Leaders with the kind of experience Girish Mavath Ramachandran has can propel success in this profession in a constantly changing corporate landscape. With over three decades of expertise in audit and Consultancy services, Girish Mavath Ramachandran, the CEO and Co-founder of IRGA, distinguishes himself with a vision of ‘Rebuilding Humanity’.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Girish to delve into his journey so far. In this insightful interview, the CEO shares his career journey and early life and visions for his company. He also shares his perspective on developing teamwork and unity alongside sharing some valuable suggestions for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Join us as we explore the visions and minds of Girish Mavath Ramachandran who is a leading figure in the agritech industry.
The Beginning
We were curious to learn more about Girish Mavath Ramachandran. So, we started the interview by asking, “Can you please provide us with some information about yourself, including your early life and education?”
Girish responds, “My background is in the audit line and I graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury. I started my career with Ernst and Young, being involved mainly in Audit, Finance, and Corporate Restructuring. I later joined RSM International and headed up their consulting operations here in Malaysia before partnering with EC Harris and supporting business development initiatives with Arcadis NV. In 2018, I started 27 Group, a boutique business consultancy with a network of leading industry professionals to do consultancy and project management the right way, with a vision of ‘Rebuilding Humanity’.
Over the past three decades, I’ve been involved in a wide range of consultancy engagements in projects with transaction values exceeding RM 1 billion. My experience has included everything from business viability reviews to due diligence exercises, masterplan developments, and consultancy projects for large-scale Government-level initiatives.
Some of the key projects I have been involved in include supporting the masterplan development for the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), the development of a Smart City Framework for Malaysia, and a socioeconomic study for a High-Speed Rail Link between Singapore and Malaysia. In 2018, as part of the business development initiative under 27 Group, we considered the potential for a business enterprise that leveraged technology to drive operational efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in the agricultural sector.”
He added, “Having been exposed to the plantation sector from childhood through my family’s close involvement over two generations, I had developed a firm understanding of some of the challenges involved at the ground level along with becoming increasingly aware of the macro-level challenges faced by the industry. Thus, the concept of IRGA was born, in which my team and I conducted the necessary research and due diligence to put together an organization that could effectively leverage technologies in the 4IR segment as well as funnel industry best practices to deliver high-quality products and services to agribusiness clients.
Over the past 5 years, we have been developing these products and services by engaging in extensive R&D efforts to effectively meet the challenges faced by our clients and improve their overall performance. Also, I regularly attend and speak at conferences in the ASEAN region to engage in knowledge sharing for the built environment sector, as well as corporate performance and strategic planning initiatives. I also sit on the Malaysian India Business Council (MIBC) as a governing council member and am the investment committee lead for the Malaysian Inclusive Entrepreneurs Cooperative (KUIMB).”
More About IRGA And Its Presence
Eager to learn more about the presence of Girish Mavath Ramachandran’s business in the Singapore region, we inquired, “Could you tell us about your company and its presence in the Singapore region?”
He passionately responds, “IRGA is an agritech enabler and solutions provider that leverages technologies in the 4IR sector to provide clients with effective ground-level solutions that resolve challenges and improve overall performance. By utilizing available technologies in areas such as AI, Digitalisation, IoT, Robotics, Machine Vision, and Mechanisation, IRGA provides a comprehensive framework of solutions to increase our client’s efficiency, productivity, and sustainability metrics.
Our company also provides agribusiness consultancy support, through an IRGA Advisory service referred to as Plantation Transformation. Here, we provide clients with comprehensive support in adopting the necessary tools, technologies, and practices, which put them into touch with value-driven outcomes. A major sector that we are currently targeting is the palm oil industry. We have thus developed several product innovations leveraging digitalization and mechanization technologies to support clients in the plantation industry, including a digital plantation management system called iPLANT, a precision electrical palm oil harvesting cutter, the ECUT ACE, as well as an electrical and mechanized agricultural goods evacuator, the EVAC 180.”
“The team has had experience serving Singaporean clients in the past, and we are confident that our agile team and unique blend of expertise positions us well to deliver high-quality consultancy services for the Singapore market. Some of our past experiences in Singapore include a cost-benefit analysis on the Tuas Port Gateway, a financial feasibility study for advanced industrial plants, and a market entry study for recycling players. Besides, we are also actively exploring opportunities within the Indonesian region, particularly within the natural environment and agrifood business sectors.
IRGA intends to extend the delivery of its products and services to agribusiness clients in Indonesia, and has been working closely with our representatives there to coordinate our business activities and improve the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of our client’s operations in the region.” He added.
Yearly Achievements
We were eager to delve deeper into the company’s recent growth and progress. So, we asked, “How has the year been for your company in terms of overall performance and achievements?”
Girish shared, “2023 was a strong year for IRGA as we launched several of our mechanized agritech products. In June, we launched the ECUT ACE Precision Electrical Harvesting Cutter at the International Planters Conference (IPC2023) which was held at the Royal Chulan Hotel. This is a revolutionary piece of technology that was designed and engineered to boost the efficiency of harvesting operations.
