In his younger days, Radhakrishnan K.V. had aspired to become a rally driver. He didn?t quite pursue that ambition but did end up in a different race, competing in the telecom space, driving change and steering growth.
?Time and circumstances did not permit me to fulfil that ambition. However, I have been fortunate to have taken on roles that were change oriented since the beginning of my career,? says Radhakrishnan, chief operating officer (COO) of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited?s (SSTL) Kerala circle.
Elaborating on this, he says that during a previous stint with a GSM operator, he played a key role in the successful roll-out of operations in Kerala. ?I have also had the opportunity to lead and convert a challenging circle into a winning circle by registering positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation growth.?
Radhakrishnan brings to the table over 12 years of work experience in the telecom space. He has been associated with Escotel, Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices Limited. Prior to his innings in the telecom sector, he worked with Godrej for nearly a decade.
At SSTL at present, he has a multi-pronged agenda. ?Effective utilisation of resources, delivering the top line and bottom line for the circle, and building a channel to effectively service our customers are my key priorities,? he says. To achieve these tasks, he says that one must be willing to go the extra mile. He also relies on a participative and a solution-oriented management style.
Going forward, he says that making the Kerala circle profitable is the main challenge before him. ?To achieve a leadership position in this market, a segmented and focused approach in each revenue stream and product category is important,? he notes.
The telecom space is set to witness a major growth surge in data and smartphones in the near future, Radhakrishnan observes. ?Today, the internet has changed the way we live and in times to come, data will be a major revenue driver for us. At the same time, I expect a tremendous growth in the uptake of smartphones and small-screen data devices. These products will become commonplace. Similarly, new-generation business streams will hold prominence for operators as they will contribute significantly to revenues.?
When not busy with establishing SSTL?s presence in the circle, Radhakrishnan enjoys watching movies with his family and meeting friends. His family comprises his wife, Anila, who works in the education space, and his two daughters, Anjali and Arathi.
