Name: Dolly Sureka
City: Bangalore, India
Occupation: Head of Audit, Wipro Enterprises Limited
ST: Please tell us briefly about you.
Dolly Sureka: I am a chartered accountant with over 14+ years of rich experience in
internal and external audit functions across industry domains. I was associated
with E&Y for more than seven years and with Wipro for over 5 years. I am a
subject matter expert in
internal and external audit functions across industry domains. I was associated
with E&Y for more than seven years and with Wipro for over 5 years. I am a
subject matter expert in
business process and operations reviews, controls and
process re-engineering, risk management, immigration regulations among others.
ST: What is the most important message you want to send out to all the
women around the world on this occasion?
women around the world on this occasion?
Dolly Sureka: Today, we see a good representation of women at the starting line but
very few make it past the mid management milestone. A woman’s professional
career graph runs in parallel with changes in her personal life – the 3M-
marriage, maternity & motherhood, which are intrinsic to her very
existence. Journey in the corporate world is an additional responsibility, and
success therein, depends on the individual’s tenacity, right ecosystem of
people (strong support from immediate family members) & infrastructure
(quality of child care, education, food etc.). As she moves to the
mid-management and/or leadership cadre dependencies on ecosystem increase and
very often absence of this impede or push her career decisions to a backseat.
In addition, I think more women in the corporate world helps make the corporate
world less politically motivated to work in and I believe women generally want
to avoid political manipulations making it a better place to work.
very few make it past the mid management milestone. A woman’s professional
career graph runs in parallel with changes in her personal life – the 3M-
marriage, maternity & motherhood, which are intrinsic to her very
existence. Journey in the corporate world is an additional responsibility, and
success therein, depends on the individual’s tenacity, right ecosystem of
people (strong support from immediate family members) & infrastructure
(quality of child care, education, food etc.). As she moves to the
mid-management and/or leadership cadre dependencies on ecosystem increase and
very often absence of this impede or push her career decisions to a backseat.
In addition, I think more women in the corporate world helps make the corporate
world less politically motivated to work in and I believe women generally want
to avoid political manipulations making it a better place to work.
ST: What according to you is ‘women empowerment’?
Dolly Sureka: To me it is about Flexibility & Equality. About creating policies
& its effective implementation to enhance work-life balance, fair practices
in performance & compensation assessment.
& its effective implementation to enhance work-life balance, fair practices
in performance & compensation assessment.
ST: What would you say are the main challenges facing women at present
in India?
in India?
Dolly Sureka: The big challenges in this issue stem from the fact that women tend to
prioritize organizational repute, safe working environment, work culture,
mobility etc which organizations may use to their benefit. The way to address
is that women need to be more flexible in terms of roles, mobility &
stand-up to such discriminations by taking to appropriate forums to get it
resolved. Monique Villa, CEO Thomson Reuters Foundation, has highlighted an
interesting statistic which said that most women in US, UK, France, Germany
perceive pay parity as an issue. However, in countries like India, Turkey,
Saudi, it is never considered as a gap. The reason is probably because women do
not consider it within their reach and hence not worth fighting for. Hence, I
believe that solution is to stand-up for one-self.
prioritize organizational repute, safe working environment, work culture,
mobility etc which organizations may use to their benefit. The way to address
is that women need to be more flexible in terms of roles, mobility &
stand-up to such discriminations by taking to appropriate forums to get it
resolved. Monique Villa, CEO Thomson Reuters Foundation, has highlighted an
interesting statistic which said that most women in US, UK, France, Germany
perceive pay parity as an issue. However, in countries like India, Turkey,
Saudi, it is never considered as a gap. The reason is probably because women do
not consider it within their reach and hence not worth fighting for. Hence, I
believe that solution is to stand-up for one-self.
In India, globalization, social media
& reforms on girl child education have changed the social mindset. More
number of women are completing college and gaining employment qualifications.
This has definitely enhanced the influx of women talent. The challenge is that
women ratio continues to drop as we move to mid& senior management levels.
A support ecosystem which helps women manage the 3M phases mentioned above
should go a long way in helping promote diversity at workplace. Needless to
mention that women bring in equal level of competencies, skillsets, and
commitments to work.
& reforms on girl child education have changed the social mindset. More
number of women are completing college and gaining employment qualifications.
This has definitely enhanced the influx of women talent. The challenge is that
women ratio continues to drop as we move to mid& senior management levels.
A support ecosystem which helps women manage the 3M phases mentioned above
should go a long way in helping promote diversity at workplace. Needless to
mention that women bring in equal level of competencies, skillsets, and
commitments to work.
ST: Where do you want to see yourself in next 5 years?
Dolly Sureka: Today,
I head the Internal Audit function for the organization globally. As I move
ahead, I look forward to becoming a more rounded consulting leader handling
larger functional portfolios and a recognized thought leader. In terms of
journey, it continues…..Sky is the Limit!
I head the Internal Audit function for the organization globally. As I move
ahead, I look forward to becoming a more rounded consulting leader handling
larger functional portfolios and a recognized thought leader. In terms of
journey, it continues…..Sky is the Limit!
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| Dolly Sureka, Head of Audit, Wipro Enterprises Limited |
