T Srinivasan?s laughter is very infectious, and he keeps guffawing practically after every two sentences. It is very apparent that he knows how to enjoy life, and even looks determined to do so! An avid golfer, Srini is known to build relationships on the course and Saturdays are devoted to a swing on the greens.
?You know, golf is more than a game,? says Srini. Yes, we know that for sure but Srini says it?s not just about networking. ?It even calms you down,? he says. He may be no Tiger Woods but Srini is known to give youngsters a run for their money on most days on the golf course. ?Golf cuts across age barriers. It?s all about experience here.?
Srini has been in the software industry for three decades. Obviously, there are not too many people who have more experience than him. ?It?s been a great journey. I have witnessed all the ups and downs in this business. It has been a very satisfying and rewarding experience.? And at VMware, the world leader in virtualisation and cloud computing, Srini is at home. ?My immediate short-term goal is to build a strong team of world class professionals who will form the bedrock of the company leadership in the years to come.?
VMware delivers virtualisation and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable IT organisations to energise businesses of all sizes. With its industry leading virtualisation platform?VMware vSphere(TM)? customers rely on the company to reduce capital and operating expenses. With 2009 revenues of $2 billion, more than 190,000 customers and 25,000 partners, VMware is the leader in virtualisation which consistently ranks as a top priority among CIOs.
Srini is very happy to be in the company steering its India ship. ?As far as the business side of things are concerned, I want to create and fulfill the demand for virtualisation and cloud products in India, with VMware as the market leader in all the segments in which we compete.?
?We want to help customers reduce their IT budgets, alongside reducing their power consumption and carbon emissions. VMware intends to build an eco-system of competent partners to sell, implement, and provide education and certification on VMware products.? And like most heads of companies these days Srini too has taken a great interest in developing a great culture within the organisation. ?Having understood the importance of people management,I would like VMware to have a culture of building its business, going hand in hand with employees, enjoying the process of growth and having fun. Ideally, it should be a highly skilled team where every member knows that he/she has contributed to making a difference to our business,? he says.
Srini?s affable personality is known to rub off positively on his colleagues. And his strong market knowledge is something most companies want to tap into. ?The strength lies in my ability to create and establish a market in India across several IT domains like databases, storage, software and application testing and virtualisation. This is complemented with the ability to attract great talent who share the same passion in building a business,? he says, sharing his thoughts on his professional strengths.?
His long career has rewarded him immensely, and we ask as to what his biggest achievements have been. ?While there would be several achievements vying for the ?biggest? tag, I would take an alternative route, to say the ability to incorporate the work life balance culture into all companies that I have started and led is the biggest achievement in my career. Work smart, party hard. And I always think that you are only as good as the collective strengths of your team.?
His childhood has had a great bearing on his personality. ?Coming from an austere middle class background, childhood was all about having no choice but to excel and strive for perfection, in order to survive and succeed. It has become a habit and a way of life now, and I apply it to all aspects of life,? he says.