We recently had the opportunity to have a conversation with Ajaya Sankar, a highly motivated Revenue Growth Lead with a passion for achieving exceptional results. With over 19 years of experience in sales and marketing roles, he has consistently delivered measurable outcomes by implementing strategic initiatives that drive revenue growth and increase market share. As the Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing at Trend International Company, Ajaya has been instrumental in leading the company to growth. In this insightful session, he shares the journey to this current position, challenges faced in this field, visions for the upcoming days of the industry, and offers suggestions for aspiring professionals.
The Beginning
To learn how Ajaya Sankar started his career path, we asked, “How did you get started, and what led you to where you are today?”
Ajaya Sankar shared, “My journey began in India in 2003 at I-Manager as a Business Development Manager. I was fortunate to lead a team of 15 members early in my career, where we achieved significant milestones, including securing major deals. The real turning point came when I established new channels through international alliances in the Middle East Oman, which opened exciting opportunities and eventually led me to move to Oman in 2005.
Following that, each role was a building block. Over the years, I have worked as a project coordinator, a sales and marketing manager, a revenue growth manager, and finally as a revenue growth lead. As I believe in continuous learning, I am also currently pursuing my DBA at Swiss Business School.”
A Look Into Ajaya Sankar’s Current Role
We asked Ajaya to share more about his role in the current business and the services offered by him, “Can you share more about your current role and the business you lead? What are the core services/products you provide?”
“I lead a dynamic team of professionals, and we’ve achieved significant growth, taking our revenue to record heights since 2015. A typical day involves managing high-stakes government projects – prestigious developments. What I’m particularly proud of is our team’s success rate – we’ve maintained a high retention rate while increasing productivity. I believe retention is the silent engine of growth. Measure it like it is vital to your business’s success.” He mentioned.
Adaptability Amidst Uncertainties
Challenges are an inevitable part of every business journey. To learn how Ajaya overcame them, we posed the question, “What challenges have you faced as a business leader, and how have you overcome them?”
Ajaya Sankar reflected, “Scaling our operations while maintaining quality was one of our biggest challenges. In 2016, we launched new product lines, requiring our team to be fully aligned and capable. It was my responsibility to implement robust training programs and establish clear KPIs. As a result, three years after launching, we increased brand awareness as well as revenue.
Government projects posed a major challenge in stakeholder management. Transparency and detailed presentations of benefits, risks, and timelines were critical to securing stakeholder approval.”
Shifting To Tech-Driven Innovations
We further asked, “How do you see technology, especially AI, impacting your industry? Are there any innovative practices you’re implementing?”
“Technology adoption has already brought about significant changes. Our operations have been streamlined with the use of tools in my current role. We improved efficiency by automating redundant sales operations, one of our successful initiatives. Project management and customer relationships will continue to be transformed by AI. Staying ahead of the curve means evaluating new technologies constantly.” He explained.
Envisioning The Future
Eager to understand Ajaya’s perspective on the future growth of his industry, we inquired, “What are your views on the future of the industry you’re associated with?”
He added, “I believe Oman’s and the region’s future will be shaped by three key factors. First, sustainable development – this isn’t just a trend, it’s a necessity. The second trend we’re seeing is the integration of smart technologies into infrastructure projects. Third, there is a growing emphasis on mixed-use developments that serve several purposes.”
Message To Beginners
We asked Ajaya to share some advice addressing the beginners in his field, “What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs or leaders looking to make an impact in your industry?”
“From my experience, I recommend focusing on three key areas. To begin with, make sure that your decision-making is always data-driven – know what your metrics are and what drives them. Invest in your team’s development – our high retention rate wasn’t achieved by accident; it came from consistent mentoring and developing growth opportunities. Keep an eye on the market – it constantly changes, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. It is for this reason that I am still studying, pursuing a DBA even after over 18 years in the industry.” He responded.
The Art Of Balancing
We ended the session by asking, “How do you maintain a work-life balance while managing a business?”
“Business success is a marathon, not a sprint. Managing major projects requires significant commitment, but I have learned to build strong teams and delegate effectively. In terms of both the business and personally, this has been crucial to maintaining sustainable growth. My experience working across cultures and countries has also taught me how to adapt and structure my time effectively.” Ajaya concluded.
Follow Ajaya Sankar on LinkedIn.
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