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Rajesh Mani
Class of 2006
Head, Merchant Business, Airtel Money

Previous Occupation: Regional Head – Merchant Acquisition and Servicing, American Express, North India and East India Prior to that:

  • State Head – Retail, ITC Ltd, International Business Division, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab & Haryana
  • Founder, CEO, Citibank DSA, Rajay Communications
  • Business Partner, NIIT
  • MD, RDB Educational Services Pvt. Ltd
  • Professional Selling Representative, Johnson & Johnson Ltd

Present Occupation: Head, Merchant Business, Airtel Money
Sector: Mobile Commerce
Work Experience: 16 years
Interests – Professional/Personal:
Personal – Fitness training, music and cooking

Can you tell us a little about your family background/history?
My father is a retired CFO, my mother, a housewife, and my brother, a software professional based in the US. My wife, Bhavani and I have been married for four years and we have a 20-month-old daughter named Bhadra.

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards\special projects)
On the professional front, they are:

  • The launch of Airtel Money, the first telco-led mobile payment platform in India.
  • While at American Express, I was nominated as the sole representative of GMS (Global Merchant Services, India) to the India People Leader Advisory Committee. In this role, I oversaw the Global Payroll Transformation Programme and led the change management activities for the line of business in partnership with the project team.
  • During my stint at ITC, I was instrumental in developing an innovative model for the last mile delivery in the health vertical, which has greatly transformed ITC’s presence in rural India. More notably, it helped us win the Ashoka Changemakers Global Award on “How to Improve Health for All.”

On the personal side, they include:

  • Representing India in the International Strength Building competition in 1998 and winning the silver medal.
  • Being one of the youngest Masters (of the Freemason’s Lodge) in India to receive the Best Masters Award.

Tell us about your profile pre ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB including your career progression?

Before ISB, I was a successful entrepreneur, who was very tactical and very strong on execution. ISB added structure to my approach to strategy. Post-ISB, my career has seen me in roles that have increasingly become more strategic in nature, and therefore, helped define businesses. After ISB, there have been three phases in my career – first as state head, then as a regional head, and finally now, as the national head of a business. The fact that I am heading a business today is testimony to the strategic mindset that ISB has helped me develop.

Describe your fondest memory at ISB?
One of the fondest memories I have of life at the ISB was the ritualistic dunking into the pool for birthdays and other special occasions – this was something that created a great sense of camaraderie that has outlived the time spent at ISB.

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?One lesson that I learned at ISB, and which has stayed with me ever since, is that leadership is about influence and not authority. Since ISB, I have realised that both in my personal and professional life, it is extremely important to co-opt other stakeholders into the decision-making process.

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
The time spent at ISB has inculcated in me a structured thinking process, which has enabled me to look at problems strategically and not just tactically - a skill which is essential for any business leader.

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

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
It is very difficult to point out just one highlight, but if I have to isolate only one, it would be having the honour of becoming the GSB president and leading a group of extremely talented peers. This experience has transformed my perspective on man-management, strengthening and shaping it to suit the needs of today’s new-age businesses where collaborative leadership is the norm rather than the exception.

Word of advice for the current class?
The value of ISB can neither be summed up in a starry placement nor squeezed into a salary figure. ISB is not a magic wand or a silver bullet that will solve all your problems, but it is rather an experience that empowers you with all the skill sets that will help you succeed in life. Look at a five-year horizon post-ISB, not just to evaluate the impact it has on your career, but also on your life.

What was your favourite course/class at ISB and why?
Negotiation Analysis, because it has the most relevance to our day-to-day lives, both professional and personal.

In what areas can you contribute to ISB?
Mentoring students and participating in the admissions process.

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
The fact that I am creating a new business that is going to have a profound impact on the way people lead their daily lives.

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
Data is going to become the next biggest thing to hit India after mobile telephony. Mobile phones are going to be the point of access for this. All telcos will now start making data an integral part of their product offering, one that will very soon dwarf voice.