Leadership is often forged by experience, honed by challenges, and illuminated by courage to move out of one’s comfort zone. Such is the story of Shreeya Joshi, an exem­plar of impactful leadership. In nearly 18 years of her professional career, Shreeya’s ascent has been marked by the steady accumulation of expertise in various as­pects that go beyond financial accounting and taxa­tion.

Starting her career with a resounding achievement of clearing the CA qualification and IFRS diploma in her first attempt, Shreeya joined Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as an Accounts Executive responsible for man­aging the accounts in Hyderabad, India. She was also engaged in consolidation of Financial Statements for the entire L&T organization, including numerous busi­ness units and subsidiaries. Her journey unfolded into distinct phases at L&T, demonstrating not just finan­cial acumen, but also her remarkable adaptability and openness to change. This fuelled her growth from one great opportunity to another. Early on in her career, she played a pivotal role in establishing a shared ser­vice centre for Vendor Management and spearheading its digital transformation initiatives, encompassing management, strategy, and cross-functional collabo­ration. This experience exposed her to management roles beyond traditional accounting functions.

After becoming a mother, Shreeya decided to a take a sabbatical leave from the corporate world, her passion found new avenues. She engaged with edu­cational institutions, imparting her financial wisdom and imbibing the perspectives of the youth—a period that further broadened her career horizon. She adept­ly handled industry shifts, such as the introduction of Goods and Service Tax (GST) and the adoption of IFRS accounting standards for various organisations. Re­turning to the corporate sphere at L&T Infotech, she was responsible for handling payroll of 45,000 em­ployees; launch need-based trainings, contributed to adopting new labour laws and more.

Today, as the Head of Finance - Middle East at Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO), Shreeya stands at the helm of financial operations, oversee­ing diverse geographies and intricate financial land­scapes. Her journey, marked by resilience, innovation, and flexibility, showcases her ability to thrive in an evolving environment and leading her team towards excellence. This transition from her Indian corpo­rate roots to an international role symbolizes her au­dacious spirit and workability in a global landscape. Women Entrepreneur magazine is excited to interview her.

How did your prior experience empower you to be a better leader today?

In addition to my solid foundation around the core pil­lars of finance and accounting, my experiences have taught me the invaluable art of pliability, endurance and staying relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape. A strategic mindset allows me to find differences, pat­terns and propose alternative solutions. The leaders I have worked with have made me realise the impor­tance of guiding rather than dictating for effective team leading.

“Stepping out of your comfort zone is when real growth happens; that's where you discover your true potential”

What are some of the most critical challenges you encountered in your journey to success?

My journey began with leaving home for my first job in Hyderabad, a stark contrast to my well-being. I felt home sick at times. Adapting to new surroundings, culture, and male-dominated workplaces challenged me initially. Overcoming this, I learned that stepping outside is vital for growth. Leading senior team mem­bers (by age or experience) was a challenge because people often judge you by age. With an accommoda­tive attitude and leadership of liberty, I could build a team the was conducive and cooperative. Handling the change transformation that happened with the setting up of the shared service centre threw up challenges in HR management, and I had to reassure my team on job security along with focussing on increased productiv­ity with the centralised hub. During COVID, managing work, two children and being away from my husband, who was overseas was challenging too. I’m grateful to my family members and organization’s support for supporting me through this tough phase of juggling between multiple hats.

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

In 2008 structuring a single centralized Shared Ser­vice Centre for the behemoth that L&T is and that too at the beginning of my career was definitely a profes­sional achievement for which our entire core team was lauded as SSC is a big success to date. We were one of the early adopters of the SSC model.

During the same year we migrated from a paper and cheque-based vendor management system to a digital platform with 100 percent online banking and transactions, for which we were acknowledged as pi­oneers in the industry.

In 2022, during the L&T Infotech and Mindtree merger, I worked on the integration of the ‘Payroll’ functions of LTI and Mindtree. This resulted in deal­ing with data integration, policies for 90,000 employ­ees, by collaborating with HRs of both the companies.

The CMCO Dubai office caters to the entire middle east, complying with country specific import-export regulations which is very crucial and time bound. This is possible due to the collaborative and empow­ering environment at CMCO where our requests and suggestions are well received. CMCO fosters a strong gender-neutral culture which provides women like me an ideal platform for growth.

Tell us about the success mantra that you follow as a business leader.

Observing leaders within and beyond the organiza­tion has shaped my leadership approach. I believe in a strong vision, digital adoption and an ownership mindset which empowers teams to excel. Fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse strengths and working styles is the key. Collaboration is crucial, and collective ownership ensures growth and value enhancement. As a leader in the finance vertical, dis­cipline is an important virtue to imbibe in all aspects from financial discipline, audit reporting and embrac­ing change to achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Shreeya Joshi, Head – Finance, Columbus Mckinnon

Shreeya Joshi draws inspiration from visionary leaders like A M Naik and Indra Nooyi, observing their transformative journeys. Her career path, intertwined with L&T's dynamic evolution, has been guided by close collaboration with esteemed CFOs (Late) Y M Deosthalee and R. Shankar Raman. She highlights that her family support, including her husband's encouragement, underscores a big part in her success journey. Shreeya owes much of her growth to her mentors and colleagues, shaping her into the finance leader she is today.