Rajnish Virmani: On A Mission To Build The Next 100 CEOs For Corporate India And The World
Rajnish Virmani
Managing Partner - India
Positive Momentum is a boutique consulting firm composed of worldwide partners who have previously held positions of CEO and CXO-level leadership in prominent firms across industry verticals. Positive Momentum believes in providing “no-nonsense business expertise” in the areas of strategy, sales, customer service, leadership, people development, operations, and process excellence. Helping clients to change, grow, and lead through tailor-made consulting services.
Speaking of which, one of the managing partners, Rajnish Virmani has been focused on leveraging his 30 years of experience in giving back to the industry through strategic consulting, executive coaching & leadership development. He is committed to developing the next 100 CEOs for Indian and indeed global corporates. Rajnish has worked in the US, UK, and India, where he led Asian, European, American, and British teams totaling over 1,000 people. He has also managed multilocation Indian teams with over 12,000 employees.
In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights magazine, Rajnish Virmani, Managing Partner India at Positive Momentum walks us through his professional journey along with the unique traits of the company:
Give a brief account of your professional journey.
I am a Change Catalyst. I regard myself as a global leader having worked and led large teams globally.
An engineer with a B.Tech (Delhi College of Engineering) & MBA (Faculty of Management Studies) from Delhi University, India by background. My career can be looked at having two distinct innings My first inning has been as an employee working across various multinational corporations such as American Express, Aviva, Reliance, Colt Technologies, and Tata Consultancy Services across countries. Specifically, over the past 10-12 years of this 30-year employment journey, I have held the positions of CIO, COO, and CEO in these organizations. My second inning has seen me play the role of an entrepreneur and leadership consultant. I shook hands with Positive Momentum UK to keep a global business feel for my entrepreneurship.
How would you define Positive Momentum as an organization and its current position in the market?
Positive Momentum is a 20 year old firm, headquartered in London. We have about 25 partners in the UK/EU and another 16 in India. We are a unique team comprising former CXOs, who have got together to give back to the industry together. We don’t believe in offering theoretical models and a standard cookie-cutter approach to our clients. Each client is different and has different issues facing them. Each partner acts like an individual entrepreneur yet connected with other partners to share best practice experience. This is quite a unique business model. Recently, Financial Times has recognized Positive Momentum as one of the UK's leading management consultants. Further, the organization is B-Corp certified as well. We have added value to the business of Barclays, RBS (Natwest), Maruti, Red Bull, BT, American Express, AXA, Roche, EXL Services, MAX Life Insurance, Power Finance Corporation, and HCL, just to name a few.
Tell us about your leadership approach. Could you name a few
The ability to ask all the tough questions, while provoking the thinking of the clients to eventually help them discover the answers by themselves has been the key mantra as a CEO turned Consultant
How would you define Positive Momentum as an organization and its current position in the market?
Positive Momentum is a 20 year old firm, headquartered in London. We have about 25 partners in the UK/EU and another 16 in India. We are a unique team comprising former CXOs, who have got together to give back to the industry together. We don’t believe in offering theoretical models and a standard cookie-cutter approach to our clients. Each client is different and has different issues facing them. Each partner acts like an individual entrepreneur yet connected with other partners to share best practice experience. This is quite a unique business model. Recently, Financial Times has recognized Positive Momentum as one of the UK's leading management consultants. Further, the organization is B-Corp certified as well. We have added value to the business of Barclays, RBS (Natwest), Maruti, Red Bull, BT, American Express, AXA, Roche, EXL Services, MAX Life Insurance, Power Finance Corporation, and HCL, just to name a few.
Tell us about your leadership approach. Could you name a few
traits that best define your style of leadership?
My personal leadership approach takes a lot of learning from the sports field – Desire to Win, Collaboration and Teamwork, Staying Calm and Composed, Planning ahead but focusing on the present. My other big leadership driver is the desire to be of service and add value to others.The act of GIVING is so pleasurable to the heart and soul. Over the last 10 years, I've coached over 400 leaders 1-on-1. Some of the other projects that we as an organization are adept at include establishing company vision and (OKR) goals, enhancing customer Satisfaction/NPS scores, setting up green field operations, driving operational excellence, sales transformation, and CSR Mentoring Initiatives.
In light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
One word Curiosity. Listening is a very underrated leadership skill. It is indeed very fulfilling to be a part of an intellectual team that contributes to the industry and society as a whole. I believe that a leader should be inquisitive. We ask our clients what we refer to as ‘Bloody Good Questions(BGQs). These are questions that provoke thinking positively, which they may or may not have considered themselves. Provoking the thinking of the client is key to our success.
Rajnish Virmani, Managing Partner - India Positive Momentum
Rajnish is an Engineer and an MBA by background and has worked for about 30 years with large multinational brands like American Express, Aviva, Colt Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services, and Reliance. He has played the roles of a CIO, COO, and CEO and brings that experience to bear as he now coaches corporate leaders to lead the business in an ever-shrinking and diverse world.
•Hobbies: Sports & Travel
•Favorite Cuisine: Indian Food
•Favorite Book: Bloody Good Leadership by Rajnish Virmani
•Awards & Recognition: Voted “Role Model” Leader by teams in various companies across differing cultures Recently authored and published a Leadership Development book called “Bloody Good Leadership”. Hosts a Podcast called “Your Career Ladder”. Mentors a lot of young kids from neighboring villages and semi rural backgrounds to make them more employable.
My personal leadership approach takes a lot of learning from the sports field – Desire to Win, Collaboration and Teamwork, Staying Calm and Composed, Planning ahead but focusing on the present. My other big leadership driver is the desire to be of service and add value to others.The act of GIVING is so pleasurable to the heart and soul. Over the last 10 years, I've coached over 400 leaders 1-on-1. Some of the other projects that we as an organization are adept at include establishing company vision and (OKR) goals, enhancing customer Satisfaction/NPS scores, setting up green field operations, driving operational excellence, sales transformation, and CSR Mentoring Initiatives.
In light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
One word Curiosity. Listening is a very underrated leadership skill. It is indeed very fulfilling to be a part of an intellectual team that contributes to the industry and society as a whole. I believe that a leader should be inquisitive. We ask our clients what we refer to as ‘Bloody Good Questions(BGQs). These are questions that provoke thinking positively, which they may or may not have considered themselves. Provoking the thinking of the client is key to our success.
Rajnish Virmani, Managing Partner - India Positive Momentum
Rajnish is an Engineer and an MBA by background and has worked for about 30 years with large multinational brands like American Express, Aviva, Colt Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services, and Reliance. He has played the roles of a CIO, COO, and CEO and brings that experience to bear as he now coaches corporate leaders to lead the business in an ever-shrinking and diverse world.
•Hobbies: Sports & Travel
•Favorite Cuisine: Indian Food
•Favorite Book: Bloody Good Leadership by Rajnish Virmani
•Awards & Recognition: Voted “Role Model” Leader by teams in various companies across differing cultures Recently authored and published a Leadership Development book called “Bloody Good Leadership”. Hosts a Podcast called “Your Career Ladder”. Mentors a lot of young kids from neighboring villages and semi rural backgrounds to make them more employable.