CORPORATE STALWART

He leads a conglomerate with four business verticals viz Safety and Industrial, Transportation and Electronics, Healthcare, and Consumer, but feels that shifting from one group or one geography to another, can be akin to taking on a new job, but safe under the umbrella of the brand.

“It is said that in a person’s career he can change jobs multiple times and still be working in 3M. In my career, I have had a level of success in the industrial business, but that said, in country leadership roles, I have been strategically engaged with every business vertical,” said Ramesh Ramadurai, MD, 3M India Ltd, the Indian arm of Minnesota-based 3M Co.

THE CAREER PATHWAY

For most of younger generation, a career passage of 30 years with one organisation is perhaps difficult to fathom and is more often than not an exception. “My friends and I, realise even more broadly that people like me must be the exception. Sometimes, I have been successful and at other times, less so. But it is critical to learn and move on,” he said. However, his belief rests on his opportunities not as mere career progression but as a prospect “to move the needle” and make a difference.

“It is especially important to have the opportunity to go through a broad range of experiences or a portfolio of experiences. Sometimes, this requires a little bit of luck, as there are several eminently qualified colleagues around the world,” he said.

A greater aspect has been the opportunity he has had to interact with an array of customers -from a small fabrication shop to some of the world’s leading manufacturers, healthcare practitioners and more. His multiple roles within 3M in diverse geographies such as the U.S., China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia has given him the chance to work with businesses with cutting-edge innovations and technologies.

“You get to see shifts in industries which may have far-reaching implications, although sometimes you may get too caught up in the moment to appreciate its ramifications,” said Ramadurai. “Coming back to Bengaluru after eight years makes me feel I have returned to a new city,” he said.

Ramesh Ramadurai talks to Corporate Citizen about how he has been emphatically open and eager to embrace new opportunities, new cultures, and new learnings. He shares the importance of remaining curious and the interest to learn something new and applying that knowledge. An excerpt from the interaction with Ramadurai and his three-decade-long voyage with 3M.

"I believe the pandemic has forced leaders to display their own vulnerabilities, at least in some small measure. I think it has also dented hierarchies to some extent, and this trend will continue as we return to flexible and hybrid working styles"

Corporate Citizen: How do you identify with your journey at 3M?

Ramesh Ramadurai: It is easy to rationalise my career journey in the rear-view mirror. So, while I may be a lifer, I see myself as having put together a rich portfolio of experiences. The fact that one company, 3M, allowed me to do that, is quite incredible.

CC: How has academics impacted your career?

Reflecting back on those days, I learnt the importance of leaning on friends, whether it was a group study or asking for help. The experience at IIM-Calcutta was completely different in comparison to IIT. Unlike the previous six years (IIT and job experience), the external pressure was much lower. We learnt to self-pace ourselves a lot more at IIM and also take ownership of driving our early career paths. A rewarding aspect at IIM was the enduring friendships that we forged and several of us stay connected to this day. Besides, the IIT and IIM alumni groups give you great networks as well as highlight the importance of trusted mentors.

CC: How impactful was your first job?

After IIT, I worked as a production engineer in an offshore oil production platform for a year. Though brief, it was a phenomenal experience. You had to assume responsibility very quickly for shift operations. For the first time, it hit me that I was responsible for the huge installation during night shifts. It was a unique experience for a young graduate. It instilled many learnings within me-teamwork, attention to all minute aspects of safety, training your mind to stay focused, productivity, and more.

CC: Who are your prime life influencers?

My career would have certainly taken a vastly different path had it not been for a cousin, who steered me towards pursuing a career in engineering and specifically at an IIT. Over the years, several people influenced me and supported me to make choices. My wife and I shared a “let’s go and experience it” mindset and approach to life. That made it a lot easier to take the forks in the road that we did.

KEEPING PACE

"Innovation can truly thrive in an eco-system that nurtures the freedom to think and experiment and provides recognition for that effort. We encourage people to pursue their sense of curiosity that can lead to discovery and hone a problem-solving attitude"

(L to R) Kimsuka (daughter), Ramesh Ramadurai, Ritvik (son), Suki (wife)

CC: What does being a veteran mean to you?

