🎤How does the Chief Analytics Officer at Aditya Birla Group use WhatsApp to foster meaningful professional relationships?

This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features a leader who values simplicity and purpose.

Meet Pankaj Rai. A seasoned data and analytics leader with a career spanning over 3 decades, Pankaj currently serves as the Group Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Aditya Birla Group. Known for his sharp analytical skills and thoughtful leadership, Pankaj brings a fresh perspective driven by a sense of purpose, offering a unique take on one of the digital tools we use every day: WhatsApp.

For Pankaj, WhatsApp isn’t just a messaging app; it’s a powerful medium to nurture connections and create purposeful conversations.

 Highlights from the episode:

• The purpose behind every message - Pankaj emphasizes the significance of being intentional and mindful when using WhatsApp, approaching every message with clarity and a clear objective—whether it’s initiating a professional conversation, offering insights, or mentoring others. He avoids contributing to unnecessary noise and instead ensures his communications inspire action, provoke thought, or lead to meaningful outcomes. He highlights how purpose-driven messaging helps people respect both their own time and that of others, creating a positive and productive flow of communication.
• Building a network that matters - Over the years, Pankaj has built a vast and impactful network of professionals, mentees, and industry leaders by using WhatsApp as a relationship-building tool. He believes that connections thrive when you invest effort in maintaining them, and WhatsApp provides an accessible platform to do just that. He shares how being present and responsive on WhatsApp strengthens trust and credibility. By engaging thoughtfully and ensuring conversations remain authentic, supportive, and respectful, he has turned WhatsApp into a space where personal and professional networks merge seamlessly.
• Challenges in relationship building: While Pankaj generally finds relationship-building effortless due to his open-minded attitude, he acknowledges that not all engagements are smooth sailing. He recalls instances where cultural mismatches made it difficult for him to relate to certain colleagues or environments. In such cases, he opted to move on rather than try changing others' deeply rooted beliefs—a lesson in knowing when to adapt versus when to walk away.