Wednesday, April 15, 2015

WOMAN LEADERS SPECIAL .....................India Inc's Rising Women Leaders 2015 (8)

India Inc's Rising Women Leaders 2015 (8)

Aparna CHOPRA 38
Former Head (Marketing), India, South East Asia, Costa Coffee

“Being a woman and an Indian is not a great combination,“ was what a senior male colleague told Aparna Chopra when she took over the marketing function of Costa Coffee in the Middle East in 2011. “I wish you luck,“ said the colleague, jokingly.
“I wouldn't say I was ever discriminated against, but I've had to work much harder for being recognised as a woman leader in the Middle East,“ says Chopra. Her strategy: walk into every meeting thinking of herself as a professional (not a man or a woman) and listening carefully. Another tip: respect local customs. For instance, while she always wore western clothes, she would refrain from drinking wine in Kuwait.
Chopra started her career in Nestle where she, as a 22 year old, was instrumental in the conceptualisation, testing and launch of Café Nescafe in India. Her next stint with fast food giant YUM! Restaurants (2004-2010) saw her engineer the turnaround of the Pizza Hut brand in 2005 with the launch of a Rs 50 pizza, followed by the launch of the Krushers brand at KFC. Her next stop was UK headquartered Costa Coffee where she headed the marketing function for South Asia, till recently. Aparna's next stop is a digital venture, which she is expected to join shortly.
Role models:
“Ordinary women who have chased their dreams.Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook and Mary Kom“
Advice for women:
“You have more of the two E's (EQ & Empathy) and that gives you an edge over men“

CDET27MAR15

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