Don’t miss opportunities for fear of risk: Chanda Kochhar

ICICI Bank CEO underscores need for building sustainable business models

MD and CEO of ICICI Bank Chanda Kochhar and industrialist Adi Godrej at the graduation ceremony of ISB students on Friday. Photo: KVS Giri

Prescribing a set of balances management professionals need to strike to succeed in a global business environment marked by volatility and disruptive technology, the head of India’s largest private sector bank advised them not to miss opportunities fearing the accompanying risks.

It is very easy to get scared about the risks and miss the opportunities, ICICI Bank managing director and CEO Chanda Kochhar said, pointing out it is the brave, in such an environment, who find the right opportunities.

Ms. Kochhar, who was addressing the graduation day ceremony of two batches at Indian School of Business (ISB) here on Friday, highlighted the significance of finding a balance between opportunities and risks. The world keeps changing every second, blowing new opportunities.

"It is for you to sense the wind"

It is “for you to sense the wind blowing in your direction and pick those right opportunities,” she said.

Noting that India remained a bright spot on account of its demography, home to a large youth population, in a world that is expected to remain uncertain and volatile, she said the digitised generation will drive business models and the professionals need to device strategies accordingly.

For achieving balance between vision and execution, keep “rechecking the ground realities,” she said, underscoring the need for building sustainable business models that are agile in terms of incorporating changes when required.

The imperative is to “use technology to create more sustainable future for your enterprises. You have to keep learning… because new opportunities keep arising all the time.”

Illiterates would be those who cannot learn, relearn and unlearn, she said.

ISB, Ms. Kochhar said, had within a short span, grown to be among the top management schools in the world.

Chairman of the ISB Board Adi Godrej said the institution is completing 15 years. Following the graduation, the Class of 2016 of the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) and the Class of 2015 of the Post Graduate Programme in Management for Senior Executives (PGPMAX) will join a strong network of 7,500 alumni.

Dean Rajendra Srivastava said ISB is not content with the achievements and will pursue higher aspirations besides putting more emphasis on research and thought leadership.