The Risk Taker: Sandeep Kumar, CEO, L&T Semiconductor Technologies What makes Kumar stand out as a CEO, is his ability to acquire talent and create a vision for the company

When Sandeep Kumar got an opportunity to set up a semiconductor company in India, he seized it. At a time when Indian semiconductor companies were moving into manufacturing and assembly, Kumar took a different route: He ventured into chip design. "This aligns perfectly with the significant transformation happening in key industries such as automotive, industrial, and energy. These sectors are transitioning from traditional hardware-driven systems to more advanced, software-defined systems—giving rise to innovations. I see this as the right time and the perfect opportunity to build a truly Indian semiconductor company that contributes to the country's technological and industrial future," said Sandeep Kumar, CEO, L&T Semiconductor Technologies, a fully owned subsidiary of L&T.

What makes Kumar stand out as a CEO, is his ability to acquire talent and create a vision for the company. For L&T Semiconductor Technologies, the challenge isn't necessarily the availability of talent, but rather identifying individuals who are truly committed to building an Indian semiconductor company from the ground up. "Our approach is to attract people who are not simply looking for short-term career moves or incremental pay raises, but those who are passionate about creating a lasting impact in the industry. This commitment is a key criterion in our hiring process, and it's reflected in our leadership team, who have joined us with the clear goal of making this vision a reality. While finding such committed talent may not be easy, we believe that as our work gains recognition, it will naturally attract the right kind of people. We're confident that with the right focus and strategy, talent acquisition will not be a hurdle for us moving forward," he added.

When it comes to running a great company, assembling a top-tier leadership is a challenge. However, Kumar took this head-on. "In just the first few months, I brought together some of the best minds in the semiconductor industry from across the globe. Each individual came with their own strengths and had never worked together before, which presented a unique challenge.The key was not just recruiting them, but also creating a cohesive environment where these 20 strong personalities could collaborate effectively as a team. Building that synergy has been crucial to our progress and is something I'm incredibly proud of," Kumar said, defining his boldest move in the company.

His vision is clear—to become the first global semiconductor company headquartered in India, with a strong presence across the US, Europe, Japan, and India. The chip-design unit of India's biggest infrastructure firm Larsen and Toubro began with an investment of $100 million from its parent.