Anil Radhakrishnan, CEO of Adani Logistics gives us an insight into what it takes to be a leader in today’s world
Words by: Hazel Austin Photographs from: Adani Logistics Limited
A picture of poise and calm, Anil Radhakrishnan, CEO and Director of Adani Logistics Limited, dons his many achievements with ease. In his current role, he has been charged with the responsibility of steering forward the business and infrastructure growth of the Logistics Business of the Adani Group.
Adani Group is one of India’s leading business houses clocking in revenues of over 12 billion dollars. The Adani Group has interests in core infrastructure based businesses such as logistics, resources and energy which are strongly linked to the idea of nation building. Adani Logistics is the group’s answer to connecting India via road, rail and waterways, and is poised to play a significant role in increasing supply chain efficiency for the nation in the coming years.
Anil brings with him his rich experience of chartering the choppy waters of the shipping and logistics industry. With more than 24 years of experience in logistics, shipping, supply chain and consumer industries, the man is no stranger to the billion dollar industry that is fraught with its own risks of various measures. A science graduate with management degrees from Stanford University, Michigan State University and IIM Ahmedabad, Anil started his shipping career with AP Moller Maersk where he worked for almost a decade heading various departments including General Management, Sales, Branding, Marketing and Business Development. He then moved onto APL where he was the first Indian to become the Managing Director in APL’s timeline.
FWD catches up with this quintessential leader on what it means to be one among the league of titans in the business world.
What does Leadership mean to you, and what qualities differentiate a great leader from the rest?
Leadership is all about choices but there are certain traits which work across a broad spectrum. I believe one needs to be inspirational, authentic and have the ability to demonstrate strategic clarity with clear execution plans. You need to be agile and manoeuvre challenges on a situational basis. Another important trait is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and forge ahead with your team during times of crisis. Over and above, it’s the ability to manage the expectations of different stakeholders in your eco system mainly your employees, customers, promoters and the board.
A true leader is able to visualize the path forward and work towards making that a reality. The three core elements which will help any leader are clarity of purpose, agility in thinking and execution of plans, and finally the foresight required to comprehend the sustainability of your actions. The major challenge of a leader is to bring in consistency and build a culture which encourages excellence. To achieve this it’s very important to build a team which is cohesive, challenges the status quo and who works with excitement.
What is your secret to success?
I would attribute it to my ability to spot talent and build a team of trusted lieutenants who have always focussed on creating solutions rather than training focus on the challenges that came by. Through all of my assignments in India and overseas my team has been the reason for my success. To me productivity is directly proportional to the excellent relationship which you enjoy with the team. It’s not about the team liking you but it’s about the liking, belief and trust which they have in your leadership. The key is the need to prioritize people over tasks.
Also, if you observe keenly you will see that success comes from repetition- not innovation always. Bear this in mind and you will have figured out your own winning formula. The sooner you realize it; the easier it is to bring about your own differentiation.
More importantly, family plays a very critical role in any success. The values which you imbibe, the clarity of thoughts and the personal bonding which you inculcate helps one a lot. I owe a lot to my late father and grandmother for the principles which they instilled in me which have served as the guiding light during my tougher times.
Nobody understands this better than my wife Preethy whose unconditional support is a given that I enjoy. She is always there as my mentor and guide to go back to and at the same time she manages our family exceptionally well.
You are a veteran in the field of global shipping and supply chain, what according to you are the major highlights of the logistics sector in India?
Having been a part of the international shipping industry through its ups and downs, I feel that the logistics sector is at a very exciting point in India and is truly at the cusp of a revolution. With GST finally out of the bag, there can be no other appropriate time to have this conversation but now. With the advent of GST, Logistics and supply chain efficiency will be the key to serving the end customers in any industry. The highly unorganized warehousing sector will also see a lot of change because of this. The total warehousing space requirement is expected to grow to more than 839 million sq. ft. by 2020.
With Indian companies like Flipkart, PayTM, RedBus, OLA and others, technology has ramped up in every sector in India. What are your views on the Indian logistics sector when it comes to technology?
Logistics is going to be the driving force behind the 4th Industrial revolution. New technologies like 3D printing will change goods transportation in much the same way as email impacted letters. Some products will no longer be manufactured in large mass-production facilities and there will be increasing instances of hyper-localization as seen with Grofers, Swiggy and some other Indian startups. Moreover, technologies such as big data analytics, Internet of Things, and self-learning systems will continue to digitalize logistics processes, enabling new ways of increasing process efficiency, enhancing interaction with customers, optimizing cost and driving new business models. There will be the emergence of a model which will synergize the existing business fundamentals with digitization.
What kind of initiatives are being taken by the government in the logistics sector to make India globally competitive?
GST is the single largest reform that the government has undertaken that will act as a booster shot for the logistics industry. Further, the Government of India is ready to support anything that is innovative and wants the industry to think out of the box. Additionally, through various initiatives the government is also developing infrastructure like the Dedicated Freight corridor for rail, Inland waterways, Sagarmala Initiative, coastal economic zones and various industrial corridors. So the government has a strong focus on developing and supporting the logistics sector.
What are the constituents of building a great organizational culture?
I have had the privilege of working with some world class organizations and the distinguishing feature that I have observed is that the success of any organization is the by-product of a strong work culture. Whenever there is dent in the robustness of culture, performance has come down. A great work culture stems from being authentic and transparent.
What motivates you on a daily basis?
The time spent with family, friends and colleagues is what motivates me to look forward to the next day. I always keep a positive frame of mind and believe in the words from the Gita – “You continue to do your Karma and don’t worry about the outcome”. My life has proved to me that you keep contributing unconditionally and things will happen as desired by you as well.
(This is an excerpt of the interview which appears in the Sept-Oct, 2017 issue of FWD Business Magazine. The full interview is available on our digital version available at Magzster.com)