Every generation produces a certain number of business executives; some are market experts, while others use audacious ideas and unwavering perseverance to create empires. However, a small number of people go beyond traditional success metrics, changing not only through strategy or profit but also in that crucial area where vision and execution collide, where profit and purpose coexist harmoniously, and where leaders who dare to rethink what organizations can actually become shape the future. This exceptional group of leaders includes Kishor Jagirdar.
For more than three decades, Kishor has delicately navigated the converging realms of business transformation, innovation, and social impact, not as isolated challenges but as interconnected dimensions of a singular philosophy that guides his work. As Chairman and Managing Director of Infopace Management Pvt Ltd, Kishor’s career centers on one deeply human question: How do we create change that not only drives business forward but also elevates the people within? Early on, he discovered that sustainable transformation doesn’t arise solely from optimizing structures or processes but from deeply understanding the human dynamics that can either accelerate or sabotage every effort. Where consultants traditionally diagnose and depart, Kishor chooses to stay, to co-create, to nurture, and to own outcomes alongside the organizations and people he serves. This commitment has helped build not just a successful enterprise but an entire ecosystem of businesses, startups, and leaders who embrace change not as disruption but as a strategic advantage.
Foundations of Discipline and Vision
Kishor’s intellectual foundations are rooted in multidisciplinary learning. It’s a powerful lens that enables him to view challenges from economic, marketing, and human resources perspectives simultaneously. Holding an MA in Economics, an MBA in Marketing, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management, complemented by credentials as a Global Certified Sales Specialist, Kishor’s academic arsenal reflects the breadth of tools he leverages in his work.
His professional journey began humbly as a management trainee at Pinnacle Group, where he encountered a persistent paradox: organizations often knew what they should do but struggled to translate plans into action. Consulting firms came with sharp analysis and sound strategy, only to exit, leaving transformations stalled. This disconnect puzzled Kishor deeply. He recognized that strategy alone could not overcome the emotional and psychological resistance inherent in change. Teams didn’t resist logic; they resisted uncertainty about the journey ahead.
This early revelation shaped a transformational insight for Kishor: expertise alone never drives transformation, empathy does. Shifting from merely analyzing quantitative data to decoding human stories and unspoken fears altered the trajectory of his leadership philosophy, rooting it firmly in people-centric approaches and emotional intelligence.
The Entrepreneurial Leap: Building a Platform That Matters
In 1999, Kishor took a defining leap, co-founding Infopace Management Pvt Ltd with a mission far broader than traditional consulting metrics. Initially launched as BSG-Tack, serving as the Indian master franchise, the company offered go-to-market support with soft-landing strategies for ANZ, NAFTA, and OECD nations. Yet the deeper goal was empowerment- helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) succeed with comprehensive, hands-on management consulting that extended beyond diagnostic reports.
The timing was crucial. India’s economy, still adapting post-liberalization, saw SMEs struggling to compete internationally. Large corporations had resources and access to premium consulting; SMEs did not. Infopace stepped into this void, pioneering India’s first strategic change management firm designed precisely around SME needs.
What motivated Kishor most was closing the gap between knowing and doing, between strategy formulation and on-ground execution. He envisioned a consulting model that owned outcomes, stayed deeply involved throughout the journey, and treated transformation not just as a business discipline but as a human-centered endeavour. Rooted in the founding conviction that “Information is Power,” Infopace navigated market upheavals like the dot-com bust, recessions, and rapid technological shifts. Over two decades later, this conviction has evolved into a robust framework that connects business goals with social impact, community development, and ecosystem health.
The Philosophy: When Purpose and Profit Unite
The core of Kishor’s work is a unifying philosophy: growth must be both purposeful and sustainable. Transformation transcends being a mere corporate exercise. It is an opportunity to build lasting value for all stakeholders- individuals, organizations, and society alike. His method transforms barriers into opportunities and converts complexity into clear, actionable pathways.
This approach operates on three pillars:
- Purpose before process: Effective change begins with clarity of purpose. When stakeholders deeply understand why transformation matters, execution flows more seamlessly. Failures often stem not from weak methodologies but from stakeholders’ lack of emotional connection to the initiative’s intent.
- Innovation that solves real problems: Innovation is not about chasing the latest tech buzz but about addressing tangible pain points with human-centric solutions. Measurable impact matters more than flashy capabilities. The most enduring innovations solve practical problems, empowering both customers and organizations.
- Impact that scales: Social impact is not a side project, but a strategic imperative woven into every business decision. Thriving ecosystems of teams, communities, and partners fuel stronger business performance. Purpose amplifies profitability rather than competing with it.
This philosophy crystallizes into one guiding principle: build value that is profitable, ethical, and enduring. By harmonizing profit and purpose, Kishor has created a blueprint where doing well and doing good become the same.
Leadership: Balancing Vision with Ground Realities
Kishor’s leadership style embodies an artful balance, holding long-term vision while remaining grounded in day-to-day realities. Vision without execution becomes fantasy; execution without vision is directionless activity. The leader’s task is to steward both boldly and pragmatically.
He devotes time to shaping strategic direction and anticipating market shifts. Yet, he stays close to operational pulse, listening to teams, understanding frontline realities, and observing how strategy translates into action. This ability to hold big-picture thinking alongside daily details enables decisions that are ambitious yet grounded, visionary yet practical.
