The best or nothing’, is the motto at Mercedes- Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI). This translates into our focus on combining the latest in the technological space for luxury and reliability, with the highest quality and safety standards. As the leader of the MB.OS Base Technologies Department, Anindita Mahapatra, along with her team, is responsible to adapt the software platform solution for various electronic control units that go into the car. Anindita also holds the office of Vice President at MBRDI and she has established a formidable presence within the organisation with her passion for excellence and innovation. In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Anindita talks more about her professional journey and growing into a formidable force in the industry.

What are some facets of your life and professional journey that shaped you as an individual?

Enjoying summers at my ancestral home in a quaint village in Bengal, observing the colourful lives of people around, being with them and learning to give, gave me a sense of peace within. For me, some of the best memories are etched from those years and that helps me connect with people better today. It has helped me be empathetic and closer to reality while dealing with different business and life situations.

In my early years, I used to spend a lot of time helping my father with electronic equipment maintenance and repairs. We used to go to buy parts from hardware stores and those experiences made me interested in STEM. We would spend a lot of time analysing and he would spend the weekends helping me understand the technical aspects of various devices. These were the formative years that helped forge my interest in the mechanical sciences.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table.

I have completed Electronics and Communications Engineering from Mysore University and MS in Systems and Software from BITS. L&T Mysore campus recruited me as a GET, which was one of the best experiences during my early career. The setup was like a start-up and hence, it gave me an end-to-end understanding of the product development journey. I wanted to gain perspective by going out independently and hence moved to Visteon, Chennai where I had my introduction to the embedded software world of the automotive industry. Then, Delphi/APTIV gave me immense career growth opportunities and varied experiences across regions that built myinsights about global cultures. These rich experiences across leadership levels enabled me to grow in the industry and join one of the most-coveted luxury carmakers, Mercedes-Benz.

Enumerate the most critical challenges you encounter as a business leader. How do you overcome the roadblocks that you face?

Adapting to transformations or guiding change, and developing employees posed unique challenges. That said, I would not call them roadblocks but instead say they were opportunities that helped me learn about different team individuals, cultures, perspectives and so on. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for our various life encounters. Of course, we learn at every step and apply some of these aspects, but solutions are always different since we are dealing with people and every experience is a unique one.

"Each One Of Us Must Work With Our Strengths & Identify What Works Best For Us"

I have learned to remain calm, and firmly present my perspective and views with conviction. I have to add that personal development is a process and I am still learning and bettering my skills and approach.

Tell us about the top three milestones you have achieved throughout your professional journey. What has been your success mantra as a business leader?

A moment I hold close to my heart is when a fuel-dispensing product I developed while at L&T, Mysore, was being tested at L&T, Powai. This did a world of good to my confidence since I had been in the industry for just a couple of years at that time. The feeling of achieving something great still excites me after two decades. My successful stint in Troy, Michigan at Delphi, developing the digital satellite radio along with my colleagues is another important achievement for me. This was an amazing learning/turning point in my career and opened doors to numerous leadership opportunities thereafter. As Lean and Agile Transformation Leader for the Asia Pacific chapter at APTIV, I have learned various leadership aspects including the art of manoeuvring across levels amongst peers and constantly negotiating the scope and boundaries of business. Finally, one of my biggest milestones or success stories has been the opportunity I now have at MBRDI. It is a testament to all the hard work I’ve put in and the progress I have made throughout my career.

As part of our in-house software development strategy for Mercedes-Benz Operating System, I have been entrusted with the responsibility of setting up the Software Base Layer organisation at MBRDI. This encompasses the highly competent teams responsible for AUTOSAR, Cybersecurity, Network Communications, Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment competencies. The capabilities, ownership and efficiency demonstrated by our teams and available talent pool have accelerated the growth at MBRDI.

With increasing Software development ownerships within the company, we are moving towards agile ways of working. In this context, we are setting up a lean and agile transformation office at MBRDI where we envision adapting to new working models that include changes in methods, tools and processes in the next couple of years. My career at MBRDI is still in the fledgling phase and I look forward to the new challenge of streamlining these processes and further gaining invaluable experience.

Drawing from your experience, what advice/ message would you give to other aspiring women leaders & entrepreneurs?

I strongly believe in LM Montgomery’s quote, 'I don’t know what lies in the bend, but I would like to believe the best does.' I am someone who will take risks and am decisive in my leadership style, regardless of the outcome. Having mentors in the industry helps for sure. Each one of us must work with our strengths and identify what works best for us. Especially for women, we must identify and build our ecosystem to keep moving forward.   

Anindita Mahapatra, Vice President, Mercedes Benz Research And Development

Anindita is a strong business leader who never backs away from challenges and she is always open to learning and growing!