Tech's Feminine Face

JOB PROFILE: Being the country
manager of SanDisk, Manisha Sood has a lot riding on her shoulders.
She is responsible for establishing sales and marketing
infrastructure for the compnay within India. She also oversees the
sales of memory cards, USB, MP3, gaming and mobile products through
leveraged distribution channels and a sales coverage model covering
the major cities and markets across India. Sood also has the
responsibility of establishing SanDisk as the consumer brand for
mobile and digital devices memory cards in India.

BACKGROUND: Born and brought up
in Mumbai, Sood completed her postgraduation in computer science from
IITC Mumbai and started her career with sales and marketing in Intex
Computers in 1987. Post marriage, Sood joined Methodix Systems and
moved on to Modi Olivetti as Business Manager and later on to Kodak
as GM-Digital Capture and Home Printing .She was instrumental in
setting up the entire channel fraternity for Kodak. Recalling her
achievement, Sood said, "I sold the first digital camera in the
country and I am extremely proud of this. Now when I look back, I get
a sense of gratification." Sood was also a very important part
of SanDisk's launch in the country.

CHALLENGES: When asked about the
obstacles she faced in her life, Sood said, “Nothing should pose as
a challenge if you want to achieve your goal.” Having spent 23
years in sales and marketing, Sood believes that every challenge
brings an unknown facet to life. She had to break the notion about
women in the IT industry and handling sales which is not a preferred
work path.

STRENGTHS: Retail being her
forte, Sood believes that her ability to connect to people is her
strength. Being a people's person, she has always managed to strike
the cord whether it is colleagues or business associates. Sood said,
“My biggest strength would be my ability to convey technology in
simple, layman language. It is how you bring human touch to
technology rather than vice versa. Simplification is the mantra to
success.”

HOBBIES: Being in hard core
sales, Sood travels almost every week. In spite of such hectic work
schedules, she finds time to read books on sales and marketing. Sood
quipped, “Not many people know that I am a good cook and can whip
15 types of cuisines. When ever I find time, I love to cook for my
family. It is destressing.”

Currently she is reading 'The
Dragonfly Effect' by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith. Sood also loves
to visit sea-side places and has recently visited Greece and
Mauritius which she considers as most memorable trips.

FAMILY: After her marriage to
Ajay, Sood shifted her base to Delhi. She has two daughters-Kruthika
and Gaurika. Giving equal priority to relationships and work, Sood
has managed to find perfect work life balance. She said, “Being in
sales, it gave me the flexibility to manage both my home and work. I
always ensured that neither of them suffer. This was also possible
because of unflinching support from my husband and my mother.”

GOALS: Sood wishes to see
SanDisk maintain its leadership position. She concluded,
“Relationships is the key to success. One should have the vision to
sell and execute. We act as a bridge between consumers, the channel
and the company. I wish to see SanDisk as the first choice of
consumers.”