Investing in Founders: Mindset over Metrics
As Co-Founder and Angel Investor at INFOWISE Startup Catalyst since 2018, Kishor manages angel investment funds focused on socially responsible investments in disruptive companies across agri-business, food processing, energy, and health sectors. Through Ipreneur Startup Accelerator, he is accelerating over 150 startups and creating deal flow for investors, expanding the reach of entrepreneurial support beyond mentorship into structured acceleration. He has personally mentored over 100 startups and invested in more than 27 ideas- a track record that reflects not just financial conviction but deep commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial ecosystems.
When deciding whether to mentor or back a founding team, he looks beyond the product pitch or market projections. What matters most is the mindset founders bring to the table. He is drawn to teams that demonstrate clarity about the problem they are solving, the market they are entering, and the kind of company they want to build. But clarity alone never suffices.
He looks for founders who possess the humility to learn, the resilience to navigate inevitable uncertainty, and the discipline to follow through even when initial excitement fades into the hard work of execution. Another quality he values deeply is self-awareness. Teams that understand their strengths and acknowledge their gaps tend to grow far faster than those who believe they have everything figured out.
He also values founders who communicate openly, handle conflict with maturity, and treat their mission as larger than themselves. These soft skills, often dismissed as secondary to technical capability or market knowledge, frequently determine whether startups survive the turbulent early years. The Infopace logo itself declares “Commitment to Excellence,” reflecting his belief that those working on excellence as collective wisdom often reach the threshold of success through continuous improvement rather than singular genius.
Ultimately, he invests in founders whose mindset signals they are not just chasing success but are prepared to build it with discipline, integrity, and long-term vision. He seeks entrepreneurs who understand that building something meaningful requires patience, adaptability, and the willingness to learn from failures without being defeated by them.
Innovation as Culture, Not Technology
Kishor argues that innovation is fundamentally a cultural mindset, not simply a technological fix. It requires an environment where curiosity thrives, failure is seen as learning, and ideas flow freely without hierarchical barriers.
Innovation begins with behaviour, creating psychological safety where questioning norms and experimenting are safe. Shifting from “we’ve always done this” to “what if we try differently” sparks creativity.
Leadership plays a crucial role by balancing clear direction with autonomy- trusting teams to make decisions, accept failures as lessons, and pursue meaningful purpose-driven innovation rather than novelty for novelty’s sake.
Without this cultural foundation, even advanced technologies cannot foster sustainable innovation.
Shaping India’s Innovation Ecosystem
Kishor has played a pivotal role in India’s SME and startup growth, mentoring over 100 startups and incubating more than 230 innovations across Karnataka and beyond. In 2013, he established the iSETiLAB Incubator Foundation, a platform that fosters design thinking, innovation laboratories, and entrepreneurship, particularly in smaller towns outside major cities.
His vision for India is one of depth and responsibility- building enduring, globally competitive companies that solve complex issues rather than chasing valuation metrics. Innovation is democratizing, emerging from Tier 2 and 3 cities, manufacturing clusters, and digital reinvention of traditional industries.
He anticipates a future where Indian entrepreneurs integrate technology with purpose, tackling challenges in healthcare, logistics, climate, and financial inclusion with sustainable, collaborative approaches, translating ecosystem strength into a $40 trillion economy by 2040.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Unity in Diversity
Cross-sector partnerships have defined Kishor’s work, uniting government, industry, academia, and grassroots organizations to tackle shared challenges like SME capability building, digital adoption, and founder support.
Success lies not in institutional scale but in shared commitment, mutual respect, and embracing diverse perspectives. Policymakers, technologists, business leaders, and social practitioners bring unique insights that collectively enhance solution quality.
The best collaborations prioritize common purpose over ego, fostering a learning mindset across domains to solve complex, interlinked problems that no single sector can face alone.
Leadership as Continuous Evolution
Kishor’s most significant leadership lessons came from quiet, uncomfortable moments demanding reflection. Early on, empathy overtook expertise as the key to transformation success. Listening beyond words to emotions reshaped his decision-making.
Scaling Infopace required letting go of control, trusting others, and empowering different leadership styles. This shift, from directive to enabling leadership, was transformative.
Failures and setbacks brought resilience, humility, and discipline, reinforcing that leadership is about adaptability and honesty rather than infallibility.
He now models a leadership style that is firm yet humane, strategic yet flexible, and ambitious yet grounded. He states, “leaders grow best by staying curious, reflective, and open to change.”
Aligning Purpose with Profitability
For Kishor, profitability and purpose integrate rather than conflict. Organizations perform best when social responsibility and sustainability guide core decisions- shaping culture, attracting talent, fostering trust, and unlocking new markets.
Purpose acts as a strategic lens, illuminating better choices that resonate with stakeholders and build enduring value.
Sustainability governs daily behaviours, from resource use to process design, transitioning from external messaging to authentic organizational identity.
This integrated framework creates resilient, respected companies prepared for future challenges.
Building Organizational Agility for Tomorrow
Infopace exemplifies agility through continuous learning, experimentation, and a culture where truth trumps hierarchy. Engagement with real-world client journeys and emerging trends keeps the team proactive, not reactive.
Digital transformation is an endless evolution, with systems and skills continually adapting ahead of disruption.
Empowered people think ahead, act swiftly, and innovate without fear, anchored by curiosity and humility, enabling sustained momentum.
A Legacy Beyond Metrics
Looking ahead, Kishor’s legacy transcends numbers- a vision of organizations and leaders where transformation nurtures humane cultures, fuels innovation, and embeds impact in everyday decisions.
He hopes to see a business environment that is developing with conscience, where problem-solving takes precedence over short-term conceit, and leadership entails meaning beyond performance.
His lasting impact will be a ripple effect- stronger institutions, wiser leaders, and a sustainable, purposeful entrepreneurial ecosystem fueling national transformation.
