The noted Indian business leaders who have stood tall and have been known as the torch bearers of the future have one thing in common – sharing their vision! As the world, today, envy the rise of such leaders, it’s the motivation and determination of other aspiring professionals that gets a major boost.
One such charismatic leader who has conquered countless challenges in his professional journey and has been immensely successful in grabbing the eyeballs of the business community is Amitabh Ray. As the Managing Director of Ericsson Global Services – India, he manages global operations in the areas of services delivery, R&D, product development, pre-sales & sales support and a number of global shared support functions. He is also a noted TEDx speaker & contributor and is passionate to build the next generation of leaders with a moral compass. This Cover Story edition showcases his overall journey that undoubtedly stands to be an inspirational saga for the budding entrepreneurs.
The Journey had a Modest Start
Coming from a very humble background Amitabh had a very modest start to his career, completing his graduation and MBA, he was determined to put his best foot forward in whatever assignment was given. While his Father has served the Indian Armed Forces, his Mother was a central government employee. Hailing from a middle-class family, hard work, sincerity of purpose, and having a moral compass were the family values that Amitabh learned long ago. His mother had played a prominent role in encouraging him to learn new things that had a promising future. Amitabh firmly believes that values are not to be taught – as everyone grows with these values until it becomes hardwired in the DNA!
Right from his first job and till date, he emphasizes to align himself with the organizational goals and internalize them rather than focus on creating a personal road map. Giving priority to the organization before his ambitions is what he has followed through both good and challenging times. The initial projects and assignments gave him the confidence that steered his career path ahead. As a team member, leading a team or being at a leadership position, he has always stuck to his principles that have been hugely appreciated. He adds – “You cannot win if your team is losing, is what I have believed in and will continue to do so till the end.”
A Talismanic Leader
Being associated with global companies like PwC and IBM in the past, managing leadership positions, Amitabh has always worked towards inspiring professionals to break the shells and be innovative to the core! He says – “the only way one can keep growing as a leader is through the constant cycle of learning, unlearning and relearning. The ability to put this knowledge and information into perspective is what helps a leader to mature”. While he joined Ericsson India Global Services in 2010 as the Vice President & Head of Consulting and System Integrations, in 2014 he was promoted as the Managing Director.
He feels fortunate to have been involved in the transformation journeys of three very large global organizations all of which were centurions. For Amitabh, more than the results, what matters is enjoying the workplace, being ethical, and giving your best shot in whatever task you perform. Be it a Monday or any weekday, he is always there to assist his team and continues to excel in contributing to attaining the objectives of the company. Despite his overwhelming success, he is firmly grounded and always focusses on delivering customer delight through flawless execution and above all encourages his mates to become leaders in the process. He’s focussed on excelling in executing the job without thinking of the rewards or recognition that it might fetch. Career success is just a by-product of giving your best every day in any job you have to deliver to support the organization’s goals.
Building Castle against the Tide
Talking about facing challenges, Amitabh has drawn inspiration from the initial days of his professional life. He remembers the time when he managed his family on survival wages in a foreign land to fight back prejudices to prove his mettle, and this period prepared him to tackle the future hardships. Successfully overcoming the most adverse conditions was the defining moment of his life as it shaped his career path. Rejections, success, appreciations, criticisms and a lot more, these real-life experiences were the most important learnings of his life that continue to be a decisive factor in every professional assignment he completes.
Ericsson – A First-of-its-kind Company
Not many are aware that the Founder of Ericsson – Lars Magnus Ericsson opened a small factory in 1876 which eventually evolved as one of the most talked-about organizations across the globe. With a global workforce of 94,580 employees, it is headquartered in Stockholm. As the leading providers of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to service providers, with about 40% of the world’s mobile traffic carried through their networks. It enables the full value of connectivity by creating game-changing technologies and services that are easy-to-use, adapt, and scale, making our customers successful in a fully connected world. For more than 140 years, its ideas, technology, and people have changed the world: real turning points that have transformed lives, industries, and society as a whole. The comprehensive portfolio ranges across Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services, and Emerging Business; powered by 5G and IoT platforms. Research & Development (R&D) is at the heart of the business and with more than 49,000 granted patents, the brand has one of the strongest intellectual property rights portfolios in the industry.
Marking the Present & Crafting the Future
Being responsible for the delivery centres located in India, Mexico, Romania, and China – Amitabh and his team work towards exploring innovative strategies through embracing technology. These centres are not only focused on cost arbitrage but driving innovation through Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and finding every day some smart ways of performing the tasks. Aligning with the organizational goals, Amitabh looks forward to nurturing the new talents to be responsible for bigger roles.
In terms of the prospects and future roadmap, Amitabh is confident that the telecom technology plays a foundational role in Industry 4.0 making possible the connectivity between everything. Technologies like 5G with its promise of low latency, massive bandwidth would transform the manufacturing industry, with the vision of highly efficient, connected and flexible factories of the future quickly becoming a reality in many sectors. Healthcare, retail, logistics & transportation, media & entertainment, banking & financial services, in short, every industry vertical will be transformed.
He further depicts that as more devices get connected generating massive amounts of data, analytics will become critical to find new value propositions in Big Data. The exponential increase of computing power, cloud storage will enable organizations and government to use Artificial Intelligence to forecast events with >95% accuracy in many cases. New technologies and new players have always been business as usual and eventually greater competition is good for the company and for its esteemed clientele.
Illuminating up Young Mind
Ending the excerpt on a high note, Amitabh advices the aspiring young professionals to stay humble, focused and not measure your success with only financial metrics. He adds, “The only way to stay ahead is to learn, unlearn and relearn. This is the only way to stay relevant in present days. Always remember that outcome is more important than income.”
The Humble Formula – finding success without looking for it
