CRAFTING ASPIRATIONS

C.K. VENKATARAMAN IS A MASTER IN THE ART OF TURNING COMMODITISED CATEGORIES INTO ASPIRATIONAL FASHION BRANDS.

- BY AJITA SHASHIDHAR

LEADERSHIP IN TODAY'S time is all about navigating myriad disruptions and challenges and bracing oneself to deal with the unknown. So, when Titan Company managing director, C.K. Venkataraman, says he has seen growth coming 'joyously' and 'smoothly' during his 35-year journey at the firm, it feels like a whiff of fresh air.

Fondly referred to as C.K.V, his first leadership role in the company was in 2005 when he became the COO of the jewellery brand, Tanishq. From then until now, the country's biggest lifestyle company has grown from ₹1,000 crore to ₹57,143 crore in net sales. "The growth has come without any issue of work-life balance or huge levels of stress. It has been an exceptional growth, and that's rare. Usually, one needs to pay a price for this kind of growth," he says with immense satisfaction.

One wonders if the reason for this 'stress-free' growth is because Titan built a large part of its business when there was hardly any competition. Titan was India's most dominant and trusted organised watchmaker for a long time. Similarly, Tanishq was the first major organised jewellery brand that offered certified products across the country.

But the last decade has been all about competition, unprecedented, from all quarters. "We did have a first-mover advantage, but we also realised that making businesses successful and sustainable takes much longer than one thought. It's not easy. So, we decided to be patient and not be irrational," C.K.V. says.