My journey with #KPMG

With a heavy heart I bid adieu to #KPMG Blue Jersey after more than 16 long years. #KPMG has given me everything and made me what I'm today. When I look back at the journey, its nothing less than a roller coaster ride. Firm built the focus and passion in me and gave me the right opportunities at the right time to chisel myself into a decent professional.

Firm is all about the people it has. This firm taught me how to dream and gave clues to find the direction to achieve the dreams. Joined #KPMG as a Consultant and becoming a Partner, leading the best privacy team and a thriving team in Chennai. Everything feels so magical. For me it has been always the people who stood for me and stood beside me. It would be unfair if I do not talk about the magic, they all have done in my career.

I would like to start with my family. Family is the backbone of every professional who is shining out there. Gratitude to my wife Rathika Velauthem for being who she is and shouldering the family matters with ease with limited support from me.

My parents and my entire family have played a significant role in what I'm as an individual. From childhood we have been taught to be simple, humble and keep in mind the people around you, always. My homeland #Srilanka has always imbibed the ability to be resilient, no matter what happens.

I was blessed with wonderful leaders who had faith in me although I never sat in the same office. They make the firm and firm makes all of us the people who we are.

Akhilesh Tuteja was my first inspiration. I'm fortunate that throughout my tenure had opportunities to work with him though we were 2200 Kms away. There has been no instance in which I have not been awestruck after a conversation with him. It always pushed me to do better and become better professional. Here is my pic with him in the blue jersey for one more time. The word 'Thank you' is never enough to bring out my gratitude for him.

This blue jersey is precious for another reason. For me, this blue jersey is all about passion and drive. This was received from the most enthusiastic leader I have seen. It is none other than Richard Rekhy . While I have not collaborated with him directly, his aura was always felt in all the KPMG offices. His speeches always made us proud and infused the fire in us to go after something great.

In a closer vicinity, I had bosses and leaders like Atul Gupta , Vijay Subramanyam , Abhijit Varma . They allowed me to fail and learn, they were holding my hands whenever I was walking in darkness, at times they played the fatherly role of not showing the affection but having a watch from distance to see if I’m doing ok. We are the 'Digital Trust Parivar' not without reasons.

Annapurna A. , Shreyashi Sengupta , Sankara Subramanian , Merril Cherian , Anil K V , Gururaja M N , Sony Anthony , Kunal Pande , @Jignesh Oza, Sundar Ramaswamy , Srinivas PBS , Srijit Menon , Nitin Shah , thanks, not only for being wonderful colleagues, guides, advisors, seniors throughout this journey and some of you went one step further and be there for me on my last day with the firm. It means a lot to me.

During my tenure with the firm, I had the pleasure of working with my global colleagues. I would like to thank Jerry Jones , Doron Rotman , Matt O'Keefe , Wendy Lim , Karim Haji , Daryl Pereira , Rajiv Gupta @siewmei Chan, Dani Michaux , Alvin Gan , Ubaid Mustafa Qadiri and Freddie Mulyadi Tan . Thanks to my Global Privacy team, Sylvia Klasovec (Kingsmill) , Orson Lucas , Graham Thomas and Kelly Henney , Isabel Simpson , Benny Bogaerts and Veronica Scott . Apologies if I had missed anyone.

Most important part in my time with KPMG are the people who stood with me all along in spite it’s rain or shine. I passionately believe, you are as strong as your team. Sabarinath Madhumohan , at any challenging circumstance, I have heard only one word 'panniralam' (can be done) from him. It can’t be more assuring that it will be done without a glitch and Rupak Nagarajan , always ready for any missions, let it be winning client work or any new initiatives. Blessed to have peers like you and the rest of the Digital Trust management team in Chennai. This is where I really saw 'culture eating strategy for breakfast'.

Thanks, to my national privacy team. You all are the best in what you do. It’s not because I lead it, it’s because you all created it. My Chennai DT family, you are more than my family to me. Any stressful situation, all I had to do was spending 5 mins with you all in the bay.

Finally, in the consulting, you are not there without your clients. What gives high to a consultant is going out there and meet the clients and give them the comfort that you are there for them. In the 16 years I had the opportunity to work with some of the best minds in the industry and learnt a lot from them.

Finally, I believe some books leave greater impact in your life. One such book is 'Legacy' by James Kerr which I read some years back. It’s about what a successful sports franchisee can teach us about the business of life. Key takeaways I had always tried to imbibe in me are:

1. Working for a firm like KPMG is an honor and not a job

2. ?Sweep the shed - Never be too big to do the trivial things that need to be done

2. Go for the gap - When are on top of the game, don't hesitate to change the game

3. Play with purpose - ask why?

4. Pass the ball - leaders create leaders

5. Know thyself - keep it real. Leadership must be authentic.

6. No one is bigger than the team

8. Be a good ancestor - Plant the trees which you will never see

9. Finally, leave the jersey in a better place than you found from. I believe I have left the #KPMG jersey at a better place.