Prashun Dutta – Mumbai, India
Have over 35 years of varied and rich corporate experience, initially as a management consultant and for the last 21 years as a senior executive in private sector companies. Have currently retired and am working as a consultant and advisor in areas on management and information technology. As a consultant Have worked on multiple assignments in the areas of strategy, structure and systems. At Reliance, where I worked since 1994, I was initially responsible for Business Analysis for the Polyester Staple Fiber Division wherein I was required to work on internal and external factors impacting the business. This required identifying, and monitoring such factors and drawing up action plans for managing the same if required. Subsequently I was charged with running the IT function for the polyester business and later for the infrastructure business of Reliance.
During my years as a management consultant I had grown from being a Team Member to the Technical Head of the Management Consultancy Division at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). During this period I had been involved in carrying out consulting projects in several industries and covering the entire gamut of management activity. The variety of this experience has been a source of major professional acumen and prowess for me since then.
At Reliance, where I shifted from TCS, I was initially responsible for business analysis of the Polyester Staple Fibre division. This required me to be monitor competition, track substitute products, design and control systems and work procedures and so on. I was, at that stage, also overseeing the IT function in the business. Subsequently I was involved in the implementation of SAP at Reliance Industries across all the then businesses of Petroleum, Chemicals, Polyesters and Polymers.
Since 2003 I have been managing the IT operations at Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. This company started off as an electric energy distribution company and when Reliance took over I came in as the CIO. At that stage IT was primitive and miniscule in extent and usage. My initial task lay in formulating a strategy, evolving a suitable roadmap and establishing an IT department for the Distribution business. This would naturally take advantage of the existing in house capabilities and be aligned to the Mission and objectives set forth by the Chairman. Today the Reliance IT systems are comparable to the best in the world and has been the basis for IT enabling distribution companies within the country. Visiting dignitaries from other similar distribution companies have appreciated the work done in unequivocal terms. The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) have, as part of their effort at IT enabling the existing distribution companies, have selected Reliance Infrastructure in the three categories of IT Consultant, IT Implementation Agency and SCADA consultant. This has spawned off as a new business for RInfra adding to the top and bottom lines of the company.
With the opening of the Infrastructure space RInfra had been awarded projects in various other fields as well. Notable among them are Generation, Transmission, the Metro and Roads. The responsibility of overseeing the IT function for all these businesses was also with me. In all these businesses too exemplary IT systems have been established comparable with the best in the world. At RInfra I was also a member of the Operating Board for the company.
In 2012 I joined Tata Power as the CIO for their electricity Generation, Transmission and Distribution businesses and had been engaged in IT enabling the same. I have since retired in October 2015 and just started working as a consultant in areas of management and information technology.
I am an Electrical Engineer followed by a Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Engineering and a Fellow of the IIM (C).
CHRONOLOGY OF WORK EXPERIENCE
1. October 2015 till date:
Have retired from Tata Power Co Ltd and have just commenced working as an advisor and consultant in the areas of management and information technology consulting
2. April 2012 to Sept 2015:
As the CIO of Tata Power Co Ltd I was responsible for all IT functions required for supporting the Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution business operations. In this period formulated and articulated the IT strategy of the company, the evolved the organization structure and implemented necessary components.
3. 1994 September till 2012 April with Reliance Group of Companies
• 2003 till date: Head – IT & Quality for Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.
• 2001 to 2003: Leading the e-business initiative at Reliance.
• 1998 to 2001: Member of the Reliance’s SAP Project Management team with specific responsibility for the Sales and Distribution.
• 1994 to 1997: General Manager (Business Analysis) for Polyester Division (around INR 9000 Crs current annual revenue).
4. 1985 to 1994 with Tata Consultancy Services
• 1993 to 1994: Technical Head of the Management Consultancy Division at TCS.
• 1985 to 1993: Undertook various consulting projects in India and abroad in different Consultant capacities.
