ISSUE 50

DOMAIN / SECTOR (TO CAPTURE CURRENT SECTORAL TRENDS / DEVELOPMENTS / CHALLENGES)

3. What is your talent strategy?  How do you draw a balance between home grown vs lateral hiring at the leadership level?

Our talent strategy relies heavily on referrals, which have proven to attract the innovative minds we need to drive rapid growth. As an FMCG business with a startup mindset, we’re looking for individuals who can help us achieve decade-long goals within three to four years. 

 To balance ambition with cost consciousness, internal referrals play a vital role in our hiring process. We adopt a flexible recruitment approach, considering candidates from both within and outside our industry.

Balancing homegrown talent and lateral hires is largely driven by our needs. Since our FMCG unit is relatively new, we don’t have a deep internal talent pool to promote from within. Therefore, most of our hiring is from the external market, focusing on individuals who can bring fresh perspectives and help us scale quickly. 

4. How are global shifts in technology/digitisation and customer preferences impacting your business and industry? 

Changes in technology and consumer behavior have helped our business and the FMCG industry. Digitization gives us more information about consumers, like what they buy and what they like. 

We can see what products people buy together, like Momos and sauces. This helps us make good decisions, improve our products, and create effective marketing plans. 

Technology helps us understand consumers better and meet their needs. 

5. Have there been any recent initiatives to upskill talent at the leadership level? 

To ensure our leadership talent stays ahead of the curve, we prioritize upskilling through a blend of internal and external initiatives. Our approach combines mentorship from seasoned internal experts with collaborations from external specialists to craft comprehensive development programs. 

 Our robust Training and Development (T&D) function, initially established for our Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) business, now extends its expertise to our FMCG operations. Given the critical nature of T&D in consumer-facing QSR roles, we’ve dedicated a team to handle everything from product knowledge and hygiene protocols to customer interaction training. 

 This structured training methodology not only elevates our QSR operations but also fuels consistent growth and development for our leadership talent across the organization

6. Is the pursuit of innovation a constant or a situational strategy? Please elaborate with examples.

Innovation is ingrained in our DNA, a continuous pursuit rather than a situational response. Taste is paramount, and we uncompromisingly prioritize quality, sourcing only the finest raw materials. 

 Our innovative approach is a cross-functional effort, transcending traditional R&D boundaries. Every product undergoes meticulous evaluation, from raw material selection to rigorous taste testing. Multiple teams collaborate to ensure our high standards are met. 

 Consumer feedback is integral to our process. We conduct thorough testing to gather insights, refine our offerings, and perfect the consumer experience. This perpetual cycle of innovation enables us to consistently deliver resonant, high-quality products that delight consumers. 

7. As an organisation’s leader, how do you prepare your teams to navigate nonlinear situations / decisions.

To navigate nonlinear situations and decisions, I believe in empowering my teams while providing them with clear guidance on what to do and what to avoid. We foster a strong support system through mentors and skip-level managers, ensuring that team members always have someone to turn to for advice. 

Communication is key—we maintain open and transparent channels, allowing information to flow quickly and efficiently. We also uphold an open-door policy where anyone in the organization can directly reach out to me or even the founders. This accessibility ensures that if something isn’t working, team members can voice it immediately through a call, a WhatsApp message, or within our active group chats. 

Our decision-making process is streamlined, avoiding unnecessary hierarchical approvals. This agility helps us respond swiftly to challenges and keeps the teams confident in handling complex, nonlinear scenarios, knowing support is always just a message away. 

8. Are there newer financial and/or operational metrics that your business is governed by today? 

We don’t follow any new financial or operational metrics per se. Instead, our focus is on what we call “EDGE,” in FMCG which stands for “Everyday Great Execution.” This philosophy emphasizes the importance of consistently delivering excellence in our daily operations. By maintaining this level of discipline and focus, we ensure that all other business metrics naturally align and improve. While there are always various push-and-pull factors in the business environment, staying true to EDGE helps us navigate these effectively and drive consistent performance. 

9. What are the 3 most pivotal moments in your career that you learned from and/or that got you where you are today? 

There have been a few pivotal moments in my career that have shaped my journey and taught me valuable lessons: 

• Mastering People Management: One of the most significant learnings has been the importance of managing people effectively. This includes everyone from seniors, stakeholders, colleagues, and employees to customers and vendors. Over nearly two decades, I’ve realized that a large part of any role involves dealing with people. Learning how to guide, influence, and navigate these relationships has been crucial to my success.
• Focusing on Fewer, Impactful Initiatives: Another key learning is the value of doing fewer things but doing them exceptionally well. Throughout my career, I’ve encountered numerous opportunities and challenges, often accompanied by pressure to tackle many things simultaneously. However, as a leader, it’s important to pause, assess what will bring the most impact, and focus on executing those priorities. The ability to say “no” and stick to delivering the core objectives is critical.
• Prioritizing Impact Over Volume: Early in my career, I was inclined to take on a lot. Over time, I learned that success often lies in identifying what not to do. By choosing the initiatives that drive real impact and filtering out distractions, I could drive better results and maintain a clear strategic direction. 

These experiences have not only shaped my professional approach but also reinforced the importance of strategic focus and strong interpersonal skills in leadership. 

10. What message would you like to share with young professionals? 

My message to young professionals is simple: 

• Build Something of Your Own: This is the best time to take risks and explore opportunities. Whether it’s launching a business, developing a new idea, or creating something meaningful—just start and stay committed. When you’re young, there’s little to lose, so embrace this moment to experiment, learn, and grow. 
• Seek Out Mentors: Don’t hesitate to approach experienced professionals for guidance. Many young people hold back from asking senior leaders to mentor them, fearing rejection. But the truth is, the worst response you might get is a “no,” and the best could be a transformative relationship. Good mentors provide invaluable insights, open doors, and help you navigate your career path with confidence.
• Focus on Learning, Not Just Earning: Early in your career, prioritize roles and environments that offer learning and growth over immediate financial gain. Work with great brands, learn under strong leaders, and immerse yourself in experiences that help you build a solid professional foundation. Avoid letting compensation drive your decisions—focus on long-term growth, and the wealth will follow.

In the end, invest in experiences, build strong relationships, and let passion and curiosity guide your journey. Stay curious, be bold, and always keep learning. 

11. The cost of stability is often diminished opportunities for growth. Seeking out diverse experiences is useful preparation for leadership. True or false, and why? 

I believe stability can certainly coexist with growth if you’re part of an organization that offers diverse experiences and development opportunities. When you work with brands, managers, and teams that drive both stability and growth, you can achieve the best of both worlds. 

At the same time, I’ve seen how stability can sometimes lead to complacency. When professionals remain in the same environment for too long, they might become too comfortable and may not challenge themselves enough. I always encourage professionals, especially early in their careers, to seek out diverse experiences by exploring different brands, industries, and environments. Doing so not only helps you avoid stagnation but also allows you to prove yourself repeatedly, adapt to new situations, and continually reinvent yourself. 

In my own career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with market leaders, emerging brands, and startups. Each transition required me to rediscover and adapt myself, contributing significantly to my growth as a leader. Whether I was navigating the challenges of a number one brand or building strategies for a startup, every experience was added to my toolkit. 

Ultimately, I believe it’s important to find a balance. Stability has its merits, but exploring diverse experiences can bring both depth and breadth to your professional journey. It’s this mix that helps you develop into a well-rounded and resilient leader.