Mrinalini Lakshminarayanan ─ Motivated global leader with a track record for delivering exceptional growth and profitability…
September 22, 2022 • 3 Minute Read
Mrinalini Lakshminarayanan
Global Executive Director, Digital Operations and Industry Solutions
Ingram Micro, Inc.
Are you looking to be inspired by a motivated global leader with a proven track record in delivering exceptional growth and profitability? We know the person—Mrinalini Lakshminarayanan!
Mrinalini Lakshminarayanan is a Global Executive Director for Ingram Micro. She is a passionate leader who takes business strategies, operational initiatives, and technologies from concept to revenues. She is engaged with today’s IT and telecom influencers, and consistently shares her knowledge around emerging tech and trends to accelerate time to value for Ingram Micro channel partners worldwide. For 25 years, Mrinalini has demonstrated a proven track record in leading commercialization, strategy to revenue and operational excellence of global software/hardware products, systems, solutions and services to deliver exceptional growth and profitability. When she is not working, you can find her engaged in various organizations to grow Women in Tech.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman, Mrinalini Lakshminarayanan!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
I am continuously discovering new aspects of myself every year. My friends say I should wear the hat of Sherlock Holmes, and wonder what I will explore the following year.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
I flew about 200,000 miles meeting with customers and partners globally leading technology roadshows, digital transformation strategy discussions and connecting the right technology to their operations.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
I switched to being vegan four years ago so adventurous it isn’t, but amazing in flavor and environment friendly.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
The biggest risk in life is never taking one. With every risk there are chances of failures and successes. It is not only important to look at our own experiences, but to also learn from other people’s experiences. With the pandemic and going virtual, the team dynamics changed significantly across our industry. At Ingram Micro, we refined the global team without slowing down—we transformed while performing—moving to virtual as we were growing the team. With a lot of calculated risks and fast learning, our team stepped up to meet the challenges, built the team to full strength and drove the business goals while taking care of each other’s personal situations.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
I didn’t have a career mentor out the gate, but I have been focused more on identifying what motivates me and how I want to contribute. Finding and learning more about myself has taught me to be a lifelong student.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
Trust your intuition, sometimes even if it goes against all the other advice you get. No one has had the experience that you are bound to have in your life and career. Remember, your outlook and attitude work for and against you.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I mentor and coach many girls and women in STEM and tech. I am also very keen to learn more about the career goals of the members of my team and connect them with the right opportunities to achieve them.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
In recent years, creating a channel market for emerging technology solutions and services in the areas of IoT and AI has been very challenging and rewarding. Bringing Metaverse-AR/VR and 5G to market has been an incredible experience. In a short time, I’ve seen the direct influence purpose-driven people and applied technologies have on the market and its adoption tech for good.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
As a leader communication is a very critical skill. Being able to inspire, educate and represent through communications in various forms is an art. Effective communications require listening, preparation, practice, and learning, as well as continued refinement and acknowledgement of the culture and people around you.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
The world is changing quickly, and the rate of change is accelerating. Accepting and adaptability to this change – including sometime cannibalizing what you created – is going to make a big difference between success and failure in the long-term. What got you where you are today may not take you where you need to be tomorrow. Keep your mind open and adapt to change.
