The Payal Nanjiani Leadership Podcast

Guneet Hayer | Founder & Managing Director, Eminence Group 

Guneet is the Founder and Director of Eminence Group Ventures FZCO, a company that delivers conferences, training programs, workshops, and customized learning solutions across India, the Middle East, and the GCC region. With over 18 years of cross-industry experience, she brings a strong background in information technology, enabling her to leverage the latest tools and platforms to create engaging, interactive, and high-impact events.

As the leader of Eminence Group, Guneet oversees the company’s strategy and operations while managing and guiding a talented, dynamic team of professionals. She also leads key client relationships and business development, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, tailored programs that meet the specific needs of diverse markets.

Guneet strongly values diversity and inclusion and is deeply committed to empowering women and youth through her work, training programs, and initiatives. Her passion lies in creating innovative, meaningful experiences that foster learning, networking, and sustainable business growth for clients and partners alike.

Pankaj Rai | Group Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd

Pankaj Rai, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Aditya Birla Group, has been enabling the analytics maturity journey across group companies by solving problems leveraging Data Science, creating horizontal data platforms and developing people capabilities.

He completed his graduation from IIT Delhi and Post Graduate Programme in Management from IIM Ahmedabad. He went on to spearhead teams across diverse portfolios including consulting, credit, six-sigma, strategy, analytics and digital across financial services and offshoring.

During his career, he has been associated with companies like GE Capital, ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Feedback Ventures. He has served as Director (Strategy) at Dell, Bangalore for their offshore business and built the internal Analytics team. He also led Wells Fargo’s Global Delivery Strategy as Senior Vice President. He is a speaker in various leading platforms including TEDx.  

Christopher Williams | Strategic Advisor, Independent Board Director,

Christopher is a Fortune 500 growth strategy leader, business transformation consultant, and board director whose career spans 14 cities across four continents. He has worked with iconic brands including adidas, VF Corporation, Gap, and Nike, helping unlock transformation and drive sustainable growth.

Working alongside high-performing teams, Christopher has led innovation, increased market share, managed complex organizational change, and developed the next generation of leaders across multiple markets.

He believes that meaningful business transformation happens at the intersection of curiosity, strategic thinking, human connection, and courage. Passionate about balancing commercial success with meaningful impact, Christopher specializes in building sustainable growth strategies for global consumer brands.

He has also been deeply committed to leadership development and education, most notably serving as the first President of African Leadership University, an innovative institution with campuses in Mauritius and Rwanda dedicated to developing ethical leaders and entrepreneurial managers.

Today, Christopher shares his expertise in several ways: as a New York Stock Exchange–screened and NACD-certified board executive, as President of Custament Partners supporting executive teams and boards through transformation, and as a speaker, panelist, and podcast guest on brand transformation and courageous leadership.

His first book, Courage: 7 Choices for Living a Life Without Regret, which explores courage in leadership as an underutilized superpower, was released in November 2025.

 Wg Cdr Vandana Chaudhary | (Retd) Indian Air Force Officer

  Wing Commander Vandana(Retd) is a veteran with 15 years of cross-functional leadership in the Indian Air Force as a Meteorological Officer. She has earned a wealth of multifaceted experience where she championed key functions, mainly Public Relations, Administration, and Program Management, infusing each endeavor with unwavering passion and commitment.

Through her contributions in the social sector, she has strived for almost a decade to empower women, children with disabilities, and people below the poverty line, promoting overall well-being and stability in society.

She has been committed to inclusivity, empathy & empowerment long before they became trendy terms in the market. By enabling a culture of collaboration and mutual respect, she built cohesive cross-functional teams capable of navigating uncertainty with resilience and grace. 

Whether managing significant budgets or directing complex projects, she has always approached her responsibilities with a blend of strategic foresight and hands-on leadership.

Beyond work hours, she is an explorer who enjoys traveling and reading, deeply attuned to the tranquility of nature. With a penchant for observation, she explores the intricacies of human behavior, reflecting on life's purpose beyond mere existence. She also enjoys acquiring new skills that enrich her personal and professional life.

As she moves on to the next chapter of her career, she is excited to leverage her military experience to make a difference by steering organizational growth and driving transformative change wherever she works.

Gunjan Shah | MD & CEO at Bata India Limited

Gunjan is an accomplished leader with extensive experience across geographies and diverse industries, including paints, telecom, and food. Prior to joining Bata India Limited, he served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Britannia Industries.

Over the course of his professional journey, he has worked across multiple functions encompassing sales, marketing, and supply chain. He has played a key role in both turnaround and growth initiatives. At Britannia, he also led the International Business and was instrumental in architecting one of the company’s most impactful strategy and business transformation initiatives.

Gunjan holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Engineering from VJTI, Mumbai, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kolkata.

Ramkumar Narayanan | EVP, Head of India and Philippines,AI technology Enablement,FIS 

Ramkumar Narayanan is a global leader focusing on data driven, digital product innovation spanning consumer and enterprise markets. He brings a vast experience in product development, product management and product marketing having led both new market entry and turnaround of existing business areas. He has been an advisor to Enterprises, large and small, in the arena of digital transformation, product strategy and product marketing. 

Ram is currently EVP Technology & Services at FIS India and Philippines. Prior to joining FIS, he served in global leadership positions at VMware, eBay, Yahoo! and Microsoft. He started his career in the auto industry in US developing software solutions for design and packaging of automotive suspension and powertrain systems. 

Ram formerly served on the Executive Council of NASSCOM and was Chairperson NASSCOM Product/Deep Tech Council.

Ramkumar Narayanan holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University, Chennai, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering & MBA from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Sarika Naik | Group Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer and Member of the Group Executive Committee at Capgemini Group

Sarika is the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer and a member of the Executive Committee at Capgemini Group. She leads the company’s global strategy for diversity and inclusion, as well as social and environmental sustainability.

With more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, Sarika brings deep expertise in strategic management, brand evolution, and client engagement. She previously served as Capgemini India’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chairperson for Diversity & Inclusion, roles in which she strengthened the company’s brand, built high-performing teams, and drove impactful, data-driven initiatives.

Sarika is passionate about using technology to create a more inclusive and sustainable future. She firmly believes that business success and societal well-being go hand-in-hand, and she is committed to advancing Capgemini’s agenda for people, the planet, and society.

Steven Puri — a rare blend of Hollywood storyteller, tech entrepreneur, and remote work pioneer. From producing blockbusters like Independence Day and Star Trek to building platforms that help people focus and connect in the digital age, Steven’s journey spans visual effects, studio leadership, and startups like Centered and The Sukha Company. He’s spent his life at the intersection of creativity and productivity