UltraTech Cement Strategy: Practice Interview 1

Getting into UltraTech Cement Strategy Role: A Practice Interview - Part 1

One of our students from a highly reputed two year MBA program had a shortlist for a Strategy Role in UltraTech Cement. We asked our mentor Kartik Aggarwal to conduct her interview, since he had not only cracked similar roles but also had experience working in Strategy roles across conglomerates and manufacturing companies.

In the below interview, Kartik takes us through questions on Why Strategy, What is Strategy, Growth Drivers, Value Chain, Competitor Analysis and Customer Engagement amongst others along with a Case Study on Digital Marketing!

Here is Part 1 of the Interview!

Interview Part 1

Kartik: Hi, tell me something about yourself.

Mentee:I’m currently pursuing my MBA at the ABC School of Management. My most recent stint was with Tata Steel during my summer internship, where I led operations and social media strategy for one of the largest and most prestigious brand properties of the Tata Group.

Prior to my MBA, I have around 40 months of work experience. I worked with the Ethar Group for one of their food tech startups called Cook, where I was the project lead handling both operations and marketing. Before that, I was with the Times Group as a Market Intelligence Analyst.

In terms of academics, I pursued my BBA (Hons.) from XYZ University, specializing in Marketing.

Outside of work, I’m really passionate about dance. I’m a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, and I also enjoy attending and hosting dance workshops—especially in Latin forms like Bachata and Salsa.

Kartik: Okay, that’s great. And tell me, in very simple terms—how would you define strategy?

Mentee: In my opinion, strategy is the path you choose to walk on when there are multiple choices available. You weigh the pros and cons, reflect on your past trajectory, consider your long-term goals and vision—and after triangulating all of that, you choose the most effective path. That, to me, is strategy.

Kartik: And in this role, what do you think would be some of the challenges you need to overcome to be successful?

Mentee: From the research I’ve done about the cement industry, I’ve noticed a lot of consolidation happening. UltraTech’s biggest competitor, Adani’s Ambuja Cements, is rapidly expanding. The challenge here would be to identify the right growth opportunities—whether organic expansion or inorganic acquisitions—and to decide where to focus our efforts.

The second challenge is leveraging existing capabilities effectively. Strategic decision-making in such a dynamic environment can be complex, especially at this scale. While I’ve worked at a startup where I handled multiple projects and made key decisions, working in a large organization’s strategy team is a new ballgame.

Kartik: What’s unique about you?

Mentee: I believe my strongest quality is resilience. I have numerous examples—both professional and personal—that show I don’t back down from challenges. I go the extra mile, put in the hours, and don’t shy away from hard work. These days, many people are smart and ambitious—but it’s resilience, consistency, and staying power that truly sets someone apart. That’s what I bring to the table.

Kartik: Can you explain the value chain of UltraTech Cement? Just the key components.

Mentee: I’m not very thorough on this yet, but from what I understand, it begins with manufacturing, followed by distribution. Then there are agents and intermediaries, and finally the product reaches the end user. I’ll need to strengthen my understanding of this value chain further.

Kartik: Have you looked into UltraTech’s competitors? What sets UltraTech apart from them? Also, what are the key growth or revenue drivers in this industry?

Mentee: Yes. UltraTech is the market leader, followed closely by Adani’s Ambuja Cements. Adani has been aggressively expanding capacity through acquisitions across regions—North, South, etc.—to build a pan-India presence, similar to UltraTech.

What sets UltraTech apart is the trust it has built over decades. The name is synonymous with quality and reliability—attributes that resonate with both end users and construction professionals. Their slogan, “The Engineer’s Choice,” reflects that trust.

As for growth drivers, cement is a fairly commoditized industry—so brand differentiation isn’t always enough. The real competitive edge lies in operational efficiency and distribution scale. A pan-India presence is crucial. You can be dominant in one region, but without geographical expansion, scalability becomes a challenge.

Kartik: Anything else you’d add on improving customer experience or engagement with dealers?

Mentee: Definitely. Strong distribution networks and dealer relationships are critical. But again, if you’re not geographically widespread, your growth will be capped. Once you have a solid pan-India presence, you can enhance the experience further with better relationship management, service quality, and loyalty-building programs. But you need that foundational footprint first.

Kartik: So why do you want to get into this strategy role?

Mentee: Because it offers high-stakes, high-impact work. Every project demands serious ownership and decision-making. That learning curve is what I’m looking for post-MBA—an opportunity to stretch my thinking, build skills, and contribute meaningfully. With my prior experience in marketing and operations, I feel I can bring a well-rounded perspective to the strategy table.

Feedback

Kartik : Your answers were good, but I felt they weren’t very structured. It’s like—you’re thinking through the answer while speaking, which is okay—but it comes across as a bit scattered. Try to organize your thoughts better before you respond.

Also, it felt like you haven’t really prepared much for this specific role. Especially for questions like “Why this role?”, your energy and conviction seemed low compared to other answers you gave. So just be mindful of that.

I know you may not be super inclined towards this role, but going through the JD carefully will really help you. There are 7–8 line items mentioned—things like mergers & acquisitions, business value chain, competitors, growth and cost drivers, who the key customers are, current market trends, and even how tech is impacting the space.

If you can prepare on those areas, you’ll come across much more confident. And when you talk about “Why this role?”, try to include how it fits into your long-term goals, how you can contribute, and why the company itself excites you.

Just make sure you’re solid on the basics from the JD—that’ll make a big difference.

Mentee: Thanks, thats really helpful. Let me concentrate on JD and prepare better on the Industry and Company.

Part 2

Second part of the interview continues with two case studies . Stay tuned! Practice interviews here!

GoCrackIt’s services are especially valuable for candidates aiming to transition into competitive roles or industries. The online interview practice sessions are not only realistic but also come with detailed feedback and actionable suggestions. This helps candidates refine their performance over time through multiple mock interviews online. The structured mock interview preparation process ensures you are not just answering questions but learning how to present your thoughts clearly and strategically.

Getting into UltraTech Cement Strategy Role: A Practice Interview - Part 1

Interview Part 1

Feedback

Part 2

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