one cannot do all the tasks by oneself. As a leader, one needs to appreciate that there lies an abundant potential in people around you. This perception coupled with clarity of goals will help leverage their strengths for realizing our vision of life. One must delegate and build a team to grow substantially.

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

Amit: Change is necessary and the risk associated with the change is better than being safe. Being safe all the time not only restricts the growth but it may also actually be the reason for a big fall.

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

Amit: Great Leadership begins with a dream. A dream is not what comes to you in your sleep: a dream is what you consciously see and, then, you don’t sleep.
The Challenge of Leadership is to be strong but not rude, be kind but not weak, be bold but not a bully, be thoughtful but not lazy, be humble but not timid, be proud but not arrogant, have humour but without folly.

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

Amit: No matter what the circumstances are if one remains positive, one can find ample opportunities & happiness in the toughest of the times.

Ex: What are the plans for making accessories for action cameras?

Amit: We have already introduced compatible batteries and chargers for Action Cameras. Early next year, we are coming with an extensive range of accessories for action cameras including carrying cases / several types of straps / waterproof cases and many more

Ex: How long do you think till fully automated camera accessories are introduced in the market?

Amit: There is a wide range of Camera Accessories that exists to help one get the right shot. Many of them have already been automated while some may be automated very soon. However, there are many accessories that cannot be
fully automated. Besides a professional photographer may still choose to work on manual modes despite all the automation. They actually get their best shots on Manual modes.

Roshan Sirohia | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

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

Roshan: I always believe that being sincere and having a single-minded focus on the goal is the only way to succeed and become somebody in any market or industry. Diluting focus and trying to achieve multiple goals at the same time always comes at the cost of ultimate growth and domination within any product segment, market, or overall customer experience.

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

Roshan: Prioritisation & Time Management! Putting First things First – In my few years at Cruise Appliances, I realize it’s one of the lesser taught or practiced subjects and I struggle from time to time with this, which sometimes ends up affecting the value chain of the company. This skill and consistent practice is one big differentiator between good and the best leadership.

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

Roshan: Quality and consistency in every aspect of the operations – starting from product quality, sales experience, customer ownership experience and finally the brand’s promise presentation.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?

Roshan: Art of War – it’s a classic. Each of the principles and psychological strategies defined here is still very relevant & can be easily used in today’s fiercely competitive corporate scenarios as well.

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

Roshan: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe” “The only way to do ‘great’ work is to love what you do”

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

Roshan: It’s easy to maintain since I plan my vacations and days off in advance and a strong workout daily helps keep me energized for long days too! I also believe in sleeping soundly for 7 hours every day even if the world is turning upside down.

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

Roshan: Everything is finite. Everything can be managed digitally. And in the middle of every difficulty lies ample opportunity and we will see the fruits of labor that have been sown during this pandemic in the next 2-4 years.

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

Roshan: My AirPods for seamless conversation and Slack for team working.

Ex:  What is your technology detox like?

Roshan: Time with family over a nice meal or driving down at ridiculous speeds to the nearest hill station.

Kazutada Kobayashi | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Kazutada: The biggest learning for most of the businesses will be on the importance of agility. One should not let a crisis deter their growth instead, we ought to take it up as an opportunity to think differently and adapt to the changing landscape. From devising new business plans to gradually restructuring budgetary allocations and rethinking strategies, we need to contemplate a whole new dimension. This pandemic has taught us to be more flexible in our approach and to spend more time learning new ways and avenues for the benefit of their personal as well as professional lives.
Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Kazutada: In the past few months, with Work from Home and Business from Home becoming the new norm, most of the technologies and apps I use are primarily for being connected with my colleagues. From daily video conference calls to my CEO address, everything has shifted to my device now.
Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Kazutada: Weekends are an important time for me to unplug from work, get a technology detox & do things that I am passionate about. It is a perfect opportunity for me to clear my head and come up with fresh ideas. Hence, I spend a lot of time cooking as it is an outlet for my creative expression, for peaceful thoughts, and for stress relief. Apart from traditional Japanese dishes, I love to experiment with Indian spices and cook for my family, friends, and colleagues.
Ex: What’s coming next from Canon?
Kazutada: In 2019, we successfully strengthened our leadership position and had good growth in various domains. While in 2020, we are focused on becoming more agile, changing with new dynamics in the market due to the pandemic situation. There are immense opportunities present for us in both B2B and B2C segments, as users look forward to technologies that will enable them to adapt to the new normal. Having sustained current businesses, we are also focusing on the new areas of growth, which are health and safety. Our technological innovation in the health and safety segment becomes all the more important given the current COVID-19 situation.
Ex: What are your thoughts on venturing into the sports section camera?
Kazutada: Sports photography is all about capturing athletes’ emotions, energy, and movement during the competition or training. We see immense scope in the sports section camera as every click is becoming important with new innovations and technologies. Canon EOS 1D series is the preferred choice of professional sports photographers. Earlier this year we launched EOS-1D X Mark III, which is the ultimate speed machine and the fastest DSLR in the market with an impressive shooting speed of up to 16 fps using the viewfinder, in sync with the newly developed AF/AE system for rapid response on precision autofocus and exposure control in every decisive shot. The EOS-1D X Mark III is the perfect choice for sports photography, where every frame is critical. We are continuously looking for ways to delight our customers and cater to their needs. Within this segment, we see immense opportunities present for us and shall continue to innovate as per our customer’s needs.

