As #RiseToLead continues, we’re stoked to feature Manaswini Goel, Head - Group Corporate, Finance & Treasury, M&M Ltd. Her story speaks of passion and resilience, as she rises as an inspiration to women leaders, and strives towards breaking the stereotypes.

“I had a typical middle-class upbringing with limited exposure to career options, but the core values of honesty, integrity, and hard work were ingrained and have stayed on.

My love for numbers led me to commerce, and then Chartered Accountancy. In my first job with National Housing Bank, I was fortunate to have been a part of the team that worked for the first ever mortgage-backed securitization transaction in India; and that changed the course of my career. Over the years, I have worked in myriad roles in the field of treasury & finance with HDFC Ltd & now Mahindra Group and enjoyed them all. In the early days of my career, I used to feel exhilarated closing large-ticket deals. At Mahindra group, working with diverse set of companies across businesses & geographies has made me appreciate that size is relative – a smaller deal may actually be a “big deal”! Our focus now is to deliver value and bring about impactful solutions, no matter how big or small the group company is.

When I started out, there were very few women in corporate treasuries, but I thrived on the energy and action, and never looked back. I believe we must keep breaking stereotypes and pushing the envelope just that little more. I have also learnt over the years that instead of ‘searching’ for that elusive balance, we must ‘create’ our own.

Through the 2 decades of my career, financial markets have seen various turbulent times. Navigating liquidity & other financial risks through periods of financial stress has made me realize that there is no substitute for good governance.

The Mahindra Future Shapers program has come at a climacteric moment. It has made me reflect, and I hope to be a more intentional leader from now on.

My #RisetoLead mantra: To me Leadership is about creating a culture of resilience and hope. Resilience brings the patience and perseverance to build lasting businesses while also riding through (inevitable) challenging times. Hope nurtures aspiration, collective pride, a common purpose, and a drive towards a better future."