The Payal Nanjiani Leadership Podcast

Why Smart Leaders Repeat the Same Mistakes EP 418

Closing The Leadership Gap EP 417

Rohit Pathak | CEO of Copper business of Hindalco Rohit Pathak is the CEO of Birla Copper, the largest Copper player in India and #3 globally for Copper Rods outside China. This is the Copper business of Hindalco Industries Limited, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group. Mr. Pathak is a Director on the National Executive Council of IEEMA since 2019 the industry association of the electrical equipment industry in India and the President of the Association for the year 2022-23. Mr. Pathak is also the President of the Indian Primary Copper Producers Association IPCPA since 2022 and a Director of the Fertiliser Association of India FAI since 2021. Prior to moving to Birla Copper, Mr. Pathak was the President & CEO of Aditya Birla Insulators largest Insulator player in India and 3rd largest porcelain player globally, where he led its diversification into Composites and the growth of the international business. He was also appointed the first CEO of Aditya Birla Power Composites Limited, a JV of Grasim Industries Limited with Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen of Germany for Composite Hollow Core Insulators. Mr. Pathak joined the Aditya Birla Group in 2011 as the Principal EA to the Chairman, Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla. In that role he advised Mr. Birla on key priorities such as M&A, organic growth, and special initiatives and strategic planning & monitoring across the Group Businesses, and helped the businesses on strategic issues. He is a recipient of the Chairmans’ Award for Exceptional Contribution in 2015. Prior to joining the group, Mr. Pathak was an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, where he worked on diverse issues such as new market entry, business turnaround, inorganic growth, large scale performance transformations, and business plan development and delivery. He also led the Procurement practice and co-led the Automotive & Assembly practice in India for the firm. Mr. Pathak has done his PGDM from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad India and Electrical & Electronics Engineering from BITS Pilani Pilani Campus, India. He is a recipient of the Prof L K Maheshwari Distinguished Alumnus Award 2023, awarded by the EEE Dept of BITS Pilani.

The Changing Lens of Leadership EP 416

Ritesh Gauba | Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Epigamia Ritesh brings over two decades of leadership experience across consumer goods, sales, marketing, P&L management, and business transformation. Most recently, he served as Country General Manager – India at pladis Global (McVitie’s, Godiva, Ulker), where he led overall India operations and business growth initiatives. Prior to this, he spent over 8 years at Mars, holding multiple leadership roles including Sales Director – India ( Mars Wrigley Confectionery), Interim General Manager, Sales Director – Mars Chocolates India, and Business Head – India Subcontinent Countries. During his tenure, he managed P&L responsibilities across India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Maldives, driving growth across confectionery and petcare businesses. Earlier, Ritesh spent nearly 8 years at Britannia Industries Limited , where he held leadership roles across trade marketing, sales capability, and brand management, including leading the iconic Tiger brand’s marketing and innovation initiatives. He began his career with Tata Motors , where he worked across international marketing and sales functions, including handling channel development and commercial vehicle marketing in South Africa. With a strong track record in consumer business growth, brand leadership, and large-scale commercial operations, Ritesh is well-positioned to lead Epigamia’s next phase of expansion and category leadership.

WHEN DOING MORE LIMITS YOUR GROWTH EP 416

WOMEN and CAREER EP 415

Veenoo Sharma, a Scottish entrepreneur, investor and global advocate for female entrepreneurship. She is the founder of The Power Diaspora Forum, a global women’s wealth platform and think tank, and serves as Diaspora Entrepreneurship Advisor to the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network. Born in Scotland, with Indian heritage and a global outlook, Veenoo has built and scaled multiple businesses, drawing on her experience from investment banking to entrepreneurship. Today, she champions greater access to capital and networks for underrepresented founders, particularly women from all backgrounds, and is a leading voice on the role diaspora entrepreneurs play in driving economic growth and helping women scale in all avenues such as business leadership, diplomacy and media.

SUSTAINING BUSINESS GROWTH EP 414

Bharath Krishna Rao | CEO and Co-founder of Emobi Bharath is a dynamic leader with extensive experience across multiple industries, particularly in renewable energy. His journey began with a significant role in the family enterprise, United Telecoms Ltd., where he spearheaded its foray into renewable energy. Bharath's early career was rooted in the evolving grid-connected renewable energy sector, a time when Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were pioneering renewable energy projects. As the industry matured, he identified a critical gap in the technology and large-scale manufacturing capabilities. Recognizing this need, Bharath has dedicated his career to mastering the technologies essential for renewable energy adoption. His work spans energy storage systems, applications for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and solutions such as chargers and inverters. With a deep conviction that energy storage is vital to replacing fossil fuels with renewables, he has focused on building the technological expertise needed to drive this transformation. Bharath's partnership with Dr. Sathya Prasad has been instrumental in Emobi’s development of advanced products in energy storage and battery technologies, establishing the company as a global competitor in the field. Their combined experience in renewable energy generation and lithium-ion battery manufacturing has laid a solid foundation for innovation and sustainability.

