CEO Insights Magazine

How do the country's largest business management institutes hone their students to emerge as prolific industry leaders? This query is best addressed when we take a look at the success statistics of the alumni of these premium institutes. Thanks to the top-notch faculties of the country, it's no secret that IIM promises better job prospects to its students along with numerous opportunities to interact with the sharpest minds in the country and the necessary skill sets to emerge as new-age entrepreneurs. Having spent more than eight years in the industry, Kapil Dev (currently working as Director, Panaaya Technologies Private Limited)joined IIM Bangalore to hone his industrial proficiencies, acquire additional lenses and frames of business, review and re-examine his own experience, and develop his operational strategies as well as his leadership style. Acknowledging IIM Bangalore's contribution towards his professional endeavors, Kapil admits that his tenure at the management institute enhanced his ability to look at things from multiple perspectives along with his decision-making skills. He believes that every leader has to operate like a bandmaster who not only has to understand each instrument but also ensures that the orchestra is in symphony to create a magical melody. Kapil is currently engaged in bringing groundbreaking accomplishments to his current employer.

Below is an excerpt of Kapil’s interview with CEO Insights.

As a successful industry leader, what motivates you to keep going at present?
The biggest motivation, which works for me is creating value. In the initial stages of my professional journey with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), I was posted at a construction site and witnessed the project being built brick by brick, day by day, machine by machine. Having exposed to technical, commercial, contractual, legal, project manage

ment, coordination, administrative facets I developed a keen eye for detail and developed the ability to have a bird's eye view of the assignments. During the course of this period, I was witness to the changes the project brought to the economic and social landscape in the area. I felt a great deal of satisfaction by being a part of the team, which was able to create value for the larger stake holders. I could see this getting repeated with every other project that I was associated with. As the projects were located in remote areas, the changes were visible very soon. Even today, my biggest motivation is to create value for all the stakeholders,whether it is the government, regulators, policy makers, market participants shareholders, employees, and so on. I firmly believe that businesses have to create value for society at large.

Amidst the continuously evolving market dynamics, how are you navigating your current employer to emerge as a trailblazer?
With the ongoing evolution of the energy sector, the contracting structure is becoming more market oriented. The policy makers and the regulators are proposing new frameworks to bring in more transparency, certainty and predictability to the policy and regulatory landscape. Now, the government is nudging the participants to get on to the organized markets as the sector is evolving from a vertically integrated structure to adopting an unbundled market oriented structure. As the sector changes we'll have to align ourselves to the new paradigm. Environmental Sustainability has become extremely important and thus, we are trying to define an area wherein Technology Services and Sustain ability merge.

What are some of the major milestones in your journey that bestowed you with utmost satisfaction, both as an individual and as an industry leader?
The formative years are extremely important for every individual. So, on a personal level, the kind of upbringing which I had in an industrial township (amidst a

confined and controlled environment) where all of us were constantly under watch, has given me the strength to not shy away from scrutiny and therefore, the courage to do the right thing even under difficult circumstances. The decision to move out from the comforts of a secured job in the government sector to the corporate world I believe is one of the most important decisions I've taken. During the last decade and a half, I have been able to apply those learnings and utilize them to suit the context. During the course of my employment with Power Exchange India Limited, there were many firsts which we achieved including highest ever revenues for the organization in FY19 and a 100 percent growth every year till FY21. This assumes additional significance in view of the fact that during FY17 the organization was undergoing a very rough patch and was on the verge of business closure. As a member of the core team and responsible to generate revenues to drive the top line, which brought the organization back to life, it has been an experience of a life time and an experience to cherish. Growing as a newage leader,integrity, transparency and trustworthiness are the three cornerstones which gel very well with my approach.

How are you applying your vast professional experience to take the company one step ahead of its competitors? What are your future goals?
We intend to focus on technology and aspire to be the topmost service providers for our sector spanning the entire value chain from generation, transmission, distribution, load dispatch services for utilities, and so on. Having said that our focus would remain through our highly advanced and technology driven services, to be instrumental in driving the change, which will be in the larger interest of the consumers.

Kapil Dev, CEO, PanaayaTechnologies
A respected leader and a seasoned professional Kapil holds more than 22 years of diversified experience as an industry stalwart. Being an accomplished executive with a proven business track record, Kapil conceptualizes, develops, organizes, drives, implements and executes strategies to meet business goals and financial objectives.

Hobbies: Playing Table Tennis, and Reading
Favorite Cuisine: North Indian Vegetarian Dishes
Favorite Travel Destination: Australia