« Coffee with the CEO / Clifford Patrao - IBM India
Clifford Patrao (LI), Associate Partner and Vice President - Consulting Services at IBM India Pvt. Ltd., has spent over 12 years in the management consulting domain. Having worked as a consultant with top firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and Coopers and Lybrand Consulting, Clifford currently heads the management consulting services unit at IBM India.
In conversation with Clifford Patrao on April 06, 2009.
- Workosaur: Tell us about your career journey. How did you get to being where you are?
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Clifford Patrao:
I started my career in management consulting right after graduating from b-school. I entered the field of supply chain consulting to leverage on my production engineering background and shop floor improvement experience.
While I started in the area of operations improvement, I picked up skills and capabilities in other areas of supply chain such as procurement, logistics and planning by participating in discussions with my colleagues in charge of other areas, understanding how value is created and communicated.
I also tapped all possible sources of knowledge such as internal success stories, books, training materials constantly. I ensured that I knew the basics about an industry before interacting with clients. So if the client was into textiles, I knew the basic process right from weaving to processing to finishing.
My career movements have all been vertical in the area of management consulting. From consulting in one area of supply chain to consulting across the supply chain to helping clients bring about improvements in CRM to consulting in Business Strategy.
From a leadership standpoint, I began my journey by leading the performance improvement team for the metals industry and then from there was additionally responsible for procurement consulting, within supply chain, for the Asean/SA region which India was a part of. India/SA became a separate region and I took over as the supply chain consulting leader for India/SA. I then progressed to look after the business consulting services.
My endeavour is to be a trusted advisor to my clients and have strived all along to achieve this goal.
- Workosaur: Can you share three of the most memorable moments during your illustrious career.
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Clifford Patrao:
Management Consulting gives you an opportunity to discuss issues of strategic importance with business leaders at an early stage in your career.
My first most memorable moment was when I made a presentation to the board of directors of a large top 100 company in India. Presenting our views to the highest authority in a company was a high point. As I progressed in my career many such occasions arose but the first time was very special. Dealing with the top business leaders and hearing their views on a wide range of topics is a highpoint of the consulting career.
My second most memorable moment was when I saw a company turnaround partly due to implementation of my recommendations. While the complete credit for turnaround should go to the management of the company, it gives great satisfaction to see your recommendations being implemented and yielding results.
My third memorable moment was when I was mandated to guide consultants through their career as part of an HR initiative. I got an opportunity to share experiences and mistakes and also catch up with younger minds on their aspirations and perceptions of consulting as a career.
- Workosaur: What advice would you give to someone who aspires a top management/CxO profile?
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Clifford Patrao:
The path towards the top will be filled with ups and downs. It is important to neither get carried away with the ups nor get stuck up with the downs. It is critical to constantly add value to yourself, even if it means reading a good book or an interesting article. It is important to invest in yourself. This should be on your agenda every week.
It is important not to get stuck in routine work which can take up all your time. A good question to ask oneself every week is "What have I gained this week?" both from an organisational standpoint as well as a personal standpoint. Constant learning should be part of your DNA.
Then, it is important to network within and outside your organisation. Moreover, in a consulting career it is Important to be inquisitive and learn about a new area ever so often. Width is as important as depth in an area as broad as management consulting.
Finally be passionate about your client's success as much as you are about your own success.
