KAVITHA GUPTA - JUNIPER NETWORKS

I have almost 20 years of experience working across various industries in technology, aviation and the telecom sector and I currently work with Juniper Networks’ Go to Market segment where I am responsible for India and South Asia. I have previously held leadership positions in Airbus Group India, Hitachi Consulting and Wipro Technologies where I developed extensive knowledge on commercial contracts, privacy and technology matters, U.S. ethical conduct, export control laws and compliance-related risks. I am also a co-founder of the Indian Corporate Counsel Forum of the Association of Corporate Counsel.

I wanted to be a lawyer from a young age. As a child, I admired Mahatma Gandhi and the changes he brought to society. I was particularly inspired by his early work in law where he believed that the “true function of a lawyer was to unite parties riven asunder.” He inspired me to follow my passion as a lawyer and genuinely help resolve issues between parties.

When I finished school, I went on to study law at the University Law College in Bangalore. After graduating I decided to expand my knowledge and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Business Law from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in 2004. I also completed postgraduate programs specialising in Intellectual Property law and Cyber laws from NALSAR and a Privacy Professional Certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). I have always believed in ongoing education to constantly improve my skills and become better at my jobs.

After graduating from law in 2002, I started my career in private practice. I was handling arbitration and commercial litigation matters in Karnataka High Court. As a litigator, I learnt to strategise, dive deeper into the facts and remain grounded to the law, local rules and the Court’s procedures and peculiarities to constantly weigh the risks. After working in private practice for four years, I started my first in-house role in 2006 when I joined a company called Max Hypermarket, a Landmark Group Company. I learnt an important lesson in this role from the CFO of the company, that I need to be a lawyer with business acumen and protect the interests of the company. I quickly grasped the company’s business and its approach to the legal matters.

A few years later, I decided to make the switch to the IT industry and joined Wipro Technologies. This role gave me a strong foundation on global compliance and employment matters. Later I joined Hitachi Consulting as their first legal counsel for the Asia Pacific region. I was responsible for advising the company on entering the Asia Pacific market, addressing the opportunities and challenges of entering new markets. I also had an opportunity to work in the aviation industry for Airbus Group as legal head for India. I had the opportunity to set up the first Flight Training Centre in India.

Through my career and experience working across various sectors, I have had the chance to expose myself to different environments and companies. This not only made me realise what kind of work I like to do and what I am good at, but it also made me appreciate and enjoy the fact that I have found a job that fits me. I took the risk to step out of my comfort zone and explore the uncertain journey of discovering a new area and new challenges.

There have been a number of people who have influenced my career. One of the most influential has been my father. He taught me the power of teamwork and dedication and the value of knowledge. These skills have served me well throughout my career and are a big part of why I am where I am today.

I have also had the privilege of the great support and guidance from senior colleagues across the organisations I have worked for. These opportunities and the chance I had to learn from them has been incredible and truly made an impact on my professional development.

There are many things I love about working in-house. As an inhouse lawyer working for a global company, I enjoy handling cross-border transactions and compliance. I get to make a significant contribution to my company’s business operations both in the region as well as contribute to the global initiatives.

Today the role of in-house counsel has evolved from a guardian of the company’s integrity and reputation to a strategic adviser to the board and CEO. A good in-house counsel requires a strong understanding of the business, its goals and its strategic objectives. In order to be a good in-house counsel, you need to be a good strategic adviser and this involves expanding your business knowledge, gaining financial acumen and developing leadership skills; these skills need to be nurtured and taught from the very beginning, whether it be at university or in the first in-house role.

The advice that I’d like to give to my younger self is if you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it; teach yourself to be impatient. Take the initiative and steal the opportunity. Keep yourself updated and well informed.