Conversations in a noisy place
Public discourse has descended into the shallows. Where is the space left for citizens to engage in deeper deliberations about their future?
Arun Maira
Former Chairman, BCG India &
Member, Planning Commission
Former Member, Planning Commission of India
Former Chairman, Boston Consulting Group, India
Chairman, HelpAge International
Any discussion on policy, the future of India, and indeed the world, is enriched with Arun Maira’s views, and not just because he was a member of the Planning Commission of India for five years till June 2014. Arun is one of those rare people who have held leadership positions in both, the private as well as the public sector, bringing a unique perspective on how civil society, the government, and the private sector can work more closely to improve the world for everyone. He has led three rounds of participative and comprehensive scenario building for the future of India: in 1999 (with the Confederation of Indian Industry), 2005 (with the World Economic Forum), and 2011 (with the Planning Commission).
In his career spanning five decades, Arun has led several organisations, including the Boston Consulting Group in India, where he was chairman for eight years till 2008. He was also the chairman of Axis Bank Foundation and Save the Children, India. He was a board member of the India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, and the UN Global Compact, and WWF India.
In the early part of his career, he spent 25 years in the Tata group at various important positions. He was also a member of the Board of Tata Motors (then called TELCO). After leaving the Tatas, Arun joined Arthur D Little Inc (ADL), the international management consultancy, in the US, where he advised companies across sectors and geographies on their growth strategies and handling transformational change.
Recognising his astute understanding of both macro as well as micro policy issues, Arun has been involved in several government committees and organisations, including the National Innovation Council. He has been on the board of several companies as well as educational institutions and has chaired several national committees of the Confederation of Indian Industries.
In 2009, Arun was appointed as a member of the Planning Commission (now replaced by the NITI Aayog), which is led by the Prime Minister of India. At this minister-level position, he led the development of strategies for the country on issues relating to industrialisation and urbanisation. He also advised the Commission on its future role.
With his vast experience and expertise, Arun is indeed a thought leader. He is invited to speak at various forums and has written several books that capture his insights.
His most recent book, A Billion Fireflies: Critical Conversations to Shape a New Post-Pandemic World and Transforming Systems: Why the World Needs a New Ethical Toolkit before that, talk about how systemic problems of social inequality and environmental unsustainability are becoming intolerable. Prevalent precepts of good business management and best practices in government as well as civil society organisations are failing the needs of humanity. This calls for a whole new toolkit founded on systems thinking, ethical reasoning and deep listening. And that civil society, government and private companies need to work together to encourage a variety of local systems solutions for deep-rooted issues that impact different communities differently.
His previous books include An Upstart in Government: Journeys of Change and Learning (2016); Redesigning the Aeroplane While Flying: Reforming Institutions (2014); Remaking India: One Country, One Destiny; Transforming Capitalism: Improving the World for Everyone; Shaping the Future: Aspirational Leadership in India and Beyond; and Listening for Well-Being: Conversations with People Not Like Us (2017).
My contributions
45 articles written
Economies of scope: Singapore’s alternative approach to progress
In the relatively short time since it became independent in 1965, Singapore has made giant strides. The country illustrates well the power of local systems solutions, purpose-driven networks, and inducing all parts of the government and all stakeholders to work together
An ethical toolkit for systems transformers
Sustainable progress of humanity requires a new toolkit with three disciplines: systems thinking, ethical reasoning, and collaborative enterprise design
Private profit vs. public good: A case for repurposing capitalist enterprises
Private business corporations, the central tool of capitalism, need reform. We need to rethink the purpose of the corporation, the principle of limited liability, and the idea of who owns the enterprise
The McKinsey case and consulting’s ethical dilemma
The case is symptomatic of a wider issue: in the race to generate wealth for their partners, are management consulting firms in danger of losing sight of their original purpose—to be trusted advisors to CEOs?
Capitalism vs democracy: Consumers vs citizens
Beneath the economic and political rumbles around the world lies a deeper conflict between these sets of ideas
Who will robots and elephants vote for: Donald Trump or Xi Jinping?
Data can tell us much and the capabilities of AI are improving exponentially. But how do you get deep insights and how do you know the right things to do? Five books offer some pointers
Learning to learn
What colleges and business schools teach is becoming outdated rapidly in a dynamically changing world. They need to include systems thinking and deep listening as foundational disciplines to prepare students to be life-long learners
The purpose of the enterprise
Businesses, and inventors in technologies, must be held accountable for the impacts their products have on the lives of their customers and on societies. We must ask, why is this to be done? Who will benefit? Who may be harmed by it?
Will technology destroy democracy?
Job destruction, fake news, polarisation. Rapid advances in technology are blamed for these. Is that claim justified? Are other factors at play? Who will regulate technology?