'Fighting bias requires demonstrating value across all levels': Subhasri, MD and CEO, Shriram Capital

[CAPTION]Subhasri, MD and CEO, Shriram Capital Pvt. Ltd. Image: Srimanikandan for Forbes India[/CAPTION]

Subhasri has spent three decades with the Shriram Group, rising through the ranks to become CFO and, more recently, the MD and CEO of Shriram Capital. Throughout her career, she has viewed challenges as opportunities to prove her worth, which she believes is the best way to overcome bias. Bias is a deeply entrenched reality that won’t change overnight. Accept that bias exists and work beyond that, she says. Edited excerpts:

Q. Do you think women are underrepresented in the finance industry, especially in leadership roles? 
Let us not isolate one industry. Women representation is inadequate almost everywhere. In the current Lok Sabha, only 78 of the 542 MPs are women and out of 72 ministers, only seven are women. How many women chief ministers do we have across 28 states and eight union territories? This points to an inherent systemic bias at multiple levels.  

_RSS_As far as the finance industry is concerned, it may not be as representative as we would like it to be, but I would not say women that are grossly underrepresented. Their percentage keeps changing from time to time, but it has not been difficult for them to advance in their careers. We have had many [women] in senior positions in the banking as well as insurance space. In fact, I believe this is an industry best suited for women because of the way we are wired. Being cautious and protective by nature, women can easily fit into this space, which has an inherent element of risk. 

However, pay in the industry is skewed and this is primarily because women do not get much chance to network enough even within their organisations. This has been a big struggle for me too, particularly in the early years of my career. I was most often the last one to know what is happening because I had little chance to have lunch with or engage in casual conversations with others. 

Q. How do you perceive the economic spin-off of parity? 
Having more women in business generally leads to better institutional wealth because women end up in such positions after a lot of struggle and hence their performance levels are always high. There is also enough data to prove that organisations with a higher percentage of women in the boardroom or in senior leadership do exceptionally well.  

Moreover, it is a drag on the economy if women who constitute almost 50 percent of the population are not actively participating in the workforce. Integrating women into the economy is crucial for true development. It will perhaps take us another 100 years to accept this fact, but we are now moving in that direction. For instance, we see more girls excelling in studies in schools and colleges and more of them getting into STEM. We will probably see a significant shift in the next 30-40 years.  

Q. How demanding is a career in finance?  
There are quite a number of women entering the space – be it banking, non-banking, or insurance. It is a natural path. The profession demands not only subject knowledge, but also considerable business acumen. When they reach a level where their actions and decisions are crucial, they face immense pressure to perform. Since only a few women are out there, they generally come under more scrutiny and their failures are magnified. If you are able to cross that phase, you get to the next. Unfortunately, many do not make it. What is needed in this context is sheer confidence.
 
Q. Very few women go on to become CFOs. Is it due to organisations failing to support high-potential women?  
Support comes from family, from the organisation, and from your own self.  

Often, the problem is not with the family or the office, but with your own mindset. You should have a strong mindset—look within first and see whether you have asked for what you want and whether you are clear where you want to be.  

In C-suite positions, there are immense responsibilities and there is absolutely no room for laxity. Also, it is quite lonely at the top and there is constant stress as every decision you make has the potential to affect many lives. So you must be always careful about your choices and actions.  

Organisations have to offer support, but employees need to make extra effort too. Unfortunately, fewer women who are competent to pursue the CFO role seem to be willing to do that these days. Many in this generation (those in the age group for corporate CFO roles) are choosing less stressful jobs, possibly due to greater family wealth and a resulting sense of economic comfort. Moreover, the drop in women from the workforce at mid-level positions is causing a paucity at the top.

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Q. How challenging was it for you to rise through the ranks? 
Something becomes a challenge when it is thrust upon you, you are reluctant to do it, and you are forcing yourself to do it. For me, it was not a challenge in that way. It was challenging in the sense that it was exciting. I was clear from the beginning that this is where I want to be. 

When I joined around 30 years ago, we were a small company. So even when I went on to become CFO, my role was not just limited to the finance function. I had to carry out the responsibilities of a CEO, CTO, and COO as well. My role became so crucial during the 2008 financial crisis. I had to manage fundraising while also keeping thousands of employees and customers motivated. I had to travel to regional offices, assuring people that their jobs were secure. It was the most stressful period of my career, but also the most exciting because I was totally engaged with my team. I strongly believe that professionalism is not just about working nine to five. It is about being available to your team when they need you. 

Q. Is workplace bias still a concern? 
Bias is a natural process. It has been there for ages. Why are we even trying to correct it in the next, say, one to ten years? Accept that conscious or unconscious bias exists and work beyond that. The only way to fight bias is by demonstrating value across all levels. I think a whole generation of women should decide where they want to be and step up and say, “I will do this”.  

