R. Gopalakrishnan is among India’s most seasoned corporate strategists, whose career spans more than five decades across high-stakes business arenas. Educated in physics at St. Xavier’s College (Calcutta), electronics engineering at IIT Kharagpur, and advanced management at Harvard Business School, he began his managerial journey in 1967 at Hindustan Lever. Over time, he rose to become Vice-Chairman of Hindustan Lever, Chairman of Unilever Arabia, and eventually Executive Director at Tata Sons — overseeing business strategy, governance, and institutional growth across a diverse portfolio. Beyond the boardroom, he is a prolific author, mentor to leaders and start-ups, and a thought- leader on organizational longevity, capability building, and the art of making consequential business decisions.
R. Gopalakrishnan is among India’s most seasoned corporate strategists, whose career spans more than five decades across high-stakes business arenas. Educated in physics at St. Xavier’s College (Calcutta), electronics engineering at IIT Kharagpur, and advanced management at Harvard Business School, he began his managerial journey in 1967 at Hindustan Lever. Over time, he rose to... Read more
Episodes(3)
Big decisions demand more than just data—when should you trust your gut? In this premiere episode of The Leadership Equation Podcast, Anupal Banerjee sits down with R. Gopalakrishnan, former Executive Director at Tata Sons, to explore the fine balance between...
Why do some companies thrive for generations while others disappear? In this episode of The Leadership Equation Podcast, Anupal Banerjee continues his conversation with R. Gopalakrishnan, former Executive Director at Tata Sons, to uncover the secrets of corporate longevity. What’s...
How can leaders future-proof their organizations in the era of AI? In this episode of The Leadership Equation Podcast, Anupal Banerjee continues his thought-provoking conversation with R. Gopalakrishnan, former Executive Director at Tata Sons, to explore how leaders can navigate...
Anupal hosts The Leadership Equation Podcast with a practitioner’s lens on how real businesses are built, scaled, and sustained through cycles of growth and disruption. With over two decades of experience across technology, engineering, media, and digital payments organisations, he brings a grounded understanding of what it takes to translate ambition into execution. The podcast reflects his belief that enduring enterprises are shaped not only by strategy and markets, but by the often-invisible interplay of people, culture, and capability that determines whether decisions truly compound over time. Through unscripted, long-form conversations with institution builders and senior leaders, Anupal explores how organisations create competitive advantage, stay relevant, and build lasting value. The Leadership Equation is where business reality meets the human force behind it.
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