Navin Nathani

What saving ₹8 crore taught me about leadership - A few years back, a vendor pushed hard for a ₹2 crore per year cybersecurity contract. On paper, it looked shiny. But I asked one question: “Will this build us, or bind us?” We said no. We built the capability ourselves. Four years later: - ₹8 crore saved - Stronger security - No dependency on anyone But the real win? A team that could think, decide, and act with confidence. This is what most leaders miss: • Tools don’t build resilience • Contracts don’t build capability • Compliance doesn’t guarantee resilience What lasts is governance, capability, and culture. The money saved was just a number. The legacy is an organization that stands on its own feet. Leaders don’t outsource their future. They build it with their people. So, Have you faced a “build vs. buy” decision in your own journey? What did you choose? #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #CyberSecurity #BusinessResilience

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Building outcomes Together Vendor management is not about buying things, it is about building relationships that create value. The best vendor calls want to solve problems with colleagues, not negotiating with strangers. As a CIO, here is how I am trying to make it more human:   ·      From “Did we hit the SLA?” to “Are our employees and customers actually better off?” (XLAs: experience/outcome measures) ·      From feature checklists to shared roadmaps we revisit together—real QBRs with honest conversations. ·      From lowest price to total value: adoption, integration, and time-to-value matter more than a discount. ·      From black-box AI to transparent AI: plain-English data usage, opt-outs, and guardrails we both understand. ·      From dependency to resilience: dual-sourcing, exit plans, and data portability so no one is stuck. ·      From transactions to co-creation: joint OKRs, exec-to-exec trust, and celebrating wins together.   My favorite QBRs start with a story from a frontline user—not a slide about uptime. Curiosity, candor, and shared accountability beat contract language every time. If you are a partner or a fellow CIO: what is one change that has made your vendor relationships feel more human?  #CIO #VendorManagement #ITLeadership #Partnership #DigitalTransformation #Trust #CustomerExperience

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We often hear, "Think outside the box!" But what if some of the most innovative ideas come from working inside the box? Constraints aren't barriers - they're opportunities. Boundaries force us to dig deeper, optimize what we already have, and unlock hidden potential within the resources and frameworks available to us. This principle resonates strongly in the real-life world for e.g. When working with standard SaaS features, sometimes the most creative solutions come from leveraging native tools rather than building something custom. In enterprise architecture, it's often about maximizing existing systems before introducing new ones. So next time you face a challenge, ask yourself: Have I explored every corner of the box I'm in? You might just find that creativity was hiding in plain sight. #Creativity #Innovation #Leadership #Salesforce #EnterpriseArchitecture

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👋 One principle has remained constant throughout my more than 2 decades of experience in both operational and strategic IT leadership roles across prestigious companies in the manufacturing, FMCG, consumer electronics, and energy management sectors:  "IT cannot drive impact in isolation—it must be integrated with business strategy, processes, and people." Whether you're implementing ERP, MDM to ensure compliance and consistency of master data across multiple countries, RPA to save dozens of manual hours, or running AI pilots for user experience, it makes no difference. It is not the technologies that determine success in digital transformation. It results from bringing people, process, and goal into alignment.   5 lessons - I've learnt along the way may be useful to someone traveling the same path: 1. Business first approach: The strategy table, not the server room, is where IT must begin. IT may be transformed from a cost centre to a value engine by comprehending business drivers, not simply technical ones. 2. People Make or Break Every Tech Initiative: I have witnessed basic tools work because business teams felt included, and amazing systems fail because of a lack of buy-in.   3. Data isn’t boring. It’s a power. Across sales, supply chain, and finance, some of the largest growth initiatives I've witnessed have been quietly made possible by clean, controlled, and trustworthy master data. 4. RPA and AI Perform Best When Hidden: Because it blends in so seamlessly with their current workflow, the best automation is the kind that consumers aren't even aware of. 5. Innovation and Compliance Can Coexist: Slowing down isn't the goal of good IT governance. It all comes down to scaling things appropriately, safely, and intelligently. 💬 I'd be interested in hearing about your experience leading digital change or simply advancing your IT career. "Is there anything you wish you had known earlier in your career or life?"

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