Ramanujam and me have worked together as colleagues and launched many products successfully. Integrity, Passion & focus are the strengths that Ramu brings to the team. Never say die attitude in the toughest of conditions, a very able & dependable resource for guidance in businesses which need handholding at various points of time in their progress. You can never go wrong with Ramu helping you.

R.V. Ramanujam started his career in August 1984 as a front line salesman in Asian Paints at Kolkata Branch. He got promoted to the Management cadre within 3 years. He became the Branch Executive of Secunderabad Branch, followed by Mangalore and Calicut. Eventually he became the Branch Manager of Cochin. During his stint at Cochin, he was an important part of a major challenging IR situation which lasted for almost a year. He quit Asian Paints in August 1992 and joined back in August 2001 at the General Management level as CEO to set up a green field business in Bangladesh which was an extremely challenging assignment and led to a strong foundation for the unit. He was then transferred to Berger Emirates operations in April 2005 as CEO which was another challenging assignment and turned around the business. His last assignment was as a Regional Head – China, Hongkong and South Pacific operating out of Asian Paints HQ from April 2008 onwards. For a brief period, he was involved in development projects and was also one of the Management Council Member for the International Business. He was successful in divesting the operations of China and Hongkong. He resigned in November 2009 to join Ruchi Soya.

I have known R V Ramanujam since Dec 2001 when he had come back to Asian Paints in the International Division as Chief Executive of the new Green field venture in Bangladesh. He reported to me then and later when he was transferred to UAE as the CEO there. Later on, somewhere in 2008 he moved to Head Office and took up the role of Regional Head of South Pacific and China/HK operations. From there he moved on to Ruchi Soya in Nov 2009. During my association with me, I found him to be a dedicated person, strong value systems, loyal to the job and the company; strong in implementation and a good leader of men. He could always carry his team with his decisions. He was very methodical with reviews, very persevering and had a good analytical mind. I wish him great success in his new endeavor.

R V Ramanujam (Ramu to friends) is an interesting person and, looking back, so is his amazing career. He began his career as a sales person; he was chief executive of both, an infant overseas enterprise of Asian Paints, and later of a well- established big organisation like Ruchi Soya. Ramu spent more than a decade at the top as CEO! Ramu is a ‘soft’ person who is moved by the plight of people easily, but he would not hesitate to take very difficult decisions in managing people when situation demanded, like when he faced a lockout for ten months. Two aspects explain his making and success: Ramu believes that people work with good intentions so he makes efforts to understand them first when a conflict arises; and that relationships, unlike products and services he sold in his career, do not come with expiry date tag. In this journey, he has gained and honed his competencies to high standards to manage businesses and people, both. His quick rise to the top and the defining moments of his career stand in good evidence of it. My best wishes to him for success in his every endeavour!

R V Ramanujam joined Ruchi Soya in December 2009 as COO with a clear mandate to transform the Company from a promoter driven organisation to a professional organisation. Over the years he worked very closely in this journey. He possessed all the functional and leadership qualities with the highest level of values and integrity, which he executed very successfully. He set up robust business systems and processes, changing the company orientation from trading to brand building. He was responsible for creating an organisation structure which resulted in accountability and responsibility which supported growth. While working with me he sowed a very high degree of passion for excellence and discipline. He was always focused and his practical and insightful approach showed results. He worked like an Entrepreneur with responsibility and performed the best. In 2013 end, he decided to move on after handing over charge to the new incumbent. After a very short period of his sabbatical, I decided to bring him back to head the other periphery businesses like Palm Plantation, Trading etc., as a CEO. Ramanujam was always willing to take up any assignment which was given to him regardless of whether it was in the realm of his expertise or not. When our Group HR Head had quit, Ramanujam took up the additional responsibility of Group HR Head. He was also leading the team which worked on a major merger assignment. He was known in the company as a leader with hands on approach, an eye for detail and high levels of discipline. He finally decided to move on in March 2017 to spend quality time with family. I wish him all the success in his new endeavour of getting into business consulting. I am confident he will achieve even greater heights of success.

Mr. R.V. Ramanujam joined us in April 1997, as Sales Manager. We have pleasure in stating that during the period of his service with us, we have found Mr. Ramanujam at all times, to be very loyal, and conscientious worker, and he has carried out the position assigned to him, to our complete satisfaction and he always exceeded our expectations. He has also maintained consistently a very high standard where personal conduct and integrity were concerned. We also would like to comment, he commands high respect from all our Pan India Sales Team, Bulk buyers and each and every customers. When he left us in August 2001, he was our General Manager-Sales Pan India. He still commands respect from the Board of Directors of G.M. Pens International Pvt Ltd., Chennai, India.