Interview with Uday Gill, Indorama Venture
Uday Gill, Chief Strategy Officer - IVL Group (Source: IVL)
After 16 years with Indorama Ventures, Uday Gill went into retirement on May 1, 2023. He has contributed tremendously to the internationalization and development of IVL, first as leader of the Fibers segment, but also as Board and IMC member. Furthermoire, since 2021, taking the position of Chief Strategy Officer, he has been instrumental in establishing the Enabling Functions, as part of our future-forward strategies.
In this interview conducted by IVL with Uday Gill, he shares with us his journey at Indorama Ventures Public Company Ltd. (IVL), Bangkok/Thailand, and some highlights he will always cherish.
Please tell us a bit more about the various roles you held at Indorama Ventures.
First of all, I would like to thank the Indorama Ventures Board, the Lohia family, and everyone who worked directly or indirectly with me during the last 15+ years in my role as Indorama Ventures Board Member and my assignments as Group Chief Strategy officer and CEO of the Fibers segment. I am so proud to have been part of the company’s growth journey.
Please tell us about some of your proudest moments working here.
Every day, working with my team, was the proudest moment for me and their unstinted support helped Indorama Ventures evolve as such a ‘winning enterprise’.
Some significant achievements were when my team commissioned one of the world’s largest and lowest cost greenfield polymer lines of 350 KT pre annum in Indonesia. Also, when the Fibers team commissioned the KP3 tire-cord line at PF China - that is one of most advanced and modern plants we built - in time and within the project cost.
One of the achievements I am most proud of is the turnaround of IPI Rayong, that was a failed enterprise that had shut down for over 5 years. We managed to turn it into a diversified specialty-focused site that serves the automotive, hygiene, lifestyle, and packaging markets.
Another huge achievement is having reorganized the Fibers segment into 3 application-focused and fully empowered teams led by competent CEOs. Effective succession planning was key in ensuring a smooth transition of the Fibers segment.
Lastly, my proudest moment in my new role as Chief Strategy Officer was to have successfully launched project Titan that covered 25 Indorama Ventures sites, representing 80% of the company’s energy use. The enabling functions were weaved into one single unit to work closely with Titan sites to assist them in continuous improvement. One of the most significant changes was that the ownership remained at the site level PMOs (Program Management Office) and enabling functions helped identify the improvement initiatives. I see the Titan project shaping up to eventually be a company-wide business improvement system.
Please share the philosophy that guided your career at Indorama Ventures.
I believe a true leader helps create and provide a ‘high-trust environment’ across teams, encourages inclusivity, cultivates respect for other cultures, promotes creativity and innovation, helps embrace technology, and encourages an entrepreneurial mindset. Such leaders think decades into the future and their teams can recognize fleeting opportunities that go beyond business plans.
You are renowned in Indorama Ventures as an inspirational, game-changing innovator – please share with us your final thoughts and advice as you leave the company to start a new chapter.
Indorama Ventures is a winning platform due to its people power, committed leadership and its demonstrated success over decades. To be relevant and prosper in the new world we need to embrace technology and innovation to develop unique capabilities to serve our customers more effectively and efficiently and compete on new business models. We will continue to balance purpose, profit, and sustainability by habit-forming transformation.
