Right education & exposure can make a good marketing leader: Poulomi Roy

Celebrating the journey of women leaders, exchange4media is running a women's day series to mark their achievements. The special series recognizes the efforts and inspiring journeys of women leaders in building a sustainable future. Today’s series features Poulomi Roy, Chief Marketing Officer, RSH Global, where she talks about gender equality and equality in general, the role of women marketers, and also shares a piece of advice for young female professionals. Roy feels that gender equality is as important as general equality and it's not about competing with other gender physical appearance but about equal opportunities. 

Excerpts of the interview:

What are your thoughts on this year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow'? According to you, how can women leaders and workers in the formal space create a sustainable future?

One thing the pandemic has taught us is that as a human race, we looked at utilising all of our resources, so looking at the larger health of the society, there is also something called the physical and mental health of the society, probably gender equality today, focusing on that will definitely ensure that we have a better and sustainable tomorrow, which is expected because we are putting a lot of things together under one thought. I do believe that it is critical to bring about those changes, as well as to highlight and participate in those changes. Personally, I believe that gender equality is an extremely important topic, as is quality in general. So, this year 2022, in the months of March and April, is quiet, mentioning that two very important campaigns from our brands will emphasise the same issue.

Equality between the genders is important, as is equality with anyone or any group of people, no matter how small or large, whether it's a disabled person, someone who has less than you in terms of physicality, mental health, or financial status. I believe as humans, we should be much more empathetic. I believe they are denied many of the same opportunities that we as ordinary people enjoy. The largest two subsets of human races are men and women, and gender roles have been so statistically defined that bringing equality is extremely important. However, when we look around ourselves, the smaller the subset goes, the more ignorant we become as a society towards them. They are entitled to the same level of equality as the majority of people. So, if the male-female ratio in our country is very clear to all of us, females are the largest subset of the minority segments, followed by other subsets as well. Equal opportunities, both in terms of work and mental space, as well as all other basic human rights. Gender equality is not about competing with physical appearance, it's about the mindset, the opportunity that is laid in front of us. 

Some women die-prioritize and are not able to cope up with the workspace post childbirth. In such a scenario, the ecosystem around women including friends, offices, government and society should try to be as supportive as possible for that person to be physically and mentally fit to come back to perform at their fullest potential.

What is your idea of a gender-just workplace? Please draw from your own experiences to share how a supportive work environment helped you attain your goals?

To have a sustainable future, one needs to look at the current and present condition and the health of the employees ecosystem. Therefore, if you need your environment conducive enough when an individual irrespective of their gender feels that, I will be rewarded for what I do, then that becomes an ideal place for any of us to work. So, workplaces also need to be cautious, organizations need to be sensitive, because in years to come, this is what is going to make you stand out or an ideal place to work. That's the reason today a lot of youngsters prefer to go and join a startup because what attracts them is not only about a package, but much beyond that, which is the culture of the organization.  

In my own experience, I have been extremely lucky as I have worked with both male and female bosses. I still work for a traditional organization but the outlook towards human resource has never been biased from a gender perspective. I have had my set of challenges, like every woman, we do have our challenges. During my childbirth to my personal crisis, I know for one thing that my work has defined my relationship with my professional colleagues and organization and people have been able to see me as Poulomi Roy and not as charged given by the society to me, whether it is mother or wife. 

Which women have been your strongest supporters and role models (both personally and professionally)?

When I have been through one of the lowest phases of my life, God has made me meet some person or the other who would have eventually landed up talking to me and their experience has totally shaked me from inside. I feel if this person could sustain so much, what I'm going through is nothing. I can draw so much more from that. So there is not one person in particular. I've looked up to a lot of people professionally. 

In the last 15 years of my career, each and every person that I have reported to, especially my female bosses, I could name all of them right now- my main bosses. At a personal level, be it my househelp or the nanny, these people at different stages of my life have been my strongest supporters. 

How are women in the marketing world reshaping the course of the industry? 

I love the fact there are so many women CMOs who are presenting brands of bikes and cars, and it's beautiful. It's nice, it's nice to see them. Now in case of the industry reshaping marketing, as an industry is going through so many changes in leaps and bounds. This is not the gender stereotypical answers, but within as a race or we as people have, who have had the blessings of getting educated a certain way. This is not being biased about anything but I just feel that the whole idea of multitasking, looking at a situation, observing a situation, understanding the mindset is something that comes a little naturally to us, and therefore, and that coupled with the right kind of education and exposure can make a really good marketing leader. 

What is your advice to the young women who are either working in or planning to join your industry?

Come along. Don't come here because you think it's the woman's game. Come here, because it's everybody's game. If you choose to be a marketer, understand the basics of human insight. Marketer is a discipline, try and understand and if this is something that comes to you naturally, you feel good about it. Go for it.