Take Risks on People

Tiffany Pham

Hi, Ira, how are you?

Ira Bindra

I'm doing good, Tiffany. How are you? It's good to see you again.

Tiffany Pham

Really good to see you. I'm so delighted to be here with you and to welcome you to Chief Officer. It's such an honor to have you and to be able to share with everyone your very, very inspiring story and and all of your insights. I know we always have the best conversations. So really excited to have you here today.

Ira Bindra

Well, I appreciate it. And I think the pleasure is all mine. Thank you for having me.

Tiffany Pham

Absolutely. Well, let's go ahead and begin. I can't wait for you to be able to share with everyone your journey, where you're from, where you grew up and the years before your chief officer seat.

Ira Bindra

Well, I now feel I'm a global citizen. Tiffany, I think in my summary of where I've been, I've probably lived in, I know I've lived in four different countries. I've lived in probably eight different cities and God knows how many roles and jobs I've had in between, but I was born and grew up in India. I did my undergrad in India as well in Lady Shri Ram College from Delhi University. Then I did my master's, my MBA from Maastricht School of Management. And then I started my career in GE as an intern and then as, you know, got into a full-time role with GE India at the time. So I started my career here. And I remember, I think probably week two or week three of being an intern, I met one of the senior leaders in the elevator and you know I just small talk and happen to ask him how long have you been here and he's like well I've been here seven years and I in my head I think I rolled my eyes and say wow seven years is a long time in one place and you know I spent close to 20 years in GE and I loved every single minute of those 20 years. So it was a fantastic journey there. To till about 2005, I was 2008, I was here in GE in India. My last role here from 2005 to 2008 was the actually my first quote unquote chief role, not really the ultimate seat, but I was the CHRO for GE India and South Asia in 2008. I moved to the US with GE Healthcare and that was four weeks before the financial crisis. So in 2008 onwards I was in the US in global roles first with GE and then 2018 is when I moved to Medtronic again in global roles and then December of 2024 is when I started my current role with Reliance Industries, which is headquartered out of Mumbai in India. So it's been a bit of a full circle moment for me here. But multiple roles, multiple different countries, global geographies, I think I've certainly become a better leader, but also a better person and better human being in trying in understanding all the culture. So I think I'm very fortunate for all the experiences that I've been given an opportunity to serve in both in GE Medtronic and now certainly in this current role that I have.

Tiffany Pham

It's incredible and absolutely I can vouch for that global citizen aspect and global perspective you bring is so amazing because you're actually based out of Minneapolis quite a bit of the year.

Ira Bindra

Yeah so that was Medtronic had got me from Houston was my last stop in in GE with GE oil and gas and from there I moved to Minneapolis and from Minneapolis so I still have a home there and then from Minneapolis to Mumbai so I seem to like cities with starting with the letter M. It was my water quality healthcare prior to that so I've bounced around the world you can say that yes but I always loved where I've lived.

Tiffany Pham

And so when did you first realize that the chief officer role was ahead of you and that was something you wanted because you've been the chief officer now a couple of times as you mentioned, even back at LEAD.

