GET TO KNOW
SHEILA ROHRA , CHIEF BUSINESS STRATEGY OFFICER , HITACHI VANTARA
Hitachi Vantara is a true data company , which understands how data enables mission-critical digital and industrial environments . Sheila Rohra , Chief Business Strategy Officer , Hitachi Vantara , only started in her current position in February . She talked to us about the importance of staying humble and remembering it is about the team , not the individual .
D
Describe your current job role .
I am Chief Business Strategy Officer at Hitachi Vantara , a role I ’ ve held since only February 2023 ! Before joining Hitachi Vantara , I worked in roles spanning Chief Transformation Officer , Strategic Planning & Operations and Head of Customer Success , with 13 years of experience in the storage industry .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
I think cloud management in hybrid cloud environments will continue its role at the forefront of the industry as this area continues to expand . While many workloads are shifting to cloud , hybrid cloud still remains an area of investment .
A key part of my role today is working to define a vision and strategy to accelerate growth for Hitachi Vantara , and to help us to continue to take a leadership position in the storage and data management technology space . I ’ m still a relative newbie so I ’ m very excited about what ’ s to come !
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement ?
Some workloads ( applications ) run on-premises , others run on cloud and some need to run both on-premises and on cloud . In some cases , portability can result in an application running in part on-premises and in part on cloud . So , as we look to the future , it ’ s clear that hybrid cloud remains essential .
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
Being appointed to the C-suite is a huge honour . I ' ve been in these roles both here at Hitachi Vantara and as Head of Customer Success during the COVID pandemic . Over the years I ’ ve been fortunate to work with a range of talented and passionate people , who I ’ ve learnt a great deal from and been inspired by every day . I ' m really proud of this achievement .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
I think it ’ s crucial to manage with both empathy and accountability . It ' s important to be prepared to understand that everyone works differently and that an approach that works for one person might not necessarily work for another . Also , being prepared to be accountable for your actions is needed to build a trusted relationship with colleagues . This is essential in creating a successful working environment and to allow you to show up to work with integrity .
To be completely honest , I wouldn ’ t change a thing ! I ’ ve learned from each and every one of my experiences , and they have all played a part in getting me where I am today – so I ' m grateful for everything I ' ve been through in my career .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Firstly , make sure you always stay humble and remember that everything is about the team , not you . Secondly , always keep learning and , if possible , find a mentor to help you to do this . We all have things to learn at every stage of our careers , and this thirst for knowledge is crucial to continue to drive innovation and the direction of your business . Something else I would recommend is to keep your word and to hold yourself accountable in challenging times or when things go wrong . And finally , I think it ’ s essential to always be direct but respectful with feedback – particularly in circumstances where a problem needs to be solved .
www . intelligentcxo . com
63