With over 15 years across IT, Engineering, and Electronics, Pooja leads Strategy and Corporate Development at Cyient DLM. She played a pivotal role in the company’s IPO, US expansion, and prior served as Chief of Staff, driving strategic initiatives and organizational transformation with impactful leadership.
In a thought-provoking interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Pooja shares her insights on the evolving landscape of the Computers and Electronics Manufacturing industry and the influence of women leaders in the industry.
She touches upon key themes such as innovation, sustainability, strategic shifts, and the vital role of women leaders in driving inclusive decision-making and long-term impact.
How do you perceive the current landscape in the Computers and Electronics Manufacturing industry? What strategic adjustments are essential for success?
The electronics manufacturing industry is expected to experience significant growth driven by technological advancement, geopolitical re-adjustments and shifting dynamics towards innovation and sustainability across industries. The industry is expected to witness significant growth driven by the push for green electronics, advancement in 5G and EV driving growth.
Industry 4.0 and parallel advancements in Industrial IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are expected to also drive growth and efficiency in the coming years. Other than this a significant push for increased spending on Defense electronics is driving the market. To stay competitive in the electronics manufacturing industry an EMS player will need to develop key differentiators that help stay ahead of the competition.
Some key areas to focus on staying ahead of the market are as follows:
Focus on Automation and Robotics: Leverage AI-powered robotics, predictive analytics, and IoT sensors to optimize production lines, enhance quality control, enable predictive maintenance, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. This also allows for faster iteration and customization.
Build resilient supply chain network: A strong supply chain network and management is critical to mitigate delays and shortages. Need to adopt proactive supply chain management practices like demand forecasts, plans for shortages and supplier relationship management are key to successful EMS operations.
Focus on Sustainability: Along with this there is a need for a focus on Sustainability that encourages adoption of ecofriendly practices with a focus on reducing waste, developing energy efficient designs and exploring alternative materials to promote ecofriendly materials.
As a woman leader in a male-dominated sector, how do you leverage diversity and inclusivity in shaping strategic partnerships? How does this influence decision-making at the corporate level?
Being a woman leader in a male dominated sector, leveraging diversity and inclusivity in shaping strategic partnerships and influencing decision-making requires a concise and multi-faceted approach. I practice this by actively seeking out diverse perspectives in decision making, fostering an inclusive culture that encourages working with people from different backgrounds and industries, supporting open dialogue, active listening and empathy. This allows me to think more critically about our strategies, challenge assumptions and consider the needs of a range of stakeholders.
When looking for strategic partnerships for growth, I also gauge organizations on their commitment of inclusivity and diversity.
This isn't just about optics; it's about recognizing that diverse teams bring different problem-solving approaches, market insights, and innovation capabilities to the table, which are critical for future-proofing our business.
Secondly, I focus on building truly inclusive relationships with our strategic partners. This goes beyond just signing a deal. It involves fostering an environment where all voices feel heard and valued throughout the partnership lifecycle. This inclusivity strengthens trust, leads to more robust collaboration, and ultimately results in more innovative and resilient partnerships.
Top of Form
In the fast-evolving tech landscape, how do you foresee the role of women in driving key strategic initiatives around M&A and corporate development?
The fast-evolving tech landscape presents both opportunities and complex challenges, and as a woman leader one is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of driving key strategic initiatives in M&A and corporate development.
The tech world is evolving fast with incredibly diverse applications and trends and women leaders by nature of their diverse experiences and often more inclusive networks are able to bring a breath of understanding that allows them to spot unconventional partnerships and identify new markets that might have been overlooked otherwise. Secondly, women leaders often excel at building consensus and fostering collaboration, which are critical to M&A success.
Mergers and acquisitions are inherently complex, requiring integration across cultures, systems, and teams.
By bringing in strong relationship building skills can significantly smooth the integration process and ensure cultural alignment there by unlocking the true value of the deal.
Furthermore, the tech landscape demands agility and historically, women have often had to navigate and succeed in constantly changing environments that weren't always designed for them. By this they inherently cultivate traits like resilience, adaptability, and proactive problem-solving, all the qualities needed to identify disruptive technologies, explore unconventional business models, and courageously pursue deals that might seem 'out of the box' but hold the potential to unlock significant new market value.
In essence, women leaders, with diverse perspectives and collaborative leadership styles are essential drivers in shaping the future of M&A and corporate development, particularly by strategically breaking into those new and exciting market frontiers.
With the rise of digital transformation, how can companies rethink their Go to Market strategies to integrate cutting-edge technologies while maintaining a human-centered leadership approach?
With digital transformation, Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies will need to evolve. Companies will focus on using AI to build hyper-personalized and tailored content and offers, shifting from broad campaigns to the individual needs of their target clients.
Focus on automation and robust use of CRM tools and AI ensures seamless customer experiences across digital and physical touchpoints. Furthermore, data analytics and agile methodologies enable real-time performance monitoring and rapid iteration of GTM tactics, optimizing resource allocation.
Crucially, maintaining a human-centered leadership approach is vital. This involves upskilling the workforce to effectively utilize new digital tools, fostering a culture of experimentation where teams can innovate without fear of failure.
Leaders must prioritize empathy and ethical AI use, respecting customer privacy and ensuring technology serves human needs rather than dictating them.
Finally, strong cross-functional collaboration, championed by leadership, ensures unified efforts across sales, marketing, and product teams. This synergy between advanced tech and human touch allows companies to connect deeply with customers, driving sustainable growth in the digital age.
What key role are women executives playing in shaping the future of the Computers and Electronics Manufacturing industry?
Women executives are playing an increasingly indispensable role in shaping the future of the Electronics Manufacturing industry, particularly in addressing complex business goals and global societal challenges. Firstly, their diverse perspectives are crucial for innovation.
In an industry traditionally dominated by men, women leaders bring different experiences, problem-solving approaches, and insights into customer needs, particularly as the user base for electronics becomes more diverse globally. This leads to more inclusive product design, identifying untapped market opportunities, and fostering creative solutions for intricate technical challenges, ultimately driving better business outcomes.
Secondly, women executives often excel at collaborative leadership and empathetic decision-making. Steering strategic initiatives, such as leveraging AI ethically and adopting sustainable practices. They can bring in diverse work groups together to drive decision making that is needed to navigate the changing landscape. Their leadership ensures that business goals are pursued with a strong sense of social responsibility, enhancing brand reputation and ensuring long-term viability in a world demanding more accountable corporate citizenship.