Kartik Bakshi | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

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

Kartik: Attitude is more important than hard work

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

Kartik: I don’t think this is a subject in school but teaching and showing the way to others is essential to be a good leader. Everything else can be learned in college but some skills have to come from within your personality traits.

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

Kartik: Keep taking calculated risks…you never know when they might pay off!

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?

Kartik: Blue Ocean Strategy

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

Kartik: “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise” – Kobe Bryant “Leaders become great not because of their power but, because of their ability to empower others” – John Maxwell

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

Kartik: Time-Management is the key ingredient in living a balanced life. I always believe everything is possible if you just manage your time in an organized fashion.

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

Kartik: The power of the internet. It can unite people from all over the world.

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

Kartik: Garmin fitness App. Notes. Linksys app (managing my wifi). Calendar & reminders.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?

Kartik: A good workout before I start my day. It helps in clearing my mind and is the only time I am not thinking about work as much. Cooking from time to time is very therapeutic as well; not sure how it tastes though

Ex: Apart from connectivity devices, which other segments would you like to target?

Kartik: Belkin international has always been about solving human needs, hence during this pandemic, we have forayed into Health & Wellness. We have launched our very own face masks as we know wearing a mask is one simple action that can help in keeping each other safe.

Ex: How do you see the world shaping up post-COVID?

Kartik: As of now, the pandemic hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Face masks will continue to be the new norm while the focus on innovation will be key especially for schools & work. Given the fact of how technology has united us during these tough times, people may feel even more grateful & empathetic towards each other now more than ever.

Alok Shankar | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

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

Alok: In my mind, truth is very personal and is based on personal circumstances and point of view.

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

Alok: Understanding people, organization, development, and culture.

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

Alok: Total conviction in a larger goal/vision of what you or the organization want to achieve.

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

Alok: Following are the quotes I believe in the most:
● People are the most important resource.
● Devil is in the detail.
● Planning and execution are key to success.

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

Alok: The pandemic has given us a great opportunity to re-think about ourselves and see the society/world through a different prism. I as an individual have learned a lot during this time. One of the most important learnings we’ve seen is that the bigger the crisis is, it demands strong leadership. Another key learning is the importance of being agile and quickly adapting to the environment.

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

Alok: In the current environment, entire work has moved online where we are witnessing usage of digital productivity tools such as Slack/Zoom/Google Drive/emails/MSOffice/WhatsApp/Google Sheets and the good old phone call like never before! Apart from this, my Fitbit has been a constant for me. I have been using it to track my activity, sleep, and heart health amongst other things. With the introduction of Fitbit Premium last year, I can count on personal guidance from
the Fitbit app and coaching all in place. I love the fact that it evolves with every user, gets smarter over time, and delivers a personalized experience.

Ex: What is your technology detox like?

Alok: Can there really be any technology detox these days? Almost everything has some ‘technology’ involved. Reading a book is probably the best technology detox or for that matter meditation. I also go on a technology detox with the help of technology though since I stream meditation sessions and breathing exercises from my Fitbit.

Ex: With so many wearables available in the market, what makes Fitbit different?

Alok: At Fitbit, we have embraced the evolution of fitness – the Future of Fit. We believe that wellness is no longer restricted to physical fitness. We are looking at fitness and wellness holistically! In our view, the concept of fitness has expanded manifold and today more than ever, it is imperative to take into account mental fitness, heart fitness, sleep fitness – just as much as physical fitness. We believe this is one of the many things that gives us an edge.

Haruto Iwata | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

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

Haruto: Aspiring leaders should learn the art of Managing – Managing People, managing organization – They should have the ability to Create change for society, people, and organization by taking up challenges – They should possess a challenging spirit

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

Haruto: Adaption of New technology and having a Neverstop attitude towards whatever you do and believe in.