The dictionary refers to a veteran as someone who has a significant experience and expertise in a particular field. However, with the rapid pace of change and disruptions, the veteran’s experience may become quite irrelevant. Over the 30 years, I have seen the working style of our company change and adapt to the external environment, but the fundamental values have remained true and firm.

CC: How did you manoeuvre yourself with the changing times?

When I worked at our headquarters in the U.S., I was deeply energised by my interactions with our fantastic scientists and engineers. Conversations and meetings with them made a deep impression on me and on the power of collaboration. This was further strengthened while I was working in the Asia Pacific, where, as a strategic supplier partner, we were embedded with some of the most incredible customers in co-developing solutions. Therefore, being a business veteran is of no use, unless our edges stay sharp at all times. I would rather be a veteran in the ‘art’ of learning itself.

CC: How was it to keep pace with changing technology?

I think a lot of the changes were driven by advances in communication technologies in comparison to what we had back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Today, it may practically seem a wonder that any business got done at all in those days. In fact, we make those changes for granted today. With rapid advancements in technologies, if companies do not get ahead of the curve with structural changes to their operations, they definitely run the risk of getting left behind. With these changes, I believe all of us must have some special skills for future success that combines specialisation, collaboration, and leadership quotients.

CC: How was the experience of working across different geographies?

I consider myself fortunate enough to have lived and worked in different countries. We were open to just “go for it” since it came with the added comfort of being in the 3M world. I can never express adequately how grateful we are for this opportunity. Living and working in the U.S., the Philippines, and China, for a total of about 15 years was a phenomenal learning experience. Besides, I had the opportunity to travel across all Asian countries for over five-years with deep exposure to Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

CC: What were your learnings from your international postings?

I learnt that you must have the humility to earn your credibility every time and make sure you bring value to the teams you are working with. You appreciate colleagues and clients in non-English speaking countries who have to weather long meetings and conferences in English. You realise that idioms do not always translate. You learn the difficulty of influencing, yet the joy of how sustainable it can be once you have won over their trust. I have learnt that you have to be curious to genuinely learn, be willing to earn your credibility from scratch, be patient yet persevering, and be flexible and open to new thoughts and ideas.

CC: Personally, how have you enjoyed working and living globally?

I found that living in different countries and being exposed to different cultures broadened my perspective in many ways. There are also many commonalities across cultures. For example, caring for the elderly, children’s education, good housing, featured almost consistently in the top five priorities amongst my colleagues when I was working in China. Raising their standard of living was clearly another one. These are almost universal aspirations. We have all heard the term “we have more in common than our differences.” My experiences in other countries brought this to life for me.

CC: Could you share a recent challenging moment

When I was appointed as the managing director of 3M India in June 2019, the first challenge was to calibrate our operations to the external realities, in terms of a gradually slowing economy, liquidity concerns and such. Organisations are generally slow to react to such turns in the economy. While we have a fine-tuned playbook to manage such situations, the key issue was always the timing to activate the playbook. We kept the organisation focused on the long-term trends which were a strong positive, despite the short-term challenges. Portfolio prioritisation was a key focus and the playbook worked well.

BALANCING THE PIVOTS

"Today’s reality is, everyone has to constantly learn new skills, or we will become obsolete. Acquiring new skills and cultivating the learning habit should not be confused with job hopping. The former should happen independent of the latter"

Ramesh Ramadurai at CII R&D Conclave, December 2019

CC: Do you believe in empathy in leadership?

The pandemic has forced leaders to display their own vulnerabilities, at least in some small measure. I think it has also dented hierarchies to some extent, and this trend will continue as we return to flexible and hybrid working styles. Remote working has also thrown up some challenges in terms of respecting an individual’s time and the blurring of work and personal hours. Leaders themselves experience this. Even those who prided on “not bringing work home” now face a new reality. All of these have definitely increased the empathy quotient in leadership. This is for the good. Work will increasingly be done with greater collaboration, higher speed to market, and rapid iteration. An inclusive work culture with a high degree of psychological safety will be a great enabler. Empathy is at the heart of it.

CC: Does work-life balance exist at all?

