Lavanya Reddy

Who is a female inspiration/role model to you, and why?

My mother, Rajalakshmi, and the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, who ruled for more than 14 years, are my inspirational heroes. The late leader was determined and focused with a clear intention of achieving what she desired. She would have faced many obstacles in her leadership role, but she brilliantly overcame them with her strong inner belief, wisdom and aspiration to achieve things. Similarly, my mother was a successful businesswoman who ran a B2C business for over a decade. Starting a carrier in her late 20’s with just strong determination, she made strong moves in driving the business forward.

Why does inclusion matter to you?

Inclusion is a wide panorama, and organisations can broaden it further through diversity and inclusion. Interestingly, this type of cultural change starts from the top, cascading organically, bringing in balance. I strongly feel that leadership is accountable for Learning & Development, which is the primary marker for a systematic approach to D&I. The other three, equality, openness and belonging, are the core components of inclusion and should be inculcated repeatedly.

How are you inspiring women to achieve their ambitions at JLL?

We live in a society where inclusion is still not accepted completely. But at JLL, we encourage inclusion in every role. As women leaders, what best we can do is to set a balance within teams, inspire and nurture talents, take note of people’s professional inclinations, and make sure that they take advantage of all opportunities a firm like JLL offers.