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Harpreet Singh
Class of 2004
Chief Operating Officer, Radiowalla Network Private Limited



Previous Occupation: Co-founder, Decibel Media Private Limited
Present Occupation: COO, Radiowalla Network Private Limited 
Sector:  Media
Work Experience: 14 years (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited [BPCL], vCustomer, HT Media, Decibel Media and  Radiowalla)
Interests – Professional/ Personal: Keen follower of the radio industry, new ventures and innovative ideas.


Can you tell us a little about your family background/ history?
I was born in Delhi and lived in several different cities in North India as my father was in government service. I have an elder brother who also runs his own business in Chandigarh. I am married to Rushi and we have a six-year-old daughter.

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards/ special projects) :
Radiowalla recently won the prestigious TiE50 “Top Startup” award. 

Tell us about your profile pre-ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB, including your career progression.
Prior to joining ISB, I worked with Bharat Petroleum for about four years in the operations domain. Post-ISB, I joined vCustomer and subsequently moved to HT Media to work in their radio division, which was just being set up at that time. Being part of a start-up within a large group was very exciting, and I made up my mind to start up an entrepreneurial venture sooner or later. After about five years in HT Media, I, along with three of my colleagues, started Decibel Media, the first Indian company focused on in-store radio. Within a couple of years, Decibel Media had bagged a number of prestigious clients such as Trent, Hindware, and so on. In 2013, the company was acquired by Radiowalla and I relocated to Bangalore to handle the operations of the combined entity as COO. Radiowalla is today the largest company in its space and currently serves 7000+ stores in India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets.  

Describe your fondest memory of ISB.
It has been almost 10 years since I graduated from ISB but the memories are still very strong. My fondest memories include celebrating Holi with the entire batch and the birthday celebrations that invariably ended up with many people being thrown in the pool.

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?
A lot has changed post-ISB. One’s interactions with students from diverse backgrounds is the biggest learning one can get. I had the pleasure of interacting and working closely with some of the smartest people in the country and that has certainly helped me at a personal level as well. 

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
In a way it has made me a domain-independent person, and today I can understand the role of various functions in an organisation. The overall experience − courses plus student interactions −  is what makes it an ideal learning ground.

If you have to sum up ISB in one word:
Incredible.

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
It was a very well-balanced programme that gave you the tools necessary to manage all the functions of a business. This is very important, especially for start-ups, and comes in handy if you plan to start your own venture or work in a senior position in an organisation.

Word of advice for the current class?
Don't look at ISB as a placement agency. The knowledge that you get here will be with you for life and not just for your next job.

What was your favourite course/ class at ISB and why?
In fact, I had two favourite courses: Accounting with Professor Mark Finn and Negotiation Analysis with Professor Madan Pillutla. These are two things that any entrepreneur will need to have in his or her armoury, and what I learnt at ISB in these two courses (along with everything else) is worth its weight in gold.

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 was fortunate to have many fellow students act as mentors and guides for me during, and even after, the programme. These are the things that make ISB so special.

What are the areas in which you can contribute to ISB?
If I have the luxury of time, I would love to help ISB graduates start up ventures on their own. It would be a nice way to keep in touch with my alma mater and put my experience to good use.

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
I get the thrill of being part of a start-up while making sure that we maintain and enhance our dominant position in the Indian market and extend it to other markets across the globe. In a small way, we are the pioneers in this nascent industry in India and can redefine the larger music industry landscape in the years to come.

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
The retail radio or in-store radio space in India is very nascent. However, as I see it, music licence costs are a big hurdle for the retail industry, and the alternate options for music are gaining ground very quickly. We at Radiowalla currently work with some retailers to offer royalty free music and are experiencing customer pull due to the increase in music license costs over the last few years. This will have a huge impact on music companies and will force them to stop monopoly pricing. There is bound to be a dramatic change in the music licence regime in India in the next few years and we want to be at the forefront of this change.

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