Leadership Spotlight: Vishal Tulsian
Welcome to RELI Group’s Leadership Spotlight series! In this series, we’ll delve into the background, passions and philosophies of some of Team RELI’s best and brightest minds. Each post includes the same five questions, offering a comprehensive glimpse into the folks that make RELI great.
In today’s Leadership Spotlight, meet Vishal Tulsian, RELI Group’s President and COO. Vishal joined RELI Group in October 2024, bringing more than 25 years of experience empowering high-performing teams, driving revenue-generating market expansion, and creating frameworks for delivering best-in-class products and services. As President and COO of RELI Group, Vishal applies his global experience and strategic vision to expand RELI’s impact and support our customers’ missions.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that influenced your path in public sector consulting?
Early in my career, my first job in Health and Human Services – specifically working on a child support payment system in Pennsylvania – shaped my career in public sector consulting. It opened my eyes to the complexities of what government does, beyond what we learn in social studies class. I saw firsthand how even the smallest steps can make a significant impact on citizens. Essentially, in my role there, if our team didn’t do our job correctly and quickly, a child wouldn’t receive the services they needed. This experience gave me a deep appreciation for the role that contractors play in supporting government functions, and it inspired me to stick with it for more than 25 years.
What drives your passion for working in government contracting?
Citizen service is my North Star. What drives me is the ability to enhance the services provided to citizens through the technology we bring to government agencies. This industry can have its ups and downs, but technology is the common denominator that makes it all come together. The end result – helping citizens – is what keeps me passionate about this work.
How do you approach leadership and team building?
My approach to leadership has evolved over time, shaped by the phenomenal mentors I’ve had throughout my career. I believe leadership is about empowering others and creating an environment of transparency and trust. Team building starts with fostering trust and buy-in from everyone involved. While it is not feasible to reach consensus on every decision, I prefer to involve the management team in the decision-making process as much as possible. There’s a Japanese concept called nemawashi, which involves ensuring everyone is aligned and on the same page before a decision is made, so that there’s no confusion afterward. It’s about making sure everyone understands the reasoning behind decisions. That’s what I aspire to as a leader.
What innovations or trends in the public sector excite you the most?
We’re witnessing an interesting shift from local to global technology solutions in the government sector. The goal is to make decisions faster so we can create the most impact for the people we serve. One exciting trend is the advancement of quantum computing, which, while still emerging, could potentially revolutionize how decisions are made. AI is another technology that’s creating significant buzz. While these cutting-edge technologies are really interesting, I’m especially excited about how government can use existing technologies more effectively. For example, shared services and enterprise systems that integrate the work of different agencies can bring immense efficiency and productivity. It’s about utilizing available technology in the most efficient way, rather than creating silos.
Can you discuss a project or initiative you’re particularly proud of?
I’m proud of many projects throughout my career, but the common thread among them is the ability to integrate diverse teams, ideas and cultures. I’m a firm believer in the concept of 1+1=3, where combining efforts from different teams creates a result far greater than the sum of its parts. Whether it’s integrating diverse thoughts, backgrounds or skill sets, the end result is always stronger when teams come together. That’s what I find most rewarding—the ability to bring people together to create something greater than what any one individual could achieve on their own.
