Hitachi Rail STS India is a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi Groupwhich has a global presence in the fields of metro and railway signalling, as well as integrated transport systems for passenger traffic, encompassing railway, mass transit, and freight operations. The company develops, constructs, installs, and commissions signalling system components and high-tech systems for the administration and control of newly constructed or updated railways, transit, and freight lines throughout the country.

Having previously worked as a legal counsel and company secretary in the infrastructure, energy, and pharmaceutical industries, Deepika Gupta joined Hitachi Rail India as General Counsel, Company Secretary, and Compliance – Head. Her expertise has tremendously aided her understanding and familiarity with the rail industry's requirements.

“During our 25-year presence in the country, we have commissioned some of the most prestigious maiden projects, including the commissioning of Electronic Interlocking Microlok on Indian Railways in the South Eastern Railway Zone, 1000 stations of electronic interlocking on Indian Railways, various signaling projects under metro authorities, Indian Railways, and Mission RAFTAR, and the commissioning of Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) signalling for the first high-speed corridor between India and Pakistan”, highlights Deepika.

In an exclusive interaction with Women Entrepreneur Magazine, Deepika Gupta, General Counsel, Company Secretary and Compliance – Head, Hitachi Rail walks us through her personal and professional life along with the unique traits of the company.

Take Us Through Your Early Education And Prior Industry Experience That You Bring To The Table. What Motivated You To Venture Into A Fully Integrated Brand Which Is A Global Provider Of Rail Solutions?

I graduated in Commerce & Law from Agra University, and subsequently qualified as a Company Secretary from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).

That whetted my appetite to consolidate my industry- specific knowledge further, and I acquired a Post-Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property law from Amity Law School, Noida, and a Certificate in Data Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.

I chose Hitachi Rail as most of their projects are based on the EPC model which enabled me to draw on my prior experience in the Infrastructure and Energy sectors, to better understand the company structure here. I also joined Hitachi Rail not just because of its strong brand image and global market presence, but the plethora of possibilities it offered to explore diverse areas which would provide the scope for a more holistic professional growth and the experience that entailed.

Throw Some Light On The Varied Expertise You Possess In The Legal Field. How Has Your Past Experience Helped You In Your Current Role At Hitachi Rail?

My overall experience of over 18 years, in the field of Dispute Resolution, which includes Litigation and Arbitration, Legal Advisory, Regulatory Compliance, Contract Management, Manufacturing and EPC contracts expertise, Corporate Secretary Functions, Joint-Venture & Foreign Subsidiary Compliance, and Corporate Policies Compliance, has been of immense assistance in expediting the efficacy of my job in my current role.

“As general counsel, i provide guidance and precise legal support to businesses that handle voluminous arbitrations / litigations, contractual strategy with clients and vendors, ensuring statutory and internal compliances within the organization, while not losing sight of insurance needs”

What Are The Various Roles & Responsibilities That You Currently Shoulder At Hitachi Rail?

As General Counsel, I provide guidance and precise legal support to businesses that handle voluminous arbitrations/litigations, contractual strategy with clients and vendors, ensuring statutory and internal compliances within the organization, while not losing sight of insurance needs. As Henry Ford once said, “Learning never stops. Anybody who keeps learning, stays young!”. I believe the key is to demonstrate curiosity and have an eagerness to learn, in all interactions with stakeholders, team members, and industry peers, in order to better assimilate business requirements and develop information about diurnal industry practices.

What Have Been The Most Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved So Far In Your Professional Journey? What Is Your Guiding Leadership Philosophy?

I have launched projects arbitration for about $750 million from scratch, while conforming to contractual dispute resolution provisions. Established a compliance and company secretarial division for a well-known Joint Venture of the Tata group, Airasia India Ltd. Established an umbrella of Special Vehicle Companies (SPVs) for the renewable energy group Ostro and Nordex in accordance with RBI requirements, and handled foreign money remittances. As a leader, I am a firm believer in producing exemplary work with content of the highest quality from my team in order to attract opportunities for work with broader perspective from other stakeholders.

How Do You Keep Yourself Well Aligned With The Periodic Evolutions Occurring Within Your Respective Field Of Work?

The first and foremost important thing to remember as a legal and compliance expert is that you must remain a student for the rest of your life. So staying “au courant” on statutes, case laws, and industrial realities is essential for success in this field. In today's global economy, neither business nor the legal system has borders. A legal professional must be flexible in order to adapt the legal framework for the relevant corporate area. To adapt in an apposite manner, a legal practitioner must be fully conversant with legal developments.

As A Successful Woman What Would Your Advice Be To Young Women And Girls Aspiring To Become Business Leaders And Entrepreneurs In The Future?

The definition of success is very subjective to every individual. Although I would not describe myself as a successful lady, but rather as a happy woman. As a mother of a girl child myself, I would like to quote Ms Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, "I want every little girl who's been told she's bossy to be told again that she has leadership skills." As a woman in a leadership role, I advocate for equal and more active participation of women in executive and leadership positions at the workplace; in fact, at Hitachi Rail STS India, we have an "all women" Legal team. My advice to young women is to never give up, to work hard, to be honest, and to believe in themselves. This will enable them to bring talents and confidently express their viewpoints, resulting in clear judgments.

Deepika Gupta, General Counsel, Company Secretary & Compliance – Head, Hitachi Rail Sts

High-impact professional with 18 years of experience in providing expert legal support to management and directing the company policy on a broad range of legal and regulatory compliance.