Beena Mathen
Workplaces Area Lead, Work Dynamics – India and Sri Lanka
Who is a female inspiration/role model to you and why?
I draw my inspiration from two ladies – Indra Nooyi and Michelle Obama.
Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, has had a successful career for decades, but her winning quality has been her belief in people. It is truly inspiring as she has driven business to profitability without compromising on integrity. She positively influences everyone she works with due to her conviction in hard work, sharp focus, awareness to doing the right thing, teamwork, candidness, continuous learning and eagerness to acquire unique skill-sets that others don't have. She is an excellent example of work-life balance, drawing a distinctive line between her role as a CEO and a wife, mother and a daughter.
Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the U.S., is a self-reliant achiever. Balancing her own ambitions, she played a supportive role to her husband, Barak Obama. She could look at the bigger picture. Her remarkable role as a mother is evident as she has fostered good values in her children, so they remain grounded.
Why does inclusion matter to you?
Collective wisdom, expertise, and experience-sharing ensure improved results. Inclusion provides growth opportunities, both individually and as a team. An energised team is when each member has a sense of accomplishment, adequate encouragement and recognition. Only then we can get a broader range of out of the box solutions.
How are you inspiring women to achieve their ambitions at JLL?
I always encourage women to be confident and not to restrict their creativity because of gender bias and bring out their best in everything they do. I believe in building relationships and taking out time to mentor, guide and talk to all women colleagues at JLL. What matters to me, and I tell them as well, is to do what makes them truly happy.
