Dhiraj Kumar Nayak
From Vision to Value: Building Businesses and Growth Engines
About me
I’m a high-agency, growth-obsessed business leader with over a decade of experience navigating the thrilling world of business operations, enterprise strategy, business development, and program management—across B2C, enterprise, and government sectors. Basically, if there’s a problem to solve or a market to unlock, I’m already sketching out the solution (and probably building the team to do it). Over the years, I’ve led high-impact teams across north, east, and south India, managed full P&L ownership, and survived (and thrived in) everything from tax regime changes (hello, GST!) to digital overhauls and 0-to-1 product launches—all without losing my sanity or my calendar color codes.
Currently, I’m Assistant Vice President at The Manipal Group, where I simultaneously manage the P&L for one vertical and build a national sales team from scratch for another. It’s equal parts strategy, hustle, and leadership yoga.
On the academic front, I hold a PGDM in Marketing from IMT Ghaziabad, an Executive PGP in Data Science from IIIT Bangalore, and—because sleep is clearly overrated—I’m about to start my Executive PhD. Lifelong learner? Check. Glutton for intellectual punishment? Also check.
And if that weren’t enough, I’m currently charting expansion into the UAE, Africa, and Nepal, because why think local when you can think continental?
The journey is the reward
- Steve Jobs
"
"
🎉 What I Bring to the Table
(Besides travel itineraries, unforgettable parties, and a distinctive gifting instinct)
📦 Business & Product Leadership
I have successfully built and expanded businesses across diverse industries and geographies, consistently achieving double-digit EBITDA performance. My leadership spans the full product lifecycle, from conceptualization to launch, ensuring market fit and long-term success. I’ve also established alternative revenue streams, addressed high-impact business challenges, and led organizations through complex transitions, including legal shifts, compliance overhauls, and restructuring.
⚙️ Program & Operations Excellence
With a focus on operational efficiency, I’ve driven initiatives to streamline SOPs, automate workflows, and strengthen knowledge systems. I’ve implemented innovative business models that enhanced market competitiveness and broadened reach, both horizontally and vertically. I take ownership of mission-critical programs, ensuring they are executed with precision to meet timelines, optimize cost structures, and exceed SLA expectations.
🧭 Strategy & Digital Transformation
I’ve enabled organizations to develop defensible strategic positions and introduced interventions that improved customer retention and operational agility. As a digital transformation leader, I’ve championed the adoption of enterprise-grade systems, including bid management platforms and project tools, while leveraging technologies such as Jira, Tableau, Power BI, and SQL to inform strategic decision-making.
💬 Customer Advocacy
I build and sustain strong client relationships that result in high retention and recurring business. My approach combines empathetic leadership with a commitment to resolving challenges swiftly—even those beyond conventional scope—while managing complex stakeholder environments with clarity and composure.
🏛️ GovTech & Compliance Expertise
I bring deep expertise in navigating the public sector landscape, having led multiple successful GovTech product launches through RFPs, RFQs, EOIs, GeM, and single-source procurements. I provide strategic guidance on regulatory compliance and stakeholder alignment, enabling organizations to effectively position solutions within complex government ecosystems.
Driving Impact: From Rural Roads to Digital Codes
✅ Led program management for the successful launch of ‘Namma BMTC’ mobile & AVLS apps under the Karnataka Nirbhaya Project – Manipal Technologies Ltd.
✅ Digitized the State Excise Retail Ecosystem with a B2B SaaS platform tracking 35 Cr+ liquor bottles monthly – Manipal Technologies Ltd.
✅ Exceeded revenue targets by 112% for FNC, the annual flagship event – Finitiatives Learning India Pvt. Ltd.
✅ Boosted rural reach by 17% in Odisha through a Cycle Salesman initiative & Hub-Spoke model – DFM Foods Ltd.
✅ Trained & managed teams of 73+ across diverse functions & geographies – cross-functional chaos, expertly handled!
Crucibles of Leadership
Some critical experiences that have shaped me ... (Click to expand)
Professional Journey
Beyond the Boardroom
When I’m not in meetings, leading teams, or plotting business growth across continents, I’m probably somewhere on two wheels—having motorcycled over 600,000 km across 27 Indian states and union territories. I consider this both market research and therapy.
I’m a cinephile with 2,000+ movies and 100+ series under my belt (no spoilers, I play fair), a bilingual poet who switches between Hindi and English depending on mood and metaphor, and an achromatic abstract painter—because sometimes, color just feels like too much commitment.
I collect watches, not because I’m obsessed with time, but because I like mastering it. I also geek out over riding gear and accessories like most people geek out over tech. Yes, I have strong opinions on visors.
I’m a logophile (lover of words), an extrovert by design, and a storyteller by instinct—whether it's pitching a new vertical or narrating a road trip gone sideways. I’m currently learning how to cook regional Indian dishes and mix cocktails that could hold their own at a speakeasy, because spreadsheets are cool, but so is saffron-infused gin.
In short: I believe in leading with intention, living with intensity, and occasionally spicing it all up with a good biryani.