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EVALUATION - RESUME
Varun Harikumar
Mobile #

EDUCATION
State Board Hyderabad, India

Class XII Mar 2008

Indian Institute of Technology Chennai, India

[Link] - Chemical Engineering Jul 2012

EXPERIENCE
Honeywell (India) (FT) May 2017 - Jun 2020 | Gurgaon, India

Senior Technical Sales Engineer

Responsibilities:
1. Primary focus: drive the product sales. Core functions: lead generation, close sales, & build tools
2. Manage entire sales process from negotiating T&Cs to delivering proposal to obtaining testimonials
3. Assist Product Manager on market research projects-quantifying customer feedback & competitive intel

Achievements:
1. Worked on 40+ leads (including with Shell, ExxonMobil & BP), converting 12 of 17 - generating $22M
2. Visited multiple clients, in including USA, Malaysia, & Singapore; Lead for Indonesian projects($8M)
3. Led churn initiative(50 leads); Identified features for next-gen catalyst; Won competitive sale($2M)

Employer activity:
Honeywell UOP is the leading international supplier and technology licensor for the O&G companies

Reliance Industries Limited (FT) Jul 2012 - Apr 2017 | Navi Mumbai, India

Technologist

Responsibilities:
1. Provide technical support to commission the world's largest multi-billion $ para-xylene complex
2. Lead the catalyst selection/field activities/start-up of Parex & Isomar units turnaround projects
3. Develop simulation tools and train team-mates; Be up-to-date on the latest tools and functionalities

Achievements:
1. Collaborating with diverse teams including Ops & licensors, achieved an ontime flawless PX4 start-up
2. Incorporating Lean Six Sigma, we achieved the fastest Parex turnaround. Awarded Best Service Team
3. Built first-of-a-kind crystallizer model that helped achieve 1-day early pX production, saving $1M

Employer activity:
Refining and Petrochemical Business. From storage to refining to distribution

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AWARDS AND INTERESTS

• Badminton - Institute badminton captain; hostel badminton captain - 2001 To 2020
• Value Investing - Indian markets - N/A - 2015 To 2020
• Read works in cognitive psychology - N/A - 2016 To 2020
• Computer/Online gaming - Real-time strategy games - N/A - 2008 To 2020
• Learning French - N/A - 2020 To 2020
• Academic & Professional - School Topper; 454 Rank- National Science Olympiad; 139 rank- National Science Talent Search
exam - 2006
• Sports - Badminton Gold for 4 consecutive years. Also received awards in Volley-ball and Table-tennis - 2012
• Academic & Professional - Research published in Desalination Journal, Elsevier- Simulation of crossflow wind aided
evaporator - 2014
 • Sports - Won Men's Singles and Men's Team gold medals at Reliance Intersite Tournament - 2014
• Academic & Professional - Awarded 6 "Bravo" awards for depicting Honeywell Values & Behaviours in projects - 2019
• I like to play sports. It’s a great way to build rapport with your team. I've been playing badminton for 20 years. I also play
squash & table-tennis. I regularly jog and lift weights to stay in shape
• I'm a Defensive Investor, investing quaterly. I’ve developed a spreadsheet, selecting stocks on 6 KPIs rather than
speculating, to maximize my returns. Since 2016, I’ve grown my portfolio at 7% CAGR
• I read about decision-making & factors influencing it. The works of Daniel Kahneman are the real eye-opener. I consciously
reflect on my thoughts to avoid biases & anticipate potential concerns

EXTRA CURRICULAR PARTICIPATION

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Total Work Experience (as entered by the applicant) 7 Years 11 Months
Total Full-Time Work Experience 7 Years 10 Months
Total Part-Time Work Experience
Current Location Noida, India

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EVALUATION - ALL ESSAYS
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Essay 1
Describe with examples the most important personal quality that you possess, which significantly enhances your
prospects of being successful as a leader?
‘Becoming my best’ is what I’ve emulated in every context of life. This quality has empowered me to
constantly upgrade, explore new paths, and evolve as an inspirational leader.

