G.S. Ramesh The People-Centric Leader

No matter how far technology has come, companies are still run by people. In a world where many see employees as another asset, only a few have the vision to see them as a strength. G.S. Ramesh is one of those few. He understood early on that people are not just part of the business; they are the business. And with Layam Group, he has spent the last two decades proving that the right workforce strategy can shape the future of any organisation.

The Making of a Visionary

G.S. Ramesh’s professional journey began in 1977 with the TATAs, a name that still holds respect in his heart. It was in the coal mines of TATA in Dhanbad where he learnt that people are the real strength behind any successful company.

Over the years at TATA, he worked across sectors like coal, steel, cement, and power. Each experience added something new. But more than technical skills, it was the values he picked up that stayed with him. Discipline, integrity, and respect for people formed the foundation of his working style.

A turning point came when he joined Hyundai Motor India. He was the first Indian tasked with leading one of India’s biggest greenfield auto plant projects. Establishing Hyundai’s footprint in Chennai, he got a chance to work closely with the Korean leadership team at Hyundai. The exposure taught him how to focus on the goal with laser-like sharpness without getting distracted. He saw the impact of discipline, precision, and strategic clarity. If TATA had given him his grounding in ethics, Hyundai honed his ability to execute.

Eventually, he retired as Senior Vice President – HR at Hyundai. But for him, retirement wasn’t the end. It felt like the beginning of something bigger. During his professional journey, he had seen many talented individuals being overlooked, simply because they didn’t have the right opportunity. That thought stayed with him. And in 2007, with a clear sense of purpose, he laid the foundation for what would become Layam Group.

The Genesis of Layam Group

Starting Layam was not a fallback plan for G.S. Ramesh. Rather, it was a conscious decision to build something that could help others’ dreams come true. He had spent years watching companies struggle to find the right talent and, equally, seen people with great potential being left behind because they lacked connections or formal degrees. He wanted to change that. In 2007, with just a small team that included his son Rohet and a few close associates, he started Layam Group. It was his way of giving back, to bring merit-based opportunities to those who had been left behind. The goal was simple but powerful: to build a system where people could be trained, supported, and placed in meaningful roles, especially those from modest educational or financial backgrounds.

What started as a small HR consulting grew quickly. Layam Talent Academy was set up to train and empower untapped talent, Radram Quality Services was introduced for contract manufacturing, and Layam Flexi Solutions emerged to provide performance-orientated staffing. The company’s growth, from placing its first 1,000 associates to becoming a trusted partner for leading OEMs, was built on Layam’s 3 Ps approach: People, Process, and Productivity Management. This framework allowed Layam to evolve from a traditional HR firm into a dependable, accountable service partner for businesses across industries.

Even after all these years, G.S. Ramesh wakes up with the same drive and goal that he had on Day One, which is to build, to guide, to learn, and to serve. Layam, in many ways, became an extension of who he was and the values he believed in — discipline, performance, and purpose.

The Human Side of Leadership

G.S. Ramesh didn’t learn leadership in classrooms or boardrooms. His real lessons came from coal mines and factory shop floors, where he worked shoulder to shoulder with workers. “I’ve never believed leadership is about power,” he says. “It’s about taking responsibility, leading with empathy, and staying true to your purpose, even when it’s difficult.” His years with the TATAs taught him that treating people with dignity, fairness and respect are powerful business principles. At Hyundai, he learnt a structured, detail-oriented, and disciplined work culture.

The blend of these two influences formed what he now calls balanced leadership. “It’s compassion rooted in ethics and execution powered by clarity,” he explains. Honesty, he says, is non-negotiable.

Courage is another quality that defines his journey. Starting Layam after retirement and focusing on talent that others often overlooked required conviction and self-belief.

But perhaps the most defining trait of his leadership is kindness and empathy. These aren’t just soft skills for him. Listening with patience, believing in people, and standing by them when they falter; this is what builds trust. And trust builds teams. “Even now, I don’t lead from a pedestal,” he says. “I lead from beside my team, through their highs, their lows, their doubts and their dreams.”

What Layam Offers

What once began as a vision to bridge the gap between industry demand and untapped potential has grown into a complete workforce solutions company serving both enterprises and individuals.

At the core of Layam’s work is their accountability-driven model. The company takes ownership of the entire employee journey, from onboarding to performance and productivity tracking. Instead of just filling roles, Layam focuses on how well each individual performs and contributes to the client’s long-term growth. Its recruitment approach is sharp and targeted, guided by cultural fit, which leads to long-term partnerships with industry leaders in automotive, manufacturing, and allied sectors.

Layam’s other key verticals include Radram Quality Services, which offers contract manufacturing that goes deep into the plant floor, handling manpower, production, quality systems, and engineering processes. With growing digital integration, Layam is also streamlining plant operations, supply chains, and shop floor management to deliver with precision and cost-efficiency. One of the most impactful initiatives is the Company-in-Company (CIC) model. It was born out of a realisation G.S. Ramesh had over the years. “Industries often rely on low-cost labour to drive productivity, unaware of the silent costs of poor quality and rework,” he reflects. “That’s what inspired CIC. We saw a lost pool of technically skilled youth who couldn’t finish their diplomas due to arrears—almost 4 lakh of them each year. Despite having the right skills for manufacturing, they were ending up in unrelated jobs.” CIC identifies these overlooked candidates, provides them with targeted training, places them inside client operations, and turns them into productive, confident professionals.

