The Financial Express Awards 2025 honoured Atul Daga, Business Head, Executive Director, and CFO of UltraTech Cement, with the CFO of the Year Award.
The ceremony began at 6 PM and drew top business leaders, including the SEBI Chairman.
Daga earned this recognition for his strong financial leadership and his role in driving UltraTech Cement’s performance.
Daga’s journey from numbers to strategy
Daga’s relationship with numbers began early. His father, a steel factory engineer, taught him manual calculations.
After passing the CA entrance exam and a short stint at an accountancy firm, Daga chose corporate finance. He joined Rajashree Cement, now UltraTech Cement, at a time when few noticed his work.
Daga built financial models from scratch and analysed costs with precision. He gained attention during the first cross-functional conference of the Aditya Birla Group.
Daga highlighted inefficiencies across plants, which earned him praise from Aditya Vikram Birla.
The group soon invited him to every table. He then became Birla’s executive assistant, a role he calls the most enriching of his life. It exposed him to finance, marketing, and manufacturing, shaping him into a complete professional.
Driven by precision and innovation
Daga loves fast cars and the latest gadgets but believes firmly in financial discipline. For him, ‘cash is reality’. He embraces technology yet keeps a frugal mindset.
Daga has made his workspace paperless. His recent favourite device is Google’s AI earbuds, which translate in real-time.
As a leader, he values independence. He encourages his team to take risks within set limits and stands by them when mistakes happen. But he expects high standards. A misaligned column or incorrect header catches his eye.
“Small steps lead to success,” he says. He applies this rule to everything—from document formatting to balance sheets.
Daga never updated his CV. He believes consistent, focused work brings success. His approach remains clear and grounded—whether testing AI tools or calculating tyre costs.
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