Most outstanding leader I have worked with:Mr. Soumyadip Chowdhury

• A chartered accountant and an MBA

• A veteran banker with 30 years of experience

Professionally

• Globetrotter – visited over 15 countries and cities

• A quizzing enthusiast (The Jewel in the Crown – BBC MASTERMIND FINALIST)

Outside work

• Active interest in Photography

• Avid sports fan - cricketer & football

• Music lover, movie buff and theatre admirer

In free time

Soumyadip’s Leadership style and Traits that I admire

Patience and composure – never to have kneejerk reaction

Always challenging subordinates – especially Team

Leaders

Always a student, self-motivated and humble

In addition a cultural drive which he brought to the team made him exceptional

Quotes from Soumyadip: Banking is not NASA. We are ordinary people, doing very ordinary jobs. So stop thinking you are God’s gift

to mankind – because if you were one, you would be in NASA

On Credit appraisal, it always remains a dilemma on whether to focus on financial or non-financial information, especially in a judgmental world. Both me and Soumyadip had similarity in approach where we gave more importance to non-financial information

Soumyadip and Me : Similarities and learning

Our biggest similarity was on promptness on assigned task. Both me and Soumyadip had never delayed responding to tasks once entrusted with and have never missed time-lines

On cultural front we shared similar interests in Music (from Robert Johnson to Miles Davies to Pink Floyd), Movies (from Satyajit Ray to Ingmar Bergman to Martin Scorsese), and Books (from Ramchandra Guha to Rabindranath Tagore to T.S. Elliot)

We both took pride in considering ourselves as students of life, with always open to and sharing learning – irrespective of relevance

On recruitment - we both gave the maximum importance to behaviour and attitude of the candidate

Communication Art: Soumyadip always knew when to speak, how to speak and most importantly, when not to speak. This is one art on which I think I have lots to learn from him and the journey of learning continues for me

Soumyadip and Me: Differences

Motivational ability: Of many of Soumyadip’s leadership qualities, the quality of motivating subordinates was exceptional and thus the attrition rate during his 3 year leadership tenor was on historic low. I am yet to reach the art of such poise and motivational ability

Ace professional: Soumyadip’s ability to keep a balance between personal and professional life was commendable which I am yet to reach. In addition, Soumyadip, though is a very humble person, never spared repeated or careless mistakes. I have always been accommodative to subordinates and have at times taken softer stances than required, which remains one learning area for me

Only Human…

Soumyadip led the Credit & Risk - CMB UK Credit Kolkata approvals team from Mid’ 2009 till Sept’2013. Prior to UK CMB Risk, Soumyadip was Head of SME for Eastern India – HSBC. Though Soumyadip had his own share of flaws, gossips and biasness, the most valuable quality which I have learned from him is professionalism. Even though he has been a mentor and idol for the Team, he has always ensured that a thin line is maintained between professionalism and personal life. Though he has been idolized, he also taught us that he is only Human…