Rowing his way to glory: LexisNexis Risk Solutions MD on how boat riding helps him solve business challenges

Like most CEOs, Shivakumar Shankar, Managing Director-India, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, spends a lot of time travelling for work. But one trip that always features on his calendar: a visit to the Madras Boat Club in Chennai.

“Chennai is not just home but also a strong rowing hub in India,” said Shankar who is an amateur rower and who makes it a point to visit the Southern city at least once a week to indulge in his passion for amateur rowing.

“I have been actively involved in this sport for the last seven years,” he told ET Panache. “I initially started as an alternative to running but over a period of time the sport grew on me.”


Matching Energies

For Shankar, the hardest thing to master was synchronisation as a team. “Synchronising as a team and whole body coordination takes time. It took me more than 30 to 40 sessions to master this,” he recalled.

“Much like the solution to any business challenge, the key to effective rowing is (achieving) a perfect balance that comes out of total team coordination and (following) a plan that you stick to. You learn to be disciplined & focused on the plan.”

While Shankar is a part of the Madras Boat Club and represents them in events, one rowing challenge that’s still on his bucket list is the annual World Masters where participants compete with the best amateur rowers across the world.