Mr. Alok Gupta Essar Interview

This video features an interview with Mr. Alok Gupta, President & CEO of Essar. He shares his experiences growing up in a small town and how that influenced his perspective, valuing work-life balance and informal friendships. He discusses his current role at Essar, heading all retail businesses, leading global strategy for steel, and contributing to group-level initiatives. Despite not excelling academically, Mr. Gupta attributes his success to his attitude, particularly his hunger to learn quickly and accurately, and his curiosity. He believes that the fundamental principles of business apply across all industries. A pivotal lesson from his first boss was the importance of knowing his own job, his subordinates' jobs, and most importantly, his boss's job to consistently grow in his career. When evaluating new product ideas, he focuses on the fundamental insight, effective delivery, and identifying and overcoming key barriers. He shares an example of innovation in the steel business, focusing on underserved segments like improving steel trunks and roofing, and bringing natural sunlight and low-cost solar energy solutions to homes in villages. He suggests that for scaling up innovations, especially for university projects, co-creation with potential distribution channels is crucial.