Baking innovation into bp’s Pune digital hub: Kshama’s story
Leading bp’s digital hub in Pune, India, Kshama is responsible for developing a new digital team, growing bp’s digital expertise in the region to help the company address the challenges of the global energy transition
“My life purpose is to become the best version of myself. I want to keep learning every day!”, Kshama explains.
This has meant a career paved by grasping new opportunities as they arise – even taking the risk of a complete career change. “I worked for 13 years in a range of finance roles, after which I made the decision to shift my career to technology – essentially starting from scratch!”
Kshama’s risk paid off. Developing into a senior technology leader through her experiences at businesses across the pharma and consumer goods sectors, she joined the energy industry and bp in 2021 – excited by the opportunity to apply digital solutions to help bp to reimagine energy.
Now leading bp’s digital hub in Pune, India, she is responsible for developing a new digital team, growing bp’s digital expertise in the region to help the company address the challenges of the global energy transition.
Creating a culture of innovation
Kshama explains,
"The best way to drive innovation is through digital. It is a key contributor to so many elements of the way that bp operates, from developing technology such as robotics and digital twins, through to digital design and data analytics."
A key priority for Kshama is building the team of digital engineers, digital strategists, data & analytics specialists, information security specialists and more, to drive this innovation in Pune. And the opportunity to build this expanding team – and create a culture that works for all – was a key part of her decision to join bp. “I love that my role gives me the opportunity to align my work with different people and build our hub and contribute to bp’s goals,” she says, “I get to understand people’s strengths and their potential, and I see how I can support them to make bp the best possible place for them to work.”
Building a diverse and inclusive hub
As bp continues to grow the Pune digital hub, Kshama is keen to recruit people who will challenge the status quo and push boundaries, to progress their careers and contribute to bp’s overall vision.
Having made a transition into technology, she explains the benefits of drawing on people with varied backgrounds and skillsets, believing that “for any organisation to be successful, having diverse perspectives is a necessity.” At Pune, it’s a core part of the hub’s ethos, creating an inclusive environment in which “all opinions matter and everyone feels respected.”
“Our identity is really at the heart of how we work,” she expands.
"I’m excited to see where this journey takes us.”