Singapore FinTech Festival Celebrates Piyush Gupta's Iconic Journey

 

Piyush Gupta’s Reflections on Leadership, Risk, and Legacy

Piyush Gupta, the outgoing CEO of DBS, shares candid reflections on his leadership journey, personal challenges, and lessons learned over a distinguished career. He opens up about the failures and defining moments that shaped his risk-taking appetite and focus on impact-driven work.

 

Key Highlights:

1. Lessons from Failure

  • Gupta recalls leaving banking to launch a dot-com venture in 2000, only to witness its rapid collapse amidst the tech market crash. This failure brought significant personal challenges, including anxiety, but ultimately deepened his appetite for risk and reshaped his perspective on career success.
  • The experience instilled a focus on making a meaningful impact rather than chasing titles or promotions.

2. Leadership Style

  • Known for his “helicopter” approach, Gupta balances big-picture vision with a hands-on commitment to execution. He believes in the importance of doing things right, especially in a world marked by rapid change.
  • Gupta acknowledges his temper and candid communication style, attributing his effectiveness to a willingness to cut through the noise and focus on logical solutions.

3. Cultural Transformation at DBS

  • A major achievement Gupta is proud of is the cultural shift at DBS, which he describes as agile, entrepreneurial, and technologically advanced. He highlights the bank's horizontal way of working and its embrace of digital transformation, including the deployment of 1,600 AI models.
  • He emphasises the value of building an adaptable organisation capable of evolving with emerging trends, such as generative AI.

4. Work-Life Balance and Personal Passions

  • Despite his demanding career, Gupta maintains work-life balance through meditation, yoga, and birdwatching. He reflects on his passion for nature and conservation, including his involvement with BirdLife International and the development of Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
  • He stresses the importance of having a life plan, especially as one ages, to ensure no regrets about missed opportunities.

5. Reflections on Legacy and the Future

  • Gupta is focused on ensuring a smooth transition for his successor, believing a CEO’s true legacy is reflected in the organisation’s success after they depart. He wishes his successor well and stresses the importance of maintaining organisational agility.
  • He looks forward to dedicating more time to nature conservation and education, two causes he is deeply passionate about.

 

Conclusion:

Gupta’s journey underscores the importance of resilience, adaptability, and impact-driven leadership. His commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and his plans to invest in personal passions reflect a career well-lived and a thoughtful approach to legacy.

 

Watch Full Session

 

Speaker:

  • Piyush Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, DBS Bank

Moderator:

  • Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief FinTech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore & Group Chief Executive Officer - Designate, Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)
 
 

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