An Ode to the Masters

In March 2019, HUL Finance was recognized by Financial Express CFO Awards 2019 in two categories (a) Winner in large enterprises -Manufacturing Industry and (b) CFO of the Year across all industries - a celebration of partnering business, functional excellence and high standards of governance.

This recognition is also an affirmation of the stellar track record of HUL Finance in strategy, thought leadership and execution. Kudos to my HUL Finance Leadership Team who continue to carry this forward by leading from the front and leading with impact. This team is lettering the next chapter in our glorious history.

Awards also beckon you to pause and reflect – where do we come from and where do we want to go? As the famous adage goes ‘leaders build leaders’, the FE appreciation got me to reflect on leaders who have sculpted HUL finance as a function and shaped me. There are leaders who have conscientiously built the foundation of this citadel and vigilantly sown the seeds, enabling us to reap the fruits today. It is my intention to acknowledge all of them and I am making a small beginning by talking about 4 such leaders (my Sensei). This is my Ode to the Masters. These Sensei have truly been ‘born before’ and deserve all the honour for the mastery of their craft which they skillfully and fluidly pass on. Like the mighty Banyan, they probably wouldn’t even know the deep impact they’ve had on many like me who blossomed in their comforting shade.

V Kannan: Entrepreneur and a true-blue maverick

V Kannan has been one of my earliest mentors in the company and who I regard as my Guru. Kannan, a multi-faceted leader, started in the tax team in Bombay factory and went on to eventually lead HUL exports with outstanding results. A complete entrepreneur, he dreamed big and constantly looked for opportunities to grow the business exponentially. Kannan loved Challenges! I have vivid memories of the time when his exports unit lost sales upwards of 20% each year, production was getting localized in Middle East/South East Asia markets and yet he delivered growths of over 15%. There were so many opportunities to go after and he would do so in every single case. He was a leader who always looked at all things ‘end to end’ and personified bias for action like none other. Swimming against the tide gave him his greatest kick. Sharp and incisive, Kannan was a true-blue maverick. He made so many decisions (easy or tough) from his gut and heart but then had a knack on what to punt and who to punt on; both so critical given large and complex businesses that we operate in. Kannan pushed me, taught me and helped me believe in my own abilities. I still remember, he once went out of his way to get me promoted early in my career. Another time, he flew all the way from to Hyderabad to support me when I was going through a difficult personal crisis. His mere presence was extremely comforting for me at that point since I was at my lowest low, deep in trenches and I will always remain indebted to him for extending his hand when I needed it the most.

He made deep personal relationships that transcended far beyond work and yet never shied away from taking tough decisions on people when the situation demanded. His strong middle-class values, his passion for growing businesses exponentially and making them profitable, his unwavering trust and faith in people, his zeal for doing it right for businesses and for people, his humane and compassionate leadership are qualities I cherish.

D Sundaram: Business first and talent foremost

The second Sensei I would like to thank is Mr. D Sundaram, Ex- CFO HUL for more than a decade. What does one say about Mr. Sundaram? Let me make a feeble attempt. There are leaders, there are tall leaders and then there’s Mr. Sundaram. Unparalleled as he was in intellect, stature, and respect, Mr. Sundaram had the sharpest eye for business and for great talent; he truly delivered through people. His external sphere of influence, his gravitas in the Industry bodies, his command over his language and the strength of his communication were enviable, to say the least. Anyone who’s had the good fortune to work with him closely would know the ‘Sundar-isms’ he would hurl at his team in the most unassuming moments of interaction. I will throw in a few here: ‘Sales is Vanity, Profit is Sanity and Cash is Reality’, ‘Futility of a pyrrhic victory’, ‘Opportunity gap vs Performance gap’... He was (and will always be) the only management committee member who was addressed with a salutation of ‘Mr’ by one and all.

With his elephantine memory, there was no way you could get away from anything. You were always challenged to think creatively and on your feet; always challenged to think impact even as you deliberated process. His insights, wisdom, ability to smell the numbers, translate them into executable actions went a long way to building HUL business and a very strong finance function. He bet big on talent and pushed them very hard to unlock their full potential. He absorbed all the pressure when chips were down and made sure that the team was fully insulated. Sundaram commenced the shared services journey for HUL which in due course became the template for Unilever and now is regarded as one of the best in the business.

I will share three personal examples to illustrate the impact he created on me:

-Telling me early in my career that I had the potential to be a senior manager enabled me to think big about my capabilities and potential. It also had an unintended consequence of me believing that I was walking on water for some 48 hours after that interaction.  

