CEO Insights Magazine

Rossell Techsys was established in 2011 with a vision to be the Engineering and Manufacturing Services partner of choice for leading global OEMs in the Aerospace and Defence domain. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rossell India Limited and provides engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, electronic and electrical sub-assemblies and components, including wire harnesses for Aerospace & Defence sector in its state of-the-art facility in Bangalore. With a firm belief that customer experience is the key to business growth, Prabhat Kumar Bhagvandas leads the company with a CEO culture, where the priority order is that Customer first, followed by Employee and Operational processes.

Prabhat has a career spanning over 40 years where he held various leadership positions in diverse industries such as Aerospace & Defence, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Industrial automation and controls, and Data networking. He considers himself blessed to have had the opportunity to start up various offshore development centers (ODCs) and VC-funded technology companies.

Prabhat engages in an exclusive interaction with CEO Insights, here are the highlights.

You possess about four decades of experience, how has been your path to success and what is your success mantra?
Along my journey, there have been many incredible experiences and challenges. My passion in life is to create opportunities for others that they may not have realized were possible for them within their personal capabilities. I often visit our labs and spend time with people working there because at the end of the day I am an engineer, and it is crucial for me to stay connected to that work and to the people who form the backbone of the company. I strongly believe that ‘Success’ is a team sport, and it is all about making a difference in people’s lives.

How would you define Rossell Techsys as an organization and its position in the market? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to clients?
At Rossell Techsys, our priority is to do it right, the first time, every time, with finish and finesse. Our goal is to grow sensibly, do right by our

people, our community, exceed customers’ expectations and continue to set the bar higher. The mantra that is strongly advocated for excellence, is to 'compete with self' and to diligently nurture, and protect, credibility above all else. This focus on credibility has helped the company experience an exciting journey which, incidentally, has been exponential in growth, in the last decade, with abundant customer trust and encouragement. This has been one of the key differentiators in the experience that customers have with us. We maintain our leadership position in terms of this carefully nurtured global reputation, customer trust and advocacy, and uncompromising focus on quality. We firmly believe that our credibility, and reputation, will fuel and propel our future growth.

Could you tell us about the latest Aerospace & Defense Technologies adopted by the company?
The company has 225,000 square feet, state-of-theart green manufacturing space at the Aerospace and Defense park in Bangalore. It has customer specific centers of excellence (CoE’s) for major customers. Mainline production takes place at this LEED IGBC GOLD rated facility. It is supported by repair, rework and contingent demands at its 4000 sq. ft. subsidiary facility in Tempe, AZ. The Rossell green manufacturing process is built on a robust IT Infrastructure, with the hall markbeing 'video traceability' of the manufacturing process.

A slew of advanced software tools for comprehensive inhouse Engineering and Manufacturing for its EWIS competency add an exciting experience. Competencies include conventional wire harnesses, fiber optics, specialty molded wire harnesses, injection molded parts, 3D printed parts, electro-mechanical parts, electronics systems and systems integration (ESSI), Automatic Test Systems, obsolescence management, reverse engineering and alternate sourcing with a strong eco-system of partners for manufacture of mechanical and special parts. The company has an integrated management system that encapsulates multiple certifications, AS9100D, ISO91001, ISO27001, ISO14001, ISO31000, ISO45001, ISO37001, and NADCAP AC7121 standards.

Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines you follow as a leader?
I truly believe that actual power resides in one’s ideas and the value you create in your work, and not the position in the organizational hierarchy. Leadership is not a privilege to do less, it is a responsibility to do more. Harnes

sing the power of the human mind is the best form of success. Empowering staff is essential and enabling and respecting dignity of labor is fundamental. The company has a “cream collar” culture, taking the best of the two worlds of technology and manufacturing. I am a firm believer in ‘Walk the Talk’ philosophy and that the leader should lead the team with his thoughts, words and actions, all working in unison. For me, writing your core values on the walls is not enough, one has to live them.

Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
Economic recovery for the aerospace and defense industry has gained momentum in 2022. As the world opens up more and more to pre-pandemic levels, there are more reasons to have an optimistic look. We are looking at growth in new technology and segments, evolving business in areas such as space and the use of digitalization and a further push towards a smart factory. Manufacturing companies, irrespective of domain, will be focused on innovation, and absorption of technologies such as AI, ML, AAM and hyper-automaton. The COVID-19 pandemic associated workforce dynamics, and the geo-political conflict have added to supply chain complexities and that will be a key area where innovation and partnerships will have to be resorted to. There is a lot of scope for India to be a visible and meaningful player as manufacturing continues to be one of the major drivers for any nations’ GDP.

In the light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to the budding industry leaders?
First and foremost is humility. Look beyond your own term because just as there is beginning, there will be an end. The more you grow, the more you realize that it is important to carry people with you, be approachable and reachable. Avoid the halo effect, it is more suited to celebrities!

Seek the company of those who are willing to give their honest opinion of you. Be with your team, roll up your sleeves, if need be, and accept that there will be good days as well as bad days. This guarantees success in the long run. It doesn’t mean there won’t be setbacks but learn to be genuinely humble, people oriented, and operate with a sense of balance of head and heart.

Prabhat Kumar Bhagvandas, CEO, Rossell Techsys
•Hobbies:Listening to soft instrumental music and spirituality, watching comedy and lighthearted movies.
•Favorite Cuisine:Indo Chinese
•Favorite Book:The Holy Scriptures
•Favorite Travel Destination:Being up in the air and looking down to realize how small we actually are in the larger scheme of things.
•Awards & Recognition:Best CEO of the year 2021 (World HRD Congress)