In this episode of Behind the Growth, host Imran Mian interviews Suhanniyah Carpenter, Director of Consumer Banking, Technology Lead at Royal Bank of Canada as she traces her transition from a computer science major to a director. She talks about the tussle between work and starting a family in the minds of young women in the corporate world, and suggests that the latter works out if you maintain your network and make yourself visible.

Suhanniyah clears up uncertainties around remote working, stressing upon the benefits of considering your manager your partner in career progression. She talks about focusing on why you are in the room instead of the challenges that come in your way as a woman of color. Sharing her personal experiences, she talks about how her managers helped her get over her imposter syndrome and pushed leadership opportunities her way.

The intentional focus on diversifying the talent mix encourages and delights her, for she believes that it opens doors long stuck. Suhanniyah also stresses upon having supportive conversations for career advancement as an important pillar of diversity and inclusion. She sheds light on the latest fintech advancements and changes in the landscape of consumer banking, while highlighting the ripple effects of having meaningful connections and conversations.

Key Takeaways:
- Early motherhood IS compatible with corporate success
- Remote working can pave opportunities for growth just like its counterpart
- Excelling in your field as a woman of color is not impossible
- Considering your managers as partners in your career progression works a long way
- Intentional focus on diversifying talent opens age-old stuck doors

Visit mobilelive.ca/podcast to learn more about each guest and read key insights for every episode.

This episode of Behind the Growth covers the story and insights of Mahima Poddar, Group Head of Personal Banking at Equitable Bank. In conversation with host Imran Mian, Mahima traces her corporate journey that led her to EQ Bank’s digital platform, and eventually to the leadership seat of Personal Banking at the Bank. She considers networking and diverse reading to be the hallmark of creativity, and talks about its significance in chalking out intersections between distinct domains.

Mahima also shares Equitable Bank’s philosophy of prioritizing intellect, professional energy, and cultural adaptability over experience of the nuances of Canadian banking. She talks about the year-long metamorphosis of the bank’s operating model to boost productivity and streamline team dynamics by essentially giving precedence to diagnosis over deliverables.

Emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction as the ultimate measure of success, Mahima conveys Equitable Bank’s strategies for sustainable innovation and successful purpose-led business management. She highlights the bank's commitment to providing superior customer service and maintaining high satisfaction levels as benchmarks for success.

Key Highlights:
- Information-seeking corporate attitudes can go a long way
- Prioritizing intellect and cultural fit helps hire more diverse talent
- Customer satisfaction is the ultimate indicator of success
- Collective accountability can boost productivity
- Sustainable business models pay off more in the long-run

Visit mobilelive.ca/podcast to learn more about each guest and read key insights for every episode.

In this episode of Behind the Growth, host Mudassar Malik chats with Hasan Jafri, VP Engineering, Digital Business Solutions at TELUS. As they explore Hasan's extensive background, starting from his early days in Northern Virginia to influential roles in various major corporations, Hasan talks about his time at companies like IBM and Citibank, focusing on his experiences in handling large-scale operations and cloud-based initiatives.

Detailing his transition to TELUS and their strategic shift to a more integrated, API-driven approach, Hasan emphasizes the importance of enterprise architecture and engineering excellence in driving successful digital transformations. He also elaborates on innovative strategies like product-oriented architecture, stream-aligned teams, and the integration of AI and DevOps tools to boost both customer excellence as well as operational efficiency across business units.

As the conversation progresses, Hassan discusses the current state of digital transformation in Canada and the priority shifts that come with it, including a wider adoption of remote work, increase in e-commerce trends, and more focus on data privacy and security. Finally, he emphasizes the critical need for continuous learning and adaptation in the tech sector to meet changing business demands and stay competitive amidst emerging digital advancements.

Key Highlights:
- Enterprise architecture should focus on execution
- E-commerce growth necessitates digital adaptation
- Remote work increases the need for collaboration tools
- Successful digital transformations require top-down support
- Learn prompt engineering to integrate and adapt to GenAI

Visit mobilelive.ca/podcast to learn more about each guest and read key insights for every episode.