Talk by Rajiv Bajaj

Mr Rajiv Bajaj, the Managing Director, CEO and Executive Director of Bajaj Auto, visited our school on 24th May 2013 and delivered the third lecture of our Leadership talk series. Mr Bajaj has played a pivotal role in revamping the supply chain and the marketing set up in Bajaj Auto and has introduced several innovative strategies to provide a cutting edge to his business. He spoke to the students about leadership and innovation in the automobile manufacturing sector and related the principles of homeopathy to the strategies and principles used by him in his business. It was an interesting comparison and it highlighted a clear and holistic way of tackling issues by going to the root of the problem.

Mr Bajaj has been leading a major technological and marketing reorientation for over a decade, spearheading Bajaj Auto’s transition from a predominantly scooter and 3-wheeler manufacturer to a dominant force in the motorcycle segment. He highlighted the importance of being different and how his company was differentiating itself from standard 2-wheeler manufacturers through the iconic Pulsar line of bikes. However, he warned against the dangers of constantly diversifying and spreading oneself too thin. This was very important advice as students can easily fall into the trap of trying to do too many things at once, thereby not doing enough justice to their core strengths.

Mr Bajaj took the time to answer several questions from the students who asked him about his education, his career and the challenges he faced. He used several analogies while answering the questions to impart clarity to his ideas. For example, he used comparisons to the German car manufacturing giants BMW and Mercedes-Benz while answering one of the questions. Everyone in the audience was familiar with these brands, so they were able to understand some of the subtler points that were being made. He also emphasised on a good knowledge of business theories and models, but reminded students that personal knowledge and experience are also required for succeeding in business.

The advice given by Mr Bajaj was incredibly valuable as we were able to learn many new concepts and perspectives. These were not just about product placement and marketing – his wise insights on the effective techniques of business management will be invaluable for us later on in life