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Paul CEO journey

 

From sleeping on a park bench to becoming CEO, one man’s incredible journey

Several young leaders often ask - 'How can I become CEO one day?’ Paul’s advice is simple: “Stop focusing on being a CEO and focus on your mission today and be the best in the world you can be in what you're doing right now. And the next thing will come and that's the way I've always approached it. So I don't think five years ahead or even three years ahead. Just kind of focus on the here and now and do my best.”

Multinational human resource consulting firm Randstad’s India CEO Paul Dupuis has come a long way, from having to sleep on a park bench to becoming a corporate honcho.

“It was my life savings and my backpack and yeah I had nowhere to stay. Pre-internet, you know, you don't know where to go. I had my Lonely Planet guidebook, I found a park bench and I slept on the park bench, my first night in Asia [sic],” remembers Paul, who is the first non-Indian CEO of multinational human resource consulting firm, Randstad’s India operations.

What was meant to be a six-month adventure in Asia turned into 30 years for Paul, as he climbed the corporate ladder in Asia through various roles, spanning management consulting to recruitment, all the way to the ‘corner office’. 

Several young leaders often ask - 'How can I become CEO one day?’ Paul’s advice is simple: “Stop focusing on being a CEO and focus on your mission today and be the best in the world you can be in what you're doing right now. And the next thing will come and that's the way I've always approached it. So I don't think five years ahead or even three years ahead. Just kind of focus on the here and now and do my best.”