Armed with three decades of experience in the supply chain industry, Veena has been spearheading business transformation projects for nearly 22 years. She also holds an extensive experience in the OEM world.

In a conversation with The Global Woman Leader Magazine, Veena articulates her thoughts on women leader’s role in driving digital transformation while emphasising on an inclusive environment and digital policies. She also talks about digital tools like AI.

Read out the article to know more.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, how do you see the role of women leaders in driving digital transformation? What unique perspectives do they bring that can influence the direction of technology adoption and innovation?

Women approach problems differently from men, not just in physics or science but in everyday life, including supply chain management. Bringing diverse perspectives, including those of women, enriches the options for problem-solving and increases success rates. It also facilitates change management by incorporating a variety of views.In my global role, I've observed that 20-25 years ago, manufacturing and managerial roles were predominantly occupied by men. However, today, there's a noticeable increase in women in these positions, especially in fields like mechanical engineering, which was once male-dominated. While progress has been made, there's still room for improvement.

Women bring unique characteristics to the table, such as multitasking and attention to detail, which are particularly valuable in digital transformation. It's essential not just to envision transformation at a high level but to translate it into actionable steps that permeate the organization. Including women's perspectives enhances the development of strategies and planning in transformational projects.As AI evolves, incorporating diverse perspectives becomes even more critical. Much of the training data available online is stereotyped, so integrating these unique viewpoints will be crucial to fully leveraging new technologies in the future.

With your expertise in data analytics, how can data-driven insights be used to better understand and address the challenges faced by women in digital and tech sectors? What role does data play in shaping more inclusive digital strategies?

In today's world, data is the new currency. Companies with streamlined data can accelerate much faster. Digital transformation now goes beyond just automating processes or implementing ERP systems—those are a given. The focus is on using data insights to improve the bottom line. Data is crucial not only for transformation but also for driving change management and adoption. For instance, when proposing process changes, data can effectively convince teams by highlighting how automation can handle 80% of tasks, allowing the team to focus on the remaining 20%.

However, with the rise of generative AI, it's essential to be cautious about how data is used, ensuring it's unbiased and applied ethically. Early examples with GPT showed biases in job descriptions, where doctors were often male and nurses female. Such biases can lead to flawed and non-inclusive decisions, particularly in HR contexts. Even today, AI-generated descriptions of leadership skills differ for men and women, often reinforcing stereotypes.While data is powerful, it must be used responsibly and ethically, with the proper checks in place. When used correctly, data will significantly accelerate digital transformation.

Change management is crucial for successful digital transformation. How can women leaders effectively drive change in organizations undergoing digital shifts? What strategies do they employ to overcome resistance and foster an inclusive environment?

The answer is yes. For example, in my early career, the CTO was instrumental in driving technological innovations during the early mobile era. However, we still face challenges in achieving the same ease of advancement as our male counterparts. In technology, women often have to go the extra mile to prove their worth and expertise. Even at home, there's a bias. For instance, when making technology-related decisions, children often turn to their father first. While this needs to change, there is a gradual shift occurring. This resistance isn't just at an organizational level; it starts at home. Positioning ourselves as knowledgeable and capable in technology is key to leading digital transformation projects. Women may have to work harder, but it's achievable with the right support and learning from others.

It's important to believe in yourself and leverage your network. You don't have to solve every problem alone; reaching out for help is crucial. I've learned that people are often more than willing to mentor or assist you. So, resist the urge to do it all yourself—use your network, including younger, tech-savvy individuals, who can also teach us a lot. Regarding fostering an inclusive environment, it's about organic growth rather than forced quotas. Identifying and nurturing talent, supporting work-life balance, continuous learning, and building a strong support network are essential. While it's important to consciously increase female representation in decision-making roles, it should happen naturally, ensuring women continue their journey without dropping off at any stage of their careers.

