Credibility Builds Business

Having led Bharat Electronics to new heights, M.V. Gowtama believes constant improvement drives growth

X AT THE HELM OF India’s leading defence electronics manufacturer Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), M.V. Gowtama took the Covid-19 challenge head on. The record turnover of BEL (`13,818 crore) in FY21 and a market share of 55 per cent serve as testaments to his zeal. “It was a challenge for us. Like any other company, we also experienced disturbances in the pandemic, but despite the curbs and the fear of the virus, we were able to motivate our employees. The welfare of people was our top priority even as we worked the most we could,” says Gowtama, who wins the Industrials category of the BT-PwC India’s Best CEOs ranking.

From supplying 30,000 ventilators in record time to the government during the first wave of the pandemic to playing an important role in safeguarding India’s borders, BEL has many feathers in its cap. And with the government’s consistent thrust on ‘Make in India’, ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, and the new Defence Procurement Procedure, BEL has gained a lot more relevance. As of Q1FY22, the company’s order book was at `54,600 crore. “Going forward, the order book depends on the credibility of the organisation with its customer. The improvement in the product quality based on feedback makes the difference. During my tenure, the board had approved as many as nine product support service centres all over India.” BEL has also been exploring opportunities for growth in allied defence and non-defence areas. The share of non-defence revenues in FY21 was 22 per cent of total revenue. During his stint at BEL until June 30, 2021, Gowtama played an instrumental role in pursuing businesses in the non-defence segment. “Non-defence sector is very important for BEL. For example, we are the largest supplier of electronic voting machines and we have also invested heavily in driving solar products,” he adds.

Gowtama, who joined the company as a probationary engineer in 1983 at a Ghaziabad unit, believes staying connected with all in the organisation is very important. “As a chairman or CEO, one must be there to lead at all times, especially in a crisis, and that’s what I did,” he says.