In a phase of strategic revival and growth, Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Limited (HNGIL) is sharpening its financial and operational focus to reclaim its leadership position in the industry. In an exclusive interaction with News Outlook, Loknath Sahoo, Finance Controller at Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Limited (HNGIL), shares his vision for strengthening financial operations, aligning fiscal strategy with long-term expansion goals, and leveraging digital transformation to enable smarter decision-making. He highlights the importance of financial discipline, stakeholder collaboration, and technology-led agility in building a resilient and future-ready finance ecosystem.
1. As you step into the role of Finance Controller at HNGIL, what are your immediate priorities in strengthening the company’s financial operations during this new phase of growth?
Ans. At the outset, I am truly excited to take on this opportunity, which aligns well with my professional experience and expertise. As I step into this role, my immediate priorities are centered around reinforcing the company’s financial foundation while supporting its growth trajectory.
Firstly, I will focus on supporting the rebuilding and optimisation of furnaces across our manufacturing locations, ensuring that capital allocation is efficient and aligned with operational priorities. Secondly, I intend to actively engage with our customers, suppliers, and other key stakeholders to strengthen long-standing relationships and build renewed trust as we craft the next phase of HNGIL’s growth story.
Additionally, I will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure strong financial alignment with business objectives. Building synergy across departments and enabling informed decision-making will be critical to sustaining growth momentum across the organisation. Overall, my approach will be to create a resilient, agile, and forward-looking financial framework that supports both stability and expansion.
2. How do you plan to align financial strategy with HNGIL’s long-term business transformation and expansion plans?
Ans. HNGIL’s long-term vision is to reclaim the market leadership position it has historically enjoyed. Aligning financial strategy with this ambition requires a structured, disciplined, and forward-looking approach.
To achieve this, I will focus on developing a sustainable financial growth model that is closely linked to the company’s expansion plans, ensuring that investments generate long-term value. Efficient working capital management will be another key priority, enabling liquidity optimisation while supporting operational scalability.
Equally important is fostering a growth-oriented mindset across the organisation, where financial discipline and strategic thinking go hand in hand. Lastly, maintaining a strong focus on achieving Free Cash Flow (FCF) aligned with Net Income (NI) will ensure financial health, capital efficiency, and the ability to reinvest in future growth initiatives. Together, these elements will help create a robust financial backbone for HNGIL’s transformation journey.
3. With digital transformation reshaping financial management, how do you see technologies such as data analytics and AI supporting smarter financial planning and decision-making at HNGIL?
Ans. Digital transformation is deeply embedded in our organisational culture, and we are continuously exploring opportunities to leverage technology for greater efficiency and insight. Technologies such as data analytics and artificial intelligence have the potential to significantly enhance financial planning and decision-making.
Advanced analytics can provide real-time insights into financial performance, enabling more accurate forecasting, risk assessment, and scenario planning. AI-driven tools can streamline routine processes, reduce manual intervention, and improve the speed and accuracy of financial reporting.
At HNGIL, we are committed to embracing these advancements in a pragmatic and value-driven manner. As AI continues to evolve, it will play an increasingly important role in reshaping the finance function, and we are well-positioned to adapt and integrate these technologies to drive smarter, data-backed decisions.
4. What key financial initiatives do you believe will be critical in enhancing operational efficiency and improving cost optimisation within HNGIL?
Ans. In my view, some of the most fundamental financial disciplines remain the most critical to operational efficiency. Ensuring timely collection of receivables and maintaining discipline in vendor payments, while seemingly basic, are essential to sustaining healthy cash flows and operational stability.
Beyond this, strengthening working capital cycles, improving cost visibility across business units, and implementing robust budgeting and cost-control mechanisms will be key priorities. By embedding financial discipline across the organisation and promoting accountability at every level, we can significantly enhance efficiency and optimise costs.
Ultimately, a strong focus on cash flow management, combined with data-driven cost optimisation strategies, will enable HNGIL to operate more efficiently while supporting its growth ambitions.
5. How can emerging technologies and automation help strengthen financial governance, reporting accuracy, and operational transparency within HNGIL?
Ans. Emerging technologies and automation have a transformative role to play in strengthening financial governance and enhancing reporting standards. By investing in modern financial systems and upgrading existing infrastructure, we can significantly improve the accuracy, consistency, and timeliness of financial data.
Automation can help eliminate manual errors, standardise processes, and ensure better compliance with regulatory requirements. It also enables greater transparency by providing real-time visibility into financial metrics and operational performance.
At HNGIL, a focused approach towards technology adoption will not only strengthen governance frameworks but also build greater confidence among stakeholders through reliable and transparent reporting practices.
6. As finance functions increasingly adopt digital tools, how do you envision leveraging technology to build a more agile, data-driven finance ecosystem at HNGIL?
Ans. While technology adoption can be disruptive in the short term, I strongly believe it is a powerful enabler of long-term success. As a finance leader, my role is to ensure that these enablers are effectively integrated into the organisation to drive agility and efficiency.
At HNGIL, decision-making has always been rooted in data, and this principle will continue to guide us. We will leverage digital tools to enhance data accessibility, improve analytical capabilities, and enable faster, more informed decision-making.
At the same time, we will adopt a balanced and pragmatic approach to technology implementation, ensuring that any new solutions align well with our organisational needs and deliver tangible value. By doing so, we aim to build a finance ecosystem that is not only data-driven but also agile, resilient, and future-ready.