In 2008, freshman year, I was allotted Hostel ‘Tapti’, an underdog in sports! Being an athlete, my dream was
to win the Sports-Championship. Being my best to inspire fellow students was the route I chose. That year, I
earned a place in the five-member institute badminton team, defeating the captain; and won gold in inter-
hostel badminton. Next year, I led the hostel badminton team to win gold. I was elected the hostel Sports-
Secretary the following year and institute badminton captain in final year. By then, I had motivated a
multitude of students to sustain our winning streak. In 2012, we won the Sports-Championship, earning
recognition as an elite hostel, and transforming our legacy! These were early reflections of my inspirational
‘lead-by-example’ style and my belief in the power of self-motivation.

At Reliance, my goal was to become Technology Expert. I quickly understood the importance of digitalization,
and focussed on building simulation models, aka digital twins, and coaching my team to use it. Proficient
using multiple tools, I carved out a niche for myself as the Modeling Expert of team. During commissioning, I
not only developed the first-of-its-kind paraxylene crystallizer model, but I empowered my team to come up
with their own process improvements. Using this tool, we achieved a flawless 1-day early start-up, saving
$1M. To me, improving my technical capabilities and creating value for the business, a win-win situation, is
the real achievement!

At Honeywell, I sought unique projects, ranging from assisting the Product-Manager in market-research to
being the only team-member to conduct benchmarking studies, to broaden my understanding of the refining
business. Leading global and diverse teams, and visiting international clients, I learned new perspectives to
tackle business-problems. Automating Excel-based tools and deploying Salesforce-based dashboard, made
me the go-to person in these domains. And by developing expertise in fixed-bed catalysts, I was entrusted to
lead the most competitive and complex projects globally. Such stellar performances, and experience in
handling such diverse and complex projects, made me one of youngest recipients of promotion.

At ISB, I’ll take forward this mindset to build expertise in marketing and strategy fields, understand different
businesses/industries, and enrich school’s sporting culture. Becoming my best in these, I’ll inspire my cohort
to achieve their goals too!
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 Essay 2
What are your short term and long term career goals? How will Post Graduate Program at ISB assist you in
achieving your goals?
Thus far, in my career, I’ve mastered the approach to situation - “Sell me this pen!”. As part of my job and
otherwise, I’m passionate about understanding the customer, identifying the problem/need, and partnering
with them to create value. In the long run, I want to be a marketing consultant coming-up with solutions that
help clients grow their business. Post-MBA, I want to join MBB as generalist, reinforcing my knowledge in
various industries and expanding my network. Having collaborated extensively with Product Manager at
Honeywell, an alternative short-term career-path would be Product Management at a customer-centric
company e.g. Amazon or Google. In both these post-MBA roles, I’m looking to gain understanding of different
industries, and market & product development strategies, skills that’ll guide me in the longer-run.

Working with cross-functional teams and global clients has whetted my problem-solving and networking
acumen, along with developing deep insights and fresh perspectives in refining business. By learning French
& Python, completing Marketing courses (Wharton), and practicing Case-Interviews, I’ve taken on challenging
tasks to constantly upgrade myself. To fortify this foundation and actualize my ambitions, I must acquire
broader understanding of how different businesses operate and challenges they face, build a larger network,
and hone my leadership skills.

ISB’s PGP gives me the perfect opportunity to effectively cultivate these strengths while pursuing a career in
India, close to my family. The 12-months course duration means I’ll be back in market soon enough with an
accelerated career-path. I plan to specialize in Marketing focusing on courses such as New Product
Development and Customer-Focused Planning because I believe customer-centric businesses will succeed in
the long-haul. I’ll also choose electives in Strategy as these will equip me with skills necessary for both
consulting and product management roles. I’m looking forward to pursuing an ELP project in
consulting/marketing functions to experience real-world business challenges! Through interactions with ISB’s
truly diverse peer-group and industry-expert faculties, I'll learn more about different industries and imbibe
varied perspectives of tackling a problem. The Consulting and Marketing Clubs would be great platforms to
build networks and share ideas with like-minded peers. The fact that ISB has one of the strongest alumni
bases and has placed many consultants and PMs (including in start-ups) encourages me further.

Conversations with my friends Debashish Sahoo (CO20), Gautam Reddy (CO18), and Sourav Abrol (CO20)
have only reaffirmed the excellence of ISB’s program and its relevance to my goals.