There is hardly any chivalry in the corporate world in India. Nobody is going to give you extra chances. You are not being isolated or prosecuted, but you have to fight your battles alone. To others, you are just one more person, one more career, one more competition.  

Q. Are women held to higher standards than men?  
Yes, but it is not always just men who set high standards for women. Women set high standards for themselves. That is a pressure they impose on themselves. Also, when there are fewer women, expectations naturally get higher as they go up the ladder.  

Q. How does Shriram Group take forward its DEI agenda? 
We were among the few organisations that twice had women at the helm, around thirty years ago. That itself speaks volumes about our culture of parity. 

The message goes out, loud and clear, to promote inflow of women at the entry level and ensure that they travel up the ladder. Today, different businesses of the Group have different percentages of women. At Shriram Capital, more than 50 percent employees are women. The same is the case with our technology firm, lending companies, corporate offices, admin teams, and support groups. But in branches and field-level executives, most employees are men. Many senior positions are held by men owing to the predominantly field-related nature of the business. However, there are many women in senior positions in accounts and support functions. In all our companies, except for one, CFOs are women. 
 
I have been in this organisation for 30 years and I can say that the institution has taken every step possible to make the workplace both comfortable and safe for women. The culture is inclusive and empathetic, going beyond the rule book. Work-from-home options are available for anyone with family needs. Women are allowed career breaks as well and reinstated depending on their skill sets. We try to accommodate even those who relocate to other cities.   

Q. How do you nurture leadership talent? 
As an organisation run and owned by employees, we continuously invest in finding and grooming future leaders. We have a robust leadership talent pipeline, purely built on meritocracy. Entities within the Group have their own programmes to nurture talent and we conduct cross-training and intergroup training sessions.

Moreover, the Shriram Group is one of the few organisations to have completed a 50-year-old cycle – keeping pace with trends and evolving continuously and seamlessly. We are now preparing for the next 50 years and there’s a whole team working towards this goal. This also entails looking for leaders with new skill sets besides planning new products and businesses and finding new markets. 

Q. Some of the diversity dimensions we need to look at, besides gender… 
I think cultural diversity is equally important in the Indian context. We are a multiple of almost 20 countries. If we have to play in the international arena, we need to represent the country as a whole. Organisations should have representation from across the country, which obviously will include women as well. Shriram Group’s businesses are headquartered in different parts of the country and we have people from different cultural backgrounds supporting us. And this has definitely helped our business grow. 

Age diversity is crucial too, especially in the context of technology, which is a new-age development. Businesses should encourage and nurture the younger generation and involve them in discussions and management. Otherwise, they are bound to miss out on valuable insights.  
 
Q. Do you think drawing men into parity conversations can shape more equitable workplaces? 
While there is significant improvement in gender sensitivity in conversations and workplace behaviour, it is still largely city-centric. It is important to communicate to women who enter the workplace that the real world is different and what they see has been around for centuries and therefore they should not expect any miracle or 360-degree change. While holding their ground, women need to also exercise patience in their communication with the larger workforce. 

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Q. How far has digital adoption boosted inclusion at a larger level?  
As a group, we see technology more as an enabler – to bring in more speed and efficiency, not as a tool to replace people and necessarily reduce costs. It is not one over the other – it’s just as integral to our business as people are.  

Women are probably benefitting the maximum from fintech. Unlike earlier, lenders are reaching out to them at their doorstep. I think we are doing a great service by reaching out to women because they can be good wealth managers and insurance protectors for their entire family. At Shriram, nearly 50 percent of our depositors are women. The next decade will see a larger representation of women, not just as employees, but also as borrowers. 

In future, any business that wants to succeed will need to have a high dependence on women as stakeholders – not just as employees, but as customers too. In fact, I feel targets should be set for women customers in lending, mutual funds, insurance policies, and so on. This will naturally lead to more women in the workforce too. 
 
Q. Must-have attributes for a 21st century leader… 
Being inclusive and consultative, respecting your colleagues, and maintaining two-way communication with your team. 

Q. To widen the pool of women in leadership, what should change?  
Move from encouraging to mandating. It may be difficult to implement, but there should be some kind of stipulation that there should be X percentage women in senior positions.  

Women need to believe that there are opportunities out there that should not be given up. It should be clearly communicated to them that they have a place in the organisation. Nothing will change unless this is shown through action. Every time there is a woman at the top, it serves as inspiration for ten others to rise. I saw women leaders in the organisation not just as role models. “If they can do it, so can I” – that was the confidence it built in me. Now each day I am here, I tell myself that I owe this to the next generation.