As digital policies and strategies evolve, how important is it for women to be involved in shaping these policies? What benefits do diverse perspectives bring to the development of digital policies and technology standards?

When discussing AI policies worldwide, it's critical that everyone’s voice is heard. I receive daily guidance from governments and social groups about AI usage, and I believe we understand our needs better than others. If we don’t speak for ourselves, who will? We must be involved in defining policies, standards, and governance. Otherwise, we risk missing out on the unique perspectives that contribute to effective policymaking. While governments advocate for equal pay and opportunities, without our input in policymaking, we might miss crucial elements.

In our company, for example, we have an AI council. Our team is highly diverse, and the perspectives we bring to the table are often different and sometimes overlooked. This isn't necessarily intentional; it’s just that others may not have considered these viewpoints. Including diverse perspectives leads to better outcomes and smoother implementation. If policies and governance are defined without considering various views, they may be difficult to implement and might only exist on paper. People could end up finding workarounds. Thus, gathering input from diverse teams and determining what works best is essential to me.

How can digital tools and initiatives be leveraged to improve work-life balance, particularly for women juggling multiple responsibilities? Are there specific technologies or practices that have proven effective in this regard?

When I think about digital tools, I'm also looking at gadgets that use AI, automation, and robotics—it's all about technological innovation. These tools are definitely helping improve work-life balance. Think about Zoom, Slack, and Teams; without them, could we really work from home today? The percentage of companies allowing remote work has drastically increased compared to 15 or 20 years ago. Work from home is something many women in the workforce look forward to as it helps balance responsibilities. If you have something at home that needs attention, being tied to an office can be a problem. Flexible work arrangements, enabled by digital tools, are essential.

Recent one good e.g. is when I was preparing to have difficult conversation, I was practicing role play in GPT4o. It helped me a lot to have that conversation successful. Don’t afraid to embrace the tools to your advantage.

Today, women strive for holistic wellness—not just from work and family, but also in "me time." This could be as simple as taking 30 minutes from a busy day. Even a 15-minute walk to unwind is easier now. Years ago, many of us were shy about going to a gym, but now you can choose a fitness program at home. This is all due to digital tools and apps. At home, gadgets like iRobot help offload manual chores, giving women more time to manage other priorities. Technology definitely helps, but we need to ensure it doesn't negatively impact mental well-being. While there's debate over whether digital tools like mobile devices are good or bad, these innovations generally help balance life better.

Networking is also much easier today. It's not just about office calls; tools like Slack and Teams help you connect with mentors and resources globally. I have mentors in the U.S. who aren't even in my company, HPE, but they mentor me when needed. Digital tools enable us to reach the right resources at the right time. It's up to us to use these tools wisely, but they definitely help women support each other. In the past, someone recommending you for a job had to be close to you. Today, you might work with someone in the U.S. or Brazil, and they can recommend you for a global opportunity. Networking is now global, and it's easier to mentor young talent seeking support.

Messages For Readers

Technology is often seen as complex, requiring constant updates to stay current. People believe that men tend to excel in this field, but as you grow within an organization, it's more about knowing what level of knowledge you need. At an entry level, you might need to understand every programming language and new technology. However, as you advance, it's more about grasping concepts and trusting your team to handle the details. It's essential to stay updated on technology, but not to the same depth as when you were coding.

Anyone can succeed in technology, regardless of gender, with the right priorities and focus. It's important to leverage your network and seek help when needed. For instance, instead of reading through extensive documents, you can ask a team member for a summary or use tools like ChatGPT. There are many ways to accelerate learning without doing everything the hard way.

Don't be afraid to take on challenges or risks. Not every digital transformation project will succeed, but the lessons learned are valuable. People often perceive transformation as big and risky, leading them to prefer smaller, safer projects. However, the rewards for taking risks are significant, and today's world has an appetite for transformational initiatives. These are what will differentiate a company, as basic technologies like ERPs are already widespread. The real difference lies in embracing transformative innovations.