Besides that, we also launched the iPLANT plantation management system, which is a comprehensive business management system designed to improve the operational efficiency of plantation operations; it covers activities ranging from field operations, to weighbridge activities to mill performance, ensuring process efficiency and sustainability boost productivity. The company also had a product launch for the EVAC 180, our electrical and motorized wheelbarrow which is designed to boost the operational efficiency of fieldwork, here with regards to the transportation of palm oil Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) in the field.”
He continued, “The launch of the above-mentioned products was indeed well received. We received a considerably large number of orders for the EVAC 180 alone within the first two weeks of the product’s launch, demonstrating a clear demand in the industry for adopting products that effectively leverage technology to resolve present-day challenges. We strongly believe that our innovative technology-driven products will serve as an effective transition mechanism for the plantation industry, allowing it to transform into a high-technology and highly skilled sector in the years to come.
IRGA continues to grow as an operation and is continuously engaged in product development efforts to improve the quality of solutions that we can provide to clients within the sector. We have our sights set on several avenues for innovation which we will be exploring in 2024, and we will also be continuing to engage clients in the industry to provide IRGA Advisory’s Plantation Transformation service.”
Unique Aspects Of IRGA
Curious to learn what sets IRGA apart from others in this region, we asked, “In the current competitive market, what does your business offer that sets it apart from others?”
Girish responded enthusiastically, “As a solutions provider for the agricultural sector, IRGA’s key selling point is our ability to deliver technology-driven products and solutions to clients within the sector. Our product development efforts, as mentioned, are done in a highly targeted manner, in which we conduct extensive research into the ground-level challenges experienced by our clients in the sector.
We also offer our advisory-based Plantation Transformation service. In this regard, the IRGA’s competitive strength is that we have access to a wide range of industry experts and professionals with extensive experience in areas such as research analytics, plantation management, and project management. This allows us to provide a high caliber of consultancy support to our clients, as we can leverage this expertise when providing our solutions.
The chairman of our organization, for instance, is a 60-year veteran of the palm oil plantations sector and is one of the founder members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). He has participated in various industry-level conferences and engagements, and has an extensive understanding of factors relating to plantation productivity and sustainability factors.”
He added, “IRGA aims to deliver a comprehensive ecosystem of technologically driven solutions, encompassing technologies from digitization to mechanization and robotics. They aim to equip clients with end-to-end technology solutions for increased productivity and sustainability. IRGA also supports the agricultural sector to meet global goals for food security and climate change, ensuring productivity levels are safeguarded for future generations’ health and safety.
IRGA is aware of the global impact of climate change and the need to support industry transitions towards mitigation and sustainability. We also emphasize the importance of ESG standards in our product and service solutions. By implementing these standards, IRGA can differentiate itself from other agribusiness companies and help clients achieve higher productivity and sustainability.”
Building Teamwork and Unity
To understand Girish Mavath Ramachandran’s insight on team dynamics, we questioned, “What measures do you believe employees and organizations can take to build effective teamwork and foster unity within the workplace?”
Girish passionately responds, “Fostering environments in the workplace that promote unity is certainly something that all organizations should continuously aspire towards. Whether this is done through weekly or monthly group huddles, periodic team-building exercises, or regular gatherings throughout the calendar year, such activities are necessary for ensuring that team members are well-integrated and performing to their best capabilities.
It is also important for organizational heads to invest the necessary resources to ensure that teams are set up in a way that brings out the best strengths of individual members while at the same time creating the necessary collaborative dynamics that promote fluidity, efficiency, and productivity. Companies also need to create diversity within their organizations by hiring employees from varying backgrounds, complementing their professional skills and capacities.
Open communication within an organization is crucial for management and team members to understand roles and expectations. Employees should be transparent in communicating their needs to management; they should feel heard and able to communicate their needs openly and effectively. Technology can also foster collaboration by enabling task automation and internal communication.”
Advice For Startups
Lastly, addressing the aspiring entrepreneurs, we inquired, “Do you have any advice or tips for startups looking to follow a similar pathway to your company’s success?”
Offering his perspective, Girish shared, “I would say that at the outset, you must first ensure that you conduct the necessary research and due diligence at the earliest opportunity. Getting a firm understanding of the needs of the sector you are involved in is vital, as this will inform all your future product or service developments, especially within the first 3-5 years.
Next, you need to assemble a team that can competently deliver on the company’s short-term and long-term aspirations. Resource management is also another crucial factor. You need to be able to identify the specific resources that are vital to your organization and determine how to best leverage and deploy them to achieve your company’s objectives. Whether this is in terms of your team’s skills and expertise, the technology that you are leveraging to support your organization’s goals, or the unique operating model of your business, understanding your organization’s key strengths and utilizing them in strategic and effective ways is vital to achieving success.
These are just some of the areas that are necessary to consider when putting a start-up together. In general, though, I would say that as a business leader, you need to ensure that you keep a firm understanding of the market that you are operating in and that you remain agile and adaptable in terms of addressing challenges and navigating the various issues and risks involved.
Follow Girish Mavath Ramachandran on LinkedIn.
Find IRGA on LinkedIn and visit their website https://www.irga.ag.
Also Read:
Comprehensive Digital CRM Consultancy With Audience IQ: Russell Conrad
Drinkable Tap Water in Singapore Requires no Additional Filtration Devices
