Leading with Vision: Inside a CBO’s Journey of Growth & Transformation

Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech, in a recent conversation with Janifha Evangeline, Editor, Higher Education Review, delved into the defining moments of his leadership journey. With a career shaped by strategic vision, resilience, and an innate ability to navigate dynamic market landscapes, he shared how he transformed challenges into stepping stones for growth.

Can you walk us through your career journey from your first job to becoming a CBO? What key experiences were most instrumental in shaping your path?

Professionally, I started off as an Area Sales Manager at Phillips India after finishing my Masters in Marketing from Mumbai University. I had originally done my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering; however, I was interested in business development, operations and administration. I discovered this soon enough and pivoted early on, and that is essentially where my overall journey in sales & marketing commenced.

I feel that every company I have worked with and all the colleagues I engaged with during the tenure have been instrumental in shaping who I am today. From mentors to managers, I am fortunate to have worked with extremely talented people, across a diverse set of industries, all of which has significantly contributed to my learnings and understanding of business operations. A lot of my impactful learnings came during my time as a Partner at Friends Combine (for almost 6 years) and then the shift to Kotak Life Insurance, which was significant. While I was used to selling hard consumer durables, the shift to the services industry has been very influential on me. Today, completing over 3 decades in the professional world, I believe I have learnt the nuances of businesses - products as well as services, all of which are extremely useful at Aptech because we operate at the intersection of these two.

What specific skills did you find most important in transitioning to a CBO role, and how did you develop those skills?

Transitioning into a Chief Business Officer (CBO) role at Aptech, requires a shift from operational execution to strategic leadership. It requires taking chances, understanding your brand’s vision to the core, and investing in your teams. Some of the key skills to transition into a CBO would be:

Strategic Thinking & Vision: As a CBO, you are responsible for steering the business toward long-term success. This means looking beyond immediate targets and aligning business growth with market trends, innovation, and company objectives. Developing this requires proactively engaging with industry trends, learning and engaging with market leaders through case studies and discussions, and regularly participating in strategic/business planning sessions.

Financial Acumen: Understanding revenue models, cost structures, and profitability metrics is crucial. A CBO must make data-driven decisions that optimise financial performance. We work closely with finance teams to understand the P&L, take executive courses in new financial and technology tools if needed, and use the new tools and their learnings to simulate business outcomes.

Cross-functional Leadership: At Aptech, in my role as the CBO, we have to bridge multiple departments - sales, marketing, operations, and product teams. Effective collaboration ensures business goals are met without silos. We engage and encourage cross-departmental projects and knowledge sharing discussions, practice conflict resolution, and create alignment within internal teams through shared KPIs.

Negotiation & Stakeholder Management: Whether dealing with investors, partners, or clients, negotiation skills define a CBO’s impact. Refining this requires studying various negotiation frameworks (like BATNA), shadowing senior executives in high-stake discussions, and seeking mentorship from experts whenever required. Learning is a constant journey.

Change Management & Agility: Markets evolve whether it is adopting new tech, pivoting business models, or managing crises, a CBO must endeavour to build a culture of adaptability and accountability within the teams, stay updated on disruptive industry trends, and lead small-scale/ pilot projects to test crucial changes before full-scale implementation.

Ultimately, the transition to CBO is about shifting from managing tasks to influencing business outcomes. Hands-on experience, consistent learning, and seeking guidance from seasoned leaders can accelerate this journey. I am still learning and I see every day as a new challenge.

In your experience, how important is formal education compared to practical experience in the business world? Did any specific courses or mentorships help shape your approach as a leader?

Formal education provides a strong foundation, and practical experience is what shapes leadership in the business world. Colleges and universities are a crucial base for building your network, understanding fundamental concepts about your specific area of study and are a good starting point to enter into specialist industries. However, the scope of experience tends to be limited within the four walls of your institute. At Aptech, as India’s leading vocational training & skill building brand, we encourage the new generation who enrol across our various training brands to acquire skillsets alongside certificates/micro-credentials. This gives them a competitive edge and increases their employability quotient. I would encourage young professionals to complement their education with practical experiences – go for that internship, attend that industry seminar, build your own network and engage in personal skill building courses, to have an edge over your peers.

For me, mentorship has been instrumental. Learning from seasoned leaders - understanding how they make decisions, handle adversity, and build businesses has shaped my approach. Some of the best leadership lessons come from real conversations outside the classrooms. Additionally, peer networks, industry roundtables, and leadership forums help in staying ahead.

As a CBO, you’re likely involved in setting long-term strategic goals. How do you approach crafting a vision for the business, and how do you communicate it to your team?

Setting long-term strategic goals isn’t just about ambition - it’s also about defining a clear, actionable path that aligns with market realities, organisational strengths, and future opportunities. My approach to crafting and communicating a business vision revolves around three key principles – Clarity, Alignment, and Execution.

• Crafting the Vision: Where Strategy Meets Market Reality
  • Understanding the Landscape: Before setting a vision, I start with a deep dive into market trends, competition positioning, and emerging opportunities. This involves:
    • Analysing industry shifts and macroeconomic factors
    • Engaging with customers to understand pain points
    • Benchmarking against best-in-class companies
  • Defining the Core Strategic Pillars: A vision needs focus. I typically break it down into three to five key pillars that will drive sustainable growth. These could include:
    • Expansion into new markets or customer segments
    • Innovation in products/services
    • Operational excellence and digital transformation
    • Strengthening brand positioning and customer experience
  • Ensuring Feasibility & Buy-in: A vision must be bold but also executable. To ensure practicality, one must:
    • Align with financial realities and resource availability
    • Validate with key stakeholders—board members, leadership teams, and frontline managers
    • Incorporate flexibility to adapt to market shifts

• Communicating the Vision: Driving Alignment & Engagement
  • Simplify & Tell a Story: A vision shouldn’t just be a slide deck—it should inspire. A leader must have a compelling narrative that connects business objectives with purpose, using real-world examples and storytelling techniques.
  • Cascade through Teams: Alignment across the organization is key. This means translating high-level strategy into departmental roadmaps and individual objectives through:
    • Town halls & leadership meetings for broad alignment
    • Workshops & team discussions to break down goals into actionable steps
    • KPIs / KRAs that link strategic goals to everyday execution
  • Reinforce Consistently: A vision isn’t set-and-forget. Regular check-ins, performance reviews, and strategy recalibrations ensure the team remains focused and motivated. One can also use:
    • Data-driven dashboards for tracking progress
    • Internal storytelling (case studies, success stories) to reinforce impact

In my experience, the best strategies are those that not only inspire but also drive measurable outcomes, ensuring every team member sees their role in making it a reality.

How do you lead and manage a team of high-level executives, and what strategies do you use to ensure collaboration across departments?

‘Leading high-level executives requires trust, clear direction, and a shared vision.’ As leaders, our focus must be on empowering them with autonomy while ensuring alignment through regular strategic discussions. Open, direct communication is key - setting clear goals, removing roadblocks, and fostering a culture of accountability. Cross-departmental collaboration works best when there is a unifying objective. Establishing shared KPIs and encouraging teams though structured forums - like leadership syncs and cross-functional task forces - to break silos ensure that we exchange learnings and discuss roadblocks periodically. Conflict resolution is another proactive approach, which can lead to better and collaborative decision making that prioritises business impact over departmental interests.

What advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to become CBOs or enter senior business leadership positions? What are the most common mistakes you see up-and-coming leaders make, and how can they avoid these mistakes?

For young professionals aspiring to senior leadership, my advice is simple: think big, execute relentlessly, and stay adaptable. Master the fundamentals - strategy, finance, and leadership - but also develop the soft skills that drive influence and trust.

The most common mistake I have seen in up-and-coming leaders is chasing titles over impact. Leadership isn’t about the position; it’s about the value you create. Another misstep is failing to listen; the best decisions come from understanding perspectives beyond your own. Listen to your team, listen to our customers, and even listen to what your competition is doing!

Many underestimate the power of resilience. Growth isn’t linear, and setbacks are inevitable those who rise are the ones who keep learning, evolving, and leading with purpose.

Leading at such a high level requires immense responsibility. How do you manage work-life balance, and what strategies have helped you maintain mental and physical well-being throughout your career?

I prioritize what truly moves the needle, delegate effectively, and set non-negotiables for personal well-being. In my experience, there would be times when work takes priority over life, and at other times, your life will take priority over work. As a professional, it is about maintaining the right balance, setting healthy boundaries, and communicating your expectations clearly.

Mental and physical well-being come from discipline which includes physical exercise, mindfulness, and disconnecting when needed to gain perspective. Most importantly, I’ve learned that sustained performance isn’t about working more, but working smarter.