Neelakantan Venkataraman: A Business Leader Leveraging 23 Years Of Experience To Develop Growth Oriented Business Models
Neelakantan Venkataraman
Chief Business Officer
Professionals in charge of both business development and operations, can help impact change and foster growth across the Organisation. Helming the role of Chief Business Officer(CBO) and Senior Vice President Strategy and Business Development at AlefEdge, with a background in the internet and enterprise business, Neelakantan Venkataraman specializes in Sales, Business Development, Business Process Improvement and Process Consulting. CEO Insights interviewed Neelakantan Venkataraman (CBO) of AlefEdge, wherein he enlightened us about his entrepreneurial journey and about his wide experience in developing business strategies.
Tell us about your educational and professional background before Alef Edge. How has your expertise helped in molding the company’s operation?
I completed my Chemical Engineering degree from IIT Delhi and my MBA from the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in Mumbai. My professional career began in the field of engineering. I spent three years working in the Oil and Gas industry before deciding to pursue an MBA. As a Management Professional, my first job was in Management Consulting before joining IBM.
Over the past 23 fulfilling years, I have worked across various sectors such as hi-tech, engineering and manufacturing. The diverse experience and exposure helped me develop multi-faceted expertise in different business functions.
Out of these 23 years, I worked for nearly 14 years with IBM. I spent the first part of my career with IBM in consulting and enterprise sales, and later I helmed various leadership roles leading teams and driving large scale projects with significant
P&L responsibilities.
It was during this period that I got my first set of leadership lessons. It taught me how to be a better leader in numerous ways. I was running a major business unit with diverse sub-verticals, and a geographically scattered team. I was introduced to different aspects of running a successful set up/business. Such as how to work in a matrix organization, how to put together a plan, a meaningful value proposition and many other professional aspects as a business leader. IBM encouraged learning and finding innovative solutions to different problems. At the same time, it made me appreciate the efficiency,discipline and rigour of processes. In a start-up, in the initial few years there is no set job per say. You have to roll up your sleeves and be willing to pitch in everywhere, to remove business friction and help resolve issues that startups typically face in their initial few years.
What were the initial challenges that taught you some basic leadership lessons and how did you manage to achieve the success that you had in the later phase?
One of the biggest challenges for a startup is attracting the right kind of people; and by that, I mean high performers with an attitude and willingness to learn and go beyond their job descriptions. A lot of people prefer to work in a very structured setting, with predetermined expectations from their jobs, which is simply not possible in a startup.
This is a challenge when you have just started and are an unknown brand. Not everybody has the appetite to work and build their careers with a startup.
At the same time as an organization it is our responsibility to ensure that we create an open culture and foster an environment where innovation thrives and meritocracy is rewarded. ‘Fail fast’ is a mantra generally adopted by many successful startups.
A company's CBO is in charge of developing its go-to-market strategy, enhancing key metrics, and attracting new customers. What different roles you have been undertaking in Alef Edge?
I led cross-functional teams spanning product management, distribution, business growth,strategic partnerships, operations, and marketing as the CBO. We have also grown rapidly in a relatively short Period and have
It was during this period that I got my first set of leadership lessons. It taught me how to be a better leader in numerous ways. I was running a major business unit with diverse sub-verticals, and a geographically scattered team. I was introduced to different aspects of running a successful set up/business. Such as how to work in a matrix organization, how to put together a plan, a meaningful value proposition and many other professional aspects as a business leader. IBM encouraged learning and finding innovative solutions to different problems. At the same time, it made me appreciate the efficiency,discipline and rigour of processes. In a start-up, in the initial few years there is no set job per say. You have to roll up your sleeves and be willing to pitch in everywhere, to remove business friction and help resolve issues that startups typically face in their initial few years.
I am a strong believer in maximizing value by bringing creativity in both product and business models
What were the initial challenges that taught you some basic leadership lessons and how did you manage to achieve the success that you had in the later phase?
One of the biggest challenges for a startup is attracting the right kind of people; and by that, I mean high performers with an attitude and willingness to learn and go beyond their job descriptions. A lot of people prefer to work in a very structured setting, with predetermined expectations from their jobs, which is simply not possible in a startup.
