Partha Sengupta

What I do

Education:

B.Tech., IT BHU 1980
General Management Program, CEDEP, INSEAD France
Challenges of Leadership, INSEAD, France.

Strategic Leadership:

Over the years, I have been in several leadership roles and have led and shaped several initiatives that have contributed significantly to Tata Steel’s competitive advantage in the marketplace:

• In Raw Materials access and security, shaped the company’s strategy and driven the pursuit of strategic investments in mining assets across Africa and America to ensure raw material security and cost competitiveness; resulting in considerable volume growth in mineral assets.
• In projects, led the conceptualization and development of the Company’s greenfield expansion in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka resulting in the project progressing significantly ahead of several others announced at the time
• In marketing, led the de-commoditization of steel through branding and the retail business where Tata Steel pioneered fixed pricing and pricing per unit – an initiative which led to a brand premium of over 20% for the company.
• Led the restructuring and de-merger of loss-making Tata Special Steels Ltd and transformed it into world’s top ten wire players, through a series of acquisitions in India and Asia, as well as integration of wire business assets in other acquired group companies into an integrated wires business with strong Asian footprint.
• Conceptualized and drove creation of an integrated logistics business by restructuring multiple logistics businesses with overlapping mandates across Europe and Asia into a set of focused logistics business verticals in infrastructure, ports, logistics, and shipping.
• Restructured the raw material supply chain to drive optimum balances between sustainable mining and blast furnace profitability, thereby delivering significant cost savings.
• Led the strategic redesign of the Graduate Trainee Program to improve the company’s ability to attract, retain and develop a pipeline of talent for our businesses.
• A part of Tata Steel senior leadership team, I was involved in key decisions around growth projects, capital deployment, M&A activities, as well as overall Operations effectiveness.
• Led the 2 million ton expansion and restructuring of JSW’s Dolvi steel plant.
• Currently leading the Digital Transformation of JSW Group.

Operations and Management:

I have led and managed businesses and functions driving customer-focus and value delivery in each of my roles.

• In operations, I led the integration of sales, production planning & scheduling and dispatch to improve customer responsiveness; enabled Tata Steel to command significant brand premium in the marketplace.
• Transformed the loss making wires business into a globally competitive and profitable operations – sales increased by over 150% and profits improved to over Rs. 100 crores per annum; this involved restructuring marketing and sales, supply chain and involved complex negotiations with the trade unions to deliver significant productivity improvement.
• Redesigned CSR efforts to increase accountability, effectiveness and responsiveness.
• Drove ‘Best in Class Mining’ initiative to achieve benchmark mining practices to maximize sustainable mining.
• In Ferro Alloys and minerals business, driving increased customer focus and key account management to target an aspiration of doubling in volume and tripling in EBITDA in 3 years. This included the turnaround of ferro-alloy manufacturing unit in South Africa.
• Doubled sales and profits of the Secondary products business by developing alternative end-uses, distribution and channel strategy and structure leading to significantly higher value addition.
• Drove Dhamra port start-up, by speedily addressing and resolving significant challenges around environment, permissions from Government and regulatory bodies and joint venture partner management
• Developed land acquisition strategy and stakeholder management to fast-track upcoming new steel and raw material projects.
• Successfully executed mineral projects in Canada and South Africa.
• Set up a successful JV with M/s Oldendorff, Germany involving trans loading and distribution of coal.
• Executed 2 million ton expansion at JSW Dolvi in record time.

Journey so far:

1980 Joined Tata Steel as Graduate Trainee
1982-1983 Started as Research Engineer in R&D.
1983-1986 Worked as Process Control Metallurgist ensuring Quality Control and Assurance across all production functions.
1986-1992 Worked at various levels and locations in Sales and Marketing handling Special Products, Application Engineering and Customer support.
1992-1995 Worked in Sales Planning & Production and involved in restructuring and creation of the Sales Planning function.
1995-1996 Worked as Commercial Manager in MD’s Office co-coordinating all commercial functions for the MD.
1996-1999 Worked on restructuring and creating a single window entity to ensure order fulfillment encompassing Sales Planning, Production Control and Production Scheduling.
1999-2002 Worked on restructuring and optimizing the Out-bond Supply Chain for Tata Steel which encompassed two major initiatives –
– Restructuring the supply network to optimize cost and service.
– Restructuring the sales function with a focus to create a Brand and Channel strategy.
2002-2005 > Merged Tata Special Steels into Tata Steel to create a new SBU called Wire Division. A loss making unit was restructured and transformed into a robust profit making unit and achieved volume growth to place itself amongst the top 10 wire companies globally.
2005-2008(Sept.) Worked as Principle Executive Officer with the Managing Director, managing the back office, including the public and political interface. Also was placed in charge of the proposed new 12 million tonne green field steel plant at Jharkhand.
2008 Sept - 2010 Worked as Vice President (Corporate Services) handling Corporate functions including Corporate Social Services, Corporate Affairs & Communications, Government Relations and liaison, Legal, Administration, Town and Medical Services.
2010-2012 Worked as Vice President (Raw Materials) including Global Mineral Resources - All aspects of Raw Material functions were consolidated under one head for the first time. Handled multiple lease renewals, public hearings, several mineral projects startup in India and abroad. Drove sustainable mining and was part of the new paradigm shift towards sustainability. Extensive advocacy representing the Company’s view points on the new MMRD Act, mineral allocation and Land Reform Act.
2012 – 2014 Worked as Vice President of Raw Materials and Iron Making. The iron making function was integrated in the Raw Material supply chain with a view to maximizing synergy, minimising costs and miximising life of captive resources and introduce concepts of word class mining in association with BCG, IUCN and such organizations.
2014 – Oct 2015 Chief Executive Officer, SREI Natural Resources Ltd, Kolkata. Responsible for creating a mineral portfolio for the SREI group.
Oct 2015-Oct 2017 President, Dolvi and Salav Works, JSW Steel
Oct 2017-till date President, Corporate Services, JSW Steel

Positions held:

• Chairman of following Profit Centers of Tata Steel:
– Wires
– Ferro Alloys & Minerals Division
– Secondary Products

• Chairman of the following Companies:
– TM International Logistics Limited (A Tata-NYK-Martrade JV)
– Tata Steel Minerals Canada Limited
– Tata Steel Cote d’ Ivoire, SA
– Black Ginger 461 Pty Ltd, South Africa
– Sedibeng Iron Ore Pty Ltd., South Africa
– Tata Steel KZN (Proprietary) Limited (TSKZN)
– Al Rimal Mining LLC, Oman
– TM Mining Company Limited

• Past Chairman of Jharkhand CII Chapter.

• Member on the Board of Directors of:
- Tata Pigments
– Jamshedpur Utilities Co Ltd (JUSCO)
– Indian Steel & Wire Products (ISWP)
– S&T Mining Co Pvt Ltd
– Tata Steel Global Mineral Holdings Ptd Ltd., Hong Kong
– New Millennium Iron, Canada
– Tata Steel Minerals U K Ltd., UK
– Federation of India Mineral Industries
– JSW Steel USA