Arundhati Bhattacharya, the first woman to chair the State Bank of India (SBI), and currently the Chairperson and CEO of Salesforce India, spoke to us about her journey as a leader and a woman. Her most recent adventure is a memoir titled Indomitable: A Working Woman’s Notes on Life, Work and Leadership (Harper Business, 2022). She is based in Mumbai.
How did you break the glass ceiling at SBI?
I did not do it quite deliberately. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to ensure that people saw me as a contributor. That always helps. Whether you like or dislike a person, you want the job done well and on time. Those who have a reputation as contributors have more people asking for them. They get
For every assignment that I got, I would try to absorb and learn as much as possible from people who were already there. I would then find out the pain points, and figure out how to get rid of those. “How to make this place better?” This question helped me understand what was needed. I was able to energize teams and enable them to give their best. Making your contribution felt is not about hogging the credit. It’s about succeeding along with others.
When you work like this, it can help you climb ladders. If you keep climbing, you might suddenly be in the right place at the right time. Then the glass ceiling breaks. Luck, too, has a role to play in this. I have been quite lucky.
What can the banking sector do to support more women to take up leadership roles?
It’s a leaky pipeline, and there has to be some empathy as to why this is so. It's not without reason that women leave. The banking sector needs to understand the problem, and solve it.
Across the globe, it’s common for women to leave during the childbearing years. But in India, women also leave when their children are between the 10th and 12th standards. It’s a crucial time for middle-class people who aspire for their children to do well. It's a competitive world. There is a lot of coaching going on. The mother is expected to chauffeur them around, give them the right nutrition, ensure that they are getting enough sleep. As a result, a lot of women want to take off during that time. They feel guilty if they don't, and especially if the child doesn't make it in these competitive exams, they bear that guilt for the rest of their life.
Another issue in India is geriatric care, which is very expensive and hardly available. Ultimately, it's all done at home and even though you may be having help to do it, you still want to be able to oversee what's happening. You don't want to leave the sick person unattended at home. A lot of women leave their jobs to provide geriatric care to their elders.
All organizations, including banks, must go the extra mile to support women. This is not about giving undue advantage. Women have a primary caregiver status in India even today.
How did you feel about the fact that your designation at SBI was Chairman?
I don’t like to get stressed over small things when there are bigger battles to fight. The SBI was formed out of a statute of the Government of India, which took over the Imperial Bank. In order to change the designation, one would have to go to the Parliament of India. That seemed too much of a hassle. The Parliament has far more important things to do. Whether you are called a Chairman or Chairwoman or Chairperson, it doesn’t matter what you are known as. What matters is what you do with it.
Of all the cities that you’ve worked in, which one has been your favourite?
Bangalore! When I was living there, my office was one and a half minutes away from my house. I could see my office from my bedroom window. It was a ten-acre campus with seven gates left wide open, so it had become the largest parking lot in town for anyone who wanted to leave their vehicle behind while shopping. I stopped that. I closed down five of the gates because it was a security issue. I marked out parking spaces, and got an expert in horticulture to work on the landscaping. Bangalore is great when you don’t have to commute.
As a Bengali, I used love participating in the Durga Puja in Bangalore. Unlike in Kolkata, where it has become commercialized, the festival is more community-based in Bangalore. It was exactly the way I remembered it from my childhood and youth. Bangalore had excellent weather back then, and there was no dearth of places to go to on a long weekend.
What has given you strength during your most difficult times?
I have a good support system of family, friends and colleagues. It kicks in when I am having a difficult time. This doesn’t happen automatically. I have to reach out, stay connected, so that we can have each other’s back. The other thing that I do during the most difficult times is to address the problem as quickly as possible. Postponement makes the situation worse.
How do you feel about your current role at Salesforce India? What are your plans?
I have been here for two years. My main plan is to do right by the company, and grow it. It has been a huge learning experience for me. For a long time, I have looked at things from the customer’s point of view. In this role, I have learnt to see from the vendor’s point of view. This is a good realization to have. I can now see different sides to the same story.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
