Gopa Kumar
Chief Executive Officer, RANext
Gopa Kumar is a telecom veteran with over three decades of experience in the sector. He has expertise in dealing with IP/optical and GPON networks for mobile and broadband operators, enterprises and data centre players.
Over the years he has been associated with companies such as Nokia Networks, RPG Cellcom and Samtel India. He spent over 20 years at Nokia Networks.
At RANext Technologies, he has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth during the past three years. As CEO, his key responsibilities involve creating a long-term strategy for business growth, overseeing day-to-day operations, working towards realising the company’s vision; leading engagements with customers, industry bodies and government agencies; and fostering a healthy and productive working environment.
Gopa explains that the company’s business is directly connected to the real estate and telecom industries. “On the real estate front, we rely heavily on the sector’s adoption of the latest technological offerings. In the telecom sector, we are focussing on the shift from private, self-centred network-based solutions to faster customer services by leveraging digital neutral infrastructure and embracing operational efficiencies,” he adds.
According to him, smart buildings, smart cities and smart living are becoming a reality, with telecom playing a major role in this paradigm shift in lifestyle. “We anticipate the telecom sector to move beyond traditional bandwidth services and enter this space. A few major players in the sector are already delivering this amalgamation at the end-customer level and this penetration is likely to expand, moving forward,” he adds.
When asked about his most memorable assignment, Kumar reminisces the one where he was involved in strategising against a formidable competitor to crack deals across industries. He describes his management style as “very people-oriented” and counts his quick learning ability as his strength. However, he feels that sometimes he tends to over trust people, which can backfire when they are not ready for that level of delegation.
Kumar holds an MBA in finance and material management. In his spare time, he enjoys music, movies and cricket, and exploring different cuisines. He is also a fitness enthusiast. His family comprises his wife, a retired bureaucrat-turned-entrepreneur, and three children. His son is pursuing chartered accountancy, his elder daughter is pursuing post-graduation in psychology, and his younger daughter is pursuing MBBS.
