TCS' new growth mantra: Set audacious goal, achieve it

It has been quite a journey for Ramadorai. When he took over the reigns of the company, he had a team of just under 6,000 people which in 13 years he took to 140,000. Revenues surged from USD 160 million to USD 6 billion under his tenure.

N Chandrasekaran will be taking over as the CEO and Managing Director and will formally assume charge of TCS. So, what will be the new CEO's growth strategy? "We will have a vision statement. We probably won't make a statement with a particular number but we will put up an audacious goal. It is all about setting up an audacious goal and going after it."

Here is a verbatim transcript of the exclusive interview with S Ramadorai and N Chandrasekaran on CNBC-TV18. Also watch the accompanying video.

Q: How do you look back? The figure looks staggering, no question about that from USD 160 million to USD 6 billion; do you look at it with satisfaction that you have done a job properly?

Ramadorai: I think it is absolute satisfaction. It is a team which is phenomenal, the foundation on which we drove the operation, drove the company across different parts of the world, across different verticals, have all played out very effectively. At the end of the day it is the customers, whom we live for and the employees who make it happen. That is the most satisfying part.

Q: Do you live with a sense of a journey unfinished or you think you have done whatever you have set out to do?

Ramadorai: We  need to look ahead as plenty of opportunities are out there, we have to capitalize on those and that is what Mr Chandrasekaran and his team would certainly work on and we would certainly support it and make sure it happens.

Q: Big boots to fill?

Chandrasekaran: Absolutely.

Q: You are up to the job?

Chandrasekaran: I am looking forward to it differently.

Q: You will miss Mr Ramadorai's guiding hand though?

Chandrasekaran: Yes but Mr Ramadorai is around anyway. I have been working with Mr Ramadorai for a long time now almost all through the thirteen years soon after he took over as the CEO and MD, I joined him as his Executive Assistant. So I worked with him very closely over the last thirteen years in various capacities. I know the company, I know the team and have done different things in the company. So I think we have a great company, a great team. I am looking forward to the challenge.

Q: Was this decided a long time back? Was he the chosen candidate and was he being groomed for this position?

Ramadorai: One of the big things or right thing that happened was with regards to thinking about a succession plan. There were a number of people who were looked at on a continuous basis and like Mr Chandrasekaran has correctly said, he performed a number of functions like anybody else in the company. Started by my spotting him in 1993 when I went to the US, he was working on a project and then subsequently he came on a project with British Telecom and then in 1996 when I took over I brought him as my Executive Assistant. Then we built a team around and looked at all the possibilities, gave different roles and the combinations of all of these with the endorsement of the board is what made it happen. There was a very well articulated process, a thought-out process at the right time putting the right processes, metrics to measure people and finally say that there has to be one CEO at the end of the day and the entire team must support him and the clients must endorse it. That is what has happened.

Q: There are many fairly senior and visible high profile colleagues of yours who might have eyed for the position, you think they will accept you as their leader now?

Chandrasekaran: I think one single-most important thing about TCS is that we deliver very well collectively whether it is a project, whether it is a business unit, we have always formed great teams. I think everyone in TCS, have worked together for very long, and so I don't see an issue.

Q: What is your role going to be now, I know you will formally be Vice Chairman of TCS- would you spend a lot of time building or adding to the TCS  brand would you still continue to mentor Chandra in a way if not in a executive fashion- how would you define Vice Chairman of TCS's role?
Ramadorai: Building the brand is extremely important and I will make sure that the brand is visible across the different parts of the world. Maintaining is going to be primary role, not just for Chandrasekaran but any of the leadership team or the younger folks in the company who want to be mentored.

I would certainly help in identifying talent across the organization because that is the most important contribution, we all can make. In addition to that some of the other group companies which are in the technology space. I would try to take more of an active role to make sure they are also coached to perform beyond what they are doing currently.

Q: How would TCS want to use Ramdorai's expertise optimally now?
Chandresekaran: Ramdorai has been in the company for a very long time, almost since inception in 1970-71. My colleagues and I have worked closely with Ramdorai over a period of time. So there will definitely be a lot of inputs from Ramdorai in terms of the branding. Also, there maybe special geographies, special markets where we may think through where he can play a guiding role where, as we are developing and there will be specific issues where we will seek advice from Ramdorai. Mentoring is an important aspect, educational training is very close to him. So there are various ways we will leverage Ramadorai's experience and his presence.