Neeraj Singh is a strong believer in the democratic style of management as he says it enables a leader to get all team members on the same page, develop a shared vision and bring in a greater sense of ownership. Leading Aircel’s Maharashtra and Goa circle as the business head, Singh has been using the collective wisdom that comes with this management style to introduce innovative products and position Aircel as a value-for-money brand.

One of the key challenges before Singh is to create a distinct position for the brand in a highly competitive market. Discussing the company’s business strategy in the circle, he says, “The focus is on emerging as a preferred brand by offering consumers innovative products at attractive price points. Our efforts are geared towards creating a strong customer pull in the data space by providing value propositions like Aircel Pocket Internet and associated products that offer unlimited data usage starting at Rs 128.”

With the aim of strengthening its market position, Aircel is planning to expand its network and distribution channel. Singh says the operator is in the process of augmenting its network by adding 400 new telecom sites across the Maharashtra and Goa circle. The launch of 200 sites has already been completed and the remaining 200 will be rolled out by the end of 2015. This will be supported by marketing initiatives, as part of which Aircel will establish 50 new customer stores.

Over the years, Singh has had the opportunity to work on several challenging projects. Of all his assignments, he identifies Vodafone India’s launch in Bihar as his most exciting professional experience. He says, “Launching Vodafone India’s operations in the Bihar circle brought me face to face with a lot of challenges involving products as well as people. One had to build everything from scratch and ensure that the network was up and running; the billing system was in place; the distributors had the required stock (recharge coupons, etc.); and the branding (posters, hoardings, etc.) was taken care of. The experience helped me realise that every market is different with its own opportunities and challenges.”