| FACTS ABOUT PAI | |
|---|---|
| Started in Wärtsilä: | In 1991 as a Graduate Engineer Trainee |
| Position now: | Vice President, Power Plants, Sales |
| Country of Residence: | India |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Education: | Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) |
How did you end up working for Wärtsilä?
“After graduating from the University my first job was in Cummins, India, which was not all perfect. It was a manufacturing shop floor job and far away from my city of choice, Mumbai. I aspired to work in sales for a large multinational. I switched to a job at Wärtsilä in 1991 as a Graduate Engineer for Supply Management. Though not exactly a sales job, I thought it gave me the necessary commercial exposure and provided me with experience and understanding of buyer behaviour. My persistence finally paid off in 1997 when I was offered a position as a Business Development Manager in Power Plants.”’
What was it like when you started?
“I remember, it took me eight months of hard struggle to get my first customer and I still remember how it happened. It was an order of sizeable magnitude and I was totally new to sales. Yet I was given the liberty to discuss and conclude the deal independently with the customer. In retrospect, if this would not have been the case I would have never been bold enough to attempt new things and add value to myself and the organisation.“
What do you do on a typical work day?
“Being in sales I spend most of my time with customers, other stakeholders in the electricity markets such as regulators, fuel suppliers & consultants and of course my team members. The external interactions help me in formalising the strategy we should adopt in the ever changing energy market. And as you know strategy is incomplete without implementation. Interactions with my team members help in aligning the team with the strategic goals as well as in breaking mindsets, which may come in the way of implementation.”
What have you enjoyed the most at Wärtsilä?
“I have experienced many positive things during my long career at Wärtsilä and I’m now proud to call myself an energy professional. My working community is unique and it has a strong value system which makes it possible to remain firm in turbulent times. Generally, we have an open culture and a comparatively flat organisation which enables a healthy dialogue between employees, their superiors and the management team. Remembering that first customer case, the thing I still like most about Wärtsilä is freedom. When you try out new things you learn better and faster. After all, life is all about learning.”
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