5. 1978 to 1981 National Productivity Council
• Involved in several management consulting assignments in various organizations throughout the country.
EDUCATION
1. Fellow of IIM Calcutta (Specialization in Finance and Economics).
2. Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Engineering from National Productivity Council in 1978.
3. B Tech (Electrical) IT BHU in 1975.
DETAILS OF WORK EXPERIENCE
1. Sept 1994 till date with the Reliance Group, details are as follows:
• Since Jan 2003 till date: I am currently Head of IT at Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. (RInfra). This requires me to oversee the IT function for the energy Distribution, Generation, Transmission businesses and the Metro, Roads, Mines and Cement businesses. While several are in the project phase today we expect at least three businesses to go live by 2010.
• In addition, I have been involved with several management initiatives in different areas such as Business Strategy formulation, leading to KRAs and KPIs, member of the Operating Board and the Leadership Development Board. In addition I am also responsible for Quality at RInfra.
• Nov 2000 to Jan 2003: Was part of the Project Management Team entrusted the task of establishing e-business for the Reliance group. This required design of systems and work procedures in order to set up systems for the extended enterprise. I focused on the customer and related logistics side.
• A second task was designing and constructing systems for Knowledge Management for Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL). This required putting up appropriate systems using the Dominos platform for capturing crucial data, interchange of views, etc., and reporting.
• Jul 1997 to Nov 2000: Was part of the project management team entrusted the task of implementing an ERP for the Reliance Group (Reliance Industries Ltd. – RIL and Reliance Petroleum Ltd. – RPL). I was overall in charge for the Sales and Distribution group. We had a very successful implementation for which RIL received the best implementation award from SAP India.
• Sep 1994 to Jul 1997: Joined RIL as General Manager (Business Analysis). This position required me to establish and operate suitable Business Analysis systems including monitoring markets both national and international, keeping a close watch on competitors and competing products, cost monitoring and leading cost control initiatives, training of staff with a view to equipping them for the future and strategy formulation for the Polyester business. In addition, I was looking after IT systems in the Division and the Polyester IT Department established the first Marketing systems in RIL.
2. Feb 1985 to Sep 1994 with Tata Consultancy Services, details are as follows:
• Jun 1993 to Sep 1994: Technical head of Management Consultancy Division, responsible for supervising and reviewing all major consulting projects in order to ensure appropriate quality of work.
The following is a list of some of the projects I was involved with:
• Diagnostic study of HR information system for Swiss Bank Corporation.
• Operations Strategy for Castrol India Ltd.
• Evaluation model of Industry Attractiveness for Citibank N.A.
• Institutional strengthening of Canara Bank.
• Organization restructuring of Union Bank of India.
• Development of Special Tourism area in Maharashtra.
• Special Project monitoring assistance to the Government of Maharashtra in earthquake relief in Latur and Osmanabad.
1985-1993: Performed in various consultant capacities
PROJECT MANAGER
• Review and redesign of role, structure and systems of Maharashtra PWD-World Bank Study.
• Background Assistance for evolving the Strategy for Assam Agriculture Development Project-World Bank Study.
PROJECT CONSULTANT
• Strategic Plans, Structure and Systems for the Indian Express Group of Newspapers.
• Strategic options for Transportation Problems in Large Cities by Developing Countries-UNCHS Study.
PROJECT LEADER
• Diversification Strategy for Tide Water Oil Co.
• Perspective Plan for the Development of the North Eastern Region of India.
• Institutional Strengthening, covering Restructuring, and Systems Redesign for Meghalaya State Electricity Board.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
• Institutional Strengthening of Urban Local Authorities in Sri Lanka–World Bank Study.
3. 1978-1981: NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL
TEAM MEMBER
• Job Evaluation for all Staff at Hindustan Copper Ltd.
• Incentive scheme design at Uranium Corporation of India Ltd.
• Manpower Assessment at Hindustan Fertilizer Ltd.
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