Sara Mathews : Indian Woman Rocking In US Corporate Space

Yesterday, I attended an interesting event at ITC Central Mumbai. The occasion was to honor most powerful woman in Indian Business, the event organised by Business Today.

Not long ago, role of woman in Indian Business was no different from any other walk of life, ceremonial, decorational or merely a shadow of her successful husband . Not anymore! Now Naina Lal Kidwai is country head of HSBC, Chanda Kochar, CEO ICICI, Shikha Sharma , CEO AXIX Bank, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw running billion dollar business in biotechnology space, Dr. Swati Piramal of Piramal Group, Mallika Sriniwasan Chairman TAFE Tractors are shining stars of Indian Business and many more are trying to touch similar heights in another five six years.The best part is that leaving aside few ladies with family business background others have started from lower ladder and proved that they are not only best but all the time have to prove that they are better than their man counterpart.

The keynote address at the event was delivered by Sara Mathews who flew down from USA.

55 Years old smart, tall Ms. Mathew, is Chairperson of Board and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet, a leading US Company which provides valuable information on companies that is crucial to take credit decision. The comanies's scale of operation can be understood from the fact that it has data base of 200 million companies worldwide.

She held number of important positions in D&B in the past. Previously served as President from March 2007 to June 2010, as Chief Operating Officer from March 2007 to December 2009 and as Chief Financial Officer from August 2001 to February 2007 in addition to serving as President, D&B U.S. from September 2006 to February 2007, with additional leadership responsibility for strategy from January 2005 to February 2007. In addition, Ms. Mathew served as President, D&B International from January 2006 through September 2006. Before joining D&B, Ms. Mathew worked with Procter & Gamble for 18 years, assignments include Vice President of Finance for the ASEAN region from August 2000 to July 2001, Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer of the global baby care business unit from July 1998 to July 2000, and various other positions prior to that. She is also on the board of Campbell Soup Company.

She is also known for various innovations in management style both at P&G as well as D&B.

Her journey from Madras (Now Chennai) to Short Hills New Jersey is an interesting reading. Born and brought up in traditional Madras, though she wanted to be a creative person, but in those times she had option was to take maths, Physics and Chemistry in graduation and major in any of these three discipline, to get a good opening.

The success of Sara lies somewhere in her unconventional approach of problem solving as well as taking risk. She also believes that faliure is the path to a person's success.

She also disagree in maxim , 'power corrupt and absolute power corrupt absolutely', she says it is not power but fear of losing power makes a person corrupt.

She also look India as one of the major market now. She is so much impressed with transformation of business in India that recently she sent her 19 year old son for 4 weeks to understand new paradigm of business here in India.

Not surprising, Indian women managers working in USA aspiring to touch height in Corporate America look Sara as a role model.