Management & Thought leadership Professional Interview

Emerging technologies will not only help improve profitability of businesses but also generate a positive impact on our environmental footprint. Monika Mahto, Research Leader at Deloitte, works on global research campaigns on advanced technologies (Additive Manufacturing, IoT, Industry 4.0 etc) by collaborating with fellow thought leaders, industry executives, and academicians.

For students, you have an unprecedented opportunity to lead the way as thought leaders on innovative solutions to business, climate and sustainability challenges!

I spent my formative years in central India within a family of doctors and academicians, an environment where opinions thrived, and lively debates were a staple of our family gatherings. These intellectual exchanges were not just tolerated but actively encouraged during our shared meals. As a child, I became an avid observer of these discussions, noting how the elders skillfully navigated differing opinions. This environment taught me to be a better listener and be more accommodating to differing views.

Numbers and logical reasoning always intrigued me. So, I pursued my graduation and post-graduation with a business management degree and specialization in finance. At home, my father played a pivotal role—he imparted the essential principles of financial planning to me from a young age. His teachings emphasized the irreplaceable value of hard work, stressing that patience and perseverance are the catalysts for achieving results over time.

My first job was as an office manager of a renowned Vedic mathematics academy. During this time, I had the unique opportunity to closely observe and learn from a Vedic mathematics teacher. Following my stint at the Vedic mathematics academy, I applied for my MBA degree with specialization in Finance. After completing my MBA, I joined Deloitte as a research analyst in 2008. In hindsight, navigating the challenges posed by the economic downturn became a pivotal experience that defined my career.

During my tenure at Deloitte, I’ve had the privilege of working across various office locations in the US and India. In this capacity, I’ve overseen high-performing teams spread across different geographical locations, focusing on delivering market intelligence, research, and thought leadership. Even though I finished my formal education more than 15 years ago, I see myself as a lifelong learner.

My career journey, choices, and paths have stayed fluid all through. In the last 17 years, I stayed open to opportunities, took challenges, and also suffered some setbacks. I started doing research for a select set of clients. Gradually, the focus of my research shifted from industry and sector drivers to more overarching themes. I was always drawn to the real-life applications of emerging tech, so I naturally gravitated to topics such as IoT and 3D printing and their impact on business operations.

I feel “getting that one break” is a myth. Success is a culmination of mini steps and incremental progresses. I lead Deloitte’s Center for Integrated Research center at Deloitte US-India Offices. The center focuses on research and thought leadership development of cross-industry, and cross-functional issues. I love getting to research topics that sit at the intersection of technology and talent.

I love researching topics that uncover the role of emerging technologies to improve how we run our businesses and how we live our lives. Emerging technologies provide means to achieve these imperatives and I’m grateful for the opportunities to research and publish my findings for discussion and deliberation in the public domain.

Life is the best teacher providing invaluable lessons. There are two pieces of advice I’d like to share: More often than not, we feel that if we can’t do it perfectly, there’s no point in trying. It took me time to accept that someone can improve and enhance what I have worked on. Secondly, we try to bottle things inside and hesitate to seek help, thinking we can handle everything on our own. One who seeks help is strong, and not weak, to do so.

I am bullish about the skills and capabilities of new talent joining the workforce and look forward to developing high-performance teams.