Institute of Product Leadership
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Senthil Kumar - EMBA Class of 2015-B

Project Manager, Danske Bank

Background

“I have around 14 years experience in the IT industry. I am a Computer Science graduate. I worked with Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) for six years, and then moved to Wipro, Bangalore, where worked for the next six years. For the last 2 1/2 years I have worked for the Captive Unit of DanskeBank as a Project Manager.”

Why Project Management to Product Management

“I started with technology and gradually moved to Project Management. In large organizations [as you grow], you tend to move towards delivery management and general management. Given the volatile nature of the IT industry, one of my superiors advised me to be multi-skilled, so that you have a backup. A single technology or domain-expertise may not be enough to survive in the industry. I thought about pursuing a general MBA from an IIM or XLRI. When I researched this further, I found Product Management as a possible skill to acquire.”

Why IPL

“I explored various B-Schools such as the IIMs and XLRI, but none of them offered a specific Product Management course. I then chanced upon IPL, and spoke to them regarding the curriculum, and scope of Product Management etc. I chose IPL because they had specific focus on Product Management, which is what I was looking for. To move to a Product Manager role, Project Management skills alone would not be enough.”

IPL Experience

“Every session actually helps me improve skills required for Product Management. That is what I came for, and I see that I am able achieve it. For example, thinking about design, reading financial reports of my organization (which I couldn’t begin to earlier), or an understanding of how Marketing is done. These aspects are more of a revelation as you go through them.” “The one statement at IPL that we keep hearing is Learning by Doing. Product Labs lets you implement all the learning acquired during the course in real- time. The live experience is indescribable.”

Generic MBA programs vs. IPL programs

“If you are looking at making it big in the Product Management space, I would recommend the IPL program. The IPL program is a niche offering, and although I have not done too much research, I am not sure [if other B Schools such as] IIMs, ISB or XLRI really offer a Product Management specific curriculum.” “Right now, Product Management is a hot space in India. If you would like a slice of that pie, then taking advantage of this niche offer from IPL would be a wise decision.”

Aspiring towards Product Management

“Although I started the Product Management course in IPL to acquire a backup skill, I am now looking at Product Management as my primary role, and perhaps Project management as a backup.” “Project management can get mundane after a while, however Product Management is exploratory – it’s about thinking on your feet, gauging the customer and audience needs. Every day in the life of a Product Manager is different and that excites me.” “If you are passionate, and want to take advantage of the Product management space in India, you must take advantage of the IPL offering.”

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