Arun Pandit (R) The official website of Arun Pandit
Inspiring Meeting with S.Venkita Padmanabhan Sir at Horasis
It was truly a privilege to meet S.Venkita Padmanabhan (Venkat) Sir at the Horasis India Conference in Singapore, while representing Hyphen SCS.
S.Venkita Padmanabhan Sir’s association with Olam Group—one of the most prestigious and long-standing recruiters at Indian Institute of Foreign Trade—and his deep connection with the legendary K V Rao, FSID-SRAD Sir, made this interaction especially exciting and meaningful for me as an IIFT alumnus.
Some conversations instantly feel rooted in shared values, legacy, and purpose—this was one of them.
Venkat Sir is a man whose accomplishments can never be fully captured in a LinkedIn post—but one must try.
As a passionate entrepreneur, socialpreneur, mentor, and angel investor, he devoted nearly three decades of his career to building Olam Group—from its early startup days to becoming a multibillion-dollar Fortune 500 enterprise.
During his ~28 years at Olam (out of a 32-year corporate journey), he served as President and Global Head of Finance, leading 200+ professionals across geographies and helping build a business with a combined value of ~S$47 billion (as of Dec 31, 2021).
Today, Olam operates across 60 countries, works with 5 million farmers, serves 17,000+ customers globally, and supports nearly 70,000 livelihoods—a scale that speaks volumes about long-term vision and disciplined execution.
What stood out even more was his unwavering commitment to giving back. Blending entrepreneurial instinct with deep industry wisdom, S.Venkita Padmanabhan Sir actively mentors startups and founders on the journey from Entrepreneur to Enterprise.
A passionate believer in sharing and learning, he has spoken at 350+ national and international forums as a keynote and panel speaker, with his insights widely featured in global publications.
Beyond business, he is an avid reader, public speaker, and a firm believer in societal development through small acts of kindness.
His two-decade-long grassroots involvement—serving in leadership roles across community and civic bodies in Singapore—reflects a life anchored in purpose, not just achievement.
From beginning his career at Travancore Oxygen Limited, moving through Thapar Group, and then growing Olam across India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Singapore, his journey is a masterclass in leadership, humility, and impact.
I walked away inspired—not just by what S.Venkita Padmanabhan Sir has built, but by how he has built it.
True excellence, as he beautifully embodies, lies in purposeful action that uplifts others and leaves behind a meaningful legacy.
Grateful for the conversation and the inspiration. 🙏
arunpandit.com
#Gratitude #Leadership #HorasisIndia #Singapore #IIFT #OlamGroup #Mentorship #Entrepreneurship #SocialImpact #HyphenSCS