Ira Bindra

Yeah. So I think the first first memory so beyond this role, certainly this role was in, I started it in December 2024. So maybe I start with this and then go back a little bit. You know, I think I realized that this was in front of me when I was very fortunate to meet with our chairman, Mr. Mukesh Ambani. This was in October or September of 2024, so coming up exactly two years now. And I think it was as he talked about the role, as he talked about what he wants to do in the organization, his vision, you know, he is truly visionary. I think his ability to think, scale, his ability to execute. Everything you read about him or people say about him is all true. So, you know, I was just happy and feeling so fortunate and lucky that I got to sit in front of him and have that conversation. But I think when he told me in his office that, you know, we would like to have for you to have this role. I think I had to pinch myself a little bit and saying, oh my god, this is actually happening. So it was very exciting because I think when I look at our scale for Reliance, we're about $125 billion company, the global we're in everything from hydrocarbons to new energy to telecom, retail media. I think for me the opportunity to one learn from someone like Mr. Ambani understand the legacy that he has built, but also continue to learn new industries. Because I've had that good fortune both in GE and in Medtronic though most of my career has been in Medtech of how do you look at companies that, and organizations that are so complex and varied in different aspects that we operate in or different industries we operate in. So very exciting. You know, you have to take a little bit of a gulp when it happens and say, "Wow, this has happened." But I think for me, the very first moment if I go all the way back, it was with GE in India when that role happened back in 2005. You know, I will not reveal my age or date myself, but I was in my late 20s at the time when this happened and I remember when the president of GE India at the time, Mr. Scott Bayman and Bill Conaty and K. Murli, who has recently passed, he was a great mentor of mine. When they talked to me about the role, I didn't think I was ready. I didn't think it was something that I should be doing. In fact, I was supporting the interviews for the role and part of the interview panel, interviewing candidates for the role. And that's when Scott one day called me into the office and said, "Well, we'd like to put you on the slate." I mean, I do remember saying to him, "With all your respect, I think you've lost your mind." I'm not sure I'm ready to finish right now. And he said, well, this is one of the reasons why, you know, we are a meritocracy and I want to make sure that we get the best of the candidates on the slate. I interviewed with several, two or three different GE leaders. Bill Conaty was certainly one of them and I was offered the role. And I think for me, the reason why that role happened was one, look, you know, similar to this place, I think the culture in GE at the time was all about meritocracy is, you know, it doesn't matter what your age is, it doesn't matter what your gender is, we want to get the best person in the role. Yes, they did take a huge risk on me. So I think that is credit to the company and the leaders who were there, which also now having all these years behind me, I think it's a learning I took in saying you have to take risks on people where you see the talent, where you see the raw potential. I think providing those opportunities is how you lift people up. And when that role happened, we were actually at a farewell dinner for someone is when Scott pulled me aside and told me that you're going to get this role. So huge contrast from my current role where I was sitting in the office and I couldn't, I obviously was very excited both in my current role as well as at that time, but I had to hold it inside me for much longer when I got the role. And here I could, I had to hold it inside me just for the time that I was in his office and then I couldn't. kind of go out and mentally at least do a little bit of a happy dance.

Tiffany Pham

So you did your call right away. Who was the first person you told?

Ira Bindra

Well, it's always family, right? So it's always family. And I think not only any time there is good news, you know, we all have roles that we really wanted and we didn't get. I would say even in those times, it's always family that you call first. So I think I I know I called my family from certainly when, you know, this current role happened with Reliance's. I stepped out, you know, said thank you to all him for Mr. Ambani. I'm really excited looking forward to it and came out and I called my family. And I think the same thing in GE India. I was like, I need to go to the restroom. I stepped out very excitedly. called my parents, told them and told my brother and I'm like okay I need to go I'll come back and tell you the rest of it and you know I dash back in so but even like I said even when there are roles that don't work out that you're looking forward to or anything that you're looking forward to doing both good and bad to me it's always family and then I have two or three really close friends that I have the fortune of they're the family I've chosen. you know, as they become friends. So friends are the family you choose. And then I call them. So I can't call all of them all at the same time. But the family are that with a group call now. But then I call them.

Tiffany Pham

I love that. I love that. And what a beautiful journey you've had and a beautiful pattern that's emerged, it seems where you have a an incredibly powerful leader who identifies that power in you and the impact you can have and and lifts you up and decides like you're the one, you're the chief officer. This has happened now twice it seems.

Ira Bindra

I would say I've been fortunate that it's happened more than twice. I think it's happened multiple times in GE. There were multiple leaders, Bill Conaty was one of them, Mike Handley, Jack Ryan, Scott Bayman, K. Murli, I think I can name lots and lots of people who've kind of picked me up. And it's not just lifting you up for the role. I think it's also lifting you up when look, we're all humans, you know, you go through good times and tough times. It's also, I know similarly, for example, in Medtronic, I would say Omar Ishrak, our previous CEO, Carol Surface, you know, Rob Danno, John Liddick, there are lots of people. And then I would also say my peers, you know, who I worked with, colleagues I worked with, they would lift me up on a daily basis. I think peers give you a lot of confidence. They they truly build your confidence and I've been very fortunate the teams I have. Certainly here as well I think to have the confidence with Mr. Ambani and the executive committee and you know his three children, Isha, Akash and Anant, I think that matters a lot because it makes you believe in moments of doubt and I've certainly had that good fortune with a lot of them where A lot of people have had confidence in me even when I didn't have confidence in myself at times. So I think in those moments when you're finding your path through certain things, I think that's when the support matters a lot. And I think I'm very fortunate. I have got lots of people who've-- supported me, lifted me up, given me confidence, taken chances on me. And I think my way of paying it forward, paying it back is to pay it forward. So I've been lucky.

