Sidharth Singh : A Customer-Centric Leader With A Passion For The Environment
Sidharth Singh
Vice President
Engendering an elite personal experience is a herculean task that takes an expert with diverse cultural and geographical experience. Acing this aspect, Sidharth Singh, a veteran leader with more than three decades of professional experience, is piloting the North Asian chapter of Givaudan, the Swiss multinational company providing happier, healthier lives with abundant love for nature.
Sidharth, an MBA in marketing and general management, holds versatile experience handling responsibilities in various capacities, especially in food and beverage industries. Today, he serves as the Vice President of Givaudan for the North Asian region, focusing on creating Taste & Wellbeing products that amaze consumers and are responsible towards the planet. We are delighted to have Sidharth join us for an exclusive conversation.
What has been the biggest learning from your professional journey, and how have you applied it in your current leadership role?
In my 30-year career across diverse companies, cultures, and countries, I have learned that the true measure of leadership is the ability to create sustainable, lasting change. In the corporate world, where role tenures often span just 2-3 years, there’s a tendency to prioritize quick wins. However, I've realized that transformation only endures when it is rooted in shared purpose and collective ownership, where people are involved in shaping the change, when they understand the “why” and help define the “how”.
Sustainable change demands patience, persistence, and consistent engagement. It can’t
be imposed, it must be co-created. I firmly believe that any transformation we drive must be meaningful and enduring, not just quick.
Equally important is fostering a “growth mindset”, which is an approach that embraces learning, adaptability, and innovation. In my view, growth isn’t just about expanding the business, it is about growing people. When individuals see that contributing to business success also fuels their own development, it creates a powerful cycle of motivation and progress. I have applied this philosophy across roles, and it continues to shape my leadership, building organizations where both people and performance thrive together.
How do you stay up-to-date with ongoing trends and developments in the market? And how do you foster your learning within your organization?
I make it a point to stay well-informed by reading, including books, business publications, industry journals, and credible online sources, while consciously avoiding unreliable content. But I believe true insight goes beyond reading, it comes from real conversations and diverse perspectives. So, I have intentionally built a multicultural, multigenerational, and cross-industry circle of friends. Hearing differing viewpoints broadens my understanding and helps me grasp issues with greater depth and clarity.
How we encourage our teams to stay relevant is crucial as well. At the core of this is my unwavering belief, that customers are the foundation of our existence. Without them, there is no business. I urge my teams to spend more time engaging with customers rather than getting stuck in internal processes. Personally, I feel most energized when I am working directly with customers, understanding their needs and solving their problems. That outward focus, combined with a growth mindset, drives sustainable impact.
Where do you aspire to be in your journey in the next few years?
I am passionate about two things. First, I genuinely enjoy leading teams, it gives me immense satisfaction to support people in their growth journeys and enable
Equally important is fostering a “growth mindset”, which is an approach that embraces learning, adaptability, and innovation. In my view, growth isn’t just about expanding the business, it is about growing people. When individuals see that contributing to business success also fuels their own development, it creates a powerful cycle of motivation and progress. I have applied this philosophy across roles, and it continues to shape my leadership, building organizations where both people and performance thrive together.
The places and situations that make you uneasy are often where the most powerful growth and learning happen
How do you stay up-to-date with ongoing trends and developments in the market? And how do you foster your learning within your organization?
I make it a point to stay well-informed by reading, including books, business publications, industry journals, and credible online sources, while consciously avoiding unreliable content. But I believe true insight goes beyond reading, it comes from real conversations and diverse perspectives. So, I have intentionally built a multicultural, multigenerational, and cross-industry circle of friends. Hearing differing viewpoints broadens my understanding and helps me grasp issues with greater depth and clarity.
How we encourage our teams to stay relevant is crucial as well. At the core of this is my unwavering belief, that customers are the foundation of our existence. Without them, there is no business. I urge my teams to spend more time engaging with customers rather than getting stuck in internal processes. Personally, I feel most energized when I am working directly with customers, understanding their needs and solving their problems. That outward focus, combined with a growth mindset, drives sustainable impact.
Where do you aspire to be in your journey in the next few years?
I am passionate about two things. First, I genuinely enjoy leading teams, it gives me immense satisfaction to support people in their growth journeys and enable
them to realize their leadership potential. Second, I truly enjoy partnering with customers to address challenges and solve meaningful problems. These two elements have energized me throughout my career.
Looking ahead to the next five years, I see myself continuing in a role where I can lead impactful teams, not necessarily larger, but purposeful, and work closely with customers to help them overcome complex issues. If I can do that I would consider my professional aspirations fulfilled.
Over the past decade I have had the opportunity to work across multiple geographies, including India, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, which has strengthened my appreciation for multicultural environments. I would like to continue contributing in global contexts, both learning from diverse cultures and bringing my own leadership approach and strengths to support collective growth.
What piece of advice would you like to share with the budding leaders?
Growth happens outside your comfort zone. In life, we tend to avoid things that make us uncomfortable, whether it is joining a yoga class or taking on a role that feels intimidating. But in my experience, every time I have grown meaningfully as a professional has been when I stepped into uncomfortable situations.
One example comes from the very beginning of my career. After B-school, while most of my peers were placed in metro cities like Mumbai or Bangalore, I was assigned to Varanasi. I was initially disappointed, wondering why I was sent to a small town. But I accepted the challenge, and in hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It taught me invaluable lessons and shaped me as a young manager and leader.
Sidharth Singh, Vice President,Givaudan
With over three decades of versatile professional experience, especially in food and beverage and personal care industries in various capacities, Sidharth leads the North Asian chapter of Givaudan as its Vice President. He holds an MBA in Marketing and Management.
•Hobbies: Reading, sports and fitness, and being a home barista
•Favorite Cuisine: Lebanese and Middle Eastern
•Favorite Book: Outlive by Peter Attia
•Favorite Travel Destination: Rishikesh
Looking ahead to the next five years, I see myself continuing in a role where I can lead impactful teams, not necessarily larger, but purposeful, and work closely with customers to help them overcome complex issues. If I can do that I would consider my professional aspirations fulfilled.
Over the past decade I have had the opportunity to work across multiple geographies, including India, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, which has strengthened my appreciation for multicultural environments. I would like to continue contributing in global contexts, both learning from diverse cultures and bringing my own leadership approach and strengths to support collective growth.
What piece of advice would you like to share with the budding leaders?
Growth happens outside your comfort zone. In life, we tend to avoid things that make us uncomfortable, whether it is joining a yoga class or taking on a role that feels intimidating. But in my experience, every time I have grown meaningfully as a professional has been when I stepped into uncomfortable situations.
One example comes from the very beginning of my career. After B-school, while most of my peers were placed in metro cities like Mumbai or Bangalore, I was assigned to Varanasi. I was initially disappointed, wondering why I was sent to a small town. But I accepted the challenge, and in hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It taught me invaluable lessons and shaped me as a young manager and leader.
Sidharth Singh, Vice President,Givaudan
With over three decades of versatile professional experience, especially in food and beverage and personal care industries in various capacities, Sidharth leads the North Asian chapter of Givaudan as its Vice President. He holds an MBA in Marketing and Management.
•Hobbies: Reading, sports and fitness, and being a home barista
•Favorite Cuisine: Lebanese and Middle Eastern
•Favorite Book: Outlive by Peter Attia
•Favorite Travel Destination: Rishikesh