Rahul Bajaj: India Inc.'s Braveheart
During his college days, Rahul Bajaj was a boxer. But it appears that the 62-year-old chairman of the Rs. 1902.38-crore two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto still carries his pugilist instincts into the corporate arena.
Rahul Bajaj is the man who can be given credit for building Bajaj auto are the 4th largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world. He has achieved an incredible growth rate of 1852% in the last decade.
Education: Bajaj is a highly educated person. He has done his BA (Hons) and is a management graduate from Harvard.
Staunch believer in himself: When it came to key matters of the company, Rahul Bajaj asked for other people’s opinion and gave them a fair hearing, but he didn’t take a vote. He made the decisions on his own. In spite of strong oppositions, he stuck to his decisions. He had complete control. The others in the company had an opportunity to make suggestions but no power in decision-making function. He believed himself was thought that he did was right. And this was the reason behind the huge success of India’s Largest Two- Wheeler Manufacturer, Bajaj Auto.
Initiator: When liberalization threw open the doors to foreign competition, Bajaj formed the Bombay Club in 1993, gathering like-minded businessmen together. Stung by brickbats, a year later, the club was reduced to a one-man show. This did not deter Bajaj who even today continues to be as vociferous as ever. The country's top scooter maker is very vocal when it comes to the need for a level playing field for domestic enterprises.
Attitude towards workers: Bajaj has less kind of words for workers. Still, there has been only one strike in the history of 35 years of the company. He takes care of the needs of the workers and at the same time, he views workers as a tool for production. In his word’ “Why do they strike and lose wages? They should work more, earn more.”
Customer is King: Bajaj has often been accused of exploiting the customers with delivery period of 10 years, black marketing, etc. but this is not true at the face value. A deeper insight brings to picture that there were other elements who are responsible for these accuses. Bajaj, in spite of a heavy demand, did not raise the price of his scooters and avoided exploitation of customers.
Straightforwardness: His quotes about the Government have found place in the headlines of many leading newspapers and magazines in India and have also raised controversies. But this does not stop him from doing what he considers correct. In the year 1999, when he became the president of the country's largest industry body, the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the Harvard MBA immediately came down heavily on politicians. The gist of his speech was essentially that "politicians should be kept at arm's length from business".
Concentration of Core Competency: Rahul Bajaj collaborated with Kawasaki for production of motorcycle but for scooter he did not go for any collaboration. Manufacturing scooters is his core competency and he does not want to experiment with that.
Rajeev Bajaj: Joint Managing Director, Bajaj Auto
Rahul Bajaj today is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of his company at Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune. After a heart attack in 1994, that’s been left to efficient managers and his two sons—Rajeev and Sanjeev. In fact, his sons didn’t gatecrash into the boardroom but were put through the rigours of the shopfloor.
Rajeev Bajaj, President & Whole-time Director of the company had been made the Joint Managing Director of the company on12 March 2003. Rajeev Bajaj joined the company as an Officer-on-Special Duty on 19 December 1990. He was elevated to the position of Vice President (Products) with effect from 1 July 1995 and to the position of President of the company with effect from 17 May 2000. Subsequently, he was inducted into the board as a Whole-time Director on 5 March 2002.
Education: Rajeev Bajaj, 36, is B E (Mech) first class with distinction from University of Pune (1988) and M Sc with distinction in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from The University of Warwick, U K (1991).
As a Leader: It has not much time that Rajeev Bajaj has taken over the working of the company. But he has shown remarkable qualities and potential within him.
Having obtained extensive on-the-job experience in the company, he has been leading for more than a decade a major technological and marketing reorientation in the company, so as to meet the existing and future competitive challenges. All the decisions regarding technology and marketing strategies is taken by him. Like if father, he gives others an opportunity to give their views and opinions but the final decision is taken by him. Here, he does take decisions regarding technological aspect with the other senior members and of course his father.
It is always seen that he supports innovations and is aware of his responsibilities. He has been spearheading Bajaj Auto’s transition from a predominant scooter and three-wheeler manufacturer to a formidable force to reckon with in the motorcycle segment as well in the areas of product design, development, manufacturing and marketing.
To his credit, goes the setting up of Bajaj Auto's ultra modern plant at Chakan (near Pune) and the in-house design and development of the "Pulsar" and "BYK" range of motorcycles. He has also played a pivotal role in revamping the supply chain and the marketing set-up in the company and in introducing innovative strategies to provide a cutting edge to the company.
Father-like Son, Rajeev Bajaj is believes in himself, takes initiative, fearless, doesn’t hesitate in accepting challenges and changes, committed to values of his father and takes decisions himself. At last, he stands by the traditional Bajaj axiom, Customer is the King.
Looking back, Rajeev Bajaj has skills and potential to shoulder the responsibilities of the company but he has a long way to go. Surely like is father, he is going to be successful possessing such extraordinary qualities.
Sanjeev Bajaj: Vice President (Finance), Bajaj Auto
Sanjeev Bajaj joined as Officer on Special Duty in 1994, took over as General Manager (CF) in 1997, took charge as Vice President (Finance) in April 2001.
Education: He is a Mechanical Engineer from Pune University, with Masters in Manufacturing Systems from University of Warwick and MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sanjeev Bajaj has total control over finance department. All key decisions regarding financial matters are taken by him and Rajeev together.
