Women's leadership plays a crucial role in shaping the world today. With their resilience, intelligence, and empathy, women leaders are breaking barriers and driving positive change in various industries. Deepti Jethanandani, Partner at NGS Global, is a shining example of women's leadership transformative impact on the business world. With an extensive background in brand marketing, media, consulting, and executive search, she brings invaluable insights to her role.

Deepti's pivot to executive search and leadership advisory showcases her enterprising spirit to embrace new challenges. With deep industry knowledge and insights into successful leadership, she serves as a trusted advisor to organizations seeking top-notch talent. In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Deepti enlightens us more about her professional traits and her experiences as a successful woman leader.

Could you share your industry experiences and walk us through your prior work experience?

Throughout my career, I have had diverse and enriching experiences, spanning brand marketing, media, consulting, and executive search across large organizations to start-up’s. Post my MBA, I joined the brand marketing team at Times of India. Subsequently, I played a significant role at Hindustan Times, in the launch of their edition in Mumbai, which honed my  leadership skills and adeptness in managing key accounts.

Following my marriage and husband's varied international assignments, my early career encompassed a series of short stints in media industry. Capitalizing on my established reputation and past achievements, I could secure assignments swiftly, everywhere we were posted. I had the opportunity to also manage Dubai & Qatar markets of leading Business Magazine of UAE. I continued to pursue my passion for marketing through consulting for small to mid-sized organizations, however, had to put my ambitious career plans on hold, to support the family due to the tragic death of my mother-in-law. A couple of years later, settling in Bangalore, when my baby was about 8 months, I had the desire to establish a stable career but needed flexible hours. Thus, I ventured into consulting, offering creative strategies as a Partner to media agencies. Alongside this venture, I embarked on a startup journey which was not so successful and ultimately joined an ex-boss as a business partner, focusing on South India's market. In this new role, we consulted on brand marketing and strategy, celebrity endorsements, leveraging new media tools and optimisation of campaigns across ATL channels. Our approach was met with success, leading to organizational growth, and recognition. As the marketing landscape evolved, I recognized the potential of digital media and the value of leveraging influencer marketing and social media campaigns. During this time, I was also involved in identifying executive talent for media organizations. With close to two decades of experience I was looking for new learnings and challenges.

Seeking broader opportunities, I pivoted to executive search by joining NGS Global, where I could use my functional experience across various business domains to help organizations augment and strengthen their leadership teams. Throughout my journey, I have embraced change, sought out innovative solutions, and focused on providing value to my clients and partners.

Introduce us to NGS Global and its current positioning in the market.

NGS Global is a global executive search firm with a commitment to delivering exceptional value to clients through industry expertise and cultural knowledge. Operating across 34 offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. NGS Global offers the extensive resources found in major global search firms, while maintaining the personalized approach and swift completion cycles typical of a mid-sized platform. As an independent firm without external shareholders, NGS Global ensures unparalleled candidate access and a high-touch service experience, setting it apart in the executive search landscape.

Tell us about the various responsibilities you shoulder as a partner at the firm.

In my current role at NGS Global, I help large as well as rapid growth enterprises augment their Board and leadership teams. My prior functional experience, deep industry network, ability to critically analyse the business need and approaching the problem statement creatively has been instrumental in my success. To identify exceptional talent, it is essential to maintain an unbiased approach, conduct structured research, and stay abreast on emerging business trends. This not only helps provide value to clients but also become trusted advisors to potential candidates. In our industry, client and candidate can interchange at any point.

"Throughout my journey, I have embraced change, Sought out innovative Solutions, & focused on Providing value to my clients & partners"

I also play an active role in Global Marketing Committee of NGS global and drive key initiatives on Diversity and Clean tech from India. Have also written a few thought leadership pieces in these areas which are published.

Can you share insights into managing the balance between your professional and personal life?

I personally manage three calendars - one for work, one for family, and one for personal activities to be able to prioritize 'me-time', whether it's for evening walks, yoga, or leisure. Openly discussing challenges with peers, mentors, and colleagues is crucial for support and perspective. As women, creating an encouraging community, helps navigate the demands of work and family life. Significantly, following the Japanese principle of ‘shikata ga nai’, letting go and accepting things beyond our control, has kept me calm.

How do you foresee the executive search landscape evolving in the future? What steps will you take to align NGS Global with the emerging industry trends?

Talent will remain central to organizational success, and the executive search strategies used to identify, attract and assess top-tier talent will evolve to stay relevant. Diversity and inclusion have become critical priorities worldwide and to stay ahead, we must become true partners and consultants, empathizing with clients in helping them craft successful talent roadmaps. Embracing technological advancements, such as AI and ML, and assessing mobility of skills is vital to adapt to evolving job profiles. Being agile, willing to course-correct swiftly and excellent candidate experience will enable us to succeed in a fiercely competitive market. Collaboration and continuous learning, both within and beyond our realm, will enable us to navigate the industry's evolution intelligently.

Deepti Jethanandani, Partner, NGS Global

Deepti Jethanandani, Partner at NGS Global, brings two decades of varied consulting experience across marketing & strategy. Transitioning to executive search and leadership advisory, she aids large and rapid-growth enterprises in enhancing leadership capabilities through diverse senior talent acquisition and development.