This is a challenge when you have just started and are an unknown brand. Not everybody has the appetite to work and build their careers with a startup.
At the same time as an organization it is our responsibility to ensure that we create an open culture and foster an environment where innovation thrives and meritocracy is rewarded. ‘Fail fast’ is a mantra generally adopted by many successful startups.
A company's CBO is in charge of developing its go-to-market strategy, enhancing key metrics, and attracting new customers. What different roles you have been undertaking in Alef Edge?
I led cross-functional teams spanning product management, distribution, business growth,strategic partnerships, operations, and marketing as the CBO. We have also grown rapidly in a relatively short Period and have
achieved significant success & market traction in this dynamic technology space. We've got active deployments that are bringing in revenue, and have turned into a global showcase for AlefEdge.
In your professional journey so far, which are the milestones that have bestowed you with utmost satisfaction - both as an individual and as CBO?
There are plenty actually. Honestly, I truly believe that the journey should be as enjoyable and fulfilling as achieving the milestones. There are plenty of moments that I look back upon with both satisfaction and gratitude; satisfaction of having achieved success and grown from strength to strength and gratitude for having been given those opportunities where I could deliver to my full potential and be recognized for my contributions. My responsibilities included driving growth and augmenting business in the Automotive, Electronics, Chemicals & Petroleum, Metals & Minerals, Aerospace & Defense, and Metals & Minerals verticals. I also managed marketing and business operations for the BU.
Establishing Alef Edge was another significant milestone and receiving our first customer referral as well as obtaining our first major institutional funding were huge accomplishments for the company.
How do you define great leadership and what do you see as the toughest challenges CBO’s are facing today?
The most difficult task for Chief Business Officer role in today’s context is to stay agile and in tune with the market in the VUCA world while determining how to scale up the business and generate sales for the organization. The pandemic has further added to the complexity. Our role is to ensure that the company gains momentum in the industry, develops different business models, and has a solid Go to Market strategy. With the ongoing pandemic, most businesses are working from home, which is a very different experience compared to working on the ground and having face-to-face conversations with customers. In this day and age, CBO’s must consider how to make their remote operations more effective, as well as how to close deals successfully in a continuously growing virtual world.
Neelakantan Venkataraman, CBO
Neelakantan is a Chemical Engineer from IIT Delhi and an MBA from S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. He has finished executive management programs at INSEAD School of Business, Singapore and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai. Prior to Alef Edge, Neelakantan Venkatraman has served his duties at various roles in IBM for 14 years.
In your professional journey so far, which are the milestones that have bestowed you with utmost satisfaction - both as an individual and as CBO?
There are plenty actually. Honestly, I truly believe that the journey should be as enjoyable and fulfilling as achieving the milestones. There are plenty of moments that I look back upon with both satisfaction and gratitude; satisfaction of having achieved success and grown from strength to strength and gratitude for having been given those opportunities where I could deliver to my full potential and be recognized for my contributions. My responsibilities included driving growth and augmenting business in the Automotive, Electronics, Chemicals & Petroleum, Metals & Minerals, Aerospace & Defense, and Metals & Minerals verticals. I also managed marketing and business operations for the BU.
Establishing Alef Edge was another significant milestone and receiving our first customer referral as well as obtaining our first major institutional funding were huge accomplishments for the company.
How do you define great leadership and what do you see as the toughest challenges CBO’s are facing today?
The most difficult task for Chief Business Officer role in today’s context is to stay agile and in tune with the market in the VUCA world while determining how to scale up the business and generate sales for the organization. The pandemic has further added to the complexity. Our role is to ensure that the company gains momentum in the industry, develops different business models, and has a solid Go to Market strategy. With the ongoing pandemic, most businesses are working from home, which is a very different experience compared to working on the ground and having face-to-face conversations with customers. In this day and age, CBO’s must consider how to make their remote operations more effective, as well as how to close deals successfully in a continuously growing virtual world.
Neelakantan Venkataraman, CBO
Neelakantan is a Chemical Engineer from IIT Delhi and an MBA from S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. He has finished executive management programs at INSEAD School of Business, Singapore and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai. Prior to Alef Edge, Neelakantan Venkatraman has served his duties at various roles in IBM for 14 years.