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EVALUATION - EVALUATION REPORT

Varun Harikumar

Online Recommendation Form

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APPLICANT'S COMPLETE NAME

Applicant's Name Mr Varun Harikumar
Prefix First/Given Name Middle Name Last/Family Name
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RECOMMENDOR'S COMPLETE NAME

Recommendor's Name Pallav Kumar
First/Given Name Last/Family Name
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Contact Details
Current Organization Honeywell
Current Position/Title Senior Technology Specialist
Email [Link]@[Link]
Alternative Email [Link]@[Link]
Telephone Number 91 9757389305
Relationship Senior Colleague
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Mailing Address
Address Line 1 D1403,
Address Line 2 The jewel of Noida
Address Line 3 Sector 75
City NOIDA Postal Code 201301
State/Province Uttar Pradesh
Country India
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How long have you known the applicant?

7 YEARS 1 Months
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During which period of time have you had the most frequent contact with the applicant?
From 01-Jan-2018 To 29-May-2020
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May we contact you regarding this applicant?

Yes
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What is the best way to contact you?

Telephone
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Varun Harikumar

Did you use a translator?

No
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Achievement
Initiative
Volunteers for new work challenges; proactively puts in extra effort to accomplish critical or
difficult tasks
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Results Orientation
Invents new approaches with measurably better results; works to deliver best-in-class
performance improvements
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Influence
Communication, Professional Impression & Poise
Works to get point across; acknowledges feedback; reframes statements when necessary to make
them clearer; speaks politely; remains composed in known circumstances
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Influence and Collaboration

Seeks first to understand perspectives of others; takes actions to gain their support for ideas and
initiatives
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People
Respect for others
Uses empathy And Personal experience to resolve conflicts And foster mutual respect; reinforces
respect with public praise when individuals solicit And use input from others
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Team Leadership
Actively engages the team to develop plans And resolve issues through collaboration; shows the
impact of individual/team contributions
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Developing Others
Encourages people to develop; points out mistakes to help people develop and praises them for
improvements
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Personal Qualities
Trustworthiness/Integrity
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Adaptability/Resilience
Champions adoption of new initiatives and processes; exhibits level-headedness in most
environments including challenging ones; persists until obstacle is overcome
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Self Awareness
Describes own key strengths and weaknesses accurately; welcomes feedback from others and
discusses opportunities to change with select individuals
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Varun Harikumar

Cognitive Abilities
Problem Solving
Looks beyond the obvious; identifies and focuses on the critical information needed to understand
a problem, identifies root cause(s), and comes up with reasonable solutions
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Strategic Orientation
Develops insights or recommendations within area of responsibility that have improved near-term
business performance
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Optional Comments
Is there anything about your ratings on which you would like to comment?
It has always been pleasure to interact with Varun both personally and professionally. His habit of
focus on the details and out of the box thinking makes him stand out of his peers. Varun has been
a keen learner as well. I always have looked ahead to him if in doubt or for independent opinion.
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Capstone questions
Based on your professional experience, how do you rate this applicant compared to her/his peer
group?
Outstanding (top 5%)
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Overall,I
enthusiastically recommend this applicant
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Recommendation Questions
Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant.
I have known Varun for the past 7 years. I have been his senior mentor, colleague and friend and
this has given me an excellent opportunity to gauge his professional caliber, technical capabilities
and his high level skill set at work.

After I joined Honeywell Tech Sales team, I recommended Varun to the reporting manager for the
team and he joined it in May 2017. Although we were in different departments we worked
together for several sales projects in Asia, especially focusing on India. Varun was the key driver
for these projects where he collaborated with teams consisting of Services, Sales, and
Management.

Prior to Honeywell, we worked together in Reliance Industries as technologists for 4 years. In my

capacity of General Manager - Reforming Technology, I was his on-boarding mentor for the first
year. I not only assigned him projects but also validated his work, provided inputs for appraisals
and steered him professionally to help him enhance his performance. I observed that he had
strong technical knowledge and an ability to lead and initiate actions for achieving timely results.
For instance, when we worked together on capital intensive projects such as Parex Adsorbent
reloads and PX4 commissioning, Varun's subject matter expertise, team skills and problem solving
skills were tested to the hilt since the work involved huge collaboration between different
departments and he successfully achieved results.
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How does the applicant's performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar
roles?
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Varun Harikumar

In the past 15 years that I have been in the Energy industry, I have mentored, supervised and
managed numerous technologists and Varun stands out among all due to his technical proficiency,
excellent team skills and a very sound professional outlook. With a passionate, self-driven
attitude, he is forever looking for opportunities that can help him in professional growth and
enhance his expertise. His ability to lead, work well in teams and trouble shoot problems with ease
have been recognized by the management too since he has been assigned challenging projects
and has been promoted too.

