Careers rarely unfold exactly as planned. The moments that shape them can come unexpectedly—from an opportunity to take on a new role or move into a different field, to the decision to leave an established career and build something new.
That means leaders need to be ready to recognize opportunities, take calculated risks, and keep learning as their careers evolve.
So, how can leaders prepare for pivotal moments they cannot predict—and know when it is time to take a different path?
In the first episode of Pivot Point, Russell Reynolds Associates' Vinita Katara is joined by Dr. Mukund Rajan and Soumya Rajan to explore the experiences and decisions that shaped their leadership journeys.
• How preparation and opportunity come together at pivotal moments in a career
• Why mentors and sponsors can play an important role in accelerating leadership development
• What it takes to make the leap from an established career into entrepreneurship
• Why continuous learning and reinvention are increasingly important for leaders
• How two ambitious careers can evolve independently while partners continue to support one another
• You can't plan every career pivot—but you can prepare for it
• The people who take a chance on you can change your trajectory
• Reinvention is part of the leadership journey
Dr. Mukund Rajan
Chairperson, ECube Investment Advisors
Dr. Mukund Rajan is an Indian business leader, sustainability advocate, author and corporate governance expert. He is Chairperson of ECube Investment Advisors, which he founded to advance ESG transformation in corporate India. Previously, he spent 23 years with the Tata Group, serving as its first Brand Custodian, Chief Ethics Officer and Chairman of the Tata Global Sustainability Council.
A Rhodes Scholar, Dr. Rajan holds a BTech from IIT Delhi and a Master’s and Doctorate from Oxford University. Named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2007, he is also the co-author of Outlast – How ESG Can Benefit Your Business, which received The Green Literature Festival Honour Book award for Business Literature in 2022.
Soumya Rajan
Founder and CEO, Waterfield Advisors
Soumya is the Founder of Waterfield Advisors, India’s largest independent Multi-Family Office and Wealth Advisory firm, advising and managing assets of ~US$5 billion. A Mathematics graduate of St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and Balliol College, Oxford, she is recognized as one of India’s top women in business and is listed in Fortune India’s 100 Most Powerful Women 2025 and Forbes India’s Women Trailblazers 2021.
Soumya serves as an Independent Director on the boards of Aavas Financiers and Vishal Mega Mart and contributes to regulatory expert committees established by SEBI and IFSCA. She also supports non-profit organisations focused on education and mental health.
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