Amitav Mukherji

Amitav Mukherji
Joined ITC: 1995

Amitav's journey in ITC:

I joined ITC in 1995, after a short stint of 2 months at an international bank. One of the reasons I made the switch early was a strong desire to experience the challenge of managing industrial relations and even back then ITC had a stellar reputation in that area. The first 6 years were a whirlwind of experiences. I had the opportunity to work very closely with the leadership team at Bangalore factory and was fortunate to experience the challenges of a collective bargaining environment. My role demanded complete immersion in understanding of manufacturing operations at the plant, building a compelling case for change and influencing key stakeholders amongst the workmen to embrace that change. The effort culminated with the plant concluding a long-term settlement, paving the way for the adoption of cellular manufacturing systems with a substantial productivity improvement.

Within 5 years of joining the Company, I had the opportunity to lead the HR function at the Bangalore factory and in that role implemented the relocation of the decades-old manufacturing facility to a new location in the outskirts of the city, overcoming several obstacles and challenges.

Thereafter, I expressed a desire to experience a different function and I was fortunate that ITC was open to the idea of experimenting with traditional career trajectories. I found myself as Branch Manager for Eastern and Central UP, managing a large sales team and handling trade marketing and distribution for a portfolio of brands, including some of the new categories ITC had just launched. The experience was priceless because the position came with the authority and responsibility to make a meaningful impact on the health of the business in one's territory. The Branch Manager's role in ITC is perhaps the earliest opportunity a manager can get to experience all the levers of management that impact business: people, processes, capital, and brands. As part of my cross-functional exposure, I thereafter had the opportunity to work as Brand Manager for Gold Flake and the Marketing Manager for a portfolio of ITC's cigarette brands. It is in this role that I developed an appreciation of ITC's strengths, especially in consumer understanding and insight and translating that into a value proposition for the consumer. The rigor involved in the management of our brands and the emphasis and investments in marketing research provided me with a fantastic exposure to the marketing discipline.

I had, before my formal management education at XLRI, an interest in pursuing an academic program overseas and had secured admission at Cornell University. I decided to revive that offer and the Company supported me financially as well as professionally, by providing me a year's sabbatical leave and helping me manage the transition.

After completing my program I returned to Head the Human Resources function at ITC's Foods Division in 2006. Over the last few years, I have relished being part of 'creating history'. The scaling up of the business, the challenge of establishing HR systems and processes, the establishment of people systems in our manufacturing facilities, and the management of talent in extremely competitive markets have been a very rewarding experience. I am currently the Executive Vice President for Corporate Human Resources (CHR). The journey so far has been rich in its diversity, exciting in the challenges it has offered, and rewarding in my development as an individual and a professional.

Amitav's thoughts on ITC as a Workplace:

I believe ITC's culture is the glue that binds all of us to this institution. As a professional enterprise, it is amongst the very few that effectively balances the short-term demands of the marketplace with a long-term perspective of its socio-economic environment and the interests of all its stakeholders. This is reflected in the Company's culture. While being informal it is disciplined, demands outcomes as much as it values processes, and provides early responsibilities with all the operating freedom and authority required in the job. Most of all it supports a culture that takes pride in the delivery of high-quality results in whatever endeavour it undertakes.

Amitav believes ITC offers you:

ITC provides a tremendous diversity in the range of businesses in which HR folks may hone their skills - services to consumer goods to agri produce to paper while remaining in the same Company. Within the HR domain, ITC provides holistic exposure to various facets of the function - from managing industrial relations in any of our numerous state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to talent acquisition or working on designing learning and development interventions, the entire range of experiences is open to individuals who demonstrate initiative and an aptitude for going beyond the requirements of the job.

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