During his college days, Rahul Bajaj was a boxer. But it appears that the 62-year-old chairman of the Rs. 1902.38-crore two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto still carries his pugilist instincts into the corporate arena.
Rahul Bajaj is the man who can be given credit for building Bajaj auto are the 4th largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world. He has achieved an incredible growth rate of 1852% in the last decade.
Education: Bajaj is a highly educated person. He has done his BA (Hons) and is a management graduate from Harvard.
Staunch believer in himself: When it came to key matters of the company, Rahul Bajaj asked for other people’s opinion and gave them a fair hearing, but he didn’t take a vote. He made the decisions on his own. In spite of strong oppositions, he stuck to his decisions. He had complete control. The others in the company had an opportunity to make suggestions but no power in decision-making function. He believed himself was thought that he did was right. And this was the reason behind the huge success of India’s Largest Two- Wheeler Manufacturer, Bajaj Auto.
Initiator: When liberalization threw open the doors to foreign competition, Bajaj formed the Bombay Club in 1993, gathering like-minded businessmen together. Stung by brickbats, a year later, the club was reduced to a one-man show. This did not deter Bajaj who even today continues to be as vociferous as ever. The country's top scooter maker is very vocal when it comes to the need for a level playing field for domestic enterprises.
Attitude towards workers: Bajaj has less kind of words for workers. Still, there has been only one strike in the history of 35 years of the company. He takes care of the needs of the workers and at the same time, he views workers as a tool for production. In his word’ “Why do they strike and lose wages? They should work more, earn more.”
Customer is King: Bajaj has often been accused of exploiting the customers with delivery period of 10 years, black marketing, etc. but this is not true at the face value. A deeper insight brings to picture that there were other elements who are responsible for these accuses. Bajaj, in spite of a heavy demand, did not raise the price of his scooters and avoided exploitation of customers.
Straightforwardness: His quotes about the Government have found place in the headlines of many leading newspapers and magazines in India and have also raised controversies. But this does not stop him from doing what he considers correct. In the year 1999, when he became the president of the country's largest industry body, the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the Harvard MBA immediately came down heavily on politicians. The gist of his speech was essentially that "politicians should be kept at arm's length from business".
Concentration of Core Competency: Rahul Bajaj collaborated with Kawasaki for production of motorcycle but for scooter he did not go for any collaboration. Manufacturing scooters is his core competency and he does not want to experiment with that.
Rajeev Bajaj: Joint Managing Director, Bajaj Auto
Rahul Bajaj today is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of his company at Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune. After a heart attack in 1994, that’s been left to efficient managers and his two sons—Rajeev and Sanjeev. In fact, his sons didn’t gatecrash into the boardroom but were put through the rigours of the shopfloor.
Rajeev Bajaj, President & Whole-time Director of the company had been made the Joint Managing Director of the company on12 March 2003. Rajeev Bajaj joined the company as an Officer-on-Special Duty on 19 December 1990. He was elevated to the position of Vice President (Products) with effect from 1 July 1995 and to the position of President of the company with effect from 17 May 2000. Subsequently, he was inducted into the board as a Whole-time Director on 5 March 2002.
Education: Rajeev Bajaj, 36, is B E (Mech) first class with distinction from University of Pune (1988) and M Sc with distinction in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from The University of Warwick, U K (1991).
As a Leader: It has not much time that Rajeev Bajaj has taken over the working of the company. But he has shown remarkable qualities and potential within him.
Having obtained extensive on-the-job experience in the company, he has been leading for more than a decade a major technological and marketing reorientation in the company, so as to meet the existing and future competitive challenges. All the decisions regarding technology and marketing strategies is taken by him. Like if father, he gives others an opportunity to give their views and opinions but the final decision is taken by him. Here, he does take decisions regarding technological aspect with the other senior members and of course his father.
It is always seen that he supports innovations and is aware of his responsibilities. He has been spearheading Bajaj Auto’s transition from a predominant scooter and three-wheeler manufacturer to a formidable force to reckon with in the motorcycle segment as well in the areas of product design, development, manufacturing and marketing.
To his credit, goes the setting up of Bajaj Auto's ultra modern plant at Chakan (near Pune) and the in-house design and development of the "Pulsar" and "BYK" range of motorcycles. He has also played a pivotal role in revamping the supply chain and the marketing set-up in the company and in introducing innovative strategies to provide a cutting edge to the company.
Father-like Son, Rajeev Bajaj is believes in himself, takes initiative, fearless, doesn’t hesitate in accepting challenges and changes, committed to values of his father and takes decisions himself. At last, he stands by the traditional Bajaj axiom, Customer is the King.
Looking back, Rajeev Bajaj has skills and potential to shoulder the responsibilities of the company but he has a long way to go. Surely like is father, he is going to be successful possessing such extraordinary qualities.
Sanjeev Bajaj: Vice President (Finance), Bajaj Auto
Sanjeev Bajaj joined as Officer on Special Duty in 1994, took over as General Manager (CF) in 1997, took charge as Vice President (Finance) in April 2001.
Education: He is a Mechanical Engineer from Pune University, with Masters in Manufacturing Systems from University of Warwick and MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sanjeev Bajaj has total control over finance department. All key decisions regarding financial matters are taken by him and Rajeev together.