Virginia Sharma

Background

About Virginia Sharma

I am back in the US after a very exciting techade in Asia, where I worked across several consumer tech companies like LinkedIn, JioSaavn and now Google. I return to the US as a "Troogler" to lead Google Cloud Public Sector brand and product marketing. I continue to serve as a non executive independent Board Director at Pennar Industries, a leading publicly listed 40 year old engineering and design company based on Hyderabad. I am proud ex IBMer, where I spent the first 15 years of my tech career. I successfully defended my doctoral thesis crisis leadership and gender identity in late February 2022 and working towards publishing my research findings in the coming year alongside my academic mentors from ISB. More about me: Industry Leadership: I serve on the Global Advisory Board for UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce. I am also on the board of Pennar, a public Indian engineering and manufacturing company as an Independent Director. I served as chairperson for the Marketing Society India Chapter and of the IAMAI Digital Transformation Council. Awards and Recognition: I was recognized as one of the top 100 Indian business leaders by Exchange4media (#92) in 2020. I was awarded the Economic Times Women Ahead in 2018 and the Impact Top50 Women in Marketing Media and Advertising 3 years in a row: 2018 (#38), 2019 (#35) and 2020 (#35). I was also awarded the distinction of Marketing Society “Fellow” in July 2018 and a DMAI "Knight". I am the first Indian leader to become a Marketing Academy Fellow delivered by McKinsey and Co. The Fellowship is only awarded to high performing marketing leaders who are on the CEO or Board track. Expertise and Influence: I am a Linkedin Influencer, with over followers. Through my posts, I raise and discuss issues facing women in leadership, advertising and technology. I am a regular keynote speaker at several industry and customer forums and at premier business schools. I was also invited to give the Commencement Speech at my alma mater, the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce Final Exercises in Charlottesville in 2019 and to speak at the McIntire Centennial celebration in 2022. I also conduct leadership workshops based on my research. Business acumen: I have spent 25 years in technology across a variety of regions and roles. I became one of the top 10% of sales leaders at Linkedin in just 3 years. This was my first sales leadership role. I also transformed the JioSaavn Brand Solutions business, delivering double digit growth through the pandemic with a 100% remote sales and servicing team.