On this momentous occasion, marking my journey thus far in the company I've had the privilege to work for, what could be more celebratory than reflecting on the work that not only shaped my career but also added immense value to my life and contributed significantly to the company's objectives.

It all began on November 1, 1987, when I started as a Graduate Engineer Trainee in the Sales department for communication systems at HBB (Brown Boveri Company unit of India). My initial region to handle was South India, and this stint provided me with invaluable work experience, laying a solid foundation for my career. Seven years later, I embarked on my first international posting, a one-year training program in Switzerland. This year was a treasure trove of learnings, spanning work, culture, and relationship-building.

Upon my return to India, I enthusiastically shared insights on cutting-edge technologies of the time, like microwave and fiber optics communication, garnered from the VCPPL project. This project provided me with a deeper understanding of customers beyond the utility sector and rich experiences of on-site challenges faced by the service team, including the milestones to be achieved.

At work, I imbibed critical sales techniques and the art of creating that 'wow' effect and sealing the deal from mentors like Late J. R. Shah, Christopher Decouto, J. Eipe, G Sengupta, and Suresh T. The first decade was all about learning the ropes, making friends, and preparing the ground for bigger roles. Further people management learnings from Pedro Isliker and Yves Peeters. The journey continued into the second decade as I joined ABB in Switzerland as a Regional Sales Manager, overseeing the Asian market and subsequently transitioning into the Middle East. My journey even took me to Iraq in late 1999, where I played a pivotal role in developing markets in the Middle East, an experience both challenging and unique. This decade was characterized by expanding wings and footprints into diverse markets, bringing new learnings to the table, and contributing significantly to the company's goals.

In 2012, I assumed a more substantial role as the Head of Marketing & Sales of a Business Unit, taking on the additional responsibility of exploring new markets, which we successfully accomplished as part of the Global Sales team of Grid Automation. During this time, I also played a key role in supporting the transition to SFDC as the CRM for ABB, implementing a tender screening gate model for bidding under JeX (Journey of Excellence).

In 2016, I moved into the Marketing & Sales team, leading account management and white-collar productivity efforts. This period also saw the establishment of the tender competence centre for M&S in India and contributed to the transformation of the small country model for M&S. I shared my learnings and expertise in the transformation program of Power Up for M&S streams.

Over the past couple of years, I've been a part of the Global Team of M&S in Hitachi Energy, supporting the M&S transition, including leading the establishment of the customer connect center and governance on Industry Network Leader network. I also played a pivotal role in account management to ensure growth for the new Hitachi Energy.

I'm eagerly looking forward to the next phase under the Global Team of M&S function and establishing the sustainability work stream for M&S. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have contributed to my development on this journey till date. It's been a substantial period, and naming each person would be challenging, but you've all breathed life into my career with your renewable energy.

My motto will always remain, "The only constraint on growth is our attitude," and for those in sales, "I never sold a deal; the customer bought it."and “Deliver what you promise and promise that what you can deliver”. I eagerly anticipate continuing my journey, which has become more intriguing than ever with the focus on energy transition, sustainability, and the dynamic changes unfolding in the industry. #JourneyTillDate