25+ years of experience in consulting, commercial, operations, and general management roles
Focus on commercial excellence and topline growth
Expertise in B2B, industrials, and technology sectors
Dallas
@alvarezmarsal
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Bala Ekambaram is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Private Equity Performance Improvement Group in Dallas. With more than 25 years of experience in consulting, commercial, operations and general management roles in North America, Europe, and Asia, he is a key leader in the U.S. Commercial Excellence service line.
Mr. Ekambaram focuses on all aspects and levers to drive top line enhancement, profitable growth, and operational improvement. Throughout his career, he has built pragmatic strategies for complex businesses, developed, and launched new products, optimized salesforce organizations and go-to-market approaches, and rationalized product portfolios for margin expansion. Mr. Ekambaram has managed large teams to deliver improved business performance and has worked with clients in various business-to-business industries, including industrial, manufacturing, automotive, business services, and technology.
Mr. Ekambaram’s notable recent engagements include the commercial transformation of a declining $2 billion storage software client, strategy development and execution of organizational capabilities for a $500 million automotive transmission supplier in a disruptive market, salesforce redesign of a $1.5 billion healthcare software provider, and commercial due diligences of industrial acquisition targets.
Previously, Mr. Ekambaram managed a $200 million HVAC product portfolio to successive years of double-digit growth in a down market by driving innovative products, competitive conversions, progressive channel programs and pricing initiatives. Prior to that, as a leader of building services offerings for a $700 million line of business, he expanded margins by 10 percent by launching IoT /data analytics-based maintenance contracts and penetrating install base with successful migration programs.
Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Ekambaram served in strategy, product management and marketing roles at Honeywell, Lennox International, and IBM. He has also been a key leader in commercial practices for other top consultancies.
Mr. Ekambaram earned a bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, India, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Given the complexity of the current economy, shaped by the challenges of rising interest rates and inflation, volatile markets, shifting business models, and financially strained vendors and customers, it is essential for organizations to take proactive steps to drive profitable sales and commercial performance. Interest rates and inflation have become dominant forces steering economic dynamics.
B2B organizations often have an underdeveloped pricing function, resulting in margin loss (EBITDA) as well as undervaluation of the business. Yet, many business leaders think that pricing function is well established in their organizations and there may not be any further opportunity for improvement. A&M experts discuss why this conundrum exists and answer the key questions you should be asking to explore margins improvements.
A&M Managing Directors Brian Long and Bala Ekambaram, and Director Jeff Shirley cover the three steps Private Equity (PE) funds need to take to transform the operations of the branch-based businesses in their portfolios.
A&M Managing Directors Brian Long and Bala Ekambaram, and Director Jeff Shirley, cover the three steps #PrivateEquity (PE) funds need to take to transform the operations of the branch-based businesses in their portfolios.
Latest insightsThe latest insights from Bala Ekambaram's team
Private Equity wird immer bedeutender für die deutsche Volkswirtschaft. Schon jetzt sorgen ihre Portfoliounternehmen für sieben Prozent des Bruttoinlandsprodukts. Sie werden effizienter geführt und wachsen deshalb schneller, weil sich die Fonds auf zukunftsweisende Wachstumsbranchen konzentrieren. Ja, das kann die De-Industrialisierung des Landes befeuern – aber auch für die nötige nachhaltige Transformation unserer Wirtschaft sorgen
