Rajal C, Founder of GRAVITAS has been in transformational leadership roles & delivered excellence for American & European global companies, both in executive local and global roles for 30 years. She is an active member of HBR Advisory Council, and the thought leader & an Expert Panel member at FORBES Council since 2018. She is also a part of FORBES-women forum. “Interestingly, I didn't plan to become a corporate executive; it was a path I stumbled upon. My primary motivation was a deep-seated desire to learn and grow, and I thrived transforming while performing by learning and contributing”, speaks Rajal.

Rajal’s career began at CITICORP's global Innovation & Technology wing, where she made significant contributions by applying her hands-on knowledge of cutting-edge technologies for wide-ranging global assignments. Her journey continued at ATOS-India as a profit center business unit head, where she accomplished phenomenal year-by-year profitable business growth while maintaining a satisfied global client base. Hence she was invited, as the first woman and Indian, to join the ATOS global leadership team in 2009 - as a VP and Global Head. Rajal pioneered two global functions, Portfolio and Knowledge Management, aligning them with ATOS board's business strategy. This position changed the trajectory of her career.

Since 2020, Rajal has been the Founder & CEO at GRAVITAS, a boutique consulting firm focusing on developing mindful strategic leadership capacity in leaders of today & tomorrow for amplifying their demonstrable leadership impact & agility.

Tell us about the top professional milestones that you have achieved throughout your journey.

I grabbed opportunities, taking a calculated risk, to break taboos and glass ceilings to thrive in various leadership roles. At CITICORP, I transformed from being a hardcore tech enthusiast to becoming an effective manager. At ATOS-international, i really enjoyed steering in a VUCA global environment by leading a globally distributed team across 75+ countries, while reporting to a French CEO & a German CTO and exceeding joint global targets consistently for 10 years. Top management trusted me for ensuring that Global Innovation Budget is used wisely for an Integrated Marketing Portfolio of global innovative offerings to boost profitable business growth Globally.

In 2011, I played a pivotal role in the successful integration of Atos-Origin and Siemens-SIS, a major M&A in the IT industry. As a key member of the Global Integration Steering Committee, I was responsible for the Global integrated Portfolio stream for designing strategies for innovative offerings, new organizational structures, synergies, global governance & processes within the new ATOS.

My passion for life long learning is evident in my extensive list of international certifications in leadership coaching, mentoring, emotional intelligence, marketing, NLP, finance and quality management.

“I recognize that leadership is not about being the smartest person in the room but curating a culture that aligns with our purpose & strategy”

Tell us about the key areas of expertise and how does your prior experience empower you to be a better business leader today?

My career trajectory involved intentional choices & enjoyed the journey from being a business technologist to a local leader to a leader-coach to a global leader and to being a leadership coach/mentor & board member.

At Citicorp, I acquired leadership qualities from my smart boss-mentors, customers, and peers. This transformation instilled in me humility, authenticity, tact, wit and diplomacy- basic ingredients for success in any situation. I learned that genuine management involves developing people through work, not just getting work done through people.

At ATOS, I transitioned from a business technologist to a resilient, adaptable, and risk-taking global business leader. I became a certified coach, embracing a coaching leadership style characterized by creating reflective spaces for thinking, and fostering collaboration, providing feedback and feed-forward. Effective leadership, I learned, is about 'asking and listening' rather than 'telling and selling.'

My global customers & peers, French/German bosses, leaders of intellect, strength, and empathy - taught me life lessons in emotional intelligence, work-life balance & diversity. Hence I adopted to thrive pragmatically in chaos and embrace my unique leadership style— one that knows when to let go or stand firm. My core strength lies in combining these qualities to be a better leader in my company and a better person in all aspects of life.

What has been your mantra for success as a business leader?

I recognize that leadership is not about being the smartest person in the room but creating a culture that aligns with our purpose and strategy. I value the importance of aligning leadership with strategic thinking & growth mindset. Effective leadership involves making others better in your presence and ensuring that this impact lasts even in your absence. Confidence, Conviction, Compassion, empathy, and connection are integral to this process. Successful leaders empower others and influence them to dream, learn, and grow.

Finally, impactful leadership is to harness collective wisdom, with a learning attitude and asking the right powerful questions. Ultimately, a hallmark of good leadership success is measured by the growth and development of the people being led, and the ability to create more leaders.

What led you to establish GRAVITAS? Tell us about the underlying idea behind establishing the boutique leadership consulting firm and its key areas of specialization?

After 25+ years of traveling the world for business, I realized during the COVID-19 that I had not delved deep enough into my own internal journey - a personal journey of self-discovery to make a difference to my life & other’s lives. Coincidentally Forbes invited me to join their Coaches council - an opportunity to pivot to make a meaningful impact on leadership development. This inspired me to found GRAVITAS with focus to balance leader's outside appearance with inside solidity to increase their leadership demonstrable impact & agility.

My advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs is to prioritize mindful strategic leadership, master personal growth, attain financial literacy and independence, and seek the guidance of mentor/coach/advisors.

Rajal C, Founder & CEO, Gravitas

A Business Alchamist , Amplifying Leadership Impact & Agility.