STOCKHOLM: Paliwal, who began his career in India and has worked in several countries, currently heads ABB's largest industrial concern, Automation Technologies, after having held a series of challenging posts within the Swiss-Swedish engineering group. "If I am able to deliver that which I am expected to deliver, then I am as good a candidate as any other," Paliwal told the Swedish industrial daily Dagens Industry. Paliwal, 45, heads re-structured ABB's most profitable division, Automation Technologies that was created after merging three divisions -- Automation, Process Industries, and Manufacturing and Consumer Industries. ABB Automation Technologies has $9.3 billion in revenue and 63,000 employees, which makes ABB one of the world's largest automation companies. Before the amalgamation of the three divisions, Paliwal was in charge of ABB Process Industries. Paliwal is one of the five members of the executive committee of the streamlined ABB and does not hide the little regard he holds for previous concern chiefs and their elaborate efforts to re-organise the company that has a global presence. "The earlier company executives involved themselves far too much in the day-to-day operations, which created anxiety and insecurity," he said. "With Dormann (the current CEO) it is the opposite. I and Peter Smits (head of ABB Power Technologies) have a clear-cut assignment, to deliver results. If we cannot manage that, we are out. "While this may sound tough it does not create insecurity, rather a clear responsibility with a large authority and consequently vast decision making powers." Paliwal added: "We earlier made issues very complicated in this concern. With an executive that earlier comprised eleven directors, decision making process also became ineffective and tedious. "I could, for example, answer 30-40 mails a week from other directors. That demanded a lot of work to maintain proper order and political correctness. "With the new organisation that ABB introduced late last year, in which core operations have been brought together in the new business areas of Power Technologies and Automation Technologies, ABB has created a more sustainable and productive organisation." Paliwal began his career in 1979 with Ballarpur Industries in India. After joining ABB in the U.S. in 1985, he served in a number of engineering, sales, marketing and management roles in India, the U.S., China, Singapore, Australia and Switzerland. In 1994, he became head of ABB's multi-industry business in China, which included several joint ventures. Paliwal became head of global paper, printing, metals and minerals business in 1988 and was then named to head the global Process Industries division in 2001. In 2002, he became head of industries division. He holds master's degrees in applied science and engineering and business administration from Miami University, as well as a master's degree in paper science and engineering from Roorkee University in India.
Source: IANS