Category: Power – Talks

Asim Warsi | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: Which quote/s do you always refer to when the chips are totally down?
Asim: Harry S Truman said, “ It’s amazing what you can achieve when no one really cares who takes credit for it.” That has inspired me considerably. I believe it is more about the team and the team effort in the end.

Ex: How has your schedule changed in the new normal?
Asim: When the lockdown happened our schedule did change, but it is pretty much back to normal. However, the intensity of working has increased since it has become imperative to stay connected and keep working. What you would do outdoors now you do at home. So that has been the biggest change in my schedule, in terms of intensity.

Ex: Do you think the extensive use of AI support is dumbing down creative talent and why?
Asim: Whether you look at Bixby or several other platforms that we are working on globally, they have a lot of AI embedded in their development and their backend. So it will surely be a backend in our future development.

Ex: Which are the current premium features of Samsung that will be introduced in budget smartphones?
Asim: We do that as a “main course” for us. Flagships are the fountainhead of the experiences we introduce. In a span of a few years, you see a lot more of the key
technologies cascading into our budget smartphones. For example, the camera tech, the display tech, and the memory tech have all percolated to the lesser-priced models.

Ex: Samsung Pay is an innovative way of payment, How long do you think until it becomes mainstream?
Asim: Since we launched Samsung Pay in 2017, its usage in the Samsung devices has been strong. We have over 10 million users of Samsung Pay and their frequency of usage is quite high. When the users understand the benefits of Samsung Pay, it becomes their go-to payment platform. It is pretty mainstream with Samsung users by now.

Sunil Nayyar | Top leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What are the learnings from the pandemic?
Sunil: Pandemic has been the most interesting journey in 25 years of my career. Everybody’s patience and mental strength were tested at home. I am really sad for everybody who has suffered, though; I feel for them. Thanks to the digital world, I was able to communicate with my team and try to give them hope, a new direction, and how we should adapt to this challenging climate.

Ex: Which is the one gadget you’re using that you wouldn’t want Sony to know about?
Sunil: I am not an ardent tech freak. I use a nice android phone, a Kindle, and of course, a laptop. However, I believe humans are the most interesting and the most complicated gadget on this planet.

Ex: Leadership mantras that you swear by?
Sunil: Ethics, integrity, and insight. I believe vision is not taught, but it is within you which you someday explore. Inclusiveness is also another prominent parameter. It is easier said than done, however, and practicing it is hard.

Ex: Which segment contributes to the biggest market for Sony India?
Sunil: Televisions needless to say contribute to almost 50-60% of the market. That is followed by audio, which is becoming bigger by the day. Lastly, digital imaging. These three comprise a significant chunk of the business as far as consumer electronics are concerned.

Ex: The PlayStation 2 was touted as the first all in one entertainment system which could also play games; do you see it returning in a new avatar with full VR support?
Sunil: A lot of changes happened to the PlayStation during this pandemic. PlayStation consoles were oversold during this time, something which I have never witnessed before. PlayStation is going to be a new culture and a new way of life going forward.

Ex: Virtual reality is gradually blending with augmented reality, what are your plans to integrate AR in your devices?
Sunil: I don’t see the television getting integrated with VR. It will still be family-oriented and will offer better displays with each update. However, I feel VR will have its own universe that is developing rapidly.

Ex: Which is the one Sony product you think that only Indians can make the best use of?
Sunil: Most Indians love most Sony products. However, I feel the most relatable product for Indians will be the TV.

Ex: Elon Musk recently spoke about a neural implant. Do you think that is the future of electronics since all gadgets are getting smaller in size?
Sunil: One thing is for sure, Sony as a corporation is working quite aggressively in the field of artificial intelligence. We have the most evolved imaging chips in the industry and Sony has a lot of patents in the segment. Sony is taking big leaps
in imaging chips, especially for the automobile segment.

Vikram Mehra | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Vikram: Innovation comes from Anthropology and not Technology

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

Ex: One thing you believe is absolutely necessary for sustained growth?
Vikram: Ability to take a risk, which is possible only when fear of failure vanishes

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Vikram: Life

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Vikram:  1. Ruk Jana Nahin, Tu Kahin Haar Ke.
2. Kanton pe chal ke, milenge saaye bahar ke.

Ex: How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Vikram: Make your passion your work, and suddenly you don’t have to balance between the two

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Vikram: Self-driven people contribute irrespective of whether their bosses are hovering over them or not

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

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Vikram: Travel with no access to emails and messages

Ex: What’s coming next from Saregama?
Vikram: 1. Carvaan Karaoke for everyone stuck at home
2. Carvaan Kids for all bachchas who are stuck in front of screens
3. 50 new songs in Gujarati and Bhojpuri
4. Movies: Bahut Hua Samman, Comedy Couple, Zombivali

Ex: How do you see the industry shaping up in the post COVID world?
Vikram: People will spend more time at home, thus pushing entertainment consumption through the roof!