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

Haruto:  “Never put passion in front of principle even if you win. You will lose”

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

Haruto: It’s not difficult to maintain balance – Important thing is to Focus – Focus on what you are doing – While you are working focus should be work, while you are off work you should focus on what you Love – I work from 9 –5,30 –focusing on work, while I play golf and do photography – My focus is enjoyment – Change of mind as per the situation is the mantra for maintaining work –Life balance

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

Haruto: Staying calm and not to panic in the toughest situation – One should do proper future planning, Keeping Check and measure what you are doing – Stay cool – This pandemic situation will pass too.

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

Haruto: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and most important – Email Apps for communication

Ex:  What is your technology detox like?

Haruto: My Fujifilm XT4 Mirrorless camera and my Fujifilm lenses are my Technology Detox.

Ex: Fujifilm Instax cameras are a classic tribute to the olden days. What’s next in the same essence?

Haruto: The secret sauce in Fujifilm’s recipe is the instant camera, which the selfie generation seems to have taken to with pleasure. The fact that Fujifilm’s instant camera range starts at around Rs 4,000 in India, and the bright colors they’re available in, makes its Instax line a popular gift for tweens and teens. – Our range of Instax cameras brings back the nostalgia feeling among people. This has been doing well as the consumers today are always looking for something new. Also, sharing printed photographs has been gaining a lot of interest among consumers. Don’t Just Take, Give too.

Sanmeet Kochhar | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Sanmeet: Always speak your mind. Don’t change the narrative to suit the audience.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Sanmeet: Multicultural collaboration and communication

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

 Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Sanmeet: A century is not Enough

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Sanmeet: A person who wants to lead the orchestra must turn their back to the crowd

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Sanmeet: It’s totally up to the individual

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Sanmeet: Whatever be the situation, there’s always a way out. You just need to find it.

Ex:  Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Sanmeet: Microsoft Teams, Google Keep, Digital Wellbeing, fitness apps

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Sanmeet: Listening to the radio on my Nokia 5310 Xpress music

Ex: Which smartphone category would you like to focus on next and why?
Sanmeet:  5G smartphones

Ex: What are your plans to bring high-end specs to the mid-segment smartphone range?
Sanmeet: Nokia phones have always democratized technology for our fans. Starting with our design, which looks and feels premium no matter the budget; or experiences such as AI imaging, that we quickly democratized to our mid and budget segment; or the Google Assistant button and our signature 2-day battery life that we promise across our smartphone range.

Shashi Arora | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What are the changes that you have seen in the technology world in India in the last 25 years?
Shashi: 25 years is a long period and one of the most prominent changes everyone has observed is the smartphone. While it is a cliche now, everything we once had around us has merged in the smartphone. Another thing is the IoT (Internet of Things). So all that we do and all that we have will gradually become a part of the smartphone.

Ex: As a brand what are your learnings from the pandemic? What are the changes you have witnessed in the business plans?
Shashi: First and foremost I have learnt that these “black swan” events that happen once in a lifetime cannot be expected or prepared for. While these events have a lasting impact on any industry, there is nothing we can do to preempt
these situations. Talking about our business, April is the time when our business peaks. So naturally, we were considerably affected by the pandemic. So it was only in June that we looked at the hindsight and figured out what we should do. We figured that we need to diversify our categories of air conditioners and refrigerators, to cater to a wider range of customers. Most importantly, all of our products are Made in India!

Ex: Apart from TV, refrigerator, which new product launches are on your charts?
Shashi: Lloyd was recently acquired by Havells, which is an electronics giant. Since it is already well-established in the electronics segment, Lloyd’s priority is to establish itself further n the consumer durables segment. Alongside ACs, we are also into LED TVs, washing machines and we have also expanded full-time into refrigerators. We realised that the need for convenience products has shot up post lockdown, after which we also entered the dishwasher segment.

Ex: What is the one subject that you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Shashi: If you’re talking to youngsters, Data Science is one topic they should learn about. As we talked about IoT, the fact is there is a lot of data around us and to make meaningful sense of that data is important. Whether you consider Amazon or
Google or any other example, you can get a lot of consumer insights. But making good sense of that data and to derive useful analytics out of it is important. Talking about elder entrepreneurs, it is important for them to learn and understand digital marketing. The reason is that the individual need for marketing is gaining prominence rapidly. The need for targeting is becoming important, as individualism is becoming significant.

Ex:  Share any leadership quote you live by?
Shashi: One of the top ones that come to mind is “Leaders don’t do different things, they do things differently.” After all these years in the industry, I have realised that the more things change, the more they remain the same. Whatever you may be selling, the principles remain the same. Another one I like is “Together Everybody Achieves More.” It is even better for me as it is an acronym for “TEAM.” So I abide by the quote since I thoroughly believe in it.

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