Sanjay Singh
India
Jesuit School education gave me a conservative, cloistered upbringing, helped me inculcate the deepest values for a life dedicated to the service of the community, the nation and the larger humanity. A boarding school education gave me an early start into managing my own life independently. In a competitive environment, it taught me how to be a team member, and at times a leader.
For my graduation Delhi University was my natural choice. I did my graduation and Post-graduation in history Hons from this university. I also represented the college in the initial year and captained Hindu College in hockey in 1973-1974.
Professional Progress – After post -graduation I had a stint as a Lecturer at the Deshbandhu College teaching History.
I joined Tata Steel in 1978 as a Management Trainee and began my work in the company as an Executive Assistant to the G.M. (Operations). After three years of rigorous work in the Tata Steel works, in 1981 I was handpicked by the Dy. Managing Director for an Executive Assistant’s role in his office. Parallelly, I had also joined the three year MBA programme in XLRI for working executives. This gave me a quantum jump in my career and I was made the Administrator of the Tata Main Hospital. I then took over as Dy. Director Corporate Communications in 1992 and Director Corporate Communications in 1995, a position I held till Aug. 2002. I was seconded to an Executive Development Programme for fifteen months to INSEAD France during my corporate communications engagement.
In Aug. 2002 I was asked to take over as Principal Resident Executive for Tata Steel, a role which would expose me to stakeholders in New Delhi, particularly the Government. My work took me to diverse Ministries as steel making is highly regulated. I worked with the Ministry of Steel, Coal & Mines, Environment, Finance, Power etc. while engaging with the think tank and regulatory bodies in Delhi. I worked with prominent industry chambers and select embassies.I am also a Founder member of the Public Affairs Forum of India..
In June 2004, I had the opportunity to move from Tata Steel to Tata Services as Vice President. My area of work widened as now I had to do for all the Tata companies what I was doing for Tata Steel. This was a newly created position and I had to charter my own horizons. I saw business diplomacy becoming important for the group in a world which was quickly opening opportunities for the Tatas. I intensified my engagement with the diplomatic community. I joined Tata Sons in 2014 and the new Chairman gave me an engagement in Tata Sons, designated as the Principal Resident Representative for four years which I completed in 2018 March but then continued till March 2019 as Advisor, Tata Sons. At Tata Sons I also coordinated the initial thrust of the various Tata Companies into the Indian Defence market, including liaising with the Ministry of Steel.
Tata Sons gave me the opportunity to engage with the Tata Singapore Airlines. I was responsible for all DGCA and civil aviation clearances, including clearances from the Home ministry. I was designated as the spokesperson for the new airline till the present incumbent, a nominee from a sister Tata company took over and the airline was branded as Vistara.
In Tata Sons I also oversaw the land de merger with VSNL I was directly responsible for getting spectrum for Tata Teleservices under severe competition. I also had the opportunity of impressing upon the policy for consumer product packaging and FSSI standards. Relationship building with diversified stakeholders in Delhi was the core requirement of my job which took me the various UN organizations, the opinion makers in the media, the judiciary, the External Affairs Ministry as well as the Prime Minister’s office.
Post Tata Sons, I was an adviser with Usha Breco till April, 2022 and helped the cable car company to meet the policy requirements for new projects. Currently I advise Pravaig, an EV start up Ek Niti, an energy solutions company with a view to promoting the use of renewals.