Tiffany Pham

And actually, you know, I'm curious when you were in your 20s, especially, I love that story. And you were given this huge opportunity in your late 20s to be the chief officer in GE. Then what did you first have to believe in yourself to finally go for it and say yes. To overcome that self-doubt that you said kind of sometimes creeps in.

Ira Bindra

Well, I would say I think to me saying no was not on the cards. I am going to say yes. If the leaders in the organization are showing confidence in me, I knew I had a great support system around me. I had great leaders who were supporting me and they were going to make sure that I am successful, I'm set up for success. I think I felt now in retrospect, I know I felt that I owe it to them and to myself to do the best I can. I have to leave it all out there. I'll give it everything I've got. I'll have tons of opportunity to learn. I'll get lots of feedback, I'm sure. But I didn't want to ever look back and say, "I didn't make enough effort." You put in the effort, the results hopefully come through as well, which again, I was fortunate enough that they came through, but I had to put aside the little bit of the self doubt, to be honest, in saying, "Yes, I'm I was elevated to the role when I joined as an intern, there were people who were competing for the role who were like five levels above me. And now suddenly, quote unquote, I was their boss. And I knew they wouldn't like it. And I knew there'd be resistance. And I knew there'd be a lot of pushback and a lot of resistance to anything I wanted to do. When I left the role and went to GE in the US, none of the people in the HR team, none of them had quit. They were all there. And every single one of them had been promoted to the next level, which was the executive band. So for me to kind of go in there knowing there'll be resistance, knowing there'll be pushback, but having the support. And as I got through the few months and few years and started doing things, you know, believing in my conviction and doing things, I think confidence keeps going with little by little every little step you take. And I feel great about the fact that, you know, they were all there and they all continue to thrive and do well. And I was part of the journey for them to get educated as well. So I think it's it's believing in yourself and in those moments where you do have self-doubt, you know, you can have it any single day is also to, you know, at times look back and say, what do I know well and focus on what you can do well. But at the same time have people around you who do either compliment, you know, your weaknesses where they have the strengths where you're not as strong. And most importantly, for me, at least personally, is to have people around me who will always tell me the truth. especially in my team and in my colleagues, your leaders certainly do. But I think having peers and colleagues and friends and team members who tell you the truth, whether you are right or wrong or have a different point of view, I think just makes you better. And from an organizational perspective, you do much better. So to me, being surrounded by those people, I think is just really important. It gives me a lot of energy.

Tiffany Pham

Yeah, absolutely. I love this. And actually just to clarify for some of our listeners today, when I was talking about Ira being so widely admired ever, she is, I was referring to the fact that Ira was recently honored by Mogul as one of the top 100 people leaders of the year. And Ira and I have joked about how when that happens,

Ira Bindra

Literally, because I was tagged on the post, I received like thousands of notifications that day.

Tiffany Pham

So it was extremely popular. And sorry for jamming your mailbox that day.

Ira Bindra

But you know, once in a while we all, we all love a little bit of a little bit of attention and love and care. So I'll take it.

Tiffany Pham

Yeah, absolutely. We love to see that. We loved it. And what was your first week like as a chief officer? Whether it was here at Reliance your first week, what was it like or at GE India? What was it like that first week as a chief officer? I would love to hear.

Ira Bindra

Well, I think my first week here in Reliance, I knew I'm coming into something that is really big, that has a fantastic legacy, known for their execution, known for their scale. And to me, I came in as a student. I know they were, our chairman, Mr. Ambani has a very ambitious agenda for us always. He has ambitious goals. Like I said, he thinks like nobody else does with the scale and his ability to take risk. But I came in saying we are enormously successful because our company has done something right. It's done something right for decades. And there is learning in that, you learn from the past and what has done, what has gone really well. And how do you, where do you find the opportunities to take it to the next level? Not because it's wrong, but just because there is an opportunity and it's a new chapter or it's a new time. And I think for me, the first, not only the first week, I would probably say the first six months was, I just want to learn. I want to listen. I want to learn. I want to figure out what's going on. Of course, I want to contribute, but the most important thing is to learn and understand not just what people are doing, but why are they doing what they're doing. And that I've learned through the multiple transitions I've had in my career. I think This current role is the result of so many other roles and so many other moves that I've had prior that you kind of build a little bit of a playbook for yourself when that happens. For me, the contrast work, aside from work, was right in the first week that I was starting here, my dad was having spinal surgery also in India. So I think it was... you know, you were torn apart and you go a little bit like the reason why certain things happen and you know, to the credit of Mr. Ambani and the leadership here, they were like, go focus on your family, go focus on your dad and you know, there's enough time to do all the stuff that we're going to do. So it very quickly, you know, brought into perspective of what's really important in life. Yes, works significantly important. I'm starting something new, there's energy and enthusiasm around that. And then of course you've got, you know, my dad's situation as well, he's healthy, it's all good. But I think it's, you know, everything that could happen in life was packed into that one week.

