Ravi Sathyakumar

Ravi Sathyakumar
​HR Director at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals

 1. Introduction about your job/career, define your career? 
Started my career as Management Trainee in 1988 at Brindavan Alloys Limited, Bangalore and then worked in Bulk Drug company, Garment Sector, White Goods manufacturing sector, Hospitality industry till 1998 and from 1998 onwards working in AstraZeneca Pharma India limited.

1998 October Joined as Deputy Manager HR looking after AstraZeneca plant at Bangalore. Played significant role in AstraZeneca Merger Process. Signed 3 productive settlement with the factory union which brought down cost of production significantly also championed manpower optimization without any Industrial Disputes

2007 Promoted as Sr. Corporate Employee Relations Manager looking after factory and Sales force

2008 Promoted as Associate Director HR handling entire gamut of field force
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2012 Promoted as Director HR Handling entire IR & ER of AstraZeneca and able drive productive IR and concluded 4 productive settlements

2. Qualification required for this job:
MBA/MSW

3. Personal qualification/skills required for this job?
MSW, Decision Making skills, Ability to take calculated risks, Stake holder management, Assertive and fairness in dealing with the people, Change Management and Analytical Skills.

4. Best aspect of this job:
Managing Complexities and Dealing with difficult situations using skills, experience and most important thing is WISDOM

5. Challenging aspects of this job:
Matching the expectations and Retention of employees.

6. Your achievement:

• Signed 13 Productive settlement with Factory and Sales Union together.
• Won Regional Award for recruiting around 400 field force in the span of 3 months.2009
• Won Regional VP award for turning around unionized field force in to most productive field force in 2011
• Won Country President’s Award for successfully restructuring the organization with least IR issues and signed Productive MOU with field union           ​

7. Your secret of success in your career: 
Humility and showing appropriate wisdom

8. Give some interesting accounts of your academic/education days.
I was very active in debate and quiz competition in my college days. I was Class representative from 1year PUC till MSW. I secured 4th Rank in MSW

9. How did you plan your career?
I dint Plan much however I ended by working in IR IR only IR through out  my professional Journey
I started my career in Mini Steel Plant with lot of IR issues and the industry which I worked had all kind of IR issues and I was hired and retained for my IR skills and managing the difficult situation with uttermost caution and precision to ensure people and organization interest are balanced. At present I have become specialized and Centre of Excellence on ER and IR matter for entire AstraZeneca. 

10. Describe your experience of your first day at work in your first job

11. Your major achievements:
Already mentioned.

12. Being a leader what do you think you possess as a leader that sets you apart from other leaders?
I think any leader who has to deliver the results consistently with the people should have Simplicity, Humbleness and Humility which I possess as a leader

13. How as a Leader you go about developing yourself today
I always try to learn from cross functional team and work closely with other function to understand and have a better perspective while taking decisions and also to correct myself by taking constructive feedback

14. What keeps you passionate about social work
Being an MSW I always had passion towards social work. I still believe what I studied in first year MSW i.e. Social development subjects has helped me a lot in understanding and dealing with the people

15. What are your ambitions for the next phase in your life/career
Ambition is to be Outstanding IR professional which should help both the management and the people. I am yet to reach that phase howeverI am striving to achieve the same

16. Your reading
Autobiography, Fiction

17. What are your interest/hobbies
Cricket, Fitness freak, Travelling

18. Family
Married. Wife Home maker.
2 daughters: 1st daughter studying 7th Semester Law and 2nd daughter studying in 9th standard
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19. Tips for aspiring professionals Social Workers
Focus on team work, Respect the view of others, Humility, Humbleness and on top of it show Integrity  in all your dealing without Integrity you will never be able to achieve professional respect and creditability.

20. Bitter experience in your career
What I thought was bitter , when  I remember those bitter moments now,  I realize that I have learnt more from  bitter experience which has always kept me down to earth.