Q&A with Atin Kapur, Managing Director APAC

Atin is Managing Director, APAC, responsible for the overall APAC strategy including partnerships, sales and Go To Market activities. 

Prior to joining Vortexa, Atin worked at Fastmarkets as the Global Head of Sales - Strategic Accounts.

Fun Fact: Atin has done business in 32 different countries around the world and has lived in 4 of them!

We wanted to find out what inspired Atin to join Vortexa, what some of his biggest milestones have been to date and what day-to-day life really looks like for a Managing Director?

What inspired you to join Vortexa?

The people and the culture at Vortexa are uniquely special. Each and every person here is talented, humble and energetic and that really drives the culture within the organisation. Even during the early stages of my interaction with Vortexa as an outsider, I was in awe of how approachable everyone was. The constant strive towards excellence is in the DNA of the organisation and this is evident in the day to day, now that I have been here almost 4 months. 

The other important factor is the uniqueness of Vortexa's value proposition in the market. Vortexa has the unique strength of combining innovative and breakthrough technology with deep domain experience and expertise. This separates and distinguishes us from other players and it makes Vortexa a supremely compelling solution for all our clients around the globe.

''...Everyone in Vortexa is surrounded by very talented people where being performance-driven, supportive and collaborative is in everyone's DNA.''

What would you say is the most interesting aspect of your role?

As the MD of APAC, I wear several hats and all facets of my role are equally interesting. However, if I were to choose one, I would say, building and executing the overall strategy for Vortexa in APAC.  The region has tremendous opportunities for us. However, it is also a complex and nuanced region and therefore needs a more strategic approach.

The way we go to market in Singapore cannot be replicated for China and/or Japan. So, to be able to identify those unique strategies and implement them in the individual markets is super interesting. This involves working closely with several areas within the business which is fantastic. I also enjoy getting to build and drive a positive, supportive and ownership driven culture within the APAC team.

What have been some significant milestone moments for you at Vortexa?

Vortexa is fresh and relatively new in the market and we are breaking new ground every day. We have sown the seeds for market expansion and are in the process of taking our GTM strategy live in Japan/Korea and China. Our engagement in the region has increased significantly. As a result, we are driving tremendous innovation in our existing product capabilities and future product development through the various VOC activities being undertaken. We have also made tremendous strides in building brand awareness in the region and as a result, have had some fantastic wins so far.

What does day-to-day life look like for you as a Managing Director?

In today's lockdown driven WFH era, there is a lot to juggle between work and home. My day starts around 5 AM - not out of choice but because I have a 2-year-old who is a light sleeper! So, I get to spend some quality time with her in the mornings before my workday starts and this sets me up nicely. 

At work, no two days are alike.  I am very fortunate to be in a position where I get to interact with all the departments represented in this region, including, commercial, content, customer success, marketing, product development and R&D. I make it a point to catch up with everyone frequently as I get to learn about all aspects of our business from very talented individuals. A big part of this is to represent Asia at the Vortexa table in identifying and clearing obstacles and/or maximising opportunities. 

A very important part of my role is commercial and partnerships. I love the external interactions where I could be talking to a client in Tokyo today and Turkmenistan tomorrow. 

In summary, I am in an environment where there is so much diversity in activities, people, thoughts, ideas and strategies. I also get ample time with our founder and our global leadership team weekly, where we get to discuss challenges, opportunities and strategies and this is very meaningful for the growth of our business.

What key qualities make a Managing Director successful?

Agile and flexible are two things that immediately come to mind. We need to be able to seamlessly switch hats - for example, team hat to APAC hat to Vortexa hat. One should be bold enough to show humility and own that an MD doesn't always have all the answers. The key is to be able to listen, observe, help clear the obstacles and to help focus on the priorities. Ask a lot of questions and keep asking until you get a satisfactory answer. Have the ability to show the team how to challenge the status quo and think differently about solving problems. Finally, I look at my role as working for the APAC team (not the other way around) and with that mindset, my job becomes essentially focused on how to make my brilliant colleagues here in APAC succeed at what they do. This brings about positivity and confidence and enables the team to galvanise behind a shared vision.

How would you describe the culture at Vortexa?

Instinctively, the words that come to mind are fast-paced, entrepreneurial, excellence focussed, customer focussed and people focussed. We are all partners in this organisation and that brings a different level of ownership and responsibility and drives a very positive culture. There is a big focus on employee/peer well being, and given the sweeping changes our world is witnessing every day, this is very important for everyone to grow together. Everyone in Vortexa is surrounded by very talented people where being performance-driven, supportive, collaborative is in everyone's DNA.

''...Vortexa has the unique strength of combining innovative and breakthrough technology with deep domain experience and expertise. This separates and distinguishes us from other players and it makes Vortexa a supremely compelling solution for all our clients around the globe.''

What advice would you give people hoping to join Vortexa?

Be humble, honest and transparent. Be curious and ask questions (people will flock to provide answers so take advantage of that). Be open-minded to learn and get better and what you do. Take initiative and focus on the customer with the aim of delivering excellence.

Describe your working life at Vortexa in three words?

Motivating, stimulating and captivating. 

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