Trial by fire: Randstad India CEO's first job at a Chrysler factory taught him resilience

Paul Dupuis dresses smart in sleek suits and polished shoes, but feels right at home with a hard hat. The Randstad India CEO started his career at the age of 18 working in the Chrysler plant as a welder.

“I worked at the start of the assembly line in the welding department. It was known as the toughest place in the factory,” he says.

But Dupuis loved it. “There’s something zen-like with welding. When you get it just right, it’s a feeling of fulfilment. When things are coming down the line, you get into a rhythm and it felt great,” he adds.


Apart from the blazing heat and the off chance that sparks would enter your suit (“They dance around in there and burn you – I’ve experienced that a few times,” he says), the factory was a huge learning curve for Dupuis.

“It taught me about hard work, accountability, resilience and very importantly, how to pace yourself.”