03 January, 2024 Leaders
Rohit Pathak grew up as an army kid, learning early on, the importance of people management and calm problem-solving from his father, who continues to be one of the biggest influences in his life. Pathak honed these skills over a decade-long stint at consulting giant McKinsey, following an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad, and an engineering degree from BITS Pilani before that.
A self-proclaimed family man, Pathak gave up the nomadic life of a consultant when his children were young, to join the more people-focused Aditya Birla Group – first, with a role within the Chairman’s office, then as CEO of the Insulator Business for five years, and currently as the much-loved CEO of the Copper Business.
Pathak's popularity lies in his simple and humane approach to leadership. The spiritual side of him reiterates Sadghuru's belief that ‘people are resourceful, not resources’. The mentoring side of him believes that his role is to help people succeed. Ask him what leadership means to him and he says that it is “an opportunity and a responsibility, so one should make it count”.
In his own words, Pathak's leadership style is strategic, calm, empowering, decisive and empathetic–the last adjective earning him the nickname of Chief Empathy Officer! An unconventional leader, Pathak doesn’t run from one meeting to the next, instead keeping a good chunk of his calendar free in order to keep his mind clutter-free so that he has clarity of thought when he has to make important decisions.
According to him, the secret sauce to a leader's success lies in using the full potential of teams by tapping not just into minds, but also hearts and bodies. Instead of micro-managing teams and letting ego get in the way, Pathak says good leaders will make themselves invisible and redundant so that their teams can bloom.
Apart from spending time with his family and mentoring talent, contributing to India's growth is an important priority for Pathak. He emphasises that manufacturing is a sector that plays a significant role in the country’s development and the copper industry plays a significant role within that–hence his passion for the business and the industry. Pathak is also the President of the Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers Association, and Director of the Fertilizer Association of India–further proof of his commitment to nation building.
In spite of all his achievements, Rohit Pathak describes himself as a humble and caring man, with family and spirituality as his two main anchors. Whether he changes even one life through mentoring, or whether he can contribute to the larger good of the nation–he believes in the importance of trying to make a real difference, no matter what he does.
