Leaders

With The Increase Dynamism In The Marketplace, The Role Of A CFO Has Become Essential And Critical In An Organisation. From Being A Head Accountant To Formulating Financial Policies Of The Company, The Cfos Job Is Evolving With The Onset Of Globalisation. Ensuring Revenue Growth Of The Firm, Guna Thantry Is Working Dedicatedly Towards Achieving Corporate Milestones For Schenck Process. Guna Is A Chartered Accountant By Qualification And Has Worked As An Auditor, Financial Controller, And HR Head In Different Parts Of The World. Before Joining The Position As CFO Of Schenck Process, Guna Also Worked For Big Corporate Giants Like Deloitte, Hewlett Packard, SAP And Citrix. Guna Thantry Engages In An Interactive Session With The Women Entrepreneur Magazine.

Tell Us About Your Features Of Expertise As A Leader. Brief Us About Your Educational And Professional Experience.

Creating A Finance Team That Can Expand With The Organisation, Establishing And Executing Financial Controls Within The Company, And Working With External Organisations Like Banks, Credit Rating Agencies, Audits, Etc. I Completed My Schooling Till Graduation From MGM College In Udupi, A Renowned City Of Temples. After That, I Attended A Chartered Accountant Course In Fraser & Ross, Which Is Now Known As Deloitte In Bangalore And In Udupi At Dev Anand & Co. I Then Transitioned Into The Industry, Beginning In 1998 At The Hewlett Packard Software Organization, Where I Served As Finance Controller. In 2002, I Moved To SAP Consulting, Where I Spent Five Years And Was Instrumentalin Establishing Offshore Centres In Dalian (China), Bucharest, And Buenos Aires. In 2008, I Joined Citrix As The Finance Controller, Where My Job Was To Put Internal Control Measures In Place And Combine The Finance Operations Of Two Legal Entities. In 2012, I Changed Jobs And Joined Expleo, Where I Once Again Merged The Finances Of Two Indian Legal Entities And Put Internal Control Measuresin Place. Afterwards, Since July 2014, I Changed Careers And Started Working With Manufacturing Set-Up Ofschenck Process Entities In India.

Brief Us About The Roles And Responsibilities You Shoulder At Schenck Process. How Do You Overcome The Challenges You Face As A CFO?

Apart From Finance, I Oversaw All Support Services When I Joined Schenck Process, Including Human Resources, Administration, And Information Technology. I Ensure Openness In Reporting And Support The Organization's Expansion In Terms Of Its Financial Capabilities. The Organisation Needs To Be Set Up To Guarantee That The Data Each Department Is Using Is Correct And Complete. Management Of Time Is Yet Another Crucial Component Of Every Organisation As Timely Delivery Is What Determines Continuity In The Market. Optimum Use Of ERP System Will Enable Data Quality And Internal Controls. To Achieve The Necessary Data Quality And Time Management, During The Growth Of The Company We Need To Be Flexible Andrefine The Processes And Procedures As We Are Growing.

What Are The Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved Throughout Your Professional Journey?

In My Professional Journey, I Had Various Achievements, Some Of Which Are, Established Scale-Up Processes And Creating Finance Teams Across All Enterprises And Organizations. Managing Working Capital And Funding Capital Expenditures, As Well As Locating Appropriate Facilities For Expansion Both Inside And Outside Of India. HR Policy And Handbook Encompassing Many Facets Of Employee Day-To-Day Functioning Were Introduced In SAP And Schenck Process When I Was Managing HR.

"Sometimes, people around do underestimate you & challenge your abilities subtly! We must manage these challenges & focus on the role & tasks that we have to deliver"

I Implemented Process Improvements In Terms Of Cash Collections By Introducing Advance Receipts From Customer Below Certain Sale Values, Sensitized Internal Teams On Usage Of Bank Guarantees Facilities,Automated ERP System Introducing Late Delivery Deductions On Vendor Supplies, Encouraging Sales Team To Work With Customers On Favourable Payment Terms Etc., Increased SAP ERP Software Use In Present Organisations And Use Of SAP Features, For Instance, Establishing Payment Conditions, A Credit Duration, And A Credit Limit For  Customers; Automating BG Reminders; Dunning Report To Consumers Reminding Them Of Their Obligations; Introduction Of Late Delivery Recovery From Vendors, Etc., Working With The Leadership Team Of The Companies To Appreciate Business Kpis Which Includes Cash Flow, Revenue And Margins (GP/EBITDA). Enabling Management Reviews By Facilitating Department Heads To Update The Key Achievements Every Month Along With Process Improvements Suggestions And Encouraging Teamwork.

What Developments Do You Foresee In The Indian Finance Landscape?

The Establishment Of Governance, Cost Optimization, And Revenue Prospects Will Necessarily Be Supported By The Financial Professionals. Sooner, The Organisations Will Have To Monetize And Incorporate Carbon Credits, Sustainability, Social Outreach Programs. Finance Experts Should Be Able To Produce A Balance Sheet That Includes These Soft Aspects Or Intangibles.

What Would Be Your Advice To Young Womenand Girls Who Are Aspiring To Be Future Leaders?

Today, There Are No Such Things As Male Or Female Tasks, Therefore, We Should Avoid Falling Into The Stereotype Trap. There Are Moments When Those Around Youundervalue You And Subtly Challenge Your Talents. We Must Manage These Difficulties By Concentrating On Our Roles And Responsibilities. Being A Woman And Having To Demonstrate Double The Aptitude Of A Man In The Same Profession Is Stressful But Not Impossible! Being The Eyes And Ears Of The Investors And Shareholders Is A Very Responsible Function As Mentioned Earlier. Additionally, The World Of Finance And Accounting Is Always Evolving; New Laws And Regulations Are Implemented Every Year, So We Must Be Prepared For Constant Learning And Evolving In The Function And As Individuals.

Guna Thantry, CFO, Schenck Process

She Is A Proficient Leader, With A Huge Experience In Administering Various Departments Of An Organization. As The CFO Of Schenck Process, She Is Part Of Formulating Plans For The Expansion Of The Organsiation.