I personally lived a hybrid work style in my previous role in Shanghai. So, I learnt to carve out parcels of time for my personal priorities. I enjoy regular exercise, and after my return to India, I have started to venture out on the golf course occasionally. It is a combination of exercise, short extended weekend trips, and allocating time to read up on and learn more about new and emerging trends.

CC: How do you balance your leisure time?

I have long been diligent about exercise and spending time outdoors. I found that consistency and variety have been the key, especially when it comes to fitness. As a family, we have been fortunate to have had many opportunities to travel, and have tried my hand at skiing and diving. A re-read of old Westerns is always a great way to spend a leisurely weekend. I have been a perpetual beginner in golf, and while I am not proud of that fact, I will get there eventually.

SOCIAL ALIGNMENT

CC: Has corporate CSR found a new meaning in a Covid-struck world?

I believe that the pandemic has brought about several shifts in the way companies work on CSR, which will also shape CSR efforts going forward. While Covid continues to strongly influence CSR allocations and prioritisations, companies are also looking at more sustainable models for solving future pandemics and finding creative methods in addressing disruptions to education and livelihood, ecological restoration and promotion of innovation and circular models.

During the past 18 months or so, some of our legacy CSR programmes were put on hold due to the pandemic. We, however, pivoted to Covid support programmes to meet the immediate needs of affected groups by building capacity and capability in hospitals and laid the framework for building longer-term resilience. We are running partnership programmes with local governments to roll out vaccination campaigns for the underserved populace.

DONNING ANOTHER HAT

"During the course of one’s career, practically everyone will go through some challenging work situations or politics at work. Please don’t make rash decisions in the heat of the moment. Cultivate and build a network of professionals, and do not hesitate to take their help if you need to clear your mind of any situations"

3M Volunteering day 2019-refurbishing a government school premises

CC: What is your view on collaboration between corporate, industry bodies, NGOs, and the government?

Multi-stakeholder partnerships enabled faster response to the Covid crisis, especially during the pandemic’s second wave. Industry associations were able to bring companies together to leverage CSR funds in addressing immediate requirements of state health departments and subsequently mass vaccination programmes. This approach helped leverage the strengths of the corporate sector and NGOs to work in a focused manner with the government in bringing about impactful outcomes.

CC: Do share some recent initiatives taken by CII Karnataka.

We are looking to advance in four critical areas: provide a more inclusive experience for our membership, work closely with the government to advance the key priorities such as ease of doing business, Beyond Bengaluru initiative, sectoral and cluster development, integrating CII’s Indian Women’s Network (IWN) and Young Indians (Yi) initiatives more closely with our activities, and work closely with CII offices in the districts and zones, and affiliated associations.

TOP-TIP

CC: What is your advice on the need for constant reinvention?

Today’s reality is, everyone has to constantly learn new skills or we will become obsolete. Acquiring new skills and cultivating the learning habit should not be confused with job-hopping. The former should happen independently of the latter. It is perfectly normal for individuals to look for new roles, either within or outside of their current organisations. It will, of course, be helpful if they are able to lay down their goals and career aspirations, so that it can serve as their reference when they evaluate new roles. During the course of one’s career, practically everyone will go through some challenging work situations or politics at work. Please do not make rash decisions in the heat of the moment. Cultivate and build a network of professionals and do not hesitate to take their help if you need to clear your mind of any doubts.

CC: How should a fresher approach a career path?

A lot depends on the mindset of the individual, the individual’s appetite for risk and passion. And passion coupled with courage. So, there is never a one-size-fits-all. But there are a few foundational aspects. Develop a set of medium-term goals, and if those goals change after your early experience, do not be perturbed, instead, look at it as a positive aspect. Look to be a part of a company or a team, where you can learn and put the learning to practice, which is aligned with your goals. Think of the early stages of your career as putting together a portfolio of experiences and skillsets. Most importantly, stay with your passion-with patience and perseverance. Continue to build a professional network and contribute to the network with your expertise and ideas. Most of all, learn to enjoy what you are doing, get thoroughly immersed in it but don’t be consumed by it.

BUILDING SCIENTIFIC TEMPERAMENT

"Investment in research and development should incorporate the ‘sustainability’ parameter. Our company invests about 6% of its sales into science every year, which in 2020, equalled $1.8 billion"

CC: Can organisations develop a collective scientific temperament?

