Previous Occupation: 10 years in the Merchant Navy.
Present Occupation: Assistant Vice President, Long-term Strategy for Infrastructure, Manufacturing Services Vertical
Sector: BPO
Work Experience: 11 years
Interests – Professional/Personal: 
Professional: Quality, Change Management
Personal interest: Travel, Sports

Can you tell us a little about your family background/history?
Hailing from a defence background, I spent my formative years across the length and breadth of the country. Continuing that trend, I joined the Merchant Navy straight out of school and have been travelling ever since. The one year at ISB was the longest I have stayed in one place in the last 10 years.

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards\special projects)
I received the Young Leaders award at ISB last year. A recent recognition was when a few of my recommendations in my strategy project were made actionable at a CXO level.

Tell us about your profile pre ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB including your career progression?
Prior to joining ISB, I was in the Merchant Navy for over 10 years. I started off as a cadet, and progressed through the ranks to finally fulfill my dream of commanding my own ship.Currently, I am driving the long-term strategy planning for a major vertical in a large BPO

Describe your fondest memory of ISB?
Organising Solstice was a lot fun. The 3-4 months that were spent forming a team and taking care of the minutest details that lead to a successful event were very satisfying.

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
Coming from a non-traditional background, I was not sure how I could contribute to a corporate environment. ISB has taught me how to showcase my skills in every context and also armed me with valuable knowledge of the latest management principles.

If you have to sum up ISB in one word
Transformational

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
The people I met at ISB.

Word of advice for the current class?
Enjoy your time at ISB! The biggest gain from ISB is the friends you make and the knowledge that you have such a robust support system to fall back on.

What was your favourite course/class at ISB and why?
NEGA. This was the best course that I attended  by a mile  and the most useful as well. It was actionable from day zero.

Was there anyone during your time at ISB who acted as a mentor for you? Tell us a little about this relationship and why it was valuable.
Although I can’t say that there were any mentors as such, I would like to mention Nidhi Reddy of CEMS who helped me and guided me many times.

In what areas can you contribute to ISB?
I’m always open to help in whatever form required.

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
The fact that I work for the top leadership of my company and the fact that I can see my work making an impact.

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
The industry is slowly moving from labour arbitrage and efficient processes to delivering true business impact.

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