The New CEO

[mike buster]

Ever wonder how to be influential and reach the top of the Sirius corporate world? . Here’s the inspiring story of CEO of Gateway Shipping Inc., and the Business Bretonia magazine’s most influential person in the Sirius system – the Planet Harris born Vimal Kumar

It’s a simple story of a powerful person. A story of a Bretonian who came from Planet Harris to pursue higher studies in the Cambridge University with little money and no safety net. If he failed, he failed. A story of this determined young man, who while studying in Cambridge, worked as a receptionist from midnight to sunrise to earn money and struggled to put together $50 to buy himself a suit for his first job interview out of Cambridge, where he had just completed his masters.He got rejected. He’s been himself, never tried to change his basic beliefs, derived strength from his traditions and believed in who he is. As he says, “I’m so secure in myself, I don’t have to be BOWEX guy to play in the corporate life.” He worked hard and in time was counted as one of the most powerful person in the Sirius by BizWorld.

It all began years ago in Planet Harris, where he studied hard in school to get his grades. He remembers how his mother would, after meal every day ask him and his sister what would they like to become when they grew up. They would come up with different ideas and their mother would reward the best idea each day. It forced Vimal to think and dream for himself. It was this dream that led him to be a part of the 101th batch of IFM Harris university. After two years of work with Planetform, it was this fiery urge that took him to Cambridge in 788 AS, when he left Planet Harris with barely any money to pursue a management degree from the prestigious Cambridge University of Management.

Starting off with Leeds Consulting Group in 789 AS, he knew it would be harder work for him than others for two reasons – one, he was a not good looking and two, he wasn’t from Cambridge but an outsider. He spent six years directing international corporate strategy projects at the Leeds Consulting Group. His clients ranged from textiles and consumer goods companies to retailers and specialty chemicals producers. Six years later, he joined Mortz in 795 AS as the vice-president and director of corporate strategy & planning. She moved to Oakington in 796 AS and spent four years as vice president (corporate strategy & planning). He was part of the top management team responsible for the company’s Local business as well as its Cambridge-wide industrial businesses, generating about one-third of Oakington’s $300 billion in Cambridge sales.

An interesting tale surrounds him joining Gateway Shipping Inc., in 801 AS. At that time he also had an offer from IMG, one of the Sirius best run companies under Jack. The Gateway Shipping Inc., CEO Bruno Gehard., in a bid to lure him, told him, “Jack (IMG’s legendary boss) is the best CEO I know, and IMG is probably the finest company. But I have a need for someone like you, and I would make Gateway a special place for you.” Vimal agreed.

He broke the glass ceiling when he was appointed senior vice president, Security Division's head after joining Gateway Shipping Inc., in 802AS but he knew that getting there was one thing while staying there was another. As he says, “If you want to reach the top of a company, I agree that it can only happen in the Bretonia, but you have to start off saying that you have got to work twice as hard as your counterparts.” Not only did he work harder than his counterparts, he also made his way up the ladder to become President and Chief Financial Officer of Gateway shipping Inc., and was also appointed as a member of board of directors of Gateway Shipping Inc – which she assumed in 809AS

Vimal was 44 when he joined Gateway Shipping Inc.,. Ever since, he has been involved in every major strategic decision the company has made in the last few years. That includes the drive to spin off Gateway's raiding division, Building Oceana Shipping in Cortez system, and the $ 130 billion move to acquire Small trader Co., . Gateway Shipping Inc., chief Miles Stuart announced his elevation following the Small Trader co., acquisition saying, “vimal’s contributions to PepsiCo have been enormous and he will make a great President. In addition to his new role as President and CFO, Vimal will also be nominated for election to the Gateway Shipping Inc., board. He is a terrific addition to our world-class board and his perspective will be invaluable.”

Vimal attributes a lot of Gateway’s success to its great employees. He believes that a company remains great when there is a strong competitor, like BOWEX. He believes if you have no competition, a company will atrophy. Vimal has a unique formula that keeps her work-life balance. He feels that you must have an extended family at work to give you that balance. To keep a company running at top speed, you need to attract the best employees.

At Gateway he has ensured that employees actually balance life and work. He views Gateway as an extended family and everybody at the company is there to help in every way possible. Sometime ago, when Vimal was traveling, his daughter would call the office to ask for permission to play Nintendo. The receptionist would know the routine and ask: “Have you finished your homework? Have you had your snack? OK, you can play Nintendo for half an hour”. She then left a voice message for vimal saying “I gave Tara permission to play Nintendo”. Unheard of in most corporations, it’s a team Vimal has built up at Gateway which knows each other so well.

Despite the monumental successes of his career, Vimal kumar remains a quintessentially a person from Harris, who has combined the high-octane energy of her job with the calm, collected demeanour required to manage the equally central responsibility of a Father and Husband. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Kensington Shipping Platform, New London System. If you ever visit his home, do remember to take your shoes off before entering. If you forget, at least remember to take them off before entering the large Meditating room where a diya is lit and the inviting air of incense greets you.

At work, vimal is in the pressure cooker world of intriguing business maneuvres and frenetic multi-million dollar moves but when he enters his home, it is like entering a sanctuary of calm. He says Melody music plays in their home 18 hours a day, and the feeling is much like being in a Heaven.