After doing my M Sc (Hons) from Hindu College, Delhi University in 1982, I started my career in Information Technology with my first course in ‘Computer Programming and Data Processing’, when it was known more as ‘EDP’ in those days. Many people questioned my choice of this field at that time, as the industry was nascent and not many opportunities were available.

Computerisation was a relatively new phenomenon and a career in the PSUs and government was considered more stable and paying. Looking back, I have never regretted this decision and today, seeing the ups and downs in the industry over the last twenty-six years, I feel that this experience has been very rich and rewarding, professionally. The credit for this success goes to the organisations where I worked, the mentoring that I received from the great stalwarts of the industry that I was privileged to work with, and the support from my family.

Looking at the role of a CIO today, it is not just that of an ‘IT head’ as it is perceived in many places. The intrinsic qualities that are required from a CIO are many, some of them would be knowledge of technology trends and deployment, knowledge of the business, the industry and how to align/ leverage technology for business benefits, leadership skills, passion to excel and strategic vision.

I believe that a great leader steers clear from the role of a ‘hoverer’. The best way to get the most out of your team is to allow them discretion in planning, innovation and implementation. This also allows them to improve their decision-making skills and further their careers.

I lay out the strategy and desired outcomes, and the leadership team will then develop the means to achieve them, within their limitations. I allow my team to decide how to execute against the strategy and I stay in touch with detailed meetings and updates.

Another area of importance for a CIO is not to become stagnant or cocooned in his own islands of technology, data or information. As far as possible, today’s aspiring as well as current CIOs should be keenly involved in the business and as far as possible, take additional responsibilities of a line function. In my own experience, in addition to my primary function of IT, I have handled diverse roles such as
business development, supply chain, manufacturing operations, corporate communications and most recently—human resources and personnel on a global level.

These are tough to handle as one feels more comfortable doing what one knows best, but to rise to a true leadership stature and move to top management roles, one needs an all-round experience and knowledge. IT is unique in the sense that it allows you to have a 360-degree view of the business and stakeholders; the only limitation to growth is our own vision and capability.

In Jinal Stainless, our vision is to be amongst the top ten global stainless steel producers in the world, by the year 2010. Hence, all our initiatives, policies, strategies and endeavours are aligned towards achieving this vision. In this effort, the role of our people is foremost, as this is the team which will make our organisation a force to reckon with.