Sankesh Chetty is Business Manager for Invacare in New Zealand, and he’s passionate about helping people get the equipment they need, quickly, and according to specification. “Our equipment is an enabler to better lives. We are truly a company that makes life’s experiences possible!” Sankesh believes in what he’s doing at Invacare, saying that "it has true meaning", and this is what maintains his drive and keeps him “coming back every day for more!”

For Sankesh, Invacare is all about people. “Invacare is about doing the right thing each and every time because we work with customers that need us to deliver on our promise. If for whatever reason we are unable to deliver on our promise or commitment it could potentially have a serious impact on our customers' well-being this is what keeps me motivated and continually pushes me to go above and beyond and achieve the best result at all times.”

The role that Sankesh has at Invacare also includes looking after Marketing for APAC. “For me, the most important thing is aligning business goals with the best possible customer experience. Our customers must want to do business with us because we’re trustworthy and we stay true to our word and our promises. Every interaction that a customer has with me or anyone at Invacare should be a memorable experience and one that makes the customer say ‘WOW, what a great company!’”

With a diploma in Sports Management, which includes sports medicine, psychology, sociology, and nutrition, it’s surprising to hear that his true passion is actually in IT. This motivated Sankesh to further his studies completing a degree in Computing Systems, “which lead me to my first job with Telecom where I worked as a CSR then Technical Specialist to Team Leader before moving into Contact Centre Operations. I started my career with Invacare as a Customer Service Team Leader and fourteen years later I now head up the commercial side of the New Zealand business and marketing for the region.

Born and raised in South Africa, Sankesh has called New Zealand home for the last 18 years. “Growing up in South Africa there was a great sense of community and togetherness and my fondest memories were getting together with all the neighbourhood kids and playing cricket, football, tennis or whatever sport was happening at that time of the year but the best part was that all this was played on the road (as you do) and when the street lights came on, you knew it was home time!”

Sankesh says that the biggest influencer in his life is his father. “He has a very big personality and he is always brave and bold even if that wasn’t how he felt inside. My father is a very confident man and he was able to carry himself and talk at all levels and I believe I’ve picked up some of those traits from him.”

The core values that drive Sankesh include integrity, knowledge, and loyalty. “I believe that as a good human being one should give 100% to everything that they do and in doing so, should maintain the highest level of integrity and accountability. Knowledge is the key to growth and you never stop learning no matter how old or wise you are." Sankesh adds, "always be fiercely loyal, both in your personal life and also to the company you work for, as this shows true character because you’re committed to the cause and you’re in it for the long run, and people respect that.”

When not at work, Sankesh enjoys reading, with his favourite books including those with a motivational theme, and true crime. He also loves to watch movies, so much so that he can spend a whole weekend just doing movie marathons. "I have 275 movies in my collection on iTunes currently and my partner always just gives me the look whenever I click on the movies app on my Apple TV because she knows there’s a high chance the collection is going to get a few new additions!”

Sankesh also enjoys photography and likes to capture moments with friends and family and portraits. He is also a self-confessed pasta addict.