Kalyan Sridhar: Capitalizing on digital transformation

As we enter the 4^th Industrial revolution, connecting physical products to their digital copy opens a world of possibility that is changing everything we know about manufacturing and engineering. Embarking on a digital transformation journey is crucial for companies to remain competitive.

The potential and value of Industry 4.0, IoT and AR are exponential. Whether it be Engineering, IT, Design or Marketing – IoT and AR transform how they interact together and work seamlessly to optimize business processes, drive new revenue streams, improve customer offerings and drive innovation.

PTC is at the forefront of creating platforms and solutions that drive this revolution. PTC helps companies around the world reinvent the way they design, manufacture, operate, and service things in and for a smart, connected world.

In 1986 they revolutionized digital 3D design, and in 1998 were first to market with Internet-based product lifecycle management.

Today, their leading industrial innovation platform and field-proven solutions enable companies to unlock value at the convergence of the physical and digital worlds.

With PTC, manufacturers and an ecosystem of partners and developers can capitalize on the promise of the Internet of Things and augmented reality technology today and drive the future of innovation

PTC has expanded its wings on a national level and covers the entire Indian market. Companies like Bharat Forge, KOEL and Bluestar are already realizing the potential of Industry 4.0, The Company could grow with such a rapid pace because of the dynamic leadership of Kalyan Sridhar.

Kalyan Sridhar is heading the company as an MD and is responsible for managing its operations in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. He has 27 years of experience in senior executive roles spanning Sales, Business Development, Business Operations and Channel Sales in the IT industry.

Kalyan's expertise is also in business operations and managing change in the operational processes such as price structuring, licensing models, revenue recognition, and sales order management, forecasting, and planning business.

To know more about the company and his professional journey, our editorial team discussed with Kalyan Sridhar.

Here are the edited excerpts.  

How did you get associated with the company?

We are amidst a unique opportunity which is being part of an industrial revolution.  Industry 4.0 is about automation and data exchange in Manufacturing technologies which includes a host of areas including IoT, Cloud Computing, additive manufacturing, AI, mixed reality to name a few. 

India as a country is also focussed on getting the Manufacturing GDP growing at a substantial pace.  I wanted to be part of this unique opportunity and be with a company that is leading this digital transformation and who better than PTC which is at the forefront of this transformation.

Kindly provide an insight into your business operations and offerings.

PTC is a software and Services Company founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Boston.  PTC revolutionized the CAD modelling software and in 1998 came up with an Internet based PLM product which was first of its kind. 

PTC products and services now include solutions for ALM, SLM, and IoT and Augmented Reality solutions, all of it to make it a simple, easy and one-stop solution to help customers in their digital transformation journey.

How did you create a successful customer base?

Our motto is simple…it's all about earning customers trust.  We go the extra mile in understanding their core challenges and with the wide range of products and solutions, we help them succeed.  We are one of the very few companies that provide end-to-end solutions to customers irrespective of where they are in their digital transformation journey. 

My focus is on creating happy customers who act as great references.  We have over the past 3 years or so created almost close to 500 customer references across a variety of industries. 

We have also been very innovative in creating Centre of Excellence like the one we have with Bharat Forge around new technology areas.  It's all about doing what's right for our clients and keep it simple.

How does a day in your professional life look like?  

I am an early starter; I reach office at 8 o'clock. The first hour and half hour is me time…it's about planning the day, getting the administrative work like approvals etc. done. I spend some time going over the current trends that are relevant and the rest of the day is spent with my team, our partners and customers. 

I constantly think of ways we can innovate, reach more clients, better serve our existing customers and keep ourselves relevant to our clients.  Work-life balance is also a very important aspect that I very consciously try and enforce.

Are you a risk taker?

I fundamentally believe as human beings, all of us are risk takers.  It's always good to step out of your comfort zone as that's when I think one can unearth new challenges and opportunities. 

I take calculated risks, sometimes backed with data and sometimes backed by experience and gut. I believe the slogan 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it' is for the complacent, the scared.  It's a mind-set that assumes what working today will work tomorrow. I try to be as pro-active as I can and in the bargain, one has to take risks.

Describe the most memorable incident of your professional life.

I am eternally thankful for every day.  There have been a lot of incidents that were memorable as the first day of my career as a sales rep, the day I joined PTC, some great customer meetings and deals over my career….but what stands out for me was an incident where I had to let go of a team member…it was a tough decision, but I felt I had to make that decision. 

I had an open discussion with the individual to let him know of my decision and it sure did not go down well with the individual.  A few years later, my wife and I were at the airport on a personal trip when I met this individual. 

He walked up to us and the conversation started with him thanking me for helping him find his passion. He acknowledged that the first month was very difficult and not a single day passed without cursing me….

What do you like to do the most when you are not executing your business operation?

I am an avid golfer and it helps me distress a lot when you are having a good round…I also have a Golden Retriever at home who I think is the one who misses me the most when I am away…lol…I like to spend my time with him, take him out on long walks…

One word that describes you the best…

Dogged

How would you like people to remember you and your company?

As a straightforward, warm and good human being, when it comes to the company, it is all about being relevant

What is the future of the company?

We continue to innovate, bring new offerings for clients and support customers in their digital journey. Our target is to help our clients in their respective digital transformation journeys, thereby making solid contributions to our country's GDP

A Piece of advice to rising entrepreneurs just starting out, what would it be?

Be sincere, do the basics right and stay the course.