Italy and India deliver successful cross-border mission
The Situation
WIL Group members support Isagro SPA
Isagro SPA is an Italian company, which was established in 1992 and is
listed on the Stock Exchange in Milan.
Today, the company employs over 600 people and operates in the research,
development, production and distribution of agropharmaceuticals – products
for crop protection – and investing in the innovation and development of
new molecules with a low environmental impact. Isagro carries out its
manufacturing activities at five sites, four in Italy and one in India with
direct distribution in Brazil, Colombia, India, Spain and the United States.
It is also present in other countries, with legal entities holding local
registrations.
For the last 10 years, the general manager of Isagro India has managed the
company as a separate entity, and whilst profitable there was little synergy
with the rest of the group. During a Board meeting, it was agreed to bring
in a new MD to help bring the Indian operation into line with the rest of
the organisation. Initially this was for a short-term contract, with a view
to then looking for a permanent MD.
The Solution
The company turned to long-term resourcing partner, TIM Management in Italy.
Through the WIL Group association, X-PM in India could then be contacted for
relevant support.
X‐PM was quickly able to deploy an experienced senior executive, Mr K N
Chandrasekaran (KNC), with over 25 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical
and chemical industries. His previous roles included GSK and Novartis –
with a focus on the Asia market. Prior to starting his interim role as the
MD of Isagro in India, he ran his own consultancy – supporting companies
within healthcare management.
Commenting on the Isagro assignment, KNC said:
“The brief was of real interest to me, and I could see clear opportunities
for creating and effecting change.”
He started in April 2017 – covering four broad business areas, including:
- Culture – bringing in alignment, in order to create greater
collaboration and a “CAN DO” attitude.
- Culture – bringing in alignment, in order to create greater
- Business practices – to introduce simplification, and removing non
value-added processes and cleaning up legacy issues.
- Business practices – to introduce simplification, and removing non
- People – introducing performance management systems, delayering of
number of management grades and encouraging support across the business,
with a management ‘open door’ policy.
- People – introducing performance management systems, delayering of
- Relocating Isagro Asia to a new office where the whole team could
work from the same floor, creating greater integration. A move away from the
previous three floor company layout.