Asha Priyanga

Accomplished Associate Hardware Discipline Engineer at Dow Chemical International Pvt Ltd, adept in stakeholder relationship management and project execution. Spearheaded teams to exceed project goals, leveraging influential leadership and effective communication. Demonstrated expertise in engineering specifications and vendor negotiations, ensuring project success within budget and timelines.

Managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude.

Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.

Mechanical Discipline Focal Point for West Canada Operations at Dow Chemicals.

The IPE workshare was 8% though the goal for the year was to achieve 15% workshare.

Work was not shared with us, and majority of the technical package preparation work was handled by west Canada Site engineering.

Competitive Advantage: The Power of Ownership mindset & One Team:

As I started effectively collaborating with the Site Focal Point, I understood the areas of focus. One being frequent change of resource based on forecast from other sites that Mech caters to and then the deliverables quality was not up to site expectations.

To combat this deficiency, I started requesting my focal to share job instructions once the project is received. Also, for every task we both worked together to prepare a responsibility matrix, that way CEC and WCO know who is going to do what. This gave a clarity on scope of work and made both team accountable.

I responded to project questions promptly and tracked project progress closely to ensure projects success.

The power of Ownership mindset, being transparent and agile became cornerstones to achieve 33% IPE.

Quality feedback stated “WCO team feels that we can depend on CEC Mech as a great partner to successfully complete and excel in all projects in the coming years".

To fetch this outlook, I proved in every project that my team and I are accountable and empowered to achieve business success. Therefore, it is imperative that while we work with team, we need to understand each other and exhibit supportive behavior (developing commitment, initiative, and positive attitudes).

As the saying goes, my testimonial illustrates how successful collaboration, cooperative spirit and mutual respect brought the projects to fruition.

Accountable Mechanical Lead for Material Handling on Poly 7

Leading courageously

Accepted the accountable assignment to manage scope and criteria of material handling.

Every week meeting with vendor to close out technical queries and action item and meticulously expedited inputs for inter disciplines to help the detail engineering team.

I delivered the project with flying colors, business was so happy the way 200-million-dollar order was managed meticulously with zero safety incidents and value creation during engineering and on time installation, commissioning & start-up at site.

This in turn paved the pathway to the discipline & leadership to have more accountable leads from Chennai on challenging scope.

Discipline Voice Survey Improvement Lead

Improving Employee Experience EX-Score:

Launched the following:

Intent based Leadership Framework

· Training and workshop for managers and Leaders to inspire people by providing with the WHY? The very idea is to create leaders at all levels instead of forging followers and creating a thinking environment.

Opportunities Framework

· One on one discussion template for employee with their managers and Leaders

· Leadership communication meeting template to cover the expectations of employees.

Rewards and Recognition Framework

· Start every meeting with appreciation/recognition moment,

· Wall of Fame: Employee photo wall to showcase the good work as a team & ensure that each individual is featured.

· Acknowledging the team members created loyalty while building camaraderie, positive culture and made our office a more enjoyable workplace.

Women Executive Leadership Drive Engagement Council Member

· The aim is to foster a strong peer connect group that will be a source of support and learning.

· Providing a connect platform for the young female talent who have the aspiration to embark on the development journey, support their needs and prepare them to spread their wings.

· Providing a collaborative learning experience through cross functional / regional / external interaction with diverse groups to broaden perspective, and enabling to build and enhance professional network.

· Understanding the journey of career progression through interaction with women leaders, peer female employees and male advocates.

WIN CAMPION AWARD 2023

· Promoted an inclusive culture.

· Increased gender diversity at Dow

· Demonstrated leadership as an advocate for women.

Encouraged others to participate in WIN-related activities.

SWE SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Indian Corporate Council Member:

Being a member, I champion IDE & B for my organization understand industry trends, leveraged best practices and created new intervention strategies specifically for the advancement of women.

Played a pivotal role in implementation of Design your Day (DYD) at workplace an effort to assess (and reassess) center’s flexible and remote-work policies.

SWE Webinars:

Encouraged Management to sponsor 15 female graduates for SWE Webinars sessions, thereby Co-branded webinars within SWE’s leadership competency model.

SWE Chennai Affiliate Member:

Attends affiliate meeting and bring one of my peer regularly to understand SWE’s goals and network with peers in the industry to leverage best practices regrading community outreach.

Applying for SWE grants 2024 and partnering with Agastya Foundation to set up science labs in the government schools in Pour, Tiruvallur district.

We Local Conference:

Attended We Local Conference represented my organization.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEMONSTRATING SWE MISSION:

Attracting Diverse Talent

Nominee led Project SITA at Central Engineering Chennai (CEC), to continue to advance Dow’s ambition, develop tomorrow’s talented workforce today.

This signature internal recruiting program, implemented to continue our continued commitment to diversifying our talent pipeline. Center hosted 6-month internship program with an intent to inspire the future generation of young female engineers to pursue a career in STEM. Post internship, 14 female graduates (2 per discipline) were extended Full time offers, the highest absolute number of BEST hires in a single season, which enabled the centre in achieving 35% gender diversity hiring goal/target. I worked across multiple disciplines/functions and had to collaborate with various stakeholders to execute the project. Our project execution style had a special mention and well appreciated by leadership team. Voice of customers says they had a transformational experience at Dow. We were able to set a good example for many in showing how to stay committed to advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity to all as it helps our business succeed and our employees thrive.

Supporting workforce re-entry for Women through CATALYST program:

I lead Program CATAYST, Dow’s returner program for Chennai, which accelerates the women to re-enter the workforce and provide an advantage for Dow in hiring proven, highly skilled professionals who had an extended career break of 2-6 years (who left the workforce to care for family, have taken an extended medical leave or for educational reasons). A focus of our 2025 ID&E strategy is improving representation across multiple dimensions of diversity, especially in areas where we have measurable gaps. Through this program, we created a channel for the centre to fill middle and senior level roles, highlighting Dow’s commitment to help women grow their skills for today and prepare for the future’s unique market challenges. Those hired into the program received assistance and support to improve their job skills through interacting, engaging and mentored by experienced Dow business and functional leaders to aid in their return to work. We absorbed twenty-four women as contingent staffs and converted two of them as Dow Directs.

Men Advocating Real Change (MARC)

I served as one of the facilitators of MARC dialogue Teams which is a group learning strategy designed to help build Inclusive leadership skills and enhance workplace culture on a grass root level. I facilitated “Be an Equity Champion” session, helped the employees to develop their ability to see from someone’s perspective, practice having dialogues across difference and advance skills to support an inclusion regardless of level.

Being a volunteer, facilitated session thereby encouraging the participants to develop qualities of open-mindedness, courage, humility, vulnerability, and an ongoing commitment to learning and self-reflection.

Inspired men to leverage their unique opportunity and responsibility to be advocates for equity.

I fronted WIN initiatives for India ID& week for helping us enhance the spirit of Inclusion at Dow India.

Early career recruiting and mentoring – NJOY at Dow

I have been the integration buddy for the new college female graduates and integration coach for employees who join my discipline, mentoring them and bringing them up to speed. The program helps familiarize new employees with Dow and equip them with the resources they need to get a great start, and assists incoming expats with the challenges that involve joining a new culture. I also introduced a structured interview process to ensure a consistent candidate experience and to mitigate bias. I sensitized leaders & managers to have a diverse interview panel for hiring and implemented a new inclusive assessment standard.

PROJECT PUTHRI

Qualified mentor for this initiative from AVTAR Human Capital trust to make 10,000 underprivileged girls, career intentional every year.

Centre has extended 3 female Puthri students full time offers this year. Demonstrated leadership as an advocate for women by partnering with AVATAR organization.

Aspire to Inspire Program:

Execution focal, the vision of the program is to inspire college students to know more about STEM field and to take up opportunities in core industry.

I am a recipient of Dow Global WIN Champion Award 2023 and received Best workplace for women award 2023 from AVATAR on behalf of my organization.

I am passionate in empowering and supporting employees to achieve a transformation where employees from feeling overwhelmed and overlooked to feeling confident and energized. I am dedicated to serving others while making an impact and leading with a purpose.

Love to read story books for my daughter, start my day with jogging, Spend my evenings with family and plants at my balcony.