Trehan went at CG hammer and tongs, with fierce determination. Subsidiaries got sold off, organizational structures got rationalized and slackers in the firm were politely asked to move on.
And, it worked.
Today, CG is anything but the “fan company”. With a number of international acquisitions, today almost half of the company’s 10,000-plus employees are posted outside India. In the fiscal year ending 2007, CG notched up consolidated sales of around Rs6,000 crore and the transformation into a global power company was set afoot. All this was unthinkable just seven years ago, when analysts had written off the firm.
I ask him what he thinks of the opinion held by many, both inside and outside the firm, that SMT single-handedly brought about the turnaround. “Of course not. The whole firm pitched in. Besides, I took over when things were at their worst. It could have only got better from there.”
After some dal and rotis, and watermelon juice refills, I ask him what he intends to do now. What’s next on his list of conquests? “I need to complete the integration of our foreign acquisitions and the Indian parent. We need to create a common people policy, so that talent can flow through all the divisions.”
And what after Crompton? Back to his favourite hobby, golf? “Yes, that too. But I want to go back and teach in engineering colleges. Go back to academics like my professor wanted me to!”
We skip dessert and wind up the interview when SMT reminds me that he has a meeting in 20 minutes. As he walks away,I decide—pun intended —that I am a huge fan.
CURRICULUM VITAE:
SUDHIR MOHAN TREHAN
Born: 18 December 1946 (Manwali, Pakistan)
Current Designation: Managing director, Crompton Greaves Ltd
Education: BE, Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi; MS (operational research), State University of New York at Stony Brook; Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School
Work profile: Began his career at Crompton Parkinson as a management trainee in Guiseley in the UK in 1972. After returning from university in the US, Trehan joined Crompton Greaves in 1982. He had risen to the level of president, working through several divisions, including transformers, turbines and switchgear, when he took over as managing director in May 2001
Hobbies: Golf, driving his car as fast as he can on highway stretches
Time management secret: Trehan switches his mobile off the moment he leaves work and switches it back on only the next morning