An analytical, fact-driven and a creative person, Aditi Gadkari is the Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer of Indovance; an offshore engineering services company located in Pune, India and headquartered in North Carolina, United States. Founded in the year 2003; Indovance provides bespoke business solution to its customers in the US, Europe and Asia. A learner forever, Aditi Gadkari emphasized the importance of hard work and never give up attitude which she inherited from her Parents, and which became the pillars of her value system.

Aditi Gadkari engages in an exclusive interaction with Women Entrepreneur Magazine, here’s the highlight from the interaction.

Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industrial Experience And How They Aid You In Your Current Role At Indovance?

Born in an Indian Middle-class family, I was always encouraged by my parents to engage in the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and understanding. I did my schooling at Mount Carmel Convent High School in Pune, and it played a significant role in shaping me into what I am today. My teachers and school inspired me to be simple and a caring person. I have completed my bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Post-graduation in Construction Management from Pune University.

Later during my professional career phase, I pursued Executive MBA from Indo German Training Centre to fulfil the lack of business knowledge that was required to deliver while in the executive role. I am a certified PMP, ISO Lead Auditor and currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in General Management.

I have worked with couple of renowned Construction and Engineering companies before joining Indovance.

Tell Us About The Roles And Responsibilities You Shoulder? What Are Some Key Leadership Philosophies And Strategies That You Leverage To Ensure Organizational Success?

I took over as the Operations Chief at Indovance when my daughter Shree was just three years old and ever since then I have been nurturing and raising Shree and Indovance together. Heading India Office, my roles and responsibilities include involvement in framing the big picture and vision for the company and then converting the vision and strategy to tactical plans and monitoring their performance regularly. Hiring and engaging talent has been an ongoing challenge as well as an opportunity in the fast-developing engineering industry.

"Anticipating changes and proactively addressing them is the key to success"

Specifically, after the COVID pandemic and the WFH environment, the Digital transformation is another opportunity area, where we must connect all virtual employees and customers together to ensure a seamless work environment that is free of all physical boundaries. The most important leadership philosophy that I live by is - Be teachable because you are not always right. Also, for me life is not about being perfect, rich or popular but it’s being free-minded, real and humble.

What Has Been Your Most Remarkable Achievement So Far And What Is The Driving Force Behind Your Success?

Emerging as a technical expert, then as a people manager, to presently contributing towards building an organization – all the successes and failures throughout this journey are my crucial achievements so far. At Indovance, witnessing a company grow from 25 employees to 500+ employees, I was fortunate to contribute in building processes, systems and the team.

The urge to witness the journey of a company that transforms from a start-up to a successful business empire and the dream of creating and building something big has been the driving force. I am blessed to have a loving blood family as well as a supportive work family who has been there for me during all the highs and lows.

How Do You Keep Yourself Aligned With The Periodic Evolution That Occurs In This Field And Tech Landscape?

Continuous learning is the only way to stay ahead of the time and I keep myself updated about business and industry insights by indulging in reading, networking with people from the industry, attending webinars, and following social pages of organizations and institutions within the industry. Also, I consciously stay connected with the younger generation as they inspire me to continuously innovate and adapt.

As A Successful Business Leader, What Advice Would You Give To Young Women And Girls Who Also Aspire To Become Business Leaders And Entrepreneurs In The Future?

My advice to today’s women is - All along you will be a daughter, a wife, a mother, you might have experienced a tight rope walk on the financial front, or you might be a below the average student, or you had a broken relationship and a weak support system. With all of that, you can still be an excellent entrepreneur; only if you allow yourself the opportunity to know and follow your passion.

I highly recommend young ladies to define a long-term purpose for themselves and a personal growth plan to achieve that purpose. Be strong and never quit on your dreams and purpose! Also, in today’s era it’s crucial to be able to work in collaboration with men rather than proving women’s superiority or equality over men. It’s important to build a support system that would include men alike.

Aditi Gadkari, Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Indovance

A highly organized, meticulous, and structured person, Aditi Gadkari has experience working in the Engineering Outsourcing industry for the last 20 years..