Supriya: From Greenfield Projects to strategic leadership — Building Systems, Leading People, and Championing Balance

“When you meet someone who’s led innovation across continents, launched India’s first rice-based whiskey, and navigated factory floors—often as the only woman in the room—you pause, listen, and learn. With over 17 years of experience across the US, Europe, Australia, and ASLA, this award-winning global leader has driven transformation across the supply chain, innovation, and sales in some of the world’s most complex industries. But beyond the business outcomes and global programs, what stands out most is her belief in lifting others as she climbs—and her unwavering conviction that ambition should be celebrated, not silenced, for women everywhere.”

1. Background and Career Path

   - Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to your current career path?

Award-winning Global Leader with over 17.5 years of experience in the consumer goods/FMCG and retail industries across the US, Europe, Australia & ASLA within Supply chain, Innovation & Sales. Recognised for managing capital projects, including greenfield and brownfield developments, and launching new products using the stage-gate process. Proven expertise in building Centres of Excellence within GCC formats, optimising end-to-end operations, fostering cross-functional teams, and driving continuous improvements. Demonstrated success in delivering multimillion-dollar savings through innovative solutions and process enhancements

   - What were your initial goals when you started your career, and how have they evolved?

I began my career as an executive in the GCC within the sales function. Over the years, I have grown organically while also making deliberate career moves to step into leadership roles within Supply chain & Innovations managing operations on a global scale. These roles evolved as I got more curious to know things end to end and raised hands to experiment by doing many pilots. Many of roles I did recently were 1st of its kind & then bloomed into wider teams

2. Challenges and Overcoming Them

   - What significant challenges have you faced in your career, especially as a woman in your field?

   - Can you share a specific instance where you had to overcome a significant obstacle or setback?

Leading older or more experienced team members as a young female professional often comes with resistance, especially in traditionally male-dominated fields. Challenges include overcoming biases, gaining credibility, and ensuring team alignment. The key to success lies in demonstrating expertise, fostering collaboration, and leading with confidence while respecting the team's experience. By focusing on results, building trust, and maintaining a clear vision, I was able to navigate these dynamics and drive meaningful impact

3. Achievements and Milestones

   - What achievements are you most proud of in your career?

Launched India’s 1st rice based whiskey “ Epitome Reserve” which was the 1st of its kind for industry in record time. It was launched in 95 days, the fastest launch in the history of Diageo India. This product received several awards including “Best Malt Whiskey of the Year.” best new product of the year. My name is mentioned on each bottle as an honour. 

4. Work-Life Balance

   - How have you managed work-life balance throughout your career, and what advice would you give to others struggling with this?

Balancing work and personal life has been an evolving journey, especially while managing a demanding career and pregnancy & post maternity phase. I am learning  to prioritise effectively, set boundaries, and delegate where possible. Leveraging support systems—both at work and home—has been crucial in ensuring I stay focused on what matters most.

My advice to others struggling with work-life balance is to be intentional about their time, communicate their needs openly, and embrace flexibility without guilt. It’s important to recognise that balance isn’t about perfection but about making conscious choices that align with personal and professional priorities.

5. Mentorship, Sponsorship & Support

   - Have you had mentors, sponsors or supporters who significantly influenced your career? How did they help you?

   - How important do you think mentorship, sponsorship and support is in career development, especially for women?

Mentors, Sponsors have been extremely important & they have played a very crucial role in my journey right from building my confidence, providing me opportunity to shine, giving me key projects, speaking/recommending me in a room in my absence. I can't be where I am if I had not met them

6. Diversity and Inclusion

   - In your experience, how has the landscape for women in your field changed over the years?

   - What do you believe companies can do better to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

There are efforts done in this area to change & Improve landscape for women. Over the years, I’ve seen the landscape shift—though not uniformly—when it comes to women in supply chain, manufacturing, and transformation leadership. When I started, it was rare to see women on factory floors, managing Greenfield , in engineering conversations, or leading multi-country transformation programs. Today, that’s changing. There’s more visibility, more advocacy, and more examples of women in supply chain roles. 

However, progress is uneven. While representation has improved at entry and mid-levels, the transition to senior leadership still sees a drop-off. I’ve personally navigated situations where I was the only woman in the room, and over time, I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor and sponsor other women stepping into operational and strategic roles. The narrative is evolving—but we still have ground to cover

7. Advice and Insights

   - What advice would you give to young women starting their careers in your field?

 Balance is Not Perfect—It’s Personal Especially for women, questions around balance come up early and often. I’ve managed large programs while raising two children, including a toddler. It wasn’t always perfect—but it was purposeful. Know that your definition of balance may evolve, and that’s okay. What matters is that you build support systems at work and home and be kind to yourself along the way.

Lift as You Climb As you grow, bring others along—especially women who may be navigating the same doubts or challenges you faced. One woman’s voice in the room can open the door. A few can shift the culture.

8. Future legacy & Sisterhood

   - Looking forward, what goals or objectives do you have for the next phase of your career?

 My focus is on leading high-impact programs that not only deliver business outcomes but also build internal transformation muscle—empowering cross-functional teams, integrating digital solutions, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.

I also want to shape the people's side of transformation. Change doesn’t succeed through systems alone—it requires belief, behavior shifts, and trust. That’s where I want to leave a lasting mark.

9. How do you hope to influence or inspire the next generation of women in your field?

I hope to lead by example. I want women to see that it’s possible to lead multi-site projects, drive transformation across geographies, and still be present for their families. That you can be strategic and empathetic. I want women to know: you don’t have to trade off ambition for balance.

I actively mentor young women, and I want to expand that—by creating forums, reverse mentoring circles, and development pathways tailored for women in frontline and technical careers.

Most importantly, I want to normalise ambition—without guilt. If I can help the next generation believe that they don’t have to choose between career growth and personal fulfilment, that would be a legacy I’d be proud of

9. Being CEO Ready

    - What are the top 3 skills or experiences that you believe are important for women to be CEO Ready?

    - What is the next big step in your life to being CEO Ready?

 Enterprise Thinking & Strategic Agility A CEO must see the whole chessboard—understand how decisions in one part of the business ripple across finance, people, operations, and culture. I seek roles that cut across silos, manage complexity, and tie operational performance to long-term value creation.

Resilience with Empathy The best CEOs don’t just deliver under pressure—they do it while holding the human side of leadership. Women often bring natural emotional intelligence to the table, but the challenge is to pair that with resilience, clarity in tough moments, and the ability to rally people through ambiguity.

Result Ownership and Influence Beyond Authority Ultimately, a CEO must drive results. Having larger business impact,  leading large teams, or delivering transformation at scale are critical. But equally important is influencing across ecosystems—boards, governments, unions, customers—without formal control. That’s the mark of readiness.

For me, the next big step is moving into a global transformation leadership role where I can drive strategic change at enterprise scale. I want to be at the helm of building agile operating models, shaping people strategies, and influencing the broader business direction.

I also see this upcoming phase as a time to sharpen my boardroom exposure, strengthen commercial acumen.

“In her journey of driving enterprise-level transformation, strengthening organisational capabilities, and mentoring the next generation—she reminds us of what’s possible when purpose, performance, and empathy intersect. At BAGGGEL, we’re proud to spotlight women like her who redefine leadership not just by what they build, but inspire the people around them to dream bigger, lead bolder, and rise together.”

Thank you.