Why Most Leaders Never Make It To The C-Suite EP 413

HOW TO BUILD A CAREER EP 412

Rajeev Sharma | Cluster Managing Director - India, Nepal & Bangladesh, G4S. INTRODUCTION : Rajeev Sharma, Cluster Managing Director – India, Nepal & Bangladesh, G4S, An Allied Universal® Company, has had a long and successful journey with G4S. Prior to this role, he was the Country Managing Director, G4S India, and has contributed significantly to the growth of the overall business. Previously, Rajeev has also worked in the UK, where he was successful at integrating acquired assets for the company. He has over 30 years of cross-industry and offshore experience leading teams to deliver sustainable business, innovative solutions, and launch many industry firsts. As a stealth leader and strategist, he connects downward, upward, and across businesses, actualizing the value. Maximizing “management by walking around", he champions, energizes, and unifies all stakeholders. Prior to joining G4S, Rajeev worked as Head of Cargo Business with Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Previously, he has worked in various roles as Vice President for D&J business with Brinks Inc., Director Guarding & International business with Tops Security Limited. The initial years of his career were with Gati and Elbee (UPS). Rajeev has tremendous exposure in the financial management of the business and is hands-on with M&A projects, has managed multiple acquisitions, including a cross-border acquisition in the security space. Rajeev is extremely well networked within the corporate space and enjoys a reputation of being a straight shooter and highly versatile. He is Chair of the FICCI PSI Committee and President of The Council of EU Chambers of Commerce in India (EU Chambers). He belongs to Mumbai and currently lives with his wife in Gurugram. Rajeev has a son who is a certified flight instructor from USA and is currently based in Mumbai.

LAWS OF THE JUNGLE EP 411

Amit Sircar | Chairman ,Novulis I nc Amit Sircar built a reputation as a visionary leader — helping organizations scale borders,craft global delivery models, building and leading global teams and drive meaningful transformation. Having shaped digital landscapes, he turned his lens to a new horizon -where the world still breathes its original rhythm, to the primordial grace of a land unscripted,and where wilderness still whispers the language of creation. Amit Sircar – Photojournalist, is on a mission to connect hearts with heritage, people, and the majesty of the great outdoors, through compelling imagery and storytelling. He is soon launching his brand - ‘The World is My Oyster’ which invites you to rediscover India’s soul,explore global cultures, bask in nature’s unspoiled poetry, and to help preserve and protect what should never be lost.This isn’t just photography. It’s a new beginning. From mentoring top organizations to now tracing through time worn corridors and untamed lands, his journey reflects a shift from building digital futures to preserving timeless moments. Now, Amit walks the wild, climbs through ruins, and traces stories etched in time. From ancient civilizations to untamed wilderness, his photography tells tales of silence, strength,and stillness — moments that move without saying a word. Capturing the world not in data,but in raw, untouched beauty.

Innovation in an AI World EP 410

Tom Pullen | Director, Innovinco , Author of INNOVATOR Tom Pullen is an innovation expert, author of INNOVATOR , and founder of Innovinco® , a firm accelerating growth in global corporations. Formerly the Global Innovation Director at Danone, he helps companies build innovation culture, capability, and confidence. He is also a speaker and creator of the Innovinco® Way® framework. Key Expertise & Background Founder of Innovinco®: Founded in 2017, the firm specializes in driving growth through structured innovation for large enterprises, including Unilever, L'Oréal, Coca-Cola, and Danone. Corporate Innovation Leader: Spent 18 years in major corporations (Boots, Mars, Danone) before transitioning to advisory roles. Author & Speaker: Author of the book INNOVATOR and an award-winning keynote/TEDx speaker. Academic & Creator: Holds an Executive MBA with an Innovation major from HEC Paris, where he also teaches, and developed the INNOVATOR Way® framework. Core Philosophy Actionable Innovation: Focuses on moving from theory to practical application to boost innovation performance. Overcoming Corporate Barriers: Helps companies move beyond "safe" incrementalism to tackle the challenges of culture and execution in large organizations. Defining Innovation: Defines it as a combination of novelty, value creation, and real-world existence, rather than just ideas. Tom Pullen is an innovation expert, author of INNOVATOR , and founder of Innovinco® , a firm accelerating growth in global corporations. Formerly the Global Innovation Director at Danone, he helps companies build innovation culture, capability, and confidence. He is also a speaker and creator of the Innovinco® Way® framework. Key Expertise & Background Founder of Innovinco®: Founded in 2017, the firm specializes in driving growth through structured innovation for large enterprises, including Unilever, L'Oréal, Coca-Cola, and Danone. Corporate Innovation Leader: Spent 18 years in major corporations (Boots, Mars, Danone) before transitioning to advisory roles. Author & Speaker: Author of the book INNOVATOR and an award-winning keynote/TEDx speaker. Academic & Creator: Holds an Executive MBA with an Innovation major from HEC Paris, where he also teaches, and developed the INNOVATOR Way® framework. Core Philosophy Actionable Innovation: Focuses on moving from theory to practical application to boost innovation performance. Overcoming Corporate Barriers: Helps companies move beyond "safe" incrementalism to tackle the challenges of culture and execution in large organizations. Defining Innovation: Defines it as a combination of novelty, value creation, and real-world existence, rather than just ideas.