Celebrating D Shivakumar: A journey of leadership and strategy

D Shivakumar, widely known as Shiv,  is celebrated as one of India’s most seasoned executives, with a professional journey that has traversed consumer goods, technology, beverages and corporate strategy. His trajectory reflects a career shaped by leadership roles at companies central to both India’s economic story and global business shifts.

Talking about his journey, Shivakumar shared, “I think I have been lucky to get the right breaks at the right time and was priveleged to work with some outstanding people in  my career.  I have always believed that if you work hard in the interests of your company and your people, then only bad luck can stop your progress. India has enough opportunities for committed individuals!!”

Shivakumar began his career as a management trainee at Hindustan Ciba Geigy. Soon after, he moved to Hindustan Unilever, where he spent close to 19 years. At Unilever, he took on assignments in sales, marketing, and general management, building a wide base of experience in one of the country’s most competitive sectors.

In 2003, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Philips India’s consumer electronics division. This was his first major leadership role, and it set the stage for his move to Nokia three years later as Managing Director for India. At Nokia, he was at the helm during a period of rapid growth in mobile telephony. He spearheaded initiatives such as Nokia Life Tools and pushed the company into rural markets. His leadership saw Nokia rise from 71st in India’s brand rankings to the top position, making it one of the country’s most trusted names in the mobile era.

By 2011, he had taken on a broader mandate as Senior Vice President for Emerging Markets at Nokia, overseeing operations across India, the Middle East, and Africa. The portfolio spanned nearly 90 countries and accounted for around 40 percent of Nokia’s global business. Strategies from this period have since been studied at Harvard Business School and the Indian School of Business, reflecting the scale and complexity of his remit.

In 2013, Shiv moved to PepsiCo India as Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer. He guided a portfolio that included beverages, snacks, and nutrition, while also managing operations in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. His leadership at PepsiCo placed a greater emphasis on the nutrition segment, with brands like Quaker and Tropicana coming to the fore.

Five years later, he transitioned to the Aditya Birla Group as Group Executive President for Corporate Strategy. In this role, he has worked across one of India’s largest conglomerates, with businesses ranging from cement and telecom to retail and e-commerce. In January 2023, he agreed to join Advent International as an Operating Partner, stepping into private equity to shape strategy and growth from an investment perspective.

On his birthday, D. Shivakumar’s journey stands as a record of leadership across industries in transformation;  from consumer goods to mobile technology and from beverages to diversified conglomerates.