Photo by Ankit Agrawal

Photo by Ankit Agrawal

When Radhika Piramal (MBA 2006) returned to India in 2009, she noted two developing trends with direct implications for VIP Industries, her family’s luggage and bag business. First, air traffic was increasing rapidly with the introduction of new airlines and a growing middle class; and second, the Indian traveler’s taste had shifted from hard to soft luggage. It was the perfect time to expand the company’s offerings and shift its strategic outlook. “When you want to take a group of people with you in a new direction, authority is by no means enough,” Piramal told Livemint. “You want buy-in, a bit of consensus building and (if you want) self-motivation and drive from people, you have to get them excited about the idea. I learnt the art of persuasion in business school.” Named managing director in 2010, Piramal also described being outed as a lesbian by a Mumbai tabloid and her family’s support: “When you have love at home, it makes a big difference to how you succeed professionally.”

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