Explore the remarkable journey of Vandana Singh, Director of Global Corporate Key Account Management Asia Pacific at Saudia Cargo, as she discusses breaking barriers, leadership strategies, and empowering women in the male-dominated world of aviation and logistics. Her story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and unwavering determination in pursuit of excellence.
#VandanaSingh #AviationLeadership #LogisticsInnovation #WomenInAviation #BreakingBarriers #LeadershipStrategies #EmpowerWomen #Resilience #Innovation #Determination #SaudiaCargo #AirCargoIndustry #GlobalImpact #GenderEquality #InspiringJourney
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#VandanaSingh #AviationLeadership #LogisticsInnovation #WomenInAviation #BreakingBarriers #LeadershipStrategies #EmpowerWomen #Resilience #Innovation #Determination #SaudiaCargo #AirCargoIndustry #GlobalImpact #GenderEquality #InspiringJourney
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00:00You can always move forward, be resilient, be strong, have a purpose in life, be passionate.
00:08And when your life is on course with its purpose, you are your most powerful.
00:13Ek nari so pe bhaari and ultimately it was ek nari hazaaro pe bhaari, 2-5 girls all India.
00:25So it's not easy.
00:26It's an honor.
00:27Hello and welcome to this very special episode of Meet the Game Changers, where we bring
00:33to you those who, with their novel ideas, have been making positive transformation in
00:39the society, in the business sector, in the entrepreneurial sector.
00:44And lo and behold, today we have Vandana Singh, Director, Global Corporate Key Account Management,
00:49Saudi Airport.
00:50Vandana, thank you so much for speaking to One India.
00:54Thank you so much, Mr. Pankaj Mishra.
00:56It's an honor to be on your show today.
01:00Thank you.
01:01Thank you.
01:02Thank you.
01:03Vandana, you know, talking about cargo industry, your career in aviation and logistics spans
01:09nearly three decades and with significant accomplishments at Saudi Air Cargo and Lufthansa
01:16Cargo.
01:17What inspired you to enter this field?
01:19Because as much as I have gathered, it's mainly a male dominated passion.
01:25So how have you maintained your passion and drive over all these years?
01:29That's a very nice question, Pankaj, if I may address you as that.
01:35Yes, indeed.
01:36I think aviation was in my DNA right from the very beginning.
01:42Coming from a forces background, and I would see fighter jets all over as a small child,
01:50with my dad posted everywhere.
01:53And I wanted to be a fighter pilot, to be very honest, forget anything else.
01:59And nothing less than that.
02:03My passion was very much on the aviation sector.
02:10And of course, I could not become a fighter pilot because at that time, women were not
02:15taken into the forces.
02:18The only choice was through being a doctor.
02:25That was the only way through AFMC.
02:28And I somehow just wanted this, this and this.
02:32So of course, I paved my way, found my way to the aviation sector, went through a lot
02:40of, you know, should I say enlightening changes, I had to embrace all those changes.
02:49Changed about 15 odd schools here and there, and learned, you know, to embrace those changes
02:57and those challenges, and then moved into the aviation sector.
03:01First, I moved just via, you know, that ad that says that wanted cabin crew.
03:08And I was joining an international airline as cabin crew.
03:12But then I realized this is not me.
03:16And I thought about being a commercial pilot, but then commercial pilot involved a lot of
03:20other, you know, coming from a humble background, I realized, maybe we can't afford that.
03:26Yes, it's a costly affair.
03:28Yes, it's a costlier event, especially coming from a forces background.
03:33And then I said, Okay, here I go.
03:36I went in as cabin crew, very glamorous profession, and a lot of hard work involved.
03:44The glamour is on the outside, but there's a lot of hard work.
03:48And I would see these tiny pallets, you know, move into the aircraft every time the aircraft
03:54would be loaded.
03:55I used to say, I like that, that passenger who doesn't talk.
04:02Now there must be something going on behind that modus operandi, how does that thing happen?
04:08And you're right, you would see these hefty men in their overalls and dungarees and, you
04:16know, loading the cargo in.
04:18I would say, this is the industry that inspires me, and I'm sure that this doesn't happen
04:24like magic.
04:25There has to be sales behind it.
04:29And that made me venture into air cargo aviation.
04:34And at that time, there were very, very few women.
04:38But Lufthansa welcomed me.
04:42And my career took off over there.
04:45And I didn't just start with small aircrafts, it was straight into freighters, into loading
04:54huge, you know, equipments and loading life saving drugs and what have you very, very
05:03interesting sphere.
05:05So yes, I was into freighters and air cargo, where I think I rightfully belonged.
05:11And I've spent now, yeah, more than two decades, almost 20 years in this industry.
05:17And I'm very passionate about it.
05:20Thank you.
05:21Absolutely.
05:22But now, you know, the challenges that you have overcome, the distance that you have
05:29covered, the innovations that you have brought in, all these things don't happen overnight.
05:36In your opinion, if you could share with us some specific moments or challenges in your
05:40career specifically, where these, you know, the factors that kept you going, the principles
05:46that you have grown up with, especially coming from defence forces background, how does one
05:52overcome those obstacles?
