OREANDA-NEWS. January 11, 2016. The best companies don’t just attract great leaders, they also spot potential in their people and cultivate those qualities.

That’s what science-based company 3M did when it brought on senior research engineer Ashish Khandpur early in his career. He traveled the world in various technical roles, learning about the company, its culture and its customers, while being mentored by 3M leaders who saw his leadership potential. Now, Ashish heads the entire 3M Research and Development organization as the chief technology officer and senior vice president of R&D, and he is using his developed skills to inspire others in the company.

“Leadership is about empowering people to accomplish the task at hand,” said Khandpur. “I want to harness the collective strength of our people and all accessible resources to engage them.”

Ashish is one of the many success stories 3M has had through its leadership development program, and other organizations are taking notice. Chief Executive Magazine has ranked 3M 8th in its list of the Best Companies for Leaders, elevating the company three spots from 2015.

“Under CEO Inge Thulin, we are strengthening our talent pipeline and focusing on the development of leaders around the globe,” said Marlene McGrath, 3M senior vice president of Human Resources. “3M’s growth and business success depends on our people, the competitive advantage they provide and the investment we are making to support them.”

Chief Executive Magazine focuses on several criteria, including the commitment a CEO places on leadership development, how often a company fills senior management positions from within, and the number of outside businesses that look to recruit from the company.

To learn more about the ranking, you can read about it on the Chief Executive Magazine website.

Read about how Ashish is expanding 3M R&D on the 3M Newsroom.

About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With \\$32 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.