In recent years, there has been a growing number of women of Indian origin who are making significant contributions to the American business landscape. These women are breaking down barriers and blazing trails in a variety of industries, from technology to finance to healthcare.

Forbes has recently released its list of America’s 100 most successful businesswomen in 2023, featuring women from various industries and backgrounds who have achieved remarkable success and impact in their fields. Among them, four women of Indian origin have made it to the prestigious list, showcasing their talent, leadership, and innovation. These women are Jayshree Ullal, Neerja Sethi, Neha Narkhede, and Indra Nooyi. Let’s take a closer look at their inspiring stories and achievements.

Jayshree Ullal: The Cloud Networking Queen

Jayshree Ullal is the CEO and president of Arista Networks, a computer networking company that provides cloud-based solutions for large data centers and high-performance computing environments. She ranks 15th on the Forbes list, with a wealth of $2.2 billion.

Ullal was born in London to an Indian-born Hindu family and grew up in New Delhi. She completed her undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from San Francisco State University and her master’s degree in engineering management from Santa Clara University. She started her career as a senior strategic development engineer at Advanced Micro Devices and later joined Cisco Systems, where she rose to become the senior vice president of the data center group.

In 2008, Ullal joined Arista Networks as its CEO, when the company had no sales. Under her leadership, Arista Networks has grown to become one of the leading players in the cloud networking industry, with revenues of $4.4 billion in 2022, up 48 percent from the previous year. The company has also launched a new suite of AI-based network services this year. Ullal is widely regarded as one of the most influential and visionary executives in the tech sector.

Neerja Sethi: The IT Services Pioneer

Neerja Sethi is the co-founder and vice president of Syntel, an IT services and outsourcing company that serves clients in various sectors such as banking, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, and retail. She ranks 25th on the Forbes list, with a wealth of $990 million.

Sethi was born in India and completed her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Delhi University and her master’s degree in computer science from Oakland University. She also holds an MBA in operations research from Delhi University. She met her husband, Bharat Desai, while working for Tata Consultancy Services, an IT firm.

In 1980, Sethi and Desai launched Syntel from their apartment in Troy, Michigan, with an initial investment of $2,000. The company grew steadily over the years, expanding its global presence and service offerings. In 2018, Sethi and Desai sold Syntel to French IT firm Atos SE for $3.4 billion.

Neha Narkhede: The Software Engineer-Turned-Entrepreneur

Neha Narkhede is the co-founder and CEO of Oscilar, a fraud detection startup that uses AI and machine learning to help businesses prevent online frauds. She ranks 50th on the Forbes list, with a wealth of $520 million.

Narkhede was born in India and completed her undergraduate degree in computer engineering from Pune Institute of Computer Technology and her master’s degree in computer science from Georgia Tech. She worked as a software engineer at Oracle and LinkedIn before co-founding Confluent, a data-streaming software company that provides a platform for Apache Kafka, an open-source technology that she helped create at LinkedIn.

Confluent went public in 2021 at a valuation of $9.1 billion, making Narkhede one of the youngest female billionaires in the world. She left Confluent in 2020 to start Oscilar with her husband in 2021. The company is self-funded with $20 million and aims to launch its product later this year.

 

Indra Nooyi: The Trailblazing Leader

Indra Nooyi is the former CEO and chairperson of PepsiCo, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. She ranks 77th on the Forbes list, with a wealth of $350 million.

Nooyi was born in Chennai, India, and completed her undergraduate degree in physics, chemistry, and mathematics from Madras Christian College and her master’s degree in finance and marketing from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. She also holds an MBA from Yale School of Management. She worked at Boston Consulting Group, Motorola, and Asea Brown Boveri before joining PepsiCo in 1994.

Nooyi became the CEO of PepsiCo in 2006 and the chairperson in 2007. She was the first woman of color and immigrant to lead one of America’s 50 largest companies. During her tenure, she transformed PepsiCo’s portfolio by increasing its focus on healthier products, sustainability, and social responsibility. She also oversaw several acquisitions and partnerships, such as the merger with Quaker Oats and the joint venture with Starbucks. She retired from PepsiCo in 2019, after 12 years as CEO and 24 years at the company.

Nooyi is currently a director of Amazon and Philips, a global health technology company. She also joined Deutsche Bank’s Global Advisory Board in 2020.

Conclusion

These four women of Indian origin have proven their mettle and excellence in their respective fields, breaking barriers and stereotypes along the way. They have also contributed to the society and the economy through their innovations, leadership, and philanthropy. They are an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, who want to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world.