The "OG" of HR services: K Pandiarjan's bets big on CIEL HR to capture India's booming HR business

The UpstreamLife

In this episode of theUpStreamLife.com you will discover the internal values that are necessary to inculcate and execute in order to build a long term business.
You will hear the story of K Pandiarajan, the founder of MaFoi who sold the business in 2008. MaFoi was one of the top HR firms in India at the time. After a decade long break and a long stint in politics Pandiarajan is now back to doing what he does best, which is starting up.
His firm “CIEL HR” is rapidly growing and the stakes are high for Pandiarajan as his business is now placed in the eighth position, in India, and there is an opportunity to get back to the top.
He has already built CIEL HR to a Rs 1000 crore plus business in sales and he wants to make it an end-to-end HR tech and services firm. Will he win? He can because this industry whose size is Rs 1,76,000 crore and CIEL HR can grow with acquisitions and win businesses across industry vertical. Watch the podcast to know more.
00:00 - Introduction to Mr K Pandiarajan.
00:55 - Pandiarajan talks about his early days in Tamil Nadu.
01:36 - Starting MaFoi and the HR play in liberalised India.
02:50 - Managing a recruitment firm in the pre-social media days.
05:56 - Handling more than 250 investors, talking to VCs and being successful.
10:05 - Building a company for the long term.
13:17 - Handling vulnerabilities as an entrepreneur and growing.
16:55 - Managing the exit in 2008.
19:00 - CIEL HR and its growth to become a major leader.
26:00 - Tech and integrative systems in HR
27:28 - Anchorage around OKRs where tech is blended with human results.
33:57 - Reverse mentoring and why it’s important in an organisation.
38:55 - How fast can one scale a company today? It’s easier today, grow by acquisitions.
39:44 - Never regretted being in politics, it is macro-HR.
43:00 - The mentors and inspirations that guided Pandiarajan.

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Capíttulos

1. Introduction to Mr K Pandiarajan. (00:00:00)

2. Pandiarajan talks about his early days in Tamil Nadu. (00:00:55)

3. Starting MaFoi and the HR play in liberalised India. (00:01:36)

4. Managing a recruitment firm in the pre-social media days. (00:02:50)

5. Handling more than 250 investors, talking to VCs and being successful. (00:05:56)

6. Building a company for the long term. (00:10:05)

7. Handling vulnerabilities as an entrepreneur and growing. (00:13:17)

8. Managing the exit in 2008. (00:16:55)

9. CIEL HR and its growth to become a major leader. (00:19:00)

10. Tech and integrative systems in HR (00:26:00)

11. Anchorage around OKRs where tech is blended with human results. (00:27:28)

12. Reverse mentoring and why it’s important in an organisation. (00:33:57)

13. How fast can one scale a company today? It’s easier today, grow by acquisitions. (00:38:55)

14. Never regretted being in politics, it is macro-HR. (00:39:44)

15. The mentors and inspirations that guided Pandiarajan. (00:43:00)