05:54I think where there's a will, there's a way.
05:58Balance and resilience have been actually the cornerstone of my career.
06:04I've always, you know, followed those principles of Albert Einstein's at work.
06:12And you know, when you find that harmony in that chaos, and when you convert your difficulties
06:19and in the middle of it, you find those challenges, as well as those opportunities, and you work
06:25on that and embark on that, that really gives you the confidence to come forward.
06:32Now, in the air cargo, in the aviation industry, of course, there's so much innovation happening.
06:38But there was also a time when you know, you would enter various warehouses, be it at the
06:44Delhi cargo terminal or wherever, and start entering shipper numbers and all on your wrist
06:50because you could not write anything.
06:53And you know, to get that information out, it was not so easy.
06:59Now, you look at the turbulences that happened post 2008, the financial collapse that happened
07:06in the world, and how the entire industry, not just the aviation cargo industry, took
07:13a real what you call a nosedive.
07:16But then, when you go down, you come up to and that's the principle of life, you learn
07:21from that, see what happened during COVID, we always believe, yes, face to face meetings
07:28and business trips and here and there and running around.
07:33But tell me, this innovation, this the way we talk, whether it is a module of MS Teams,
07:40whether it's Zoom, whether it's various technology, Skype, get closer to your customer, you can
07:49discuss so many things.
07:52And COVID taught us that, okay, you can't meet face to face, but still, business can
07:59thrive, business can happen.
08:02In the air cargo industry is all about export and import.
08:05It's about the global economy, it's all about that, whether it's perishable goods, whether
08:11it's valuables, whether it's racing cars, whether it's anything to do with sport, whether
08:16it's farmers, farmer, and look at the way farmer happened in COVID, the way we were
08:21transporting on our aircrafts.
08:23So yes, there have been these challenges, but these challenges have given us new way
08:29forward.
08:31And really embracing those challenges, balancing them, having that resilience, and the purpose
08:38to carry on.
08:39That is the way to move forward.
08:42That is the driving story.
08:44Absolutely, one by absolutely.
08:45And, you know, talking about the kind of resilience that is required, especially, you know, being
08:51a prominent female leader in this particular industry, as I said earlier, male dominated
08:57industry.
08:58I mean, there's not just decisions that you need to make, but also go beyond above and
09:03beyond your own limitations, and then try and change the industry, your perspective,
09:10if you could share with us how it has, in your opinion, shaped your approach of leadership
09:16and innovation, if I may say so, in the cargo sector, and also an inspiring figure as you
09:21are, what advice would you give to the young women aspiring to break into a similar profile?
09:28Thank you, Pankaj.
09:29My perspective, you know, as a female leader, has always emphasized the importance of collaboration.
09:38Collaboration is very important.
09:40You can't do it alone.
09:43Empathy is important.
09:46Listening to the customer needs, coming up with tailor made solutions as far as possible.
09:53And of course, inclusivity.
09:55If you don't look at these three factors, then you can't move forward, you need a team.
10:02And you need to, what shall I say, empower your team, you always need to do.
10:08And these qualities foster a work environment, if I may say so, where diverse ideas are really
10:16valued, and they lead to innovative solutions.
10:21I believe that women, they bring a unique collaborative spirit that strengthens partnerships
10:29and enhances problem solving capabilities, if I may say so.
10:35And my advice to women and young women who are aspiring to enter this field is first
10:42to have a never say die attitude, cultivate genuine curiosity, and self confidence, and
10:53never hesitate to ask for mentors.
10:57In my work life, and even now, I have some very, very good mentors.
11:04And I've always had mentors, both male and female.
11:09And unless you move forward and ask, you will never get a response.
11:13But if you do it in a collaborative way, you will always find a solution and move forward.
11:19And this is my advice to the women of today, that please look for advice, please be curious,
11:26please be collaborative, and stay resilient in the face of obstacles.
11:33These are the key elements, in my view.
11:35Absolutely, I couldn't agree more, you know, when you say, you know, such inspiring words,
11:42and you have not just spoken them, but you have also imbibed them, you have walked that
11:47path.
11:48And which takes me to my very next question, Vandaji, that you mentioned earlier on in
11:54our conversation that your journey, you know, included a dream to join the Indian Air Force
11:59at the fighter squadrons, which was hindered, obviously, by the regulations at that time.
12:05How did this experience shape your career path and influence your leadership style in
12:12the same aviation industry?
12:14Very nice question, because not only did it teach me to be resilient, and be adaptive,
12:24but it also taught me that anything, any challenge that you face in life, any problem,
12:31always has a solution.
12:34And you can always find solutions.
12:37And today, as I speak, if I may say so, I have one daughter, and she has joined the
12:45Indian Army as a judge, as a judge advocate.
12:52That is the DNA, that is the DNA, training to be a judge, and is in a train right now
12:59at the Officers Training Academy, they take only two to five girls per year, if I may
13:06say so, two to five girls, all India.
