Arvind Singh Shekhawat, Aircel?s regional head, central, is responsible for the company?s operations in the Uttar Pradesh (East), Bihar and Jharkhand circles, including its profit and loss account and team management.
Talking about his strategy to drive business growth, Shekhawat says, ?We are focusing on the data business as growth in the industry will be fuelled by increasing demand for these services. Over the past few years, we have come out with innovative data-led services such as the Aircel Pocket Internet application which specifically targets the youth segment.?
While data will be the key growth driver for the industry going forward, Shekhawat notes that operators need to capitalise on the opportunities in the voice segment as well. According to him, the telecom industry has evolved from one that supported rock-bottom tariffs to a highly competitive market. ?Over the next few months, the industry will witness tariff increases without impacting the customer value proposition,? he says.
After obtaining an MBA in marketing from the University of Rajasthan, Shekhawat began his career with Garware Polyester Limited and went on to work with leading paint companies such as Berger Paints and Goodlas Nerolac Paints (now Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited). Following this, Shekhawat moved to
the telecom industry and worked with Hutchison Essar, leading its operations in the Rajasthan circle.
Shekhawat says he learnt the basics of sales and marketing from his early days in the paints business. From Hutchison Essar, he acquired in-depth knowledge of the telecom business. But it is his stint with Aircel that has proved to be his most challenging and exciting yet. ?Aircel has taught me how to deliver the best results with limited resources. One has to challenge the status quo and innovate to turn around a tough situation. One has to look beyond limitations and bring in efficiency through cost redundancy and optimisation of resources,? he says.
As a manager, he keeps the goals and deliverables for his team simple and uncomplicated. A stickler for transparency, Shekhawat ensures that his team members have a clear understanding of their contribution in achieving the company?s targets.
When not at work, Shekhawat enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. He also enjoys listening to classical English music. A keen sportsperson, he has an active interest in playing squash, swimming, polo as well as cricket.
