CEO as the Chief Innovator Roopen Roy Innovation is not incubated by committees. Break-through ideas usually do not germinate by following standard operating procedure manuals. By definition, it entails breaking the mould. Innovation and invention are often born out of irreverence for conventional beliefs. Conviction and missionary zeal of an individual or a small…
Month: September 2025
The CEO and the market-place
The CEO and the war for customers By Roopen Roy Apr 14 2015 I have always wondered why so many CEOs start with a promise to change the world but eventually end up being a CFO or a COO. After many years of watching, I have come to the conclusion that it is not about leadership style…
The C Word
Prime minister Manmohan Singh addressed the nation from the Red Fort on our Independence Day. In a significant speech, he did not mince words about corruption. These were his exact words: “There is no space in our government or in our society for corruption and arbitrary action. We are not prepared to tolerate this at…
The Business of Ponzi Scams
The business of ponzi scams By Roopen Roy May 07 2013 The business of ponzi scams has thrived in India — ruining investors, robbing poor people, hurting banks and destroying the lives of employees. These businesses have mushroomed because of a combination of factors: powerful politicians are part of the value-chain and governmental agencies have been inactive….
The Business of Art
The Business of Art Roopen Roy On May 4th, a Picasso was sold for $106.5 million to an anonymous buyer at Christie’s in New York. It was a 1932 portrait of the Spanish master’s blonde mistress and is known as the “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust”. It was an all time record…
The Bobble-head Leader
A Moveable Feast: The bobble head boss By Roopen Roy Aug 05 2016 How easy it is to forget what goes up has to come down The two firms, Price Waterhouse and Lovelock & Lewes, which merged to form PwC India were born nearly 140 years ago in Calcutta. Both had a timid and mild bhadralok culture….
The 4th Industrial Revolution
India’s role in 4th industrial epoch By Roopen Roy Apr 28 2015 Hannover has a green ‘forest’ in the middle of the city, the largest in Europe and twice the size of Central Park in New York. But this forest does not have wild animals, not lions for sure. It was, therefore, interesting to see the Indian…
Spreading Joy
Clarification: Bong is a complex term and does not necessarily refer to a person who speaks the language or embraces the culture. It is a bhadramanush associated with Bengal and can be of any religion or ethnic origin but has some connection by birth or domicile, by cultural affiliation or language or by sheer willingness to…
Speech at XLRI
Speech to be delivered on May 8, 2012 at XLRIJamshedpur Reverend Father E. Abraham, Respected Dean, dignitaries on the dais, ladies and gentlemen and the Graduating class of the General Management Program 2012 and Executive Diploma Programs It is indeed a privilege and an honour to have the opportunity to come to XLRI and…
Social businesses: a weapon to fight poverty
Roopen Roy (Roopen Roy is the Managing Director of Deloitte Consulting, India. Views are personal). Many policy thinkers in India are enamored by Western economic models. If we have to figure out intelligent strategies to lift 250 million Indians from abysmal poverty, let us accept that there are no proven Western models. Our…








