"Truly stressful decision making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking"

– Malcolm Gladwell –

Assignment: Designing a road map for the organization structure to evolve in next five years for an Indian company going global

Client:  Approximately Rs. 1200 crore (~ $250 Mn) Indian company engaged in the manufacture of abrasives, grinding tools, ceramics and refractory products for a variety of industrial applications. A leader in its business in India, the company is a part of a respected $2 Bn Indian conglomerate.

Assignment: In the preceding 3 years the Company had spread its wings overseas through acquisitions and had become a multi-national. Their aspirations were to consolidate in existing spheres, grow in new geographies and attempt to achieve world leadership in chosen products and technologies. Given their global footprint and aspirations, they needed a road map for the way the organisation structure should evolve over the next five years.

Project: Design the organisation structure of the parent, subsidiaries and associate companies for the next 3-5 years.

Services provided: 

  • Undertook detailed study of the operations of the Company, their business units and subsidiaries in India, Russia, China and other parts of the world. Careful examination of the holding structures of various companies and their inter-relationships, especially the manner in which the Client should oversee subsidiaries. The study included the present and future vision of the Board of Directors and the strategic direction for the next 3-5 years.
  • Designed the structure of the Company and its major subsystems including principal businesses, operations and key support functions such as Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, R&D, etc. The design envisaged aggregation of certain functions and separation of corporate and business functions.
  • Wrote a detailed report with organisation charts and outlined the roles and responsibilities of key functions. Recommended key personnel who should be brought into leadership positions and how the leadership should function as a team. The report also proposed induction of key managers into operating boards of associate companies to strengthen supervision.