CEO & Board of Directors
Leadership perspectives: A conversation with SP Shukla
Heidrick & Struggles’ Suresh Raina & Deepti Agarwal speak with SP Shukla about effective board leadership and find out what it takes for Indian companies to succeed on a global stage.
October 19, 2026
15m to watch
SP Shukla is a corporate director in India with more than four decades of experience across diverse industries, including defence and aerospace. He held senior executive and board leadership roles across the Mahindra Group, with experience spanning strategy, business operations and large-scale projects. Until his recent retirement, he served as chairman of the boards of several Mahindra Group companies, including Mahindra Defence Systems, Mahindra Aerostructures and Mahindra Telephonics, as well as businesses across automotive, micro irrigation and special steels.
In this video, SP Shukla shares what effective board leadership looks like. He discusses the board’s
role as friend, philosopher, and guide, the importance of trust in board–executive relationships, and
how constructive questioning can strengthen investment decisions. The conversation examines how
boards can balance support with challenge, respect management’s judgment, and help create the
conditions for sustained growth and long-term global success.
