Balancing Technology, Humanity, and the Courage to Lead
Smita Kulkarni
Director,
Marsh McLennan
Smita Kulkarni has built her 20+ year career on a simple principle—when faced with uncertainty, step forward, not back. Now a director at Marsh McLennan, she is known for taking on complex, high-pressure mandates and delivering measurable results, often in situations others might avoid. A defining chapter began in early 2020. Having recently left MSCI and being close to finalising another offer, she was approached by Marsh McLennan for a six-month contract—with the challenging task of establishing a consumerbased application team in India. The role carried no guarantees, but the challenge spoke to her strengths. Weeks after she joined, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the working world overnight. Smita had to recruit, interview, and onboard multiple professionals entirely remotely, navigating unprecedented operational and personal hurdles. The team delivered on time, exceeding expectations. Six months later, she accepted a permanent role in Marsh and McLennan, choosing it over her earlier offer—a decision that became one of the most rewarding of her career. Her appetite for calculated risk-taking has been a consistent theme. Earlier, she left a secure role at Lehman Brothers to take on a challenging leadership role at Citi Technology Services, despite having leadership experience. Through determination and rapid learning, she led the initiative during her Guided by integrity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning, Smita has transformed challenges into defining milestones, proving that the most significant career wins often start as risks few are willing to take. Speaking with TradeFlock, Smita shares more about her work and life.
How have diverse corporate cultures shaped your leadership philosophy?
Each organisation shaped my leadership in distinct ways—JP Morgan instilled disciplined risk management, MSCI fostered innovation and data-driven improvement, and Marsh McLennan reinforced empathy, collaboration, and team empowerment. Together, these experiences shaped a balanced approach that blends strategic vision with adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a deep respect for teamwork
What current Marsh McLennan project excites you most, and why?
One initiative that excites me most at Marsh McLennan is our freshers onboarding programme, where we bring in and mentor college graduates. Interacting with Gen Z—brimming with curiosity, bold ideas, and digital fluency—is energising. Guiding their raw potential into impactful contributions is deeply fulfilling, as it’s about shaping future leaders while fostering a culture of learning. Equally inspiring is my work with the Innovation Core Group, dedicated to building a space where ideas spark, collaboration thrives, and every voice matters. It’s different from any other project I’ve led — less about delivering a product, more about cultivating an innovation ecosystem that can redefine our organisation’s future.
How should professional services leadership adapt to global uncertainty and rapid tech change?
Leaders must embrace AI to drive innovation, efficiency, and smarter client solutions, while safeguarding irreplaceable human qualities like empathy, creativity, and ethical judgement. The future demands fostering a culture of experimentation, continuous learning, and adaptability. Partnering AI with human intellect will unlock better solutions to complex problems. Equally vital is upskilling teams to work alongside technology, ensuring that trust, collaboration, and human insight remain central to decision-making and client relationships
What challenges does rapid tech change bring, and how has your problem-solving evolved from manager to leader?
Technology today is inherently disruptive, with artificial intelligence (AI) driving the most significant shift. While AI can’t replace human expertise, it can transform how we operate. The key challenge lies in striking the right balance— leveraging AI as a partner rather than fearing it. Its value ultimately depends on the quality of input, which comes only with experience and contextual understanding. One of my most complex challenges was leading a global digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a leader, my focus extended beyond deliverables to prioritising my team’s and their families’ well-being. By fostering empathy, collaboration, and shared ownership, we overcame delays and turned challenges into lessons. Partnering across business units, introducing automation, and enhancing processes enabled us to meet objectives while maintaining morale. This people-first approach not only ensured delivery under pressure but also strengthened team cohesion—proving that adaptability and empathy are as critical as technical capability.
How has the industry changed for women since you began your journey, and what challenges did you face?
Honestly, the shift isn’t as dramatic as people think. Diversity is often discussed, but realities remain similar. I haven’t faced major genderbased barriers—most challenges were about personalities, not gender. Biases do exist, but success depends more on performance, attitude, and most importantly courage to speak up and stand against the wrong at the right time.
"The future demands fostering a culture of experimentation, continuous learning, and adaptability. Partnering AI with human intellect will unlock better solutions to complex problems."
How do you develop future leaders, especially women, and what qualities will define leadership in the next decade?
I believe in leading by example—being visible, approachable, and consistent. Through our fresh graduates’ programme, which prioritises diversity, I encourage embracing failure, balancing personal and professional priorities, and making choices based on individual circumstances and support systems. Always see the bigger picture—your organisation’s vision, client goals, and domain—while continuously learning. With AI, analytