An epitome of hard work and dedication, a true leader to the core, Meha Grover, PGP Co ’11, has successfully built and led teams of highly skilled professionals starting from scratch. Sailing through adverse situations and transitioning across industries with ease, Meha has always led by example. Meha has an extensive exposure in the industry and she has proved her mettle in every organization she has been part of ever since she graduated from ISB.

A strong advocate for the need to have the best education system, Meha believes ISB to be the best with world-class faculty and a diverse network.  “ISB is a great platform providing extensive exposure where people with different backgrounds, cultures, age groups, and experiences interact and learn from each other despite being best in their fields, creating an environment which is enriching. The institution equips you to navigate the complexities of organizational cultures and dynamics”, says Meha.

Be it investment banking with GOLDMAN SACHS or Consulting with GALLUP or adding the flavour of business to MYNTRA or with SOCIETE GENERALE as the COO for technology infrastructure and now the Chief of Staff for the Office of the CEO, Meha has always been an achiever. ‘When the going gets tough, the tough gets going' is the mantra Meha has been following since her childhood, which she says has toughened her approach to lead a challenging and rewarding life.

She believes that ISB gives you opportunities to experiment and the valour to explore various fields. She adds a word of caution that it is imperative to have an open mind when making such decisions and be always ready to go through the grind and most importantly learn. She emphasized the importance of networking that the School provides, which makes the transition easy. They help in the professional journey and ensure that you will always have someone to reach out to when you move between organizations.

ISB has been a very heartwarming experience for her and has made a permanent spot in her heart, a place which she rejoices and feels proud to be a part of. Recalling her ISB days, she says that every day was full of challenges, learning and exploring without a single dull moment. She fondly remembers Professor Abhijit Wadhera, (he hated it when we used to call him Prof), Professor Amit Bubna, Professor Subbu, Professor Nagalakshmi, Professor Sudip Gupta and Professor Ashish Kohli, among many others. “Our association with them was that of a peer more than that of a faculty and student. They made learning fun and were accessible whenever needed. Apart from teaching for exams, they also prepared us for the corporate world,” she added.

Meha beams with a proud smile while talking about the camaraderie developed at ISB, which she believes to be unmatchable and unforgettable. She reflects that ISB is a space where you make friends for life, who are with you through thick and thin and never leave you alone.

Being part of the ISB community when she joined ISB in 2011 to now being a part of the alumni community is a proud moment. Meha has witnessed the Office of Alumni Engagement’s efforts to help alumni in their professional journeys. She reckons that while it’s a privilege to be part of the ISB community, it is also a great responsibility wherein alumni should give back in whatever way possible to their alma mater.

Meha believes that the team is always bigger than one person who leads it. Her leading strategy in times of conflict and obstacle is to keep her unit as her top priority. She recalls that she was taught this lesson very early on, in her career, when her first manager at Goldman Sachs told her that, “As a leader, it’s always WE when we talk about success, and it’s always I when we talk about the blame”. “If you have built that trust with your team, your team will go lengths to deliver over and beyond”, Meha says assertively.

Quoting one of the stalwarts of the legal fraternity, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who said, “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your person, be independent”, Meha advises the next-gen women leaders to have their own personalities, never copy others and always be open for learning. She further adds, “You already have talent, great expertise, and the thought process you bring to the table is a unique valuable dimension to the process. Never doubt yourself. Wear your confidence as your armour, and no one else will forget it either”.

Meha says that though we have come a long way, we are still not equals since gender parity is highly skewed in favor of men in the financial sector. Meha emphasized the efforts made across various sectors, which led everyone to ponder on gender disparity and take concrete steps. Having high hopes, Meha is certain of times when women will be on par with men if not better.

On being asked about the COVID pandemic and how she handled it, Meha said, “It was an unprecedented event for everyone. Like everyone else, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Initially it was nice to work from home, not having to commute for hours, but quickly all this fun faded to longing to go back to work and meet up with teams.” Though challenging at first, she was able to easily adapt to the situation. One of the crucial lessons this pandemic taught her is to value what we have and never take anything for granted.

Meha is committed to her fitness routine and stressed the need to stay fit, physically and mentally. She ensures staying active at least 5 days a week and enjoys her workouts and runs. “Apart from my workout, I find pleasure in virtual marathons until I can run one in person”, she chuckles. She recently got her golf clubs out again and looks forward to playing at the campus’ green pastures the next time she visits.

Before signing off, Meha had uplifting words for the current class where she encourages them to cross their limitations, which she believes are set by none, but us and concluded, “Don’t be afraid to try and fail, because behind every failure is a key learning. Brace it with smile and work even harder the next time.”