The latest installment of “Executive Journeys” focuses on Aroonkumar Ramachandran (Aroon), the co-chair of the FENG’s India Chapter in New Delhi. This chapter has experienced incredible growth, due in large part to the efforts of Aroon and his team. I recently sat down with Aroon and gleaned some valuable lessons from his career journey, and how it led him to the FENG.
From the time he became a chartered accountant in 1988, Aroon has been focused on the details, on getting the right things measured so that his projects succeed. Chennai has been a big part of that story, as the place where he has lived and worked his entire life. In our conversation, he told me the story of his journey, not just as a professional, but also as the leader who has built the India chapter of the FENG from 17 to 217 members in a very short time. Both journeys highlight Aroon’s tenacity, focus on details, and an eagerness to learn.
In 2009, when Aroon was brought on as the CFO of a start-up real estate project in Chennai, he had never managed such a large undertaking. And the timing – in the middle of the Great Financial Crisis (GFC) – could not have been worse. The group’s cash flow management was the reason for Aroon ‘s hire, but in order to restart the project, the contractors needed to get paid, and quickly. Aroon renegotiated the payment terms, efficiently building back the contractors’ trust. The next year, the multi-use, 1.2 million square-foot project launched. The GFC was still in full swing, so many clients had walked away in the meantime. Aroon’s expert management of the details helped speed the occupancy approvals and enabled the 14 banks on the project to support the launch (Aroon’s largest previous project had involved just two underwriters). He engaged with ratings agencies as well, hoping to save on interest costs. He attended conferences, including one in the US, to gain knowledge and implement best practices, including automated payments and contract terms. As a result, he provided more value to management. He was able to significantly lower interest and energy costs for the group. What allowed him to jump into such a massive project with the confidence to succeed? He put it this way, “I pulled up my boots and got it done. I gave myself more time each day: if the office opened at 9:30, I was there at 8:30.”
When Aroon joined The FENG, he was not too keen on leading at first. “I am someone who doesn’t like to step into something unless it will succeed.” So, when he found out there were only about 15 FENG members in all of India, he was a bit daunted by the work cut out for him. What inspired him to answer the call? Matt Bud and his letters! Although Aroon has no sailing experience, he was inspired by these missives coming from across the sea with their broadly applicable lessons. He was inspired to give back to the community that had taught him so much, especially after the GFC, and decided to go all in.
As a member of Rotary International (who would go on to lead its Chennai chapter for several years), Aroon understood the service he could provide. There were not enough members, but he had been in CFO forums and knew people, and they knew him. He invited friends, members from other groups, and arranged speakers. These interesting, accomplished colleagues volunteered because they knew he wouldn’t lead something that wasn’t valuable. Aroon has also led the adoption of social media for his chapter and pushed for the recording and posting of each session and meeting.
He made sure to highlight in our conversation that it has not been smooth sailing, and that the marketing and sales cycle applies to building a FENG chapter as much as it applies to building a business. “You must show your value proposition by creating quality interactions” in order for your work to cut through the noise and reach your target audience. This applies to the speakers, content and accessibility. He is proud of how the activities have evolved, both for The FENG more broadly and for the India chapter. Aroon notes that he’s been called too brash, too aggressive as he’s faced sponsorship challenges for such a small organization. But he has persevered, and with appreciation for the changes and effort from Matt and Mike Budd, he is once again finding success.
Rooted in Chennai, but with lessons that extend around the globe, Aroon warmly welcomes questions (and members!). You can reach him at ca************@***il.com.
