#Newsmaker: Atisha Gopichund on how embracing her femininity has benefited her career

Tell us about your role as head of marketing at Saint-Gobain Gyproc and and Isover.
I am responsible for the creation, communication and delivery of a unifying marketing strategy for Gyproc & Isover in conjunction with the relevant Saint-Gobain business entities to deliver a coherent and coordinated approach to markets and customers within our specified sectors. It is one of my responsibilities to position the entity as market leader for innovative and effective solutions in the built environment.

What challenges have you faced working in such a male-dominated industry?
Honestly, I have never allowed gender to distract me from my personal objectives. I have, over the years, been inspired and motivated by the achievements of both men and women alike and have been privileged to have been exposed to and worked with many great professionals, both male and female, each adding to my career and personal development.

Women have specific strengths and I’ve learnt that embracing these makes life a whole lot simpler. We don't have to behave like men to have fulfilling careers. In fact, on a primal level, I believe we’re wired to be cooperative. We are also naturally inclined towards caretaking and finding positive solutions that allow everyone to benefit. This instinct to collaborate gets the most out of people, which leads to good results, and as women, we should tap into this.

As a female in this space, what’s the least and most exciting aspect of your workday?
The least would have to be the work commute and traffic, and the most exciting: the team engagement on strategising campaigns, product launches, events, etc., and troubleshooting solutions to improve our overall output.