Nestlé India's M Suresh Narayanan Shares Crisis Leadership Insights at XLRI

Leadership in Times of Crisis

During an engaging session at XLRI Jamshedpur’s CXO Series, M Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé India, shared his experiences navigating the 2015 Maggi crisis. He offered valuable lessons on leadership under pressure, emphasizing values, transparency, and data-driven decision-making. A particularly memorable moment included a respectful gesture during the lamp-lighting ceremony.

Narayanan’s talk focused on a six-point crisis management framework: clarity, rigorous assessment, strategic planning, verified facts, accountability, and logic over emotion. He encouraged authenticity, empathy, and presence, highlighting the importance of values-based leadership.