Raja Venkateswara
Raja got over the popular misconception that Chemical Engineering has something to do with ethanol, chemistry, iron oxidisation or building water pipelines, realizing that it is actually a deadly tangle of hyper-convoluted math designed to melt young brains just before the end-semester exam. His skills (?) won him key roles at Wall Street firms, emerging tech firms and old-fashioned global financial services firms. The University of Chicago and IE Business School and his senior leadership roles helped him morph from an engineer and technology strategist to a consultant armed with a lethal armoury of cliched frameworks (5C / 4P / 7S / 9Z … whatever) and threaten mankind’s sanity. Advised insurance, banking and hi-tech firms, even led a couple. A few years later he ended up as a slave to PowerPoint, without hope of liberation in this lifetime. In his industry addresses, Raja is often tempted to say something profound such as: “Visionary leader with XX years’ experience of saving humanity”. But he usually spares folks the agony… The truth is that after many detours and experiments in life, he finds himself an author! Twice over!!
Most importantly, Raja has survived getting educated at four global institutions, backpacking across the Amazon jungles, climbing some seriously tall peaks, and bitten by a few snakes and piranhas.
He is reachable on Raja@Venkateswar.com.
Who I am
Leadership, Management and strategy
Raja is an experienced CXO, Board Advisor and investor distinguished by strong financial services background, strategic application of emerging technologies, consulting experience, and operational leadership. Over two plus decades, Raja held leadership roles with global financial services firms (MetLife, Westpac etc.), large technology services and platform providers (HCL, Infosys) and incubated start-ups to acquisition
Speaker, Board Member, Consultant
Raja is a sought-after interim CXO, business leadership coach, speaker and mentor. His management and leadership philosophies are rooted in empathy, humility and long-term vision. He is the author of the innovative employee management philosophy of 4E and 4Rs
Author
The first one Memories, Movies Management first published in Nov 2023, delves into his cinematic memories, reflecting on films that deeply impacted him. Reader reviews include “Deep & humorous, Raja’s book is an easy read with profound insights” by Simon McNamara and “Wisdom & humour, like Raja himself” by Barbara Ward. delves into his cinematic memories, reflecting on films that deeply impacted him. He combines these insights to his own experiences in management, dissecting real-life case studies to unveil unconventional yet invaluable leadership lessons, often absent from the conventional boardroom curriculum.
The second one Around Varanasi in Assi Days published by Rupa is available for pre-order. It is a story of transformation—from a naïve, stuttering bundle of nerves to a confident and eloquent young man. Packed with colourful Indian idioms, quirky anecdotes and a dash of madness, this novel is your ticket to a time when ambition and tradition collided in the most entertaining ways. Buckle up for a fun-filled romp through a world where dreams come true—but not without a few bumps along the way!
Raja is presently working towards his new books, Darshana – the science behind Hinduism’s spirituality for release in December 2025 and Calcutta – the unmaking of the Raj slated for release in end 2026.
My friends tell me that the one thing that defines me is my insatiable curiosity. I am intensely curious and love the whole process of learning. This has probably defined my life the most which has been a great roller coaster ride meandering through four leading global institutions, through a dozen countries where I have worked or consulted in and a further eighty odd where I traveled for work or pleasure.