Devita Saraf | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Devita: It is a wonderful world.

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

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

Ex:  One book you keep coming back to?
Devita: The Prince – Niccolo Machiavelli

Ex:  Leadership quotes that you live by (Can be multiple)
Devita:  “The height of intelligence is the ability to conceal it.” – Francois de la Rochefoucauld

Ex:  How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
Devita: For bosses, work is life

Ex:  What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Devita: Looking internally at the state of affairs

Ex:  Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Devita: Our latest, video conferencing product, Meeting by Vu

Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Devita: Connecting with people

Ex: What’s coming next from VU?
Devita: A range of products focusing on consumers’ workstyles

Ex: How has the ban on imports affected VU? Are you planning to start manufacturing India in a full-fledged manner?
Devita: Yes it has affected us, and yes, we plan to manufacture locally

Ex: What inspired you to enter the conference special segment?
Devita: When we make new products, we don’t just look at the hardware or the competition. We look at the consumers and see how we can make their lifestyle better. We realized there is a huge demand for a new category that we call “work style.” So we began work a year ago, focussed on making televisions and screens a major part of productivity. After the lockdown happened, it was evident that people had to run their businesses without going anywhere. So we researched some more, came up with our own proprietary hardware, and launched a new company called “Meeting by VU.” That’s how we landed in this segment.

Manu Jain | Top Leaders in Tech & Auto

Ex: Xiaomi recently entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest oil lamp. What was the thought that went behind this achievement?
Manu: India is all about festivities and we love celebrating all these festivals with our Mi Fans and consumers. For Durga Puja this year, our intent was to create a ray of hope for our users and Mi Fans across the nation. To bring that light and happiness for all in a grand way, we ignited the world’s largest diya installation as a symbol of a ray of hope for a better tomorrow.

Ex: With 50 lakh smartphones sold in just 7 days, what are your projections for the rest of the festive season?
Manu: As we head towards the end of the year and the start of something better, we wanted to bring the festive season to a close with another incredible offer – the Mi Smart Upgrade which is an assured buyback offering from Mi India.

Ex: What has been the primary driving force behind making Xiaomi India’s No.1 smartphone brand for the third year and counting?
Manu: Being a customer-centric brand, we are always on a lookout for insights that define changing trends, behaviour and requirements of the consumers. In the last 6 years of operations, we have introduced products across price segments, offering features that best suit user requirements.

Ex: With digitization increasing rapidly and wfh culture gaining significance, which products do you think will sell like hotcakes in the coming times?
Manu: With more employees voluntarily opting for work from home in the new normal, we see the demand surging for products that will enable the users to comfortably function from within their homes. Due to the growing dependence on technology during the lockdown period, we witnessed a rise in the usage of smartphones. Smartphones almost served as an essential commodity, be it for work, education or to stay connected in general. We also witnessed an increasing demand for grooming products like our Mi Beard trimmer category that saw over 100% growth during the lockdown. In addition to this, water purifiers and mask categories have also done well and we believe that it will continue to see demand in the market.

Ex: What do you think are the challenges and opportunities ahead for Mi? Where do you see Mi in the next five to ten years?
Manu: At Mi India, we have always been committed to offering innovative and integrated services. Aligned with the same thought, we are not only
creating a local manufacturing base for our smartphones but also developing the base for our entire ecosystem. We have successfully made a name for ourselves as a leading smartphone manufacturer in India. Now, we hope to make the same mark towards our larger ecosystem focused journey. We will focus our efforts more towards establishing a wide range of product portfolios right from Smart TVs to fitness bands and Laptops to the connected IoT ecosystem. Riding on this, the journey will be a challenge and testament to long term strategy for our position in India. The offering will enable users to avail the best value of their old smartphone when they want to upgrade to the latest devices from Redmi and Mi.

Ex: With your recently announced INR 2 crore scholarship, thousands of children will be able to get the education they deserve. What other steps do you plan to take to encourage child education in India?
Manu: We announced the INR 2 crore scholarship in partnership with ‘Buddy4Study’ to enable the student community from underprivileged segments to pursue higher education and empower themselves. In addition to this, we also partnered with ‘Teach For India’ in August and pledged 2500 smartphones worth INR 2 Crores for children from communities that are worst affected by the pandemic.

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!

Exit mobile version