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Sanjiv Bhagat
PGPMAX Class of 2012
Chairman and CEO for AT&T Global Network Services India Pvt. Limited
Present Occupation: Chairman and CEO for AT&T Global Network Services India Pvt. Limited.
Sector: Telecommunications
Work Experience: 26 Years
Interests – Professional/ Personal:
Professional: Creating new business plans and then executing them to make them a success.
Personal: I recently developed an interest in photography. My idea of a great vacation is driving down to remote and quiet places in the Himalayas.
Can you tell us a little about your family background/ history?
I was born and brought up in Delhi. I am the youngest of three brothers. My wife Neelam and I will be celebrating our silver wedding anniversary this April. Neelam is a teacher and we are blessed with two lovely daughters - Kriti, who is 22 years old and is doing her MBA, and Riya, who is 14 years old and studying in Class 9. As a family, we love going out on weekends for overnight stays at remote and peaceful places to relax.
Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards/ special projects).
I have 26 years of experience in the IT and Telecom industries and have worked for HCL and IBM. I joined AT&T in 2000, where I built the managed network services business for AT&T in India, developed business cases for new markets and business opportunities, and turned an almost zero revenue business into a multi-million dollar business.
Tell us about your profile pre-ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB, including your career progression.
Pre-ISB, I worked with HCL, IBM and AT&T in various roles. While I was doing my PGPMAX at ISB, I was appointed Chairman of the board and CEO of AT&T Global Network Services. While I am responsible for the business in India, I am now also looking into possibilities for expanding the business in new markets in other South Asian countries.
Describe your fondest memory of ISB.
There are many: Group assignments, late night studies, gala dinners, the Brazil trip … but it’s the first one that always remains with you. During the first week at ISB, the last day of that week and my first test after 25 years, I had butterflies in my stomach just like any other fresher. It made me accept the reality that I was back studying in a school, and ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised to see my results!
In your personal life, how have you changed post-ISB? Do you see yourself doing something differently because you went to ISB? What has left a lasting impression?
Pre-ISB, achieving a work-life balance was a challenge for me. When I was at ISB, I had no choice but to make significant improvements in my time management, and now that I have left ISB, my work-life balance has significantly improved.
How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
I already experienced growth while I was still at ISB. Now, having just completed the PGPMAX (October 2012), I am sure it will help me again in the time to come. The PGPMAX has helped to structure my thoughts and brought more clarity to my vision.
If you have to sum up ISB in one word:
The crafters.
What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
There are many, but the two key highlights are the networking opportunities and world-class faculty. My class had participants from very diverse industries such as IT, telecom, manufacturing, automobile, finance, government, the armed forces, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, education, publishing, logistics, and more. This gave me an opportunity to interact with everyone and helped me to better understand their industries. The faculty were very experienced and knowledgeable. The professors kept in mind the class construct and were able to generate energy and interest in the subjects.
Word of advice for the current class?
Time is running out, and before you realise it, your calendar will show the month of October! So, create bonds as quickly as possible and relish the good moments.
What was your favourite course/ class at ISB and why?
Competitive strategy was the most relevant course for me, and Professor Prashant Kale was outstanding.
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.
I can’t say if any one person acted as my mentor at ISB. There was something to learn from everyone in the class as they all came from different industries and cultures. But I did have a competitor – my daughter Kriti, who was also doing her MBA at that time. While we used to discuss a lot of things, we also compared marks after our exams and most of the time, I was the proud father who lost to his daughter.
What are the areas in which you can contribute to ISB?
I have already worked with one of the PGP groups by providing a marketing project for my company as part of their ELP. I can also contribute by helping ISB during its info-sessions for prospective students and can possibly play some role in the selection process for new students.
What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
The ever-changing technology and frequent new challenges. As the head of business for AT&T in India, I face new situations almost every day, which are either due to changing business dynamics or the complex regulatory environment. This always keeps me alert and on my toes.
What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
In my industry, the big change that we going to see is virtualisation. It’s already happening and will continue as the new technology and mobile devices make information seeking and sharing more simple and flexible.