Topic: Purpose-Led Leadership, Productivity, and Breaking Stereotypes in the C-Suite
Event: Global CXO Accelerator Summit 2025
Host: Dr. Mudit Saxena, Global CXO Leadership Coach
Guest: Dr. Shikha Bagai, Managing Director – India & Mauritius, Vistra Group
Mudit Saxena
Shikha, welcome! How do you manage to pack in so much?
Shikha Bagai
It’s really just a pursuit of excellence. The more you handle, the more you want to be better at what you do. It’s about being true to your customers, colleagues, and shareholders. That’s what drives me.
Mudit Saxena
Your professional background is impressive. Tell us about your personal side — especially your daughter becoming a doctor!
Shikha Bagai
Life is about playing many roles — mother, wife, daughter, daughter-in-law. As the Gita teaches, each role is an experience. I started Bharatanatyam at age four, had to give it up at 16, and came back to it in 2016. It was like a quiet longing — its absence was deeply felt. I did my solo arangetram recently. My daughter is 23, an MBBS student currently preparing for her PG.
Mudit Saxena
You seem to do what many people with fewer responsibilities struggle to. How?
Shikha Bagai
It’s not about being greedy with time. It’s about how productive you want your life to be. I started with Chartered Accountancy, but I knew I needed to go beyond India. I pursued a CPA in Denver, then an MBA, and now a doctoral degree. Whenever I felt my skills didn’t match the challenge ahead, I learned more.
You become sharper and more conscious of where your time and energy go. I see success as experiencing all dimensions of life deeply — personal, professional, cultural. Productivity is how I make room for that.
Mudit Saxena
Could you share a glimpse into your day?
Shikha Bagai
My day starts at 4 AM with meditation. It anchors me. If I skip it, I feel scattered. I sometimes go back to sleep after that and start my day again with the gym, work, travel, and study.
My daughter taught me this: integrate learning into your day. Listen to study material in the car. Make every minute count. If you’re clear on what you want to experience, time shows up.
Also, I’m not indispensable. If I’m not adding value in a meeting, I step aside. Let others take over. Focus only where it matters.
Mudit Saxena
Many women here would love to hear how you overcame challenges in what is still seen as a “man’s world.”
Shikha Bagai
Honestly, gender was never on my mind. My focus was always on the purpose, the agenda, the results. But yes, others do see gender. For certain roles like sales or CEO, women do have to prove more.
That said, for high-stakes roles, capability is what ultimately matters. I’ve always been true to myself — I wear sarees, embrace my femininity. I’ve walked the streets of London in a saree. If you’re clear about your value, people respect it.
Don’t spend energy on perception or unfairness. Be so good they can’t ignore you. Kill bias with competence. Don’t wait for fairness; earn your seat.
Audience Q&A Highlights
Q: How do you stay feminine while being powerful in business?
A: Be true to who you are. I haven’t built anything deliberately. It’s just showing up authentically every day.
Q: Do people misjudge you for being too feminine or traditional?
A: Yes. I’ve been stereotyped, but I don’t let that change me. I focus on business outcomes. Perceptions take care of themselves.
Q: How do you respond to diversity hiring concerns?
A: Today, no one gets roles because they’re women. If anything, we often need to be more capable just to be considered. At higher levels, it’s all about performance.
Q: How do you handle being the only woman in the room?
A: I let people be. If someone needs to vent or express themselves freely, I don’t take it personally. We’re all here to get work done. Productivity matters more than packaging.
Mudit Saxena
Tell us about your transition from CFO to CEO. What helped you level up?
Shikha Bagai
I was a CFO since 2006. But I never thought of myself as just a CFO. I always owned the business like a CEO. That mindset helped me move up.
When I took over as CEO, I struggled with being reactive. Feedback from my team helped me course-correct. I always ask my team what I need to improve. That helps me grow.
Today, I look for people with the right attitude — candid, collaborative, sharp. I believe in amplifying my team’s strengths and containing their weaknesses. We fight hard, but we trust each other deeply. That’s the culture I build.
Closing Reflections from Shikha
- Productivity isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what matters, with depth.
- Don’t chase perception. Focus on results.
- Gender bias may exist, but you can defeat it with competence.
- Authenticity is power. Own who you are.
- Leadership is about responsibility, not labels.
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