Anubhav Gupta: Finding The Convergence Of Long-Term Purpose To Improve Status Quo
Anubhav Gupta
Chief Executive Officer - Vikhroli, Chief ESG, Sustainability & CSR Officer
He strongly believes in the transformative power of Design Thinking with a focus on the customer and actionable ideas around circular economies. He founded the GPL Design Studio, a unique multi disciplinary innovation engine with a mandate for design, product development, brand building and the creation of unique customer experiences.
Anubhav Gupta engages in an exclusive interaction with the CEO Insights Magazine, here are the highlights
How do you find MIT’s learning experiences beneficial in your current role and operations?
Going to MIT for my two master's degrees in city planning and building technology, and, having had the opportunity to teach there after my graduation have perhaps been among the most exciting learning experiences in my journey.
Coming from a creative problem solving background, I found MIT to be a very entrepreneurial learning environment that helped me bring my interests, purpose, and vocation together in a more structured and applied format. I found a unique opportunity to converge coursework across distinct academic departments of City planning, Civil Engineering, Sustainability,
Architecture, RealEstate, and Business to graduate with two degrees and additional certifications in 3 years.
Being a teacher at MIT was a humble experience where learning was never instructional but rather team based focusing on solving problems similar to those encountered in the real world with a diverse, rich, and often senior cohort of global experience.I cannot thank Mr. Pirojsha Godrej enough for his open and progressive thinking in matching aspiration, talent, capability, and discipline to enable the realisation of purpose in my journey. My rich experience of teaching at MIT where learning participants would often be more learned and experienced than the teacher has taught me humility and appreciation for team work in my role at Godrej since the outset of my tenure.
What are the fundamental factors you consider while formulating corporate and growth strategies?
In a rapidly globalizing and increasingly competitive world, corporations find themselves constantly solving for the coexistence of agile startup innovation culture and sustainable Lean growth strategy. In my own work, I see that two engines of innovation and growth can be set up to catalytically work together as infinite loops to power any organisation. I have typically used design thinking to assess, understand and forecast customer needs. I leveraged technology and growth hacking to seek, find, and expand customer reach. And finally, a lean methodology to deliver sustainable customer value for all stakeholders in the enterprise.
Describe your leadership style and the success mantra.
I strongly believe that a shared future in part is what we should like it to be. Constant innovation is required to stay ahead in our era of disruption and rapid globalization. One needs to have an appetite for risk and an ability to tolerate failure before getting to success. The clarity in intent, people before process, diversity, inclusion,
Being a teacher at MIT was a humble experience where learning was never instructional but rather team based focusing on solving problems similar to those encountered in the real world with a diverse, rich, and often senior cohort of global experience.I cannot thank Mr. Pirojsha Godrej enough for his open and progressive thinking in matching aspiration, talent, capability, and discipline to enable the realisation of purpose in my journey. My rich experience of teaching at MIT where learning participants would often be more learned and experienced than the teacher has taught me humility and appreciation for team work in my role at Godrej since the outset of my tenure.
With the ongoing challenges of climate change, we need to ensure that we not only do everything to minimize damage to the environment but find ways of conserving resources
What are the fundamental factors you consider while formulating corporate and growth strategies?
In a rapidly globalizing and increasingly competitive world, corporations find themselves constantly solving for the coexistence of agile startup innovation culture and sustainable Lean growth strategy. In my own work, I see that two engines of innovation and growth can be set up to catalytically work together as infinite loops to power any organisation. I have typically used design thinking to assess, understand and forecast customer needs. I leveraged technology and growth hacking to seek, find, and expand customer reach. And finally, a lean methodology to deliver sustainable customer value for all stakeholders in the enterprise.
Describe your leadership style and the success mantra.
I strongly believe that a shared future in part is what we should like it to be. Constant innovation is required to stay ahead in our era of disruption and rapid globalization. One needs to have an appetite for risk and an ability to tolerate failure before getting to success. The clarity in intent, people before process, diversity, inclusion,
participation, collaboration, structure for unstructured permutation in problem solving, decisive, timely, and disciplined action whilst having the team’s back, the dynamic measurement for success and failure, rewards, circular and sustainable thinking and much more.
Tell us about the measures you administer to ensure the environmental responsibility and the future destination you are heading towards?
With the ongoing challenges of climate change, we need to ensure that we not only do everything to minimize damage to the environment but find ways of conserving resources. As Chief Sustainability and CSR Officer, I have set up a 6P framework for sustainability across People, Process, Partnership, Product, Profit, and Planet to encapsulate a comprehensive approach towards the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) issues facing the real estate development sector.
Performance linked quantifiable goals on sustainability have been instituted for our entire top management committee which cascade across our organisation to relevant champions to realise our mission and contribute to our purpose. We also strongly focus on customer advocacy to transmit knowledge and build infrastructure for after sales service/ maintenance to ensure sustainability practices follow through from a life cycle standpoint, particularly after the asset delivery.
I am currently in the process of delivering Godrej Properties’ maiden Hospitality venture, The Taj at The Trees, a boutique, luxury, sustainable hotel and India’s first and only public art and sculpture park at our flagship development in Vikhroli, Mumbai. Alongside, I am working on an exciting new entrepreneurial venture within the Godrej Group to bring together ideas around history, provenance, place making, storytelling, regeneration, and adaptive reuse within Retail, Hospitality, Civic, and luxury Residential sectors across India.
Anubhav Gupta, Chief Executive Officer - Vikhroli, Chief ESG, Sustainability & CSR Officer, Godrej Properties
A global award winning design thinker, strategist, and innovator, Anubhav Gupta is the Chief Executive Officer - Vikhroli, Chief ESG, Sustainability & CSR Officer, Godrej Properties Ltd. He strongly believes in putting the customer at the heart of every enterprise and using design thinking as a strong business driver.
Tell us about the measures you administer to ensure the environmental responsibility and the future destination you are heading towards?
With the ongoing challenges of climate change, we need to ensure that we not only do everything to minimize damage to the environment but find ways of conserving resources. As Chief Sustainability and CSR Officer, I have set up a 6P framework for sustainability across People, Process, Partnership, Product, Profit, and Planet to encapsulate a comprehensive approach towards the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) issues facing the real estate development sector.
Performance linked quantifiable goals on sustainability have been instituted for our entire top management committee which cascade across our organisation to relevant champions to realise our mission and contribute to our purpose. We also strongly focus on customer advocacy to transmit knowledge and build infrastructure for after sales service/ maintenance to ensure sustainability practices follow through from a life cycle standpoint, particularly after the asset delivery.
I am currently in the process of delivering Godrej Properties’ maiden Hospitality venture, The Taj at The Trees, a boutique, luxury, sustainable hotel and India’s first and only public art and sculpture park at our flagship development in Vikhroli, Mumbai. Alongside, I am working on an exciting new entrepreneurial venture within the Godrej Group to bring together ideas around history, provenance, place making, storytelling, regeneration, and adaptive reuse within Retail, Hospitality, Civic, and luxury Residential sectors across India.
Anubhav Gupta, Chief Executive Officer - Vikhroli, Chief ESG, Sustainability & CSR Officer, Godrej Properties
A global award winning design thinker, strategist, and innovator, Anubhav Gupta is the Chief Executive Officer - Vikhroli, Chief ESG, Sustainability & CSR Officer, Godrej Properties Ltd. He strongly believes in putting the customer at the heart of every enterprise and using design thinking as a strong business driver.