Vishal Jana holds the position of group manager at ABB Bangalore. After earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the National Institute of Technology Surat in 2004, Vishal began his career as a graduate engineer trainee at a steel company, specialising in maintenance. In 2006, he moved to ABB Process Automation, Metals where he and his team focus on delivering optimised automation solutions and drives for the metal industry. 

“From an organisation with only around 50 employees when INOPC was established in India in 2005, it has now witnessed remarkable growth to more than 1200+ professionals.” Reflecting on his role as a lead for R&D and product management, he shares, “Aligning the aspirations and goals of team members with the overall objectives of the organization is no simple task. Everyone is unique, and we each have different strengths and weaknesses that evolve based on circumstances.” The diversification of the teams’ functions became possible through the trust built over the years and ABB’s recognition of the team’s potential and capabilities. 

Vishal recounts a challenging project where ABB demonstrated unwavering support for the team. “There had been a misalignment in expectations of the production capacity upon updating the customer’s plant automation system. When the customer escalated concerns to the highest levels, the management supported us and took all the blows.” Despite the project extending beyond the initially anticipated timeline, the outcome was record-breaking monthly production for the customer, and pre-existing issues were successfully resolved. “The positive feedback, for me, is something more valuable than the short-term impression.” 

Among his proudest moments is the successful upgrade of a competitor’s control system and drive to ABB. This achievement held personal significance, as the very system he once maintained during his early years as a graduate engineer trainee, was now being replaced with ABB. “I remember reading those manuals and trying to understand how this machine works, and ten years later I’m completely replacing it. That is a proud moment for me.” 

For Vishal, ABB’s enduring appeal lies in the freedom it offers and the people. “With satisfied employees, the results will inevitably follow. Walking into an office where everyone loves what they are doing and collaboratively works towards the same goal is what keeps me going. Moreover, in ABB, it’s an ocean of knowledge and we are allowed to operate the business with certain freedom.” In 2018, Vishal left ABB for a year to venture into entrepreneurship with his startup. “The management was supportive and encouraging. Despite my startup not unfolding as anticipated, the lessons learned during that brief venture are invaluable, and I do not regret taking the leap.”

“During my college years, commuting between Vadodara and Surat, I’d see the ABB factory from the train. My friends and I would often say, ‘That’s the company we want to work for someday.’ It’s astonishing how things unfolded, and now I find myself working at ABB. Whether destiny or coincidence, ending up at the company I aspired to be a part of is deeply fulfilling.”