From strategic HR consulting to managing Offshore Development Centres for global clients, Layam operates with a clear focus on three pillars: Cost, Quality, and Productivity. Across all its services, one thing remains constant—the belief that with the right support, every individual can become a powerful force of change.

Shaping the Future of Workforce Solutions

The HR and staffing industry is entering a new phase—one defined by intelligence, agility, and shared accountability. With India’s growing industrial base and youthful workforce, companies are moving from the old “supply-and-deploy” model to smarter, more accountable workforce solutions. And Layam isn’t chasing change—it’s preparing for it and, often, shaping it.

“We are moving from headcount to brain count,” says G.S. Ramesh. “The future belongs to people who solve, not just serve.” At Layam, this vision is already in action. In today’s fast-moving industries, their strength lies in adapting quickly without losing sight of core values: cost, quality, and productivity. The company is deliberately digitalising key functions like store operations, supply chains, and production systems. Whether through AI-led recruitment, HR analytics, or digital dashboards that improve visibility and speed, the company is embedding intelligence into every part of its operations. From smart manufacturing to visibility across operations, they aim to catch inefficiencies early and fix them at the source.

He also sees a clear shift in client expectations. “They don’t just want vendors anymore. They want partners who can co-own outcomes, adapt quickly, and stay committed during both booms and busts.” This is where Layam’s culture of accountability stands out. From contract manufacturing to talent transformation, they stay until the job is not just done but done right.

As industries like manufacturing, EV, logistics, and R&D demand greater depth and agility, Layam is aligning its offerings to meet those needs. And through digital dashboards, smart manufacturing, and data-driven insight, they’re embedding traceability and efficiency into every layer of operation. With their deep industry understanding, commitment to excellence, and investments in digital innovation and human capital, Layam is not just ready for the future—they are helping define it.

But amid all the technology, Layam hasn’t lost sight of who they are. “The most important investment isn’t in tools—it’s in people,” G.S. Ramesh emphasises. For him, the most important investment remains people. The company is developing minds that can adapt, lead, and create values in real time. In a world full of uncertainty, Layam offers accountability. “We don’t walk away when the going gets tough—we stay, solve, and strengthen,” says G.S. Ramesh. With change as the only constant, Layam isn’t just ready for what’s next—it’s helping build it.

The Road Ahead

Looking forward, for G.S. Ramesh and the Layam team, their core mission remains unchanged: to empower individuals with meaningful careers and help clients scale with confidence through the right-fit talent. This is more than a business objective—it’s a commitment to creating social and economic value.

In the years ahead, the company is doubling down on its core pillars—Cost, Quality, and Performance (CQP). Every engagement, whether in manufacturing, R&D, EV, or emerging sectors, is outcome-driven across these dimensions. By aligning hiring practices with business goals, Layam continues to evolve from a staffing partner to a strategic growth enabler.

Layam is shifting its focus from just “headcount” to “brain count”, placing people who can think, contribute, and elevate their work environments. This includes investing in training, onboarding, cultural alignment, and real-time performance tracking.

To reach these goals, the company is scaling up digital transformation, adopting AI for smarter recruitment, using analytics for candidate assessments, and applying intelligent systems to monitor shopfloor productivity. They are also expanding their Company-in-Company (CIC) model to unlock employment opportunities for under-represented groups and strengthen Offshore Development Centre (ODC) services to support international clients with scalable, compliant teams in India.

A Leader Who Keeps Evolving

At 71, G.S. Ramesh continues to believe that learning is a lifelong journey. For him, staying relevant, apart from industry knowledge, is about emotional awareness, clarity of thought, and the willingness to evolve. He keeps himself updated by closely following market trends and socio-economic shifts and through regular interactions with professionals across generations. He particularly values conversations with the younger workforce, whose fresh, unfiltered perspectives challenge conventional thinking and help him stay grounded and inspired.

A strong advocate of mental clarity and physical wellness, he follows a disciplined daily routine that includes yoga, meditation, and spiritual practices. Trained in the Art of Living, Transcendental Meditation, and Reiki healing, these practices help him handle complexity with equanimity and build an empathetic leadership style.

His leadership style has been shaped by two strong influences. Early in his career, a brief interview with Rusi Mody, former Chairman of Tata Steel, left a lasting impression. Mody’s clarity, courage, and commitment to people taught him that leadership isn’t about charisma or control but about being honest, standing by your values, and making tough decisions with people’s best interests at heart.

His years at Hyundai Motor India taught him discipline, focus, and precision in execution, qualities he greatly admired in the Korean leadership. These lessons have helped him build a leadership philosophy that combines empathy with results.

Leadership Mantra

G.S. Ramesh has a simple yet powerful piece of advice for young professionals: “Start with passion, but always stay grounded in your values. You will face challenges—some will test your patience, others your resilience. But it’s perseverance that will be your strongest ally.”

While skills and ambition are important, he believes long-term success comes from building a strong ethical culture. “When you lead with integrity, you not only earn trust from clients and partners, but you also inspire loyalty in your team.” This trust, he says, becomes the foundation for collaboration and innovation, allowing businesses not just to succeed but to endure even in uncertain times. He adds, “Focus on building your business on trust, respect, and integrity—and success will follow.”

When asked if there’s a guiding philosophy he lives by, he reflects, “If there’s one thing I truly believe in, it’s that HR stands for Honesty in Relationships. Whether you’re dealing with clients, candidates, or colleagues, honesty is the bedrock of all meaningful connections.”

For G.S. Ramesh, this isn’t just a business principle; it’s a way of life. “When you lead with honesty, trust builds naturally. And with trust comes growth, both personally and professionally.”