We recently caught up with our new Group Leader, Harsha Ramanan, to find out a bit more about him and his background. He shares an insight into his varied and impressive career path and reveals his top book/podcast recommendations.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background
I was born and raised in India. Chennai is my hometown, however, I moved all around India for school and university. I came to the UK for my MBA and ended up staying here!
I have worked for over 20 years; initially I was a software engineer, then became a management consultant solving some of the most interesting commercial problems, after which I moved over to the other side taking line management roles at a travel technology & services firm. For the past 5 years, I have been an investor and portfolio manager. I could say 4 careers in one life!
What do you enjoy most about your role at Vesta?
I am enjoying learning the Vesta playbook that is based on acquiring & growing 900+ companies. I’ve also enjoyed meeting and working with the portfolio companies of Vesta, and I’m excited about the opportunity to grow the group over time.
What are your top three books / podcasts?
‘When breath becomes air’ by Paul Kalanithi (recent favourite on all things life), ‘Papillon’ by Henri Charriere and a wide range of BBC podcasts such as ‘People Fixing The World’, ‘The Food Chain’ etc.
What do you enjoy doing out of work?
There is nothing better than spending time with my family.
Who inspires you?
It’s hard to pick one person as it’s different people for different times and at different stages of my life. Let’s talk about this over a coffee!
If you could learn to do absolutely anything, what would it be?
I wish I could play a musical instrument – guitar maybe! Alternatively, I can settle for teleportation.
What is your favourite quote?
“To infinity and beyond”, Buzz Lightyear.
