I am fascinated by the power distribution segment as it offers endless opportunities to work on,” says Brajesh Singh Bhadauria, chief executive officer, Essel Utilities.
An economics graduate with an MBA from Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, USA, and a postgraduate certificate in business management from XLRI, Jamshedpur, Bhadauria has over 20 years of experience in the infrastructure sector. He has led many successful projects during the course of his career, but the transformation of the Nagpur distribution franchise remains his most memorable one. Bhadauria’s team worked to bring down distribution losses from over 35 per cent in 2011 to 14.5 per cent in March 2018. A record collection efficiency of 99.99 per cent of billed demand and a meter reading level of 98 per cent were other key achievements by his team.
Bhadauria appreciates the government’s Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana and the Saubhagya scheme for the distribution segment but feels more steps need to be taken to curb T&D losses and revive discoms. He says, “Electricity theft, wilful default in payments and the prevalence of meter tampering syndicates affect distribution operations. Measures such as greater public-private participation can help deal with these challenges.”
On his management style, Bhadauria says, “I like to lead by example. Leadership for me means taking action, demonstrating what needs to be done, and keeping my team ready for any eventuality.” Communication being his forte, Bhadauria encourages open discussion to bring out the best in each team member. In the past, he has worked with companies such as American Tower, Airtel, the TVS Group, Tata Communications and Reliance Communications. “My endeavours in telecom retail have helped me become more sensitive towards consumers and shaped me into a better people manager,” he comments.
Bhadauria owes his good work-life balance to his wife, who takes care of family and social obligations while he’s travelling. He has diverse interests ranging from wildlife photography and playing squash to writing Hindi poetry. He also enjoys cooking. Professionally, Bhadauria aspires to make Essel Utilities more profitable and enhance its distribution franchise portfolio. On the personal front, he wishes to publish a book of his poetry.