Tech Industry Veteran Shares Insights on Entrepreneurial Journey and Vision for Innovation
In an exclusive interaction with CXOToday, – CP Khandelwal, Senior VP & Joint Managing Director at HTech India and CEO of PR Innovations & PSAV Global, shares insights on the transformative power of innovation in reshaping the tech industry, highlighting customer-centric strategies, agile adaptation, and the embrace of emerging technologies like generative AI and the metaverse to stay ahead in the market.
Your journey in the tech industry spans over 25 years. What inspired you to pursue a career in this field, and how has your vision evolved over time?
During my early entrepreneurial journey, I garnered invaluable wisdom by closely studying esteemed global brands such as LG, SONY, SAMSUNG, and APPLE. Their remarkable successes ignited my passion for cultivating brands within the burgeoning Indian markets. This pivotal journey eventually culminated in the inception of Amazfit in India. Driven by a profound fascination for technology, I am deeply convinced of its boundless potential. The dynamic nature of the tech industry presents a continuous stream of opportunities for learning and evolution, a fact that deeply resonates with me. As time progressed, my focus gravitated towards domains like wearables and jewellery, where I see tremendous potential for innovation and market disruption. Furthermore, my dedication to fostering empowered teams and crafting tech solutions that forge direct connections with consumers has become the cornerstone of my entrepreneurial ethos.
What would you consider some of your biggest accomplishments in your work with HONOR SMARTPHONES till now?
Our journey with HONOR in India is just beginning, with the best yet to unfold. Despite the significant time lapse, we boldly embraced the risk, placing our trust in our exceptional team to tackle this formidable challenge head-on. Our success in not only rejuvenating the brand from its core but also in spearheading efforts to diversify within a highly competitive market, sets the stage for the realization of our future aspirations.
With your background in transforming startups into industry leaders, what specific initiatives or strategies do you find most effective in driving growth and establishing market leadership?
At the core of enduring success lies a bedrock of ethics, trust, and transparency. Drawing from my journey, I have learned that startups thrive when they embrace agility, continuously adapting and evolving. It’s about a relentless pursuit of learning and unlearning to maintain a competitive edge. Strategic risk-taking often serves as the catalyst for exponential growth.
To lead the market, it’s imperative to be customer-centric. This means not just solving problems but doing so with truly innovative and distinctive solutions. Fueling this drive with data empowers rapid experimentation and iteration, ensuring relevance in a dynamic landscape. Moreover, assembling an exceptional team and forging strategic alliances are pivotal. Collaboration fuels innovation, and precision execution solidifies market dominance. It’s this combination of factors – agility, customer focus, data-driven decision-making, stellar teamwork, and strategic partnerships – that forms the blueprint for industry leadership.
Can you discuss the role of innovation in shaping the future of your organizations and the broader tech industry? What are some key areas of focus for driving innovation in your current role?
Innovation is vital for our company and the tech industry. It’s our compass for staying relevant, addressing customer needs, and pioneering new market frontiers. My primary emphasis lies in customer-centric research and development, delving into cutting-edge technologies such as AI and wearables. Additionally, I prioritize fostering a culture that not only welcomes but thrives on experimentation, ensuring that we continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible.
In your experience, what are some emerging trends or technologies that you believe will have a transformative impact on the tech industry in the near future? How are you preparing your organizations to adapt to these changes?
In my experience, several emerging trends and technologies stand out as potential game-changers for the tech industry in the near future. Generative AI, with its ability to create content autonomously, holds the promise of transforming various sectors. The concept of the metaverse, an immersive digital space where users can interact in real-time, is set to redefine how we experience digital content, collaborate, and engage with each other. Green technology, driven by the urgent need for sustainability, is poised to fuel a wave of innovation, ranging from renewable energy solutions to eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Additionally, the advent of quantum computing heralds a new era of computing power, capable of solving complex problems at unprecedented speeds.
To adapt to these transformative changes, our organization is taking proactive steps to stay ahead of the curve. We will be investing in research and development initiatives focused on harnessing the potential of generative AI, exploring its applications across various sectors to drive efficiency and innovation. Additionally, we are closely monitoring developments in the metaverse space, positioning ourselves to leverage its capabilities to enhance user experiences and drive new forms of engagement.
Finally, looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of the tech industry, and how do you plan to continue shaping that future through your strategic vision and leadership?
I am committed to continuous evolution, envisioning a future where technology seamlessly enhances lives, empowering individuals and tackling real-world challenges. My focus revolves around human-centered innovation, ensuring the ethical usage of AI, and forging strategic partnerships to drive meaningful progress. This vision shapes my endeavors in consumer tech, wearables, jewellery, direct-to-consumer solutions, and cultivating impactful teams dedicated to serving our customers.
