The Audi-cious Leader When Audi India decided to bring the Audi e-tron, Balbir Singh Dhillon, head of Audi India, was excited but equally anxious as the opportunity came with its own set of challenges, however, he turned the impediments into milestones and delivered the luxury EV segment

With great power comes great responsibilities and with big opportunities come bigger challenges. Armed with the superpower to turn around lagging operations, prepare companies for sustainable growth and profitability, Balbir Singh Dhillon, head of Audi India, is taking the German luxury carmaker's India business to the pinnacle of success.

A look at his LinkedIn profile is enough to give insight into his entrepreneurial drive and management skills. With a career spanning over 25 years in automotive OEM businesses, he specialize in startups, business development and major market expansions.

When Audi India decided to bring the Audi e-tron to India, Dhillon was excited but equally anxious as the opportunity came with its own set of challenges. "Electric vehicles are a shift in personal mobility and customer concerns such as charging infrastructure, range anxiety and the overall awareness quotient were fundamental areas to be addressed. My responsibility to both the brand and our customers was to tackle these problem areas before we entered the market with our range of electric cars. Today, I can proudly say, Audi India is leading the luxury EV segment," said the Audi India head.

The company is working on a multilateral approach, running a sustainable business - these include people connect, a frugal business approach, digitalization, reinventing of the ecosystem, effective use of resources and focus on liquidity.

Asked about his leadership style, he said, "democratic!" "At Audi India, we encourage everyone to participate and share ideas. Empowering my team is my way of working."

The pandemic has given firms the impetus to adapt by getting leaner and more agile. The strategy for Audi India business is based on four key pillars – human centricity, digitalization, products and network. Each of these pillars have equal focus for the brand.

"Even before the pandemic, we were ahead of the curve when it comes to customer-focused digital initiatives. We leaped into 2019 by becoming the first luxury car maker to unveil and introduce a digitalization roadmap – myAudi Connect. We followed that up by being the first luxury car maker to introduce intelligent engaging and technology solutions across the customers' journey."

It has recently introduced a segment-first initiative, Audi Club Rewards for customers – a program that offers exclusive access, segment-first privileges and bespoke experiences to all existing owners (including Audi Approved: plus owners) and future customers of Audi India.

Being fit and fabulous is imperative for any leader to drive growth. In order to be productive, Dhillon takes a stroll in his office cabin during calls. "I make it a point to walk around in my cabin during calls, it helps me to stay fit. I wake up early to get a head-start on my day. Making my to-do list even before I am in the office helps me a lot," he said, adding that reinvention and re-discovery are key to driving personal growth.

"It is important to remain passionate and we should redefine our goals from time to time," he added.