Who is Aseem Puri?

Today I talk about a person who deserves to be known.

Aseem Puri is the CEO of Unilever International. He is also an author; his book ‘10X Productive’ is now available on Amazon in India and Singapore. That's how one would introduce Aseem.

But who is he really?

In my work life of two decades, few have left an indelible mark like Aseem has. So here I talk about him with a few anecdotes, so you know him better before you choose to read this book.

?

This happened 10 years ago. I couldn’t help but notice a man on the office floor in Singapore. His haircut was unconventional, and his shirt was bursting with colors. I grew up in supply-chain where blending in was the norm, and this man was everything we were not supposed to be. He stood out. ‘Quite a maverick,’ said someone who knew him better. This is the first time I saw Aseem. He was unmissable then; he is unmissable now.?

#Aseemisunmissable

?

All great things in the world are created by unreasonable men.

Krishna asked Arjun to fight a war, Gandhi asked Indians to fight back with nonviolence, and the Wright brothers believed they could fly. Covid had brought the world down to its knees. The Singapore government required hand sanitizers to be delivered yesterday. ‘Let’s charter a flight!’ quipped Aseem. Are you out of your mind? It’s like flying a bomb—it’s dangerous. In the end, with all the safety measures, the jumbo jet descended at Changi. The unreasonable man prevailed.

#Aseemistheunreasonableman

?

A young Aseem wanted to join the Indian army, but destiny had other plans. A war story aficionado, Aseem looks for his answers from battle tactics.?Many years ago, a defiant man called Leonidas, and his army of 300 Spartans stood in the way of the mighty Persian army of Xerxes. Much like Leonidas, Aseem leads and inspires his army of 300 UI tribers to corners of the world to build businesses where others don’t dare. For Aseem, the tribe goes to war!

#Aseemisspartan

?

What makes a team unbeatable? In his book Captain Class, Sam Walker, a sports journalist, says it is always the captain who creates an unbeatable team. Not the star player, not the coach, not the resources at disposal—it is always the captain! The captain runs, falls, and rises with the team; he carries water, takes the blow, and has the team’s back. Aseem sits in the open office area, takes the cheapest flight, goes to the doctor with his unwell teammate, and circulates the minutes of the meetings—when he doesn’t need to do any of it.

#Aseemeatslast??

#Aseemislookingoutforyou???

#Aseemiscaptainclass??

?

A man is known by the books he reads. Aseem is the most well-read person I know. Perplexed, as I was admiring his book collection. ‘Take any book you like.’ Aseem said, feeling inspired greedily, I picked up a few. And then he gave me a few more! Since that day I have been reading books, and it changed me forever. Aseem touches lives, like he has touched mine. One of the reasons I am writing this article.

#Aseemtoucheslives?????

#Aseemmakesyoufeelspecial

?

‘My mother always carries something she could give away’, said Aseem one day. From the corner of my eyes, I could see him step away. He slipped a dollar bill to an elderly man by the sidewalk.?It’s good to have a brilliant business mind; it’s better to be a kind human being. Aseem can become anything; he chooses to be kind—now I know why.

?#Aseemisanundercoversamaritan

#Aseemisthechangeyouwanttosee

?

Heisenberg, in his uncertainty principle, says it is impossible to accurately determine a particle's location and activity. That is Aseem! But how did Heisenberg know? He died before Aseem was born. Aseem is talking to the customers in Fiji, talking to his mom in India, presenting to the Unilever board in London, feeding his cat in Singapore, conducting masterclasses on teams, enjoying his holiday in Greece, and writing his blog on a flight to Korea. He is doing everything, he is everywhere.

#Aseemiseverywhere

#Aseemisdoingeverything

#Aseemis10Xproductive

?

Aseem’s default expression is a smile, one that goes from ear to ear. But that day it was different. He was beaming! Like Archimedes, he had Eureka written all over him. In a fit of jubilation, he went around saying, ‘You lack Vitamin A.’. Sorry what? We asked quizzically. ‘A stands for appreciation'—none of you get enough of it! I rolled my eyes; a few others did too. What sounded outlandish that day is a movement in UI today. We find reasons to celebrate and appreciate. And bizarre as it may sound, it feels great!?Great leaders drive change; legends begin a movement.

#Aseemstartsamovement

?

What does the CEO do? She/he sets the vision and steers the ship, takes key decisions, builds and inspires the team, allocates resources, and so on. With an uncanny knack for turning visions into tangible successes, of course Aseem is all of this. Yet he is the CEO like no other.?Besides the Chief Executive Officer, he is also the Chief Energy Officer and the Chief Inspiration Officer of the company.

#AseemistheCEOlikenoother

?

Aseem means limitless (I mean literally!).

·?????? Limitless Productivity- he can outwork an army

·?????? Limitless Possibilities- he is the fountainhead of ideas

·?????? Limitless Inspiration- everybody loves Aseem

#Aseemmeanslimitless

#Aseemisawesome

?

Does it mean Aseem doesn’t have any weakness? For sure he does!

He is a fun-jabi (fun-loving punjabi man) who yields to the temptation of a scrumptious meal in between his intermittent fasting sessions.

?

Hey Aseem, what is your purpose in life??‘I want to inspire everyone to become their best version,’ he replied, and I am writing a book. So, he did!

#InspirationisAseem’sSuperpower

?

If you don’t work with Aseem, the next best thing you could do is buy a copy of his book and read it cover to cover. I have consciously not touched on the topics he shares, so you find out for yourself!

?

PS. It was 4 AM in the morning, and I called Aseem. We set out on a long walk, determined to circle around the island of Singapore. We had the most engaging dialogue on everything under the sun, until our legs gave in. Sharing a selfie from that day. The other selfie was taken last evening.