Tiffany Pham

Absolutely. And how powerful to keep things therefore always in perspective? New country, new job, new city, you know, and My dad's having surgery. Oh, by the way. Absolutely. So much. But you've done wonderfully and leading again so beautifully. And it's been incredible to see your success. And on that note, as we wrap things up, I just was curious about your insights on what's ahead with AI and all that's happening in the world. What's your perspective on the future of work?

Ira Bindra

Well, I would say look very exciting for me. I think we as a generation of professionals and leaders are at a time of I think a tipping point in history. You know, it's happened many times in the past as well, but I think it's such a unique opportunity where we are all figuring out the answers together. We're learning from each other. Yes, there are a few who are faster learners. They kind of see when you look at the tech companies, they can see a little bit more around the corners of what is possible. And I think the last two years maybe, or even the last six months, the leaps that we are making in technology and in the ability of technology to enable work hasn't happened probably in the last decade. So to me, it's an exciting time. It's an opportunity to create something which I love throughout my career to always be a part of building something that outlives you and outlives the role that you're in and that's the legacy you want to leave. So I think for me that's the really exciting piece in we're learning together, we are shaping what the future is going to look like. And I think with AI, of course there are questions about what's going to be ethical to do, what's practical, what do we need to do, etc. I think that question around ethics and how we build it is up to us. So we are going to be the ones who shape it and we learn along the way. So to me, it's exciting. I think if we talk six months from now, Tiffany, I'm sure you know this better than I do. I think it's going to look very different than what it does today. I'm excited about it. I always love when things change and it allows people to grow and expand in ways that we didn't think were possible even a few years ago. So I can't wait for what the future is going to bring.

Tiffany Pham

Same, absolutely. I love that and I completely agree. It's changing so much. It's bringing so much excitement and I think it's bringing so much excitement to the role of the head of HR especially. I had a friend recently, Mahvish, who is the chief people officer as well at a subsidiary, Unilever, but she's a friend. She was on chief officer recently and said that... You know, she's seeing that the head of HR is now having main character energy and I love that I think that's very nice and we love to see that since we love to spotlight our HR leaders and So my final question to you is what advice do you have for that person who's just right there about to potentially become the chief officer? What is that advice you would give them if they're just one step below?

Ira Bindra

Well, I would say, look, if anyone's aspiring to that chief officer role, I think being clear on why you want that role is important. If you're doing it only for the title, if that's the motivation, I think I personally feel for me that would run out very quickly. because I think it's you've got to be excited about the work, you've got to be excited about being able to shape where the organization goes. In HR certainly, you know, we've there are times when we've got to deal with things that are really tough and they are, you know, it can be a really lonely job in any C-suite role, but certainly in HR there are things that can get pretty tough and pretty lonely. But understanding your motivation for why you want to do it, and does that work give you energy? Does spending time with people and learning from them give you energy? And do you feel energized and motivated by being able to give back? To me, these roles are an opportunity to give back and shape. Organizations shape the future. So if that is exciting, go for it. believe in yourself, have people around you who will not just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear as well, and have some truth tellers around you because they will keep you grounded. But if you have that ambition, go for it.

Tiffany Pham

Absolutely.

Ira Bindra

Build it on learning, not just on, I want the title. If it's based on learning, you will succeed, you know, if it's based on anything else, I think after a while that sheen wears off pretty quickly. So, but build a foundation of learning. I think it's a gradual kind of step up.

Tiffany Pham

Absolutely. Thank you so much, Ira. What an inspiration you are. And it was so wonderful to hear your story and learn some of the key moments that you had throughout your journey to becoming the chief officer.

Ira Bindra

Well, thank you for giving me the opportunity and it's always a pleasure to talk to you, but I appreciate for you to give me the opportunity to talk a little bit about what shaped me and brought me to where I am.

Tiffany Pham

Absolutely, thank you.