LIKE MANY ENGINEERS before him, Satish Pai headed for foreign shores after picking up a degree in mechanical engineering in 1985 from IIT Madras. For 28 years, he worked for the US-based oilfield services company Schlumberger.
In 2013, he returned to the country of his birth to take charge of Hindalco's aluminium business. Working for the Aditya Birla Group, a diversified $65-billion conglomerate, promised to be an interesting experience. And surely, it hasn't disappointed him, since Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco Industries, has had to navigate the company through many twists and turns across markets. He is looking to position the company as a downstream value-added player, even as it looks to ramp up its play in copper.
But Pai, winner in the Super Large Companies category of the BT-PwC India's Best CEOs ranking this year, walked into a major crisis in India. In 2014, the Supreme Court cancelled the allocation of coal blocks to public and private enterprises in light of the coal scam. It was a hugely challenging time.
"Till then, we worked on a model where input costs were zero, and it helped us make a substantial amount of money," says 62-year-old Pai. A changed scenario meant paying the market price. "Indian manufacturing needed to face global competitive standards and had to get very efficient."
Putting on his thinking cap, Pai looked for India's big advantage. Brain power stood out and so he pushed hard on downstream-engineering products and solutions and eventually led to a thrust on value-added products. "Today, Hindalco products are a lot more visible in buses and aircraft, and we did not realise how much of an impact downstream would have," explains Pai.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 17, 2024-Ausgabe von Business Today India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 17, 2024-Ausgabe von Business Today India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
"Moving to cloud helped us grow❞
What was the problem you were grappling with?
She's Got Time
MORE WOMEN ARE BECOMING WATCH CONNOISSEURS, SEEKING OUT BOTH JEWELLED AND TECHNICAL WATCHES FOR THEIR STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
RISING STAR
PARUL GULATI IS a name that's been steadily gaining prominence in the Indian entertainment industry after she appeared on season 2 of Shark Tank in 2023. She has become a multifaceted personality who effortlessly transitions between acting and entrepreneurship.
Building on a Legacy
WHEN ZAHABIYA KHORAKIWALA stepped into her role as Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals over a decade ago, she confronted formidable challenges that have since turned into achievements.
LEADER IN INNOVATION
AS FEDEX'S PRESIDENT (Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa), Kami Viswanathan has a lot on her plate.
WAITING IN THE WINGS
Here are those who missed out as they have not yet completed a year in office; they'll be strong contenders in 2025
A DECENT PROPOSAL
IN TODAY'S WORLD OF TRYING TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE SPACE, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THEIR OWN SAVINGS POOL AND INVESTMENT ROUTINE. GIVEN THIS, HOW SHOULD FUTURE BRIDES APPROACH FINANCIAL PLANNING?
Women and the STEM Bias
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN STEM WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY, DRIVING INNOVATION AND PROGRESS.
ROCKET WOMEN
WOMEN IN INDIA ARE NOT ONLY VENTURING INTO SPACE BUT ARE ALSO STARTING TO SPEARHEAD THE COUNTRY'S EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL SPACE RACE.
ONE STEP FORWARD
THE NUMBER OF WOMEN INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS IS GROWING STEADILY, BUT IT'S A LONG WAY FROM GENDER PARITY. MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BREAK THE GLASS CEILING IN BOARDROOMS.