Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director of Perfetti Van Melle India, speaks at the 30th edition of Leadership Lecture Series at TA Pai Management Institute in Manipal.
Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director of Perfetti Van Melle India and alumnus of the Manipal-based TA Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), has urged students to take up leadership roles even when the situation is unfamiliar or uncomfortable.
Delivering the 30th edition of TAPMI’s Leadership Lecture Series in Manipal recently, he highlighted vulnerability as a modern leadership trait — showcasing courage and authenticity, especially during difficult times.
He stressed on the importance of empathy over sympathy, particularly when leading teams, while referring to the value of understanding the ground realities the team faces.
He said communication is a very crucial aspect when it comes to leadership skills – not articulation-based but accessibility-based.
Encouraging the students to develop their own leadership style, Sharma said they should learn from mentors but not imitate blindly. They should also remember that while a consistent philosophy is important, not every decision must be identical — the intent behind actions is more crucial than precedent.
On team conflict, he said productive disagreement is a sign of a healthy team, but post-decision alignment is non-negotiable. He also spoke about overcoming self-doubt, trusting experts within teams, and the need to build environments where people are naturally inspired to perform.
The 30th edition of this series was inaugurated by Rajeev Kumra, Director of TAPMI. A media statement said this session is part of a larger initiative aligned with Manipal Academy of Higher Education’s (MAHE) declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Excellence in Industry-Academia Collaborations’. Carefully curated, these sessions aim to provide students with first-hand exposure to real-world leadership insights, strategic decision-making, and sustainable business practices, it said.
Published on July 23, 2025