Innovation can thrive in an ecosystem that nurtures the freedom to think and experiment, and provides recognition for that effort. We encourage people to pursue their sense of curiosity that can lead to discovery and hone a problem-solving attitude. Our annual innovation challenge-the 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Award for youths in India (age group of 18-30 years) coincides with the CII India Innovation Summit. We have completed eight editions of this programme and supported more than 45 early-stage projects and startups with seed funding, recognition, media coverage, networking, and mentorship. It is a recognition and networking platform for young innovators to gaining accessibility to a professional community of investors, mentors, companies, institutes, and startups.

CC: Can organisations propel an innovative temperament?

A case in point could be our six decades old, “15 per cent” culture that inspires creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration. As a supervisor, while my reports ensure day-to-day responsibilities remain executed, they also get the space to try something innovative, think creatively and challenge the status quo. They are encouraged to work on projects of their own choice outside the realm of their regular scope of work. We encourage them to use company resources, build up a unique team and follow their own insights in pursuit of problem-solving and are allowed ‘15 per cent’ of their working time to do so. Whether it is experimenting with a new technology or forming a special interest group around a fresh idea or finding a new way to run a process, our “15 per cent” culture gives employees the license to innovate. Several new product ideas and initiatives under DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) are a result of this unique initiative.

CC: What about R&D?

Investment in research and development should incorporate the ‘sustainability’ parameter. Our company invests about 6% of its sales into science every year, which in 2020, equalled $1.8 billion. Today, we continue to invest in R&D, in close partnership with our customers and the marketplace.

CC: How important is it for companies to leverage connectivity?

Strong connections and networks with external agencies become important to stay abreast of the latest advances in many of these areas. We stay connected with industry associations and other relevant bodies, both to share our body of work as well as learn from policymakers and industry experts.

PRODUCT INNOVATIONS/BRANDING

CC: How important are innovations in sustaining growth?

Applying science in collaborative ways can improve our daily lives and make a real impact by igniting progress and inspiring innovation for all. Every year for the past four years we have been conducting a global survey in 17 countries called the 3M State of Science Index. This survey has found mention in the ‘Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Award’ under the CSR category in 2021. Notably, the 2021 survey results suggested that 90% of Indians are counting on science to help restore and rejuvenate their lives and enable the road to recovery and 88% of Indians believe that the pandemic has made them more environmentally conscious.

CC: How important is it to re-align with the changing times?

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a universal impact on everyone’s behaviour patterns. The use of respirators and sanitisers became de rigueur everywhere in the world. As a global leader in personal safety product lines, we also manufacture 9504IN & 9504INV respirators, as per the Indian FFP2 standard, as well as 3M™ Avagard™ hand sanitisers. While the rest of the country was locked down, these were classified as essential commodities by the Government of India, and we worked non-stop to manufacture these pandemic essentials. Most of our production capacity was dedicated to supplying frontline healthcare and government/emergency response teams. Despite logistical challenges, some of the imported product lines, like N95 respirators was well navigated, and I am proud of how our factory employees rose to the occasion.

ENVIRONMENTAL BALANCE

CC: How important is eco-balance viz corporate growth?

We have been leading sustainability for a long time, which finds expression in our pioneering “Pollution Prevention Pays” programme launched in 1975. The goals are framed around the three pillars of circularity, climate, and community. It is an integrated approach towards sustainability in the products we manufacture, the processes and infrastructure used to manufacture them. We also bring together our community intervention programmes in a bid to advance our societies towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

CC: What about employee participation?

There are several mechanisms and processes to cascade sustainable goals into operational targets, promote employee participation and reinforce scientific temper. One such mechanism for employee participation and collaboration is our Tech Forum. This is a self-directed and self-organised principal organisation that drives technical interaction and global networking. It fosters an environment of creativity and cooperation leading to innovation and growth.

STEERING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

"Trust is at the core of how we operate. For example, we recently announced our “Work Your Way” principles for our global workforce. It is a new approach that prioritises flexibility for all our people in new ways and supports working differently"

CC: How did the pandemic impact your team engagements

Personally, for me, the shift to remote working has not been that big an issue. In my previous role based in Shanghai, there was a high degree of remote engagement with teams spread over vast geography across the Asia Pacific and with our HQ teams in the U.S. What has changed now is the almost complete absence of travel to meet customers and our own teams. Despite this, we are doing fairly well in keeping employees connected. For example, over the past year, we have had two leadership team members join us from outside 3M and their entire onboarding was virtual.

CC: How did the company manoeuvre itself around the pandemic?

Pandemic or not, growth is the lifeline of any company. When we were hit by the first wave of the pandemic in early 2020, we had to pivot hard to a new way of doing business. While we managed the challenges around Covid-19 effectively, we kept our focus on growth opportunities and on how to serve our customers more effectively. As the new normal shaped our interactions with customers, our 3M Design became a powerful tool to communicate new value propositions to customers. It enabled customers to reimagine our solutions in their settings.

CC: How did the company help its employees adapt to the pandemic?

As a company, we adapted well with a focus on employee health and safety, factory operations, and remote working. We were fortunate to have been able to pivot almost seamlessly to a near 100% work from home for all our non-production team members. Since April 2020, we were working remotely, barring 5% of our employees at our head office. We put in place several employee engagements and support programmes in the health and wellness areas, connectedness, sharing of employee stories and enhanced learning interventions. We rolled out our vaccination campaigns for employees and their eligible dependents.

CC: Did the pandemic usher in innovative strategies?

Trust is at the core of how we operate. For example, we recently announced our “Work Your Way” principles for our global workforce. It is a new approach that prioritises flexibility for all our people in new ways and supports working differently. This is seen as a revolutionary paradigm shift from the traditional ways. The system will enable employees to choose when and where work gets done, viz., if they would prefer to work on-site, hybrid or remote but with a focus on deliverables.

CC: What about the re-orientation of capabilities?

We invested in strengthening the company for the future, to advance our capabilities as a digital-led organisation. This includes digital customer experience, digital products, and digital operations. It became critical for us to stay focused on bringing science and innovation to our customers, virtually. Likewise, we launched the 3M Energy Academy-a specialised e-learning platform to upskill electrical professionals. We also reinforced our investment into our legacy 3M Healthcare Academy, which we have been running for several years, and transitioned it to the virtual learning environment.

SUSTAINING MOMENTUM

CC: What transformations did you foresee in the industrial and automotive sectors?

Over the last two decades, we have seen our local markets and customers disruptively transform, in meeting the changing needs of a growing economy. Today, India is amongst the world leaders in the auto manufacturing industry and boasts of a global tier-supplier base. And, over the next decade, new energy vehicles and electronics are set to emerge as a large contributor to the manufacturing GDP.

CC: What keeps this sector afloat despite the current disruptions?

The changing mobility needs of the younger demographics, rising income, growing sustainability concerns, a growing global connect, and the advent of new, cleaner technologies have all aligned themselves to create a disruption in the current market landscape. These impacts are likely to create large scale opportunities as they would also simultaneously challenge organisations to constantly reinvent themselves and stay relevant. IoT (the internet of things) and the use of clean, efficient energy are today rapidly transforming customer choices for mobility, home appliances, and consumer electronics.

CC: How did the company engage itself in the current healthcare scenario?

We initiated multiple programmes in the healthcare space to create awareness about recommended practices and also help the healthcare facilities in terms of compliance with those practices and protocols. A few of our noteworthy programmes are INFUZE in the ICU space, where 3M acts as a knowledge partner with Infusion Nurses Society (INS-Ind), and Awareness-Compliance-Excellence in the Central Sterile Supply Departments in hospitals. 3M runs this programme with CAHO (The Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations), a non-profit organisation engaged with various healthcare facilities.

CC: How did your healthcare segment fare?

The healthcare business is one of our key growth drivers. It delivered strong results in fiscal Q1 2021-22 driven by a recovery in all the key segments in the hospital facing categories, Oral Care and Purification & Filtration. The team has leveraged virtual platforms to engage with healthcare practitioners in upskilling themselves and also improving compliance of healthcare facilities as per protocols prescribed by ‘standards setting organisations.’ We have successfully implemented quality improvement programmes in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and with Central Sterilisation Services Departments (CSSD) in hospitals.