In March we celebrated International In Conversation with... Women's Day--a day dedicated to recognizing the social, political, economic, and cultural contributions Veronica Paul women have made around the world Veronica Paul is Lead Consultant at C. S. and highlighting the inequalities that Paul and Associates, an Executive Search remain. International Women's Day consultancy firm that she founded with her late this year came hard on the heels of husband in the early 1990s. She also serves as unprecedented global movement for M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r o f D i m e n s i o n s , a g l o b a l EDITORIAL women's rights, equality and justice. Christian Chamber of Commerce with a vision to nurture entrepreneurship in This has taken the form of marches the community. In addition, she is a member of the faculty at a management across the world and the global #MeToo and #TimesUp campaign school. Prior to this, she had a twenty year career with Bank of America in drawing attention to issues of sexual India. In her spare time, she has worked actively in animal welfare for more harassment, violence against women than eighteen years and pursues other community initiatives. and equality in the workplace. All of which have propelled a rising At C. S. Paul and Associates you have an impressive record of determination for change. But there is accomplishments and are now venturing into the area of corporate another side to this coin. True, justice social responsibility. must be done. Women's voices must be heard. But have we gone too far? C. S. Paul and Associates was founded in August 1993 to provide executive Men-Women relations seem to have search services to multinational companies and financial institutions. become tense, confusing and fragile. Concurrently with that, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has always been We now have an opportunity for profound reform, for men and women close to my heart. I believe that all three forms of capital – People, Planet and to come together to treat each other Profits – should work together to make up the “triple bottom line”. CSR with dignity and respect. But it is encourages companies to be more aware of the impact of their business on important that this movement is fair, to the rest of society, including their own stakeholders and the environment. men as well as women. We should be Through our vertical, TriCap Solutions, we hope to assist companies with careful not to create new injustices formulating effective CSR strategies aligned with their brand, values, whilst correcting old ones. Where do stakeholder expectations and long-term vision and to work with them to you stand on this debate of the sexes? effectively implement strategies for long-term positive change. Let us know what you think. Write to us at [email protected] You have just been appointed Managing Director at Dimensions after In this issue, we are proud to celebrate serving some years on the Board. Can you tell us a little bit about the strength and resilience of women. Dimensions. It is also the season for new beginnings--Easter, the joys of Spring Dimensions was set up 12 years ago to nurture entrepreneurship in our and a reminder that summer, with its community. Our vision is to make our small community prosperous beyond promise of long lazy days and travel, boundaries. To do this, we hope to bring about, at the grass roots level, a is not too far away. How nice it is to be at this point of the year again when paradigm change in mindset – instead of being life-long employees, why not (hopefully) better weather arrives to become employers and generate prosperity and employment. Dimensions lift our spirits and give everything the is a network of business owners and professionals who support each other in season's inimitable flourish. A Happy business and also mentor and encourage entrepreneurs in the community. Easter to all. Our committed members come from a wide range of sectors – industry, financial services, education, legal, medical, entertainment and others. We also hold networking seminars, training programs, workshops and social continued on page 2 IN THIS Women: Empowerment All the Se arch A Heavenly Yesterday, Attitudes & Health of pleasures of Basanti has & You ISSUE Place Today & Refugee Persia arrived shall Tomorrow Pg 3 Pg 3 Women Pg 4 Pg 4 Pg 6 Pg 7 Find Pg 7 ISSUE 66 I PAGE 1 MAR-APR 2018 events. Eminent speakers are But education was never far away convocation when I delivered my invited to speak on a wide range of from my mind, especially when I valedictory speech to a packed hall business topics. The international joined Bank of America in 1974. and a standing ovation. I was conventions that we held were Networking with the best talent in immediately offered a faculty attended by more than 500 the industry as I moved up in my position which I happily accepted. businessmen from around the career, I felt a keen desire to study. As I was nearing the completion of world. We have opened chapters in So in 1987, when my children were my MBA, I heard of a 36 week other parts of India and some good at university, I enrolled in college. I training program in Corporate work is being done. Our Goa can vividly remember my daughter Social Responsibility which the chapter for example is doing a great accompanying me to college to take Ministry of Corporate Affairs of the j o b i n s u p p o r t i n g l o c a l an exam because I was so nervous. G o v e r n m e n t o f I n d i a h a d entrepreneurs-- from small farmers The child guiding the parent! Sadly, I announced in tandem with the new to professionals and SMEs to reach had to give up a year later when my CSR rules it was to include in the their full potential. husband took up a job abroad and I C o m p a n i e s A c t , 2 0 1 3 . I found it hard to cope with study, a immediately applied but was told You have an inspirational f u l l t i m e j o b a n d f a m i l y that the cut-off age was 55 years. I backstory. You decided to go responsibilities. But the dream of wrote to the Managing Director of back to school in your sixties. one day going to college remained the institution, the Indian Institute of What motivated you to do that. alive in my mind. Corporate Affairs. They responded by removing the age limit Well, to put that in perspective, we And then? have to go back to my childhood. altogether! CSR is close to my In the mid-2000's I found myself at a heart, and here too, I finished in the When I was born, my sister was cross roads. My husband had top range, ranking 5th out of 175 already married and my brothers passed away. My daughters were students all over India. were in their teens. My father, a married. And I was 60 years old. I WW2 veteran and my brothers were That is some story! Based on was free to follow my dreams. I had my role models. My thought your experiences, what message two things on my immediate bucket processes were shaped by my would you give to our readers? list. (1) To fulfill a long-held dream to brothers, and my Dad, given his be a graduate and (2) To learn to army background, instilled in us a An important aspect about India, I dance the jive. The second was discipline and work ethic that have feel, is this: millennials coming out easier to accomplish. I enrolled at stood us in good stead. Being the of universities today are not job Sandip Soparrkar's dance school youngest though, I had a happy and ready, and there the demographic and learned to dance not only the carefree childhood, made even dividend falls short. If senior jive but also the waltz, the fox trot, more carefree by the fact that persons can harness their the samba and the rumba. In 2008, education was my mother's lowest considerable experience to I decided to take the plunge into priority. My mother was the centre of strengthen this young workforce education. Given my corporate my life and I absorbed her intrinsic with the skills they need, India can background, I enrolled to study for a strength, core values and cultural become an economic powerhouse. Bachelor's degree in Business nuances. However she believed Administration. The first few days From personal experience, I would that if girls were 'over' educated, it were hard as most of the other say: Age is how you view it. Never would be difficult to find them a students were much younger than I. give up on your dreams. Ever. husband. So, when I showed little At first, I was greeted with a “Good Dreams do become reality. Be interest in my studies, it was not morning, Ma'am” wherever I went. passionate about whatever you do. considered a big deal. Hey, I liked They thought I was faculty! To study Look after your parents and your that! No big deal for me either. It was again after a break of more than loved ones.