Ravi Gupta is the President of Shree Renuka Sugars Limited, a leading global sugar and ethanol player with an annual turnover of over Rs 4000 crores. He has led multiple national and international corporates including Noble Group in India, Australian Wheat Board, Bajaj Hindusthan Limited, Louis Dreyfus. He started his corporate journey as Management Trainee in TRIFED and has quickly risen to ranks to become CEO at the age of 35 years with primary expertise in setting up new businesses, business re-engineering and end-to-end business transformation.
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
I started my professional life with TRIFED as Management Trainee. Life was challenging in the public sector as the culture is different, it works with different dynamics, but at the same time these companies have many strengths. It runs on robust systems, processes and is bestowed with very capable people. Those who want to perform do find a way to perform. I learnt a lot about systems, processes, group dynamics in TRIFED which helped me in setting up new ventures later in my career. I was the star player in TRIFED and was given ten advance increments (first time in the history of Trifed) for my performance. I left TRIFED in a short time and joined private sector and the rest is history. I worked with Birla’s for five years and with Louis Dreyfus (one of the big fours in commodities in the world) as Vice President, served Bajaj Hindusthan as President, AWB as CEO and then was Managing Director for Noble in India.
In a nutshell, the experience of IIFM and journey thereafter has been so memorable that I can write a book (probably I will) on it. The journey has been full of joys, good times, learnings and the learnings are continuing.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
Life is full of milestones and it is difficult to separate one from another. In that sense, the key milestone for me was getting into IIFM itself.
In terms of learnings, I believe that you should define your own destiny. We all should always have a goal (one after the other) which we should pursue with patience, perseverance, and full faith and that has been the recipe to my success. I do not say that success shall always be there, but I am sure even a failure is a step towards success.
Q. What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
The most satisfying part of my role is that I can balance my life very well – both personal and professional life. I believe that one should work not for himself but his family, environment, and society. All these objectives are being met in my current role.
I work for the sugar and ethanol industry; 80 percent of the revenue of the sugar and ethanol industry goes to farmers as sugarcane payment. Therefore, everything small or big decision does have an impact on large section of the society. This has been a source of immense satisfaction for me which also brings a great sense of responsibility.
I contribute a lot in Govt. Policy on sugar and ethanol sector. I am one of the key drivers of fuel ethanol program in the country, which is farmer-friendly, energy-efficient and environment friendly. I have been working on it for the last 20 years and now seeing big success.
Knowing that my work is directly making a difference to so many lives has been a big driving force for me.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
Of course! IIFM is the place where I swore to make a difference in the professional world. IIFM has been an integral part of my life professionally and personally. It has made me academically superior, philosophically rich and has given me some of the best friends. I was privileged to study amongst the bestest of best in my batch, senior, and junior batches. The faculty was also very good, some of them were excellent and the whole curriculum and environment of IIFM was very enriching. It was an experience that laid the foundation for starting a rich professional journey.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers? What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles.
Each moment of life influences your life in one way or another. For me, I try to learn from ‘everyone’s strengths and practice it. This keeps me forever young and motivated.
My advice to IIFM is that it is important to be professionally competent and philosophically rich too. With this combination, success and happiness is assured. I give lots of importance to philosophical part because that helps you in understanding people and life better, which is the key to success.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
For me, everything in IIFM is a memory. Even brick and mortar of IIFM has created a memory. I treasure every single moment passed in IIFM. The one I keep on remembering the most is the “Morning Tea” in the room.
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, alumni. Anything else!!) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
It is a mixed bag. It is the whole experience of IIFM and not any one aspect. I mean it comes as a package.
Q. The best buddies/seniors/faculty at IIFM? Some memorable titbits that you like to share.
Cannot speak truth here ?
Q. As an alumnus, what’s your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get the best out of the 2 years there?
Welcome to IIFM. There is a treasure of life sitting here. You have to find it. Explore and enjoy!
Decide your destiny and if you stay positive, I can assure you that you shall get only positive outcomes. Enjoy yourself and learn from each and everything around you, be aware, be alert, be watchful, learn and practice your learnings to make a difference to your own life and people around you.
Q. What is your typical day at the office?
Delegation, Reviews and sharing learnings “Gyan”. On a serious note, besides improving the bottom line, I spent lots of time in shaping the vision for the company and sector in general
Q. And how about weekends, Hobbies, Family, and anything else you want to add
Lots of reading, watching south Indian action movies (I like the creativity in south Indian movies); Bollywood movies have too much of emotional drama. I spend lots of time with family, friends and do not miss any opportunity to socialise whether on weekend or weekdays.
Q. Favourite Books, movies, authors
Many of them – recent one I read are fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Mind without Fear Rajat Gupta, The speed of Trust by Stephen Covey and The Principal Upanisads by S. Radhakrishnan, the Buddha in Your Mirror by Woody Hochswender.
Q. IIFM is driven by ‘ ‘alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
Happy to assist in any manner. I think experience sharing by one to one interaction. Part of the course curriculum committee. Many ways to do it.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
Tough choice to name anyone. We have an outstanding bunch of alumni – entrepreneurs, academicians, poets, philosophers, bureaucrats, bankers, social workers, policymakers, change agents etc. etc. My suggestion shall be to choose people from diversified fields, those who were successful and most importantly, those who believe that they are not successful but they are!