Kumaresan Rajendran: Driving Growth While Focusing On People & Planet
Kumaresan Rajendran
Chairman & MD
Kumaresan's focus on sales, marketing, and business management has earned him a reputation as a dynamic leader who is passionate about driving growth. With a B.Tech degree in chemical engineering and an MBA in business management, he is equipped with both technical and managerial skills that make him a force to be reckoned with. Throughout his career, he has been driven by a desire to understand his customers and work closely with his team members to drive business growth. His dedication to this goal has earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues and competitors alike.
In this exclusive interview, CEO Insights magazine gets a glimpse into the life and career of Kumaresan Rajendran.
Can you share with us your path to success and what you consider to be your success mantra?
Success can be defined differently by different people. For me, it's about achieving business growth and ensuring that the people associated with the business also grow. I believe that growth in these two areas should go hand in hand: without which it's empty growth. My career had grown in fast pace in various roles from different companies in similar lines along the 3 decades of fast Indian economic growth. I started my career in early 90s, when India opened its economy for private investment in industrial growth. As industries were exploring different ways of doing business, I had the chance to explore new challenges and opportunities which helped my professional growth and personal development.
Rather than keeping defined mantras for success, I have adapted
myself to every business I have run.
.Understand, baseline, and improve the daily business operations customer needs, financial health, operational safety, and planning processes are the key fundamentals of any business. Once this key first step is achieved, drive for aggressive volume growth, and start exploring new customers, new products, and newer applications for long term strategic growth.
.Since all the above are done by people, I always work closely with my core team, delegate authority and empower them to deliver results. My role is to support them for the business growth and in the process achieve their fullest potential. Having good processes, products, and brand image is essential for success, but the key variable that can make difference is the right people in the organisation.
.It's also crucial as an organisation to be agile and adapt to ever changing business landscape and macro economic challenges.
How would you describe SNF as a successful organization?
SNF is a France headquartered technology-oriented organization with strength in sourcing key RMs, technology & engineering to become a 5 billion USD multinational company. we prioritize reinvesting back into the business every year and increase our capacity and presence in the market. We operate according our core values with human touch. We are an agile and nimble organization, with very few hierarchy level which helps making quick decisions that favor business growth and customers. we are present in different business segments such as paper, textile, mining, water treatment, specialty personal care, home care, and agro. SNF india’s strengths are our biggest manufacturing setup, versatile and large portfolio of products and provide solutions to our customers and maintain close partnership with them. SNF's flexibility, agility, and quick decision making make us very efficient in serving our customers and be successful.
Sustainability is at the core of our business. As one of largest water treatment companies, we help treating and delivering clean water to world citizens for a sustainable future. We prioritize environment, health and safe practices in our daily operations, strictly adhering to
.Understand, baseline, and improve the daily business operations customer needs, financial health, operational safety, and planning processes are the key fundamentals of any business. Once this key first step is achieved, drive for aggressive volume growth, and start exploring new customers, new products, and newer applications for long term strategic growth.
.Since all the above are done by people, I always work closely with my core team, delegate authority and empower them to deliver results. My role is to support them for the business growth and in the process achieve their fullest potential. Having good processes, products, and brand image is essential for success, but the key variable that can make difference is the right people in the organisation.
.It's also crucial as an organisation to be agile and adapt to ever changing business landscape and macro economic challenges.
My success mantra would be to work with people, trust them, and delegate, ultimately helping them to grow and achieve common goals
How would you describe SNF as a successful organization?
SNF is a France headquartered technology-oriented organization with strength in sourcing key RMs, technology & engineering to become a 5 billion USD multinational company. we prioritize reinvesting back into the business every year and increase our capacity and presence in the market. We operate according our core values with human touch. We are an agile and nimble organization, with very few hierarchy level which helps making quick decisions that favor business growth and customers. we are present in different business segments such as paper, textile, mining, water treatment, specialty personal care, home care, and agro. SNF india’s strengths are our biggest manufacturing setup, versatile and large portfolio of products and provide solutions to our customers and maintain close partnership with them. SNF's flexibility, agility, and quick decision making make us very efficient in serving our customers and be successful.
