Amod Joshi: Versatile Finance Professional With A Keen Enterpreneurial Mind
Amod Joshi
Chief Financial Officer
KSH International was founded in 1981. KSH provides customized solutions and manufactures products as per customers' specific requirements. Customers include manufacturers of Power & Distribution Transformers, motors and more. KSH is a preferred supplier of Transposed Cables to HVDC, 765 kV, and 1200 kV extra high voltage transformer and reactor manufacturers in India. To have more insights into managing the leading company, we spoke to Amod Joshi, Chief Financial Officer at KSH International to share his professional journey. Check out the small snippets from the interview below.
Take us through your professional journey and share what lessons you have learned in your journey that are helping you manage the role and responsibility at KSH International.
I began my professional career with an internship at Ernst & Young in Pune, after which I relocated to Ernst & Young Bangalore where I spent 7 years in the statutory audit practice auditing multinational IT, manufacturing and PE firms. The decade plus experience in audits with E&Y and KPMG gave me invaluable insights into the business models of various industries along with the regulatory and business challenges faced by them. Although
the audit job was satisfying, I felt a strong internal drive to go beyond the regulatory frame work and help organizations develop their internal systems and growth strategies. That made it easier for me to begin my entrepreneurial venture in the consulting industry. Through one of my assignments, I worked with the KSH Group and seized an opportunity to join them as the Chief Financial Officer. KSH International has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years, and I feel extremely lucky to be part of this journey contributing in whatever way possible as their CFO.
I have gained invaluable insights about the importance of patience and gratitude via my entrepreneurial experience, which allows me to remain cool under pressure. In my current position, I have had the good fortune to work directly with the leadership team to address actual day-to-day issues with running a business in the Finance, Strategy, Legal, Procurement, and IT domains.
Tell us how KSH International making an impact and presence across the insulated rectangular and round wire domain.
There is no doubt that KSH International is the leading manufacturer of Bare and Insulated Rectangular Winding wires and Transposed Cables in India. The Company is the largest Indian manufacturer of Continuously Transposed Conductors (CTC) and Shaped Insulated Wires for Power Equipment, Renewable, and Railways. KSH International has pioneered the development of CTC Technology in India and today is the largest exporter of insulated wires CTC, PICC from India. With global approvals from reputed foreign power companies, KSH International today is well poised to embark upon the next growth level and be a dominant player internationally. The next few years would be very exciting for the Company.
What are the challenges you face in your industry? And tell us what success mantra you follow that has been helping you arrive at positive
To achieve positive outcomes it is crucial to build a strong team that can work independently and realizes the leader's vision when managing the financial function of a constantly expanding company
I have gained invaluable insights about the importance of patience and gratitude via my entrepreneurial experience, which allows me to remain cool under pressure. In my current position, I have had the good fortune to work directly with the leadership team to address actual day-to-day issues with running a business in the Finance, Strategy, Legal, Procurement, and IT domains.
Tell us how KSH International making an impact and presence across the insulated rectangular and round wire domain.
There is no doubt that KSH International is the leading manufacturer of Bare and Insulated Rectangular Winding wires and Transposed Cables in India. The Company is the largest Indian manufacturer of Continuously Transposed Conductors (CTC) and Shaped Insulated Wires for Power Equipment, Renewable, and Railways. KSH International has pioneered the development of CTC Technology in India and today is the largest exporter of insulated wires CTC, PICC from India. With global approvals from reputed foreign power companies, KSH International today is well poised to embark upon the next growth level and be a dominant player internationally. The next few years would be very exciting for the Company.
What are the challenges you face in your industry? And tell us what success mantra you follow that has been helping you arrive at positive
outcomes.
Effective working capital management is one of the key challenges in optimising costs and maximising returns. Understanding business requirements and utilising the best strategy that suits to the Company's needs is extremely challenging and important.
Management of foreign exchange fluctuations for businesses with sizable exports and imports is another area that requires close observation. The changing USD exchange rate makes it crucial to use wise hedging measures to protect margins from significant volatility in foreign exchange rates.
To achieve positive outcomes it is crucial to building a strong team that can work independently and realizes the leader's vision when managing the financial function of a constantly expanding company. The famous line from the movie Rocky, “It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward... that's how winning is done!”comes to mind when I think of a success mantra.
Could you share strategies that have been beneficial in embracing the company's mission towards achieving growth in the copper conductor industry?
The cash and carry business model apply to copper, which is a costly metal. Commodity purchases are not eligible for free credit. To balance our need for working capital, we use a variety of bank products such as letters of credit, bill discounting, demand loans, and more. There isn't one formula for managing working capital, therefore choices about which financial product to use must be based on constantly changing circumstances.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
I think the key is to enjoy the journey more than worrying about the destination. Irrespective of the number of years of experience, I think there's always room to pick up new skillsand develop professionally. Therefore, the only future destination for me is the one which challenges me professionally and allows me to develop further as a professional.
Amod Joshi, Chief Financial Officer, KSH International
Amod is a Chartered Accountant with a well-rounded experience in consulting as well as industry experience working with KSH International, a manufacturing company, as their CFO involved in formulating finance strategies, growth initiatives, leading IT initiatives, fundraising, and so on.
Effective working capital management is one of the key challenges in optimising costs and maximising returns. Understanding business requirements and utilising the best strategy that suits to the Company's needs is extremely challenging and important.
Management of foreign exchange fluctuations for businesses with sizable exports and imports is another area that requires close observation. The changing USD exchange rate makes it crucial to use wise hedging measures to protect margins from significant volatility in foreign exchange rates.
To achieve positive outcomes it is crucial to building a strong team that can work independently and realizes the leader's vision when managing the financial function of a constantly expanding company. The famous line from the movie Rocky, “It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward... that's how winning is done!”comes to mind when I think of a success mantra.
Could you share strategies that have been beneficial in embracing the company's mission towards achieving growth in the copper conductor industry?
The cash and carry business model apply to copper, which is a costly metal. Commodity purchases are not eligible for free credit. To balance our need for working capital, we use a variety of bank products such as letters of credit, bill discounting, demand loans, and more. There isn't one formula for managing working capital, therefore choices about which financial product to use must be based on constantly changing circumstances.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
I think the key is to enjoy the journey more than worrying about the destination. Irrespective of the number of years of experience, I think there's always room to pick up new skillsand develop professionally. Therefore, the only future destination for me is the one which challenges me professionally and allows me to develop further as a professional.
Amod Joshi, Chief Financial Officer, KSH International
Amod is a Chartered Accountant with a well-rounded experience in consulting as well as industry experience working with KSH International, a manufacturing company, as their CFO involved in formulating finance strategies, growth initiatives, leading IT initiatives, fundraising, and so on.