Holding A Torch For Microsoft

Pallavi Kathuria has worked with several vendor companies, but she is
happiest working with Microsoft. She was the 13th employee of the company when
she joined in 1995 and though she changed jobs, she later moved right back to
Microsoft and now heads its Indian Server Business Group

Pallavi Kathuria

Director-Server Business Group, Microsoft

Job Profile

As a director for the server business group, Kathuria has to strategize on
ways to make the product more acceptable to a cross genre of customers. The SQL
server business is facing stiff competition from vendors like Linux, Oracle and
IBM on one hand and inadequately trained solution providers on the other hand.
She has to ensure that she gets more partners on her side, train and equip them
so that they can recommend Microsoft to their clients.

Background

Kathuria took up engineering after her schooling and graduated in 1993. She then
worked with Altos where she designed motherboards for two years. In 1995, she
joined Microsoft when the company had just started its Indian operations. As
Product Support Services Engineer for developer tools, she felt it was paramount
for her to translate her scientific grounding into contemporary business
offerings and therefore joined a business school. When Microsoft relocated to
Bangalore, Kathuria found it unviable to move too and joined Nokia for a short
time. She got married shortly and moved to the US and joined a solution provider
in Cleveland, Ohio. But she itched to be back in the fast-paced corporate
environs of Microsoft and moved to Redmond where she worked for MSN. Later she
moved to the server business group, which interfaced more with corporate
customers, where she was at home after her training in Dukes University.

Challenges

Her biggest challenge currently is adjusting to the lifestyle of an Indian
yuppie, who virtually has to be accessible 24x7. She has just moved back to the
country with her husband, Vinish, and two sons-Ronit and Rohan- and is getting
used to the concept of balancing a demanding career with equally demanding
children. She also needs to understand the channel's psyche so that she can
further Microsoft's offerings through them.

Strengths

Kathuria is a quick learner and given her varied background can fit into any
environment. Her technical grounding coupled with her good business skills come
in handy when she has to convince partners and customers to consider Microsoft
as their application of choice.

Hobbies

TV and movies are something Kathuria can't seem to get enough of. Whenever
she has some time for herself, she binges on catching thriller shows like NYPD
Blue, CSI Miami, Desperate Housewives or movies like When Harry Met Sally, Bunty
Aur Babli, etc. She likes to read light fiction or some light management books.
But her ultimate leisure activity is to spend all the time she has with her
children.

Future Plans

Currently, Kathuria just wants to take Microsoft to the leading position in
the server business. She is also working at educating CXOs on the benefits of
the product.

VINITA BHATIA