Sustainability is at the core of our business. As one of largest water treatment companies, we help treating and delivering clean water to world citizens for a sustainable future. We prioritize environment, health and safe practices in our daily operations, strictly adhering to
regulatory requirements and placing the safety of our employees above all else. We continuously work to improve the sustain ability of our products, striving to make them more biodegradable and reduce our carbon footprint. Our efforts have led to significant reductions in water consumption and waste water generation in our manufacturing.
Tell us about your leadership approach, and the guidelines or methodologies you follow to lead your team.
My leadership approach can be summed up in four topics: transparency, inclusivity, diversity, and leading the organisation to deliver customer needs. Transparency is essential for maintaining trust among all stakeholders, including all levels of employees. All my decisions are inclusive considering diverse views of my team. I try and bring in diversity not just in gender but cultural and various perspectives as well to the organisational culture Identifying and mentoring right people, prioritizing safety and customer needs and focus on sustainable growth. This philosophy guides all of my daily decisions and leading the organisation.
What’s your message to budding leaders of India?
Rather than short term and quick gains, Focus on long term fundamentals and strategies that cater to the growing market and ever changing changing customer demands. With a population of 1.3 billion and a rapidly expanding affordability of middle class, there is a lot of potential for growth in India and hence no need to rush for quick wins and cutting corners on EHS aspects. It is important to keep sustainability in mind and invest in environmental and product stewardship practices. Knowing and understanding customer demands are crucial, but it is equally important to deliver those demands sustainably. Short term gains through undercutting the competition or compromising on product quality may provide quick results, but a sustainable approach will lead to long-term success. India has a wealth of talent, and entrepreneurs should tap into this resource and use it in a proper way. Finally, being adaptable and flexible in their approach is essential as customer demands and market dynamics are ever changing.
Kumaresan Rajendran, Chairman & MD, SNF
Kumaresan is a highly experienced professional, as well as the Chairman and Managing Director of SNF, a leading chemical company. With an MBA in business management and over 30 years of experience in the industry, Kumaresan has worked for multinational companies like BASF and Clariant.
Tell us about your leadership approach, and the guidelines or methodologies you follow to lead your team.
My leadership approach can be summed up in four topics: transparency, inclusivity, diversity, and leading the organisation to deliver customer needs. Transparency is essential for maintaining trust among all stakeholders, including all levels of employees. All my decisions are inclusive considering diverse views of my team. I try and bring in diversity not just in gender but cultural and various perspectives as well to the organisational culture Identifying and mentoring right people, prioritizing safety and customer needs and focus on sustainable growth. This philosophy guides all of my daily decisions and leading the organisation.
What’s your message to budding leaders of India?
Rather than short term and quick gains, Focus on long term fundamentals and strategies that cater to the growing market and ever changing changing customer demands. With a population of 1.3 billion and a rapidly expanding affordability of middle class, there is a lot of potential for growth in India and hence no need to rush for quick wins and cutting corners on EHS aspects. It is important to keep sustainability in mind and invest in environmental and product stewardship practices. Knowing and understanding customer demands are crucial, but it is equally important to deliver those demands sustainably. Short term gains through undercutting the competition or compromising on product quality may provide quick results, but a sustainable approach will lead to long-term success. India has a wealth of talent, and entrepreneurs should tap into this resource and use it in a proper way. Finally, being adaptable and flexible in their approach is essential as customer demands and market dynamics are ever changing.
Kumaresan Rajendran, Chairman & MD, SNF
Kumaresan is a highly experienced professional, as well as the Chairman and Managing Director of SNF, a leading chemical company. With an MBA in business management and over 30 years of experience in the industry, Kumaresan has worked for multinational companies like BASF and Clariant.