« Coffee with the CEO / Sanjeev Mohanty - Benetton India
Sanjeev Mohanty (LI) is the Managing Director (India) for Benetton India Pvt Ltd (South Asia & South East Asia Pacific). His has been a remarkable journey - a non-MBA who started off as an Executive Merchandiser in Tirupur and turned CEO in ten years. His story is inspirational and proof that one does not need an MBA degree from an elite b-school to rise up the corporate ladder. The workosaur team caught up with Sanjeev and sought his words of wisdom for our readers.
In conversation with Sanjeev Mohanty on July 01, 2009
- Workosaur: Tell us about your career journey. How did you get to being where you are?
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Sanjeev Mohanty:
I think it has been a very intriguing and humbling journey for me. As they say, in one's life and career, you can only join the dots backwards. When I started working, in 1995, I could never have imagined that I would reach this far. I would attribute the success I have had to good fortune - a classic case of one door leading to the other.
In fact I still look at myself as an average bloke who got blessed with heaps of luck. I graduated from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), and, to be honest, I had opted for NIFT for the lack of a better choice. I was an MBA aspirant and though I did crack the CAT and XAT, the IITians and the engineers were way smarter than me and I couldn't make it to any of the IIMs or elite management institutes. So off I went to NIFT.
At NIFT I had the unique distinction of not being placed on campus. Thankfully, a fortunate series of events followed and a few years later I found myself as a Brand Manager at Madura Garments - the first and only non-MBA non-IIM Brand Manager at the organization. It was during this stint that the possibility of turning into an under-35 CEO at a mid-sized MNC crossed my mind - a possibility that turned into a burning desire.
And, soon enough, an opportunity presented itself before me - a CEO position at Benetton India. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands though I knew I was taking a huge risk. Benetton India was in bad shape when I got here. But we've managed to put things in order since then. From a turnover of USD 9 Million in 2004, we're now on our way to achieving a turnover of USD 100 million in 2009.
From a career standpoint, I have taken some big risks and I have learnt tremendously during every assignment. And there's still so much to learn. In a way it is just the beginning of my journey. Luck has brought me here and there's a long way to go over the next 5 years.
From being an executive merchandiser supervising printing in Tirupur to being the CEO for Benetton India and South East Asia-Pacific, in a short span of time, is not too bad for an average guy with average intelligence and an above-avergae sense of humour.
I live by what Steve Jobs said - Stay hungry, stay foolish.
And one final point. During my entire journey, I have had a terrific team of guys working for me. All of them were smarter than me in one or two areas at least. I have always placed my faith in their abilities and zeal and they have always reciprocated.
- Workosaur: Could you share with us some of the most memorable moments of your illustrious career?
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Sanjeev Mohanty:
I'd like to believe that those illustrious moments are yet to come but thus far my fondest memories would be:
1. The Eureka moment when I finally got a job - no matter what the role - after having had the unique distinction of not being placed during campus recruitments.
2. When I was selected as a Brand Manager at Madura Garments. Because this was my ticket to a role with P&L responsibility. Given my background as a NIFT graduate, it is very difficult to break away from a Product Manager career path.
3. When I was made the Business Unit Head of Benetton India reporting directly to the Global CEO. I was one of the 6 Business Unit Heads worldwide - the youngest and a non-Italian.
- Workosaur: What advice would you give to someone who aspires a top management/CxO profile?
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Sanjeev Mohanty:
- Bottomline matters. Passion and excellence should lead to the delivery of bottomline targets.
- Listen to your customers and be customer-centric.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses. Build on your strengths and bank on them. Ignore your weaknesses rather than wasting time on them.
- Always pick up a challenging assignment, it will stand you in good stead.
- Most importantly, value people and nurture them. Be in touch with your soldiers and keep your ears to the ground.
- Don't indulge in politicking.
- Be prepared to take a lot of risks.