At Honeywell, we were at a customer location to conduct a benchmarking studying with the end
goal being selling of catalyst. Though it was a sales activity, Varun showed initiative in
understanding the unit operation and suggested that we optimize it. Though by optimizing the unit
we would be potentially lowering the economic feasibility of a catalyst reload, we decided to go
ahead with his suggestion and shared the best practices. The customer noticed a significant
improvement in unit performance, and the result was that we secured a testimonial from him. It
was an achievement to receive the first benchmarking testimonial worldwide and this success was
followed by the customer showing interest in catalyst reload studies.

An example showcasing Varun's foresight and ability to execute novel initiatives was during the
commissioning of the PX4 complex at Reliance. During the initial process of field inspections and
discussions on start-up plans with the licensor, Varun put forth the suggestion of building the PX4
crystallizer simulation model and Isom reactor model before the actual start-up of the project.
Setting up these models before the process saved us precious time since we became familiarized
with the operating conditions required to run the unit and also minimized the associated trial-and-
error steps. He followed his suggestion with flawless implementation of the models using
simulation tools and this process was then followed in several other projects.

Besides being self driven, and technically proficient, Varun has excellent organizational skills and
ability to work smoothly in teams. He organizes all the relevant data of clients such as latest
catalyst reload, revamp proposals and even customer pain-points and service requests. Such
attitude helps him immensely in planning his work and having a firm grip over any project that he
handles. Varun has cordial relationships with his peers and colleagues and also with the senior
management. He connects with everyone with ease and adapts to any situation flexibly in team
projects.

In conclusion, Varun has demonstrated excellent potential to lead and manage and I foresee him
steering an organization on a strategic path of growth in the future.
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Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant.
I often felt that Varun should have a better work-life balance. He worked diligently and frequently
accepted more work than necessary primarily due to his inability to refuse work. Since his natural
methodology of doing work is to strive for excellence, he ended up with huge work load which
often stressed him.

Seeing his situation, I once had a detailed discussion with him. I pointed out that it was imperative
to strike a correct balance in work-life for future growth. I told him two things:
(a) He should learn to refuse work which comes his way as matter of requests from his peers or
colleagues and he can escalate them to his manager who could better prioritize them.
(b) He should not spend a huge amount of time in perfecting a model which may not be used as
much as expected. I advised him to run the ideas or prototypes by the users and gather feedback

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Varun Harikumar

before investing too much time.

I provided same feedback to his manager through our appraisal system too. Subsequently, Varun
seems to have taken my advice on board. He manages his work load with better ease and works
smartly while developing tools. For example, while developing a tool for the benchmarking study
initiative, he first took mine and other team members' response on board before deciding on
further development.

Varun's ability to adapt, and accept constructive criticism and suggestions will help him in his
future role of manager and leader.
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Is there anything else we should know?

COVID-19 has affected the economy badly and thousands of professionals find themselves laid off,
in today's global scenario. Unfortunately, Varun is one of them. Despite showcasing huge potential
for growth and achieving excellent results in all the projects that he was involved in, he had to
leave Honeywell due to the company policy of doing away with a huge chunk of workforce for
economic reasons, in these trying times.

However, I am convinced that Varun will emerge from this crisis as a winner. He has decided to
take up this situation as a challenge and turn it into a benefit. He discussed his career plans with
me and he expressed his desire to move into Marketing/Strategic roles. He has demonstrated his
interests in these roles at Honeywell and has also worked closely projects driven by Product
Marketing Managers. He is at a perfect stage in his career to gain formal business education and
he has decided to go ahead and get an MBA degree to get better prospects and opportunities in
the future.

An ISB PGP will consolidate his experience and expertise and provide him with excellent
opportunities to achieve upward trajectory in his career. The formal business degree will
complement his self driven attitude, innovative mind set and strong work ethic very well and help
him achieve his professional goals.
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