Benjamin Bailey Memorial Lecture 2021
Benjamin Bailey Memorial Lecture 2021 by Ms. Reema Poddar
Topic: “The power of exponentials” – Disruptive technologies driving the transformative future growth
LIVE ON YOUTUBE https://youtu.be/aD-Jt1-g1XI
About Reema Poddar
A Strategic Global Digital Transformation leader with 26+ years of experience in the software Industry, recognized for successfully innovating, growing and dramatically improving P&L’s/Businesses. Fueled by an unwavering customer focus, she has led massive digital and cultural transformations for big publicly trading companies such as General Electric Company- an American multinational conglomerate, Teradata – a Data and Analytics software company. She is a proven Technologist, Innovator, Board of director and Advisor to technology startups and Universities in USA. Poddar has led Business and Technology transformations to launch On-prem to Cloud products, bringing to market new Data & Analytics platforms, leveraging latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning. She has achieved Business outcomes and operational efficiencies for big enterprises customers, valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Poddar is currently the board of director of Optimeyes.ai, an AI-powered SaaS solution for enterprise security, compliance, and privacy risk management. Prior to this role she served as the Executive Vice President and “Chief Product & Technology officer” of Teradata Inc and was responsible for product lines valued over $2Billionand was responsible for leading Global Product Management, HW & SW Engineering, User Experience, AI innovation office and Corporate security. In the history of this publicly trading company, she is the first woman Chief Product and Technology Officer of this publicly trading company. Poddar was instrumental in leading this company through its ambitious cloud transformation, doubling the cloud revenue in 2019 and transitioning the multibillion-dollar product line from a perpetual to a subscription-based cloud offering. Before Teradata, Poddar held several senior executive leadership roles with General Electric Company (GE), was the Engineering leader for a US based Start Up – Intellution Inc and Satyam computers. Poddar is a people-centric leader, placing a particular emphasis on leadership development, supported by a growth, results oriented and learning culture. Reema is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives. Active in the global community, Reema has been a mentor for Women Engineers and Technologists and has dedicated her time to philanthropic causes. She actively encourages and works with young women to consider & pursue a career in STEM and
technology roles. She promotes diversity and inclusion by supporting Women’s Networks such as WITI ( Women in
Technology International), North and South Cal Tech, Athena, etc. She is an honored public speaker.
Poddar has dual master’s, a Master’s degree in Computer Applications and a Master’s degree in Science (physics).
She holds several prestigious customer, business-technology, and CEO leadership awards at the companies she has
served.
Her notable public awards are –
1. In 2020, she was inducted into the Top 100 Asian American Hall of Fames by The Board iQ along with some of the
worlds renowned leaders like Indra Nooyi (ex CEO of Pepsi co), Satya Nadella(CEO of Microsoft), Sundar Pichai
(CEO of Google), Arvind Krishna (CEO of IBM).
2. In 2020, again, she was honored with The Top 50 California Diverse Leaders Award.
3. In 2019, Poddar was named the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology in America by the U.S. National
Diversity Council, honored by USA President Barack Obama.
4. In 2018, Poddar was honored by the San Diego Business Chambers leadership award for her business impact and
progressive technology achievements.
5. In 2018, the most popular and renowned magazine, “San Diego Magazine” recognized her in the top 5 of the city’s
most powerful female leaders and she was featured in the cover page of the magazine.
6. In, 2015, Poddar was the proud recipient of the Edison Awards for New Product Innovation for the healthcare
industrial internet of things honored by Elon Musk, the world-famous technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. The CEO of Tesla and Space-X
7. In 2014, she was honored with the Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology (DAIC) award for leading and building the most innovative technology solution for cardiovascular intervention labs
Opening Prayer : Rev. Jacob George (Bursar)
Welcome : Dr. Varghese C Joshua (Principal)
Presidential Address : Rt. Rev. Dr. Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian (Manager, CMS College Kottayam)
Remembering Benjamin Bailey : Dr. Joji John Panicker (Coordinator, Benjamin Bailey Memorial Lecture)
Benjamin Bailey Memorial Lecture : Ms. Reema Poddar (Board of Directors – Optimeyes.ai, California, USA)
Vote of Thanks : Dr. Mini Chacko (Vice Principal)
