Sometimes in life, the most profound lessons emerge from failures or lost opportunities. But the drive to succeed tenfolds emerge from opportunities that slip through our grasp due to prejudice and bias. Many of the accomplished business leaders share a common narrative - facing a setback that became the turning point in their lives. Karthyaeni Vittala, hailing from the serene southeast coast of Andhra Pradesh, has also been through such experience. Her journey began in Vizag, where she spent her formative years, studying in a renowned institution in the city. Her schooling was marked by her determination to excel both academically and athletically. Her am-bition extended beyond mere academic excellence as aspired to become the school's representative, a goal that she pursued tirelessly.

However, her path was marred by certain setbacks and prejudices that hin-dered her from realizing this ambition. This setback was a significant blow to the teenager. Yet, rather than succumbing to despair or bitterness, Karthyaeni chose a different path. She saw this challenging period as an opportunity for personal growth, a chance to trans-form herself into a stronger, more resilient individual. In the span of just a year, she raised the ranks from be-ing among the top ten students to proudly bearing the title of valedictorian. Since then, even throughout her profession, there has only been learnings and growth but no turning back. The Global Women Leader Maga-zine is excited to learn more about her journey.

What were some key early influences in life that shaped you as an individual?

Facing prejudice and adversity during my teenage years has the biggest influence on who I am today. While I surprised myself by becoming a valedictorian, I understood that challenges have the power to shape one's personality. It was during this journey that I dis-covered the potential to turn even the loftiest ambi-tions into reality.

Take us through your professional journey & your role at Preiskel & Co.

I moved to London in 2009 to pursue my LLM from King's College London. I specialized in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance, which are now my areas of practice. Prior to joining my current firm, I gained experience in litigation and other areas of law, but I realized my interest was towards being a trans-actional lawyer. After trying a lot, I landed my current role at Preiskel & Co. It is a prominent UK firm special-izing in the TMT sector (telecoms, media, and technol-ogy). While we have extensive experience in various sectors, including competition law, gaming, leisure, lifestyle, and retail, one notable aspect is our involve-ment in the film industry, particularly in film financ-ing for production houses. My role within the firm pri-marily focuses on the corporate side of TMT. Whether it's raising capital or facilitating mergers and acqui-sitions, I provide expertise that benefits companies across different industries, not just tech or IT clients.

How are you transforming the company to serve better for the clients?

With a bad economic climate, businesses are cautious about expenditures. Startups and founders, while brimming with innovative ideas, often lack substan-tial financial resources for legal support. To adapt to these trends, I'm working on strategies to make our services more competitive and accessible, particularly for tech startups. It's about finding innovative ways to support our clients while maintaining our firm's excel-lence in the TMT space.

Throw some light on some milestones you cherish.

Becoming a Partner at Preiskel is one of the biggest wins in my professional career I believe (being for-mally recognised as a ‘rising star’ and ‘associate to watch’ in the UK Chambers & Partners, a prestigious globally recognised legal directory, apart from holding a national silver medal in professional roller skating, ofcourse To provide some context, I moved to London over a decade ago. I initially joined my firm, Preiskel, as a summer intern. Fast forward ten years from being an intern, I rose to become the firm's first female part-ner and the youngest partner to date, a great achieve-ment. This journey wasn't without its trials. It involved enduring rejection after rejection, with 200 applica-tions before securing my position, including being told that I am wasting my time and should go back to country.

"Self-awareness and recognizing the strengths in your peers, guiding them towards their potential, define my leadership mantra for professional success"

That statement was a defining point in my pursuit. Moreover, during this period, visas for profes-sionals outside of Europe were challenging to obtain. The Europe’s legal industry, saturated with qualified native professionals, demanded that I demonstrate my exceptional value. My biggest professional success arises from con-quering these obstacles. It's not just about landing a job but reaching the pinnacle of the legal field de-spite the odds. It highlights the power of unwavering focus and determination to overcome challenges and achieve one's goals. As the first female partner in the firm, I've observed how my presence is perceived, es-pecially among female colleagues who find it reassur-ing.

How do you keep yourself aligned with changes in tech and industry?

In the legal profession today, staying aligned with technology and industry trends is paramount. With advancements like chat GPT and AI transforming le-gal tasks, it's essential to remain informed. At Preiskel, we sponsor tech events focusing on tech trends and M&A. I also contribute to writing technology and M&A trends for a UK legal book. This involvement keeps me updated and aligned with industry developments.

Karthyaeni Vittala, Partner, Preiskel & Co

Karthyaeni’s practice focuses on international corporate transactions in relation to venture capital funding, early-stage fundraising, private equity, private M&A transactions, cross-border investments, joint ventures and general shareholder matters in the technology, media and the food retail sector.