-Backing me fully when I booked some material losses in my role as a Treasury Manager; never once asking me to justify my actions when I was under pressure. 

-Giving me an opportunity to lead finance for Foods and Refreshments business (our second largest business in those days) despite not having experience of HUL CD or marketing.

The biggest lessons I’ve learned from Mr. Sundaram are putting business first, talent foremost and doing it right- for all stakeholders. Would end by saying that an institution in himself, Mr. Sundaram was plausibly The Golden CFO in the history of HUL. 

Sridhar Ramamurthy: Inspiring by doing the right things and doing them right

Sridhar Ramamurthy served as CFO HUL from 2010- 2014 and continues to be my mentor. A leader with a heart of gold, he is the finest possible example of a key learning in life i.e. ‘To be a good leader, you must first be a good human’. During his tenure, we commenced our finance future forward journey; sharpening focus on business strategy and translating the best of HUL and Unilever for mutual benefit. Sridhar set very high expectations for the team and measured success on output and outcomes. He always cautioned one and all from pitfalls of declaring success too soon.

Sridhar believed in the team, placed absolute trust and empowered them fully. Such was his impact, that the full team flipped into delivering the best possible solution/outcome and not get constrained by ‘a brief’. The thought of potentially letting Sridhar down was not something which would sit well with anyone. Sridhar valued and respected people for who they were and was totally comfortable to let them follow their own unique style to deliver great results. He embraced the diversity of thought in letter and spirit. With Sridhar, everyone could be their own self and bring their best self to work. To me, Sridhar personified authentic leadership as someone who believed in being true to one’s roots.

Some of my personal experiences

-Helping me get a balanced view when I was contemplating a move outside of Unilever. Sridhar’s advise came solely on what was in my best interests above everything else. I am so glad I took his wise counsel.

-Instrumental for my move internationally within Unilever and enabling me to make an impact beyond India and build my brand.

-Sharing some great advice on how to lead as a CFO and manage a multitude of stakeholders.

Sridhar has taught me that leadership is not a popularity contest. It is about making a real difference to people and business and in the process, creating more leaders. I owe it to him for pushing me constantly to think and deliver big; for helping me understand that you can have a bad year and still be a great talent. He was a solid and balanced CFO with sharp business acumen, for whom numbers weren’t numbers till they brought out a clear business insight. Sridhar’s tenets of keeping business first AND doing the right things always will remain valued lessons that I live by.

Balaji P B: Intellect, creativity and business acumen

The final sensei I want to thank is my predecessor and Ex-CFO of HUL, PB Balaji. Balaji with his unrivaled cerebral horsepower, creative mind, infinite energy and capacious industry connects has been an all-weather friend, philosopher, and guide. Balaji has been the CFO who was always deeply rooted in the business and his strategic perspectives have had innumerable marketeers, sales, and supply chain team members actively reaching out to him for solutions. His ability to envision out of box solutions, create a compelling narrative around that solution and garner support and sponsorship through impactful communication is fascinating. Balaji enhanced the stature of HUL finance both within the business and widely in Unilever. Every engagement with him used to leave the finance team feeling inspired and energized.

I have learned many things from Balaji, be it functional or leadership. An early reflection goes all the way back to 2004 when he made me rewrite a proposal 5 times to reflect appropriately the objectives, approach, and impact. From thereon, we have had a fascinating journey of working together in HUL and Unilever across various roles - treasury, business finance, supply chain finance, and building talent. Balaji has time and again challenged my horizons, pushed me to elevate my game to the next level and helped me unlock my potential. I am indeed privileged to succeed him as the CFO of HUL and lead the business and function into the future.

Balaji has shown me and many of us what it takes for a CFO to be loved and respected while delivering superior business performance.

Some parting thoughts

I am cognizant that I am attempting to capture in a few words what have been some incredible moments in life’s journey and achievements, knowing fully that I will not be able to do full justice (however hard I may try). But then, I write with the confidence that whenever I meet these amazing leaders, I will still get a warm smile, continued inspiration and heaps of encouragement.

It’s been fascinating putting this ode together for four outstanding leaders who’ve invested in me; each so distinct from another and yet fostering a common passion for putting business and people first. I feel fortunate and incredibly grateful for their support and benefaction to say the least! As I attempt to sign off this heartfelt note, the magnum opus from Master Shifu to Po rings in my mind, ‘I’m not trying to turn you into Me. I am trying to turn you into You!’ 

So, here’s to the Sensei, the invincible Banyans who nurtured me. To the ones, I can only hope to be more like.

An Ode to the Masters.