Season 07, Male, Ashutosh Garg, English, Business Leader, Education; Author, India

Leadership Lessons from S Devarajan, Former Managing Director of Tata Elxsi

Posted on by inknuts
06
Jun

Leadership Lessons from S Devarajan, Former Managing Director of Tata Elxsi

  • S Devarajan reflects on more than 20 years in the technology industry before Tata Elxsi.
  • Early roles at HCL, joining when it still felt like a startup.

Podcast

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Overview

Welcome to another insightful episode of The Brand Called You, where Ashutosh Garg sits down with S Devarajan, former Managing Director of Tata Elxsi and author of Designed to Win. The discussion dives deep into leadership, corporate transformation, technological pivots, and timeless advice for entrepreneurs.

Key Moments & Themes

00:52 – What early experiences or decisions most accelerated your leadership trajectory?

  • S Devarajan reflects on more than 20 years in the technology industry before Tata Elxsi.
  • Early roles at HCL, joining when it still felt like a startup.
  • Recruited to overhaul Tata Elxsi’s growth strategy.
  • Became one of the youngest directors in the Tata Group through strategic execution and business transformation.

02:30 – How has multi-dimensional thinking (technology, business, and creativity) influenced your leadership philosophy?

  • Business at Tata Elxsi was inherently technology-driven.
  • Photography served as a parallel creative passion.
  • Lessons from photography, such as bringing everything into focus, translated directly into leadership and business strategy.

04:08 – What were the harshest realities of Tata Elxsi when you took charge?

  • Incorrect market positioning and limited visibility.
  • Severe financial distress with minimal revenues and significant losses.
  • A team with strong potential but low motivation.
    • Three critical challenges had to be addressed simultaneously: market positioning, financial stability, and team motivation.

05:42 – How did you solve those three structural problems?

  • The company was close to bankruptcy and required a rights issue for survival.
  • Rather than competing directly with established giants, Tata Elxsi pursued emerging opportunities:
  • Design-led engineering
  • Animation and visual effects
  • Pharma modeling and research services
  • Defense and space simulation systems
  • Created entirely new markets while inspiring the team through innovation and meaningful challenges.

08:59 – Was the company’s pivot deliberate or evolutionary?

  • The shift from legacy markets to emerging opportunities combined deliberate strategy with gradual evolution.
  • Customers needed confidence in entirely new solutions.
  • Talent pipelines and ecosystems were developed alongside new market creation.

11:05 – What did you do differently during the turnaround?

  • S Devarajan credits a strong second line of visionary leaders who embraced a common vision.
  • Built ecosystems through partnerships with educational institutions and industry collaborators.
  • Followed the philosophy: “Give people what they want before they know they need it.”

13:05 – What leadership behaviors did you have to unlearn?

  • Leadership was an evolutionary journey rather than a process of unlearning.
  • Mentorship and peer learning within the Tata Group played an important role.

14:30 – How did you foster a culture that consistently stayed ahead of the curve?

  • The team’s desire to create world-class work remained constant.
  • Early partnerships with Japanese innovation leaders accelerated learning.
  • Established industry benchmarks in animation and medical imaging.

16:03 – What early signals pointed to electric vehicles as a major opportunity?

  • Long-standing relationships with global automotive companies revealed emerging industry trends.
  • Exposure to autonomous and electric vehicle innovations dates back to the 1980s.

18:09 – How would you apply the Tata Elxsi playbook in today’s AI-driven world?

  • Artificial intelligence has evolved steadily over many years.
  • The same principles apply: anticipate change, stay ahead of trends, and adapt continuous

RESOURCES:

Learn more about S Devarajan: LinkedIn 

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Profile

  • S Devarajan is the former Managing Director of Tata Elxsi, where he played a key role in driving growth, innovation, and corporate transformation.
  • He is the author of Designed to Win, sharing insights on leadership, strategy, and organizational success.
  • With extensive experience in technology and business management, he has led major technological pivots and helped organizations adapt to changing market dynamics.
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