Vivek Chaand Sehgal, the 66-year-old co-founder of Motherson group, has emerged from a humble background to being one of the most influential personalities in the global automotive sector. Sehgal was born on September 28, 1956 in Delhi, India, and his journey to success is a clear example of entrepreneurship.
Sehgal has received his education at Birla Public School, Pilani, Rajasthan and has done his bachelor’s degree from the University of Delhi. He started his career with a salary of Rs 2,500 in the early 1970s; however, his initial business was trading in silver when he was 18 years old. Born on 18/04/1957, he started Motherson in 1975 with his late mother, Shrimati Swaran Lata Sehgal and initially the company was into the business of silver trading.
But over time the silver trade industry dwindled and Sehgal had to change his strategy and thus made a strategic move to venture into the automobile business. This strategic shift indeed turned out to be a game changer and helped Motherson to emerge as a global giant. The company’s first steps into auto components were in 1986 when it formed a joint venture with Sumitomo Wiring Systems of Japan, and which set the stage for a strong growth into the automotive business.
Since the time Sehgal took the reign of Motherson Group, the company has expanded significantly. He is the chairman of Samvardhana Motherson Group and the group is spread across 41 countries with more than 350 manufacturing units and, 1,35,000 plus employees. The group’s product offering include wiring harnesses, vision systems, modules, and polymer products for prestigious carmakers like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.
Sehgal has been appreciated for his entrepreneurial skills at international level. In 2016, he received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in India and his wealth is estimated at USD 4.8 billion as of 2023 making him one of the richest persons in the world.
Today Sehgal is not only one of the most famous Indians but also the richest Indian in Australia. His philosophy on business strategy, as shared in an interview, underscores his customer-centric approach: ‘We don’t strategise. ’ Strategies are for your customer,’ let him strategise. ’ You have to understand that your strategy will always disrupt the customer’s strategy. ’ That is why, not having a strategy is a great strategy. ’