13:10So it's not easy.
13:12It's an honor.
13:14And I learned this spirit, you know, from my career, that A, you can always move forward,
13:23be resilient, be strong, have a purpose in life, be passionate.
13:29And when your life is on course with its purpose, you are your most powerful.
13:35This is what I believe in.
13:37And I have carried this through.
13:39And this has been a turning point for me.
13:42If this had not happened to me, then how would I have seen something else?
13:48Perhaps a cargo would have never happened to me.
13:50It was meant to be like this.
13:52And I'm very proud of it.
13:54You must be.
13:55Yes, yes.
13:56Yes.
13:57So, yes.
13:58It's so reassuring to hear you because, you know, talking about the girl child, talking
14:05about, you know, beti bachao, beti padhao, since long time now we are hearing these things
14:12to, you know, the new leadership that we have.
14:15But yes, to still send your family for the dream that you had once.
14:23It really is so inspiring, not just for kids, but for parents also.
14:28So yeah, absolutely.
14:29Now, one final question, I wanted to know from you in your role as the director of global
14:36key account management, Asia Pacific and Saudi Arabia.
14:40What strategies have you found most effective in building and maintaining strong relationships
14:46with say significant global key accounts?
14:48Can you share an example maybe of this particularly successful collaboration that you have done?
14:55Thank you once again for asking this question.
14:58Firstly, very recently I was attending.
15:01Yeah, there was an award ceremony, a Bharat Leadership Award, which I received, which
15:07was Ek Nari Soh Pe Bhaari and ultimately it was Ek Nari Hazaro Pe Bhaari.
15:16And that was an honor in itself.
15:19That was on 31st May, that this honor happened this year.
15:24So a lot about women power, a lot about Naari Shakti, a lot that we are also seeing in today's
15:33environment in India, where women are coming forward in all industries, in all walks of
15:39life, and which includes the armed forces.
15:44So why not have them everywhere?
15:47Because collaboratively, men and women can work together for a better India.
15:54And we can see that India moving forward very, very strong and we will be the world's third
16:01largest economy very soon.
16:04Coming back to my portfolio, which I have currently as a Director for Global Key Account
16:10Management, Saudia Cargo for Asia and Pacific, one of the key ingredients is relationship
16:19management.
16:20So EQ, now this is something no artificial intelligence can do.
16:27This is something which is very personal, and building and maintaining strong relationship
16:35with these global key accounts, which are essentially giving you 80% of your business.
16:42So these select creme de la creme 20% accounts, they are giving you 80% of your revenue.
16:52So they have to be taken care of from A to Z, because you can't go wrong with them out
16:59of those 365 days and then you're even one day you cannot go wrong.
17:04So you have to maintain, retain, and build those partnerships.
17:11And you have to have a listening, you have to listen to their needs, and you have to
17:17act on their needs.
17:18So this has been my principle throughout, that I have, or you could say that this is
17:25one big cornerstone or one big pillar on which I stand, which is relationship management
17:32to really keep those relationships going, and really, really build on them.
17:39And every facet of customer intimacy, customer excellence, that we call, that we do that.
17:50And of course, successful collaborations have been many international clientele in that
17:5720%.
17:58All the big clients, who are the big freight forwarders worldwide, but I have now also
18:05brought in an Indian multinational to it, by the name of Skyways, which is our number
18:13one, India.
18:16And we have to understand that in a global landscape, most of these top customers are
18:25basically all spread all over.
18:29And in our country, especially, because my, as an airline, my customer would be the freight
18:38forwarder, in this case, it was Skyways.
18:40And Skyways also has built up, as the name says, right itself to the top.
18:46And it's a head of the global customers here in India.
18:50And every facet, because you see, we are the world's largest pharma, pharmaceutical producing
18:58industry, and fashion, or textiles, as we say, anything you see perishables, as we say,
19:09India is moving fast.
19:11So yes, I brought in this global customer last year, into the world of their cargo.
19:18And I'm very proud of it.
19:20And yes, all the global key accounts as well as other customers are very, very close to
19:25my heart.
19:27Lovely, so inspiring.
19:29What a lovely conversation there with you, Vandanaji.
19:34You know, so many facets to it coming, overcoming the odds, fighting in an industry which is
19:40primarily male dominated, finding a way to work together, such an inspiring message.
19:45And at the end of the day, bringing more business back in India, aiding and, you know, helping
19:50India to achieve that target of Atman Darbar Bharat, and definitely making it shine all
19:55across the globe.
19:57Vandana Singh there, Director, Global Corporate Key Account Management, Saudi Arabia.
20:01Vandanaji, I can't thank you enough for taking time out for one interview.
20:06It's been an honor for me, sir.
20:08I would say that it's been an honor for me, and very proud, as I said, to be an Indian
20:16and contribute to this industry in the global landscape.
20:20Thank you so much for having me on your show.
20:22Thank you.
20:23Thank you.
20:24Best best best wishes to you, your family and your team.
20:26Thank you so much.
20:27Thank you.
20:28Bye.
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