In an industry long considered a man’s domain, Shaily Trivedi has quietly but powerfully reshaped what leadership can look like. Today, as the Operations Head for PwC’s Salesforce business practice, she stands as a powerful voice for women in manufacturing and technology, a voice amplified by her association with SheMaker, a platform that continues to celebrate and champion women who are redefining the industry.
Born and raised in Jabalpur, Shaily completed her schooling there before moving to Mumbai for her engineering studies. Her career began in 2010 when she landed a role with Tata Power during campus placements, marking the beginning of her 15-year-long corporate journey. Starting out as a Graduate Engineer Trainee, she entered a world that was still largely male-dominated. Her early assignments often took her to remote substations, underground sites, and unmanned locations, places where women engineers were a rarity. “It was scary at first,” she admits, “but those experiences built my courage and self-belief. They taught me to hold my ground.”
Over the next eight years, she climbed the ladder within Tata Power, taking on roles in operations, key account management, and business MIS, while also being selected for the company’s prestigious ACE – Accelerated Career Enhancement Program. Through this initiative, she trained at IIM Ahmedabad, gaining the leadership perspective that would shape her future. Her next leap came when she joined Larsen & Toubro (L&T) through its Young Leaders Program, where she worked closely with the company’s chairman and later engaged with ministries through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). “It was a whole new level of responsibility,” she says. “You realise how decisions made in a boardroom can influence the skill development and employability of an entire nation.”
Yet, the challenges of being a woman leader in traditionally male-led spaces persisted. “Earlier in my career, I did notice that men often found it difficult to take instructions from a woman leader. You had to use your strength: empathy, patience, people skills, to make your point heard without being labelled ‘aggressive’.” She believes that women bring invaluable emotional intelligence to leadership and should never feel compelled to mirror masculine styles of management. “We shouldn’t try to be men. We should lead as women, because that’s our real strength.”
It was during her stint at L&T-Nxt, a digital and AI startup within the L&T Group, that Shaily first came across SheMaker, thanks to her HR head. The year was 2020, a world adjusting to lockdowns and virtual events. SheMaker, in collaboration with People Konnect, has been tirelessly working to recognise and empower women in manufacturing, giving them visibility through its summits, awards, and leadership programs.
SheMaker’s team soon connected with her to share her journey and honoured her as one of their awardees. “That recognition came at a time when everyone was isolated, uncertain,” she says. “It reminded me that our stories matter, that our challenges and victories can inspire others.” For Shaily, SheMaker was a mirror more than just an award. “Many times, women sit in silos, thinking their struggles are unique. It is platforms like SheMaker that help us realise we are not alone,” thus emphasising that SheMaker created a sisterhood of shared challenges and shared triumphs. The beauty of SheMaker is that it doesn’t just celebrate success, it nurtures it. It creates awareness, gives recognition, and connects women who can learn from one another. Because real change will happen only when women support other women.
SheMaker, now entering its next edition of the flagship SheMaker Summit, continues to amplify voices like Shaily’s through its awards, mentorship programs, and storytelling collaborations. The initiative has become a catalyst for change, pushing organisations to not only increase women’s participation in manufacturing but also ensure representation at every level, right from shop floors to boardrooms.
As SheMaker gears up for its next edition, stories like Shaily Trivedi’s remind us why platforms celebrating women in manufacturing matter so deeply. It’s about representation, reflection, and re-igniting ambition in every woman who dares to lead.
