Role Models, Sponsorship, and More — Inspiration That Influenced This VP and Leader

Who is the most influential person in your professional life?

According to Priya Marsonia, that person is her grandmother. “She was incredibly good at seeing the potential in people and providing them with a safe place to realize that potential,” shares Marsonia. “She had a set of ethics that could not be shaken. She believed that if you did the right things, no matter your challenges, then the right things would happen. She has always been my guiding light — the voice in my head when I needed to know what to do.”

Today, Marsonia is the Vice President of Technology Products, Platforms, and Gaming at Wipro, a leading technology services and consulting company. Here, she uses what she learned from her grandmother to be a servant leader and cultivate a safe environment where all members of her team can learn, grow, and realize their full potential. 

“All members of a team should be enabled to make decisions.  A dynamic leader creates a team environment where everyone contributes to informed decision-making,” Marsonia tells us. “It’s about coaching people so that they can accomplish the goal together, no matter what challenge the team faces.”

Beyond her day-to-day work, Marsonia stands by her ingrained values of seeing the potential in all people and helps them succeed through sponsorship. She recalls watching people she had sponsored pay it forward by sponsoring others — and how this led to their all-around growth and empowerment, as well as rewards and recognition. Marsonia’s active involvement lets her be part of their journeys, too.

“Knowing I’ve been a part of someone’s success and celebrating their accomplishments is what gets me up in the morning,” Marsonia explains. “When the people you sponsor go on to do more than you could ever do, it’s an inexplicably good feeling.”

Marsonia’s powerful and inspirational leadership style has helped her to convert quickly on her agenda during her first year at Wipro.  Her impactful style was also externally recognized as a “Notable IT executive” by CRN in October 2022.

What gave you the courage to assume a business-unit leadership role?     

“In my early career, I sought experience in various parts of the tech industry, including relationship management, contracting, partner management, research & development. When first asked to take on a profit and loss owner role, I did consider the risks involved in being held accountable for a large business unit.

I finally realized that any success comes when a team works well together. I knew that I could lead from the front and create a healthy environment so any organization I led could flourish; I decided to accept the challenge of business-unit leadership.”

What roadblocks did you face in reaching your career aspirations?

“My biggest roadblock was my small professional network. Men I knew in the corporate world used their pre-existing, informal networks such as their college fraternity, after-work rugby clubs, golf clubs, and philanthropic organizations to push their careers forward.  

I quickly realized that I had to make a special effort to create my own network. Over time, I worked up the courage to connect with people outside of working hours to discuss tech trends. I also joined various professional organizations and took on active roles on their boards or organizing committees. Sometimes, I volunteered with charities to create relationships with a group of colleagues from various organizations.  Eventually, I was part of a large, informal, business network where I could coach and be coached, professionally.”

Why did you join Wipro? 

“When Wipro reached to me via LinkedIn, I was passively looking for a new role. I was part of an executive team that built and sold a boutique consultancy to a Global Systems Integrator (GSI). I had fulfilled my integration commitments, so I was willing to consider a new challenge.

Wipro’s fast-paced recruitment process was impressive. They evaluated my leadership ability and background before recommending me for a specific series of roles. I met with a variety of people at several different levels including the CEO and the Chairman of the Board. Speaking with many individuals at different levels gave me a clear idea of how I would fit into the organization’s future. 

Two things made Wipro a great fit for me:

1. Wipro’s CEO of Americas 1, Srini Pallia, explained that 67 cents of every dollar Wipro earns goes to the Wipro foundation for charitable work. A role at Wipro represented the best of both worlds. I could leverage my experience in running a for-profit business to contribute to the world’s most needy.   

2. Wipro’s CEO and Managing Director Thierry Delaporte shared his belief 50% of his leadership team should be women. His desire to have a representative leadership staff made Wipro’s diversity commitment quite tangible. Thierry’s point of view aligned tightly with my own beliefs on creating diversity intentionally.

Wipro became the perfect addition to my career journey because I saw the clear opportunity here for business, career, and technological growth while giving back.”   

Want to join Marsonia as part of the innovative and forward-thinking Wipro team? They’re hiring! Click the following link to browse open roles.