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The power of listening – A leader’s journey in allyship at ABB

When Vasanth Ramadoss speaks about leadership, he doesn’t begin with systems, processes, or even success. He begins with equality. “The first act of leadership is belief; the first failure is bias.”

Vasanth Ramadoss, Head of CFIN (Central Finance), India
After more than a decade at ABB across the UK and India, Vasanth believes allyship is not an add-on - it is a leadership responsibility. As the Head of CFIN, one of ABB’s key global finance platforms, he leads with one conviction: innovation thrives when every voice is heard, respected, and empowered.

Learning to see through more than one lens
Returning to India after 15 years in the UK meant stepping into a workplace shaped by different expectations, communication styles, and generational diversity. “The way of working in the UK and India is very different. It took time to understand how conversations land in different cultures,” he shares. He also stepped into a workplace shaped by a new generation of talent: curious, fast, and direct. Leading them required flexibility, not authority, openness, not assumptions. That mindset now shapes how he sees allyship.
A leader, he believes, must be willing to examine their own assumptions, especially around gender.

Championing women leaders — because representation matters
Throughout his time at ABB UK, Vasanth worked with strong women leaders who shaped not only his projects but his perspective on equality. One CHO, he recalls fondly, was a key mentor, someone whose pride in his growth stayed with him. “She was one of the first people I called when I got this role, and her reaction meant a great deal to me.”

Today, he continues that belief in his own team. While building the CFIN India team from scratch, he prioritized diversity, including strengthening the team with diverse talent, among them a lead functional architect he describes as “absolutely phenomenal." For him, this is about building stronger teams and better outcomes.

“When people with different backgrounds and perspectives come together, ideas become stronger, smarter, and more innovative..”

“You need to hear people — and listen”
As ABB continues to expand CFIN and strengthen its global data landscape, Vasanth continues to shape a team culture grounded in empathy and equality. He believes the simplest leadership principle is also the hardest to practice, and the most transformative. “You need to hear people - and truly listen. That’s where real leadership begins.”

If Vasanth’s story resonates with you this International Women’s Day, choose allyship in action — and help build workplaces where every voice can thrive
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