Chartering Territories, Bhavana Bindra Became Leader In Tech

Bhavana Bindra's passion to leave an impact by chartering unprecedented territories made her work across industries like corporate, engineering and manufacturing. Presently a Managing Director at REHAU, a globally known brand in Polymer-based solutions, she is making waves through her ambitious expansions and growth plans in the sector not just in India but also in South Asia.

In an interview with SheThePeople, Bhavana Bindra talks about leading a global brand, why diversity is an integral tool for businesses, how she prioritises innovation and more.

Bhavana Bindra Interview

How did REHAU happen?

Quite naturally, when an organisation’s values match with that of an individual, there is nothing that keeps them from joining hands. Such was the story with my joining REHAU- an organisation looking to make a mark in the South of Asia with reliability, trust and innovation as its core values. I could see the opportunity to put my skills to use to make a difference to the business, but more than that, to the people.

You entered this space when the industry, for a larger part, was male-dominated. What were the initial challenges?

To me, diversity is a way of thinking; it is a mindset that is different. Gender is the most visible form of diversity, we tend to speak of diversity in the context of being dominated by one gender vs. another. The crux of the matter is that when businesses are looking to grow and make a mark in an industry that has traditionally been their stronghold, the thinking needs to change and this, to me, is what is noticed when a leader takes on a role, not whether they are of a certain gender. Stakeholders, whether customers, investors, vendors or employees, look at how one deals with challenges and pushes the envelope—and that to me is how one needs to look at what one makes happen in any space that they enter.

How crucial is mentorship, especially at the grassroots level for aspiring women leaders? 

In my view, mentoring is important in order to encourage and build on the confidence of women to be able to explore possibilities, especially if there aren’t too many role models for them in their chosen field.

From when you started to now, what factors impacted your leadership?

One learns every day and, to me, every small experience and every individual who forms a part of the team has the propensity to teach you. It could be about the product, the market, the customer, and so on. Learning cannot be quantified. As long as you learned something new every day, you did grow as a person, professional, and leader.

What more do you suggest countries and systems can adopt when it comes to inspiring women in STEM?

One of the biggest areas would be to highlight the successes of women in STEM. And this could mean even the small steps of the thousands of women who against all odds from varied backgrounds are able to make their mark in their respective fields. Besides, I would say, several measures are being taken by the Government in our country and also in others to inspire women to pursue the field. However, there are still enough biases that transcend fields of education and will take a while to change. That does not mean we give up, it just means we need to pursue with greater might and encourage more women, to make a difference.

How do you suggest the Indian market can empower more women in leadership positions?

Well, not a short answer. There is a whole volume of work that I have written on the subject based on my experiences. If we need to see them at the top, we need to start at the bottom. It isn’t an overnight change but a journey which requires conviction and commitment. Commitment relies on the premise that there is value in a diverse workforce. A patriarchal society requires a DNA change for this to become a way of life. And Rome was surely not built in a day.

What advice you would want to give women concerning financial independence and investments?

Not an expert in the field but I would just say, choose wisely because it is hard-earned and it requires a lot of effort from many people all of whom want to see you succeed to make it big and to make a difference. So, irrespective of the naysayers or those who think they figure it all out in this realm- it’s okay to clarify, it’s okay to choose, and it’s okay to be selective.

What is your advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs?

I haven’t had a stint as an entrepreneur in the literal sense of the word, so I will not want to comment except that we all have an entrepreneur in us and that to me is what distinguishes us from those who work for others without the feeling of ownership and accountability. In the truest sense, for each one of us to succeed we need to ensure the entrepreneur within us runs the show -  irrespective of gender, age, position or choice of profession.

Suggested reading: World Needs More Women Policymakers: Shailja Chandra, Educator And Sustainability Expert