Leaders

In today's dynamic world, where adaptability and innovation are key drivers for success, the importance of acquiring diverse experiences cannot be overstated. Supria Dhanda’s career trajectory is a testament to the same. From handling Global leadership roles at multinational organizations such as Western Digital, Alcatel-Lucent and GE to building a funded startup in early 2007 to establishing the BAGGGEL Foundation to developing women as CEOs and now as Venture Capitalist, building WYSER, pioneering Agentic AI venture fund, Supria has done it all.

Driven by the passion to create impact through her work, Supria’s career journey has not just been about professional growth but also about breaking barriers and redefining leadership. Currently, Supria is busy building WYSER with her co-founder, with the objective of making India a true product powerhouse in AI. She is also the founder of the BAGGGEL Foundation, an initiative to develop more women CEOs.

An alumna of the prestigious XLRI, Supria’s career has been shaped through constant learning, risk-taking and passion for innovation.

How did your time at your alma mater, XLRI, shape your growth as a professional?

I am a student of Executive Fellow Program in Manage­ment (eFPM) at XLRI, specializing in entrepreneurial strategy. My research is focused on 'born global' firms, design and build in home country with objective to sell worldwide from inception, particularly in the deep tech space.

XLRI has been a big learning ground and offers an environment conducive to experimentation and learning. Further, I completed the two-year fellowship as Emerging Scholar from Emerging Markets Program(ESEMP) while still working on my PhD and I owe this to my guide at XLRI.

Take us through your extensive professional journey and the crucial turning points in your professional career so far.

In the span of a 27-year career, I have primarily worked in four companies, with a solid entrepreneurial stint. My first job at GE provided me with early leadership exposure at large, complex and senior roles and helped shape me as a leader. There was excellent exposure to people function, finance and six sigma and focus on understanding business fundamentals was paramount. Subsequent role at Cranes Software as their Global Head of Organization and Business Development steered my experience in M&As and it involved working closely with Board. I believe it sowed the seed to turn entrepreneur in 2007 and whilst the venture didn’t succeed, the learning was immense. Alcatel-Lucent was excellent exposure to telecommunications industry, and I got to work on managed services transformation projects and people function at scale. SanDisk and subsequent acquisition by Western Digital, was a stellar ten-year stint, wherein I led India business, scaled engineering operations and institutionalized people-first culture and processes. I launched Data Innovation Bazaar, akin to corporate venture capital, in partnership with Start-up India, Invest India, DST and MeITY to catalyze the product eco-system and ran it successfully for three years thus providing grants to 50 product start-ups in data storage space.

The above experiences in people, M&A, and business roles shaped my passion for being a VC and have been significantly instrumental in shaping and building Wyser.

What led you to establish WYSER and BAGGGEL Foundation? Tell us about the underlying idea behind the ventures.

WYSER is an early-stage venture capital fund that is focused on Enterprise AI product startups, with first fund focused on Agentic AI startups. Its about propelling India to global prominence in AI and catalyzing the product ecosystem from India for the world. WYSER is about being ‘VC in the arena’ providing catalytic capital, inspiring AI community and sharing deep operator AI expertise.

BAGGGEL foundation is born out of the need to create a balanced world at the top, wherein female CEO is the norm and not an exception. We run The Leaders Network (TLN) of senior, distinguished women professionals who believe in Greed (unapologetic ambition), Grab (seize opportunity) and Grain (inspire your sisterhood) and collectively aspire to be CEOs.

Looking back at your professional journey, what have been the most crucial milestones that you have achieved? What is your ‘success mantra’?

Being an entrepreneur first in 2007 and then in 2021 and stepping into the role of India CEO would be two career defining milestones. My success mantra is to take bold risks by venturing into unknown spaces and being bold and authentic in whatever you set out to achieve. Serving on TiE Bangalore board, and leading Women at Work for Karnataka Digital Economy Mission(KDEM) is my way of giving back to the eco-system.

Given your work aimed toward fostering innovation, empowering leadership, and building a gender-balanced corporate world, what larger impact do you wish to create in the long run?

I believe in Wyser backing product-first AI founders from India who are building autonomous systems to lead the next global enterprise wave and impact here isn’t just returns, its rewriting the script for India’s place in the global enterprise AI stack.

As for BAGGGEL, its about shaping bold, inclusive leadership through women CEOs.

Supria Dhanda, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Wyser, Founder, Bagggel

Supria Dhanda is a Venture Capitalist and so­cial innovator with over 25 years of industry experience. She is the co-founder and manag­ing partner at WYSER, an early-stage venture capital fund investing in Enterprise AI startups. Supria is also the Founder of BAGGGEL Foun­dation, a non-profit promoting gender equity in leadership. She has held executive roles at global corporations like Western Digital, Alca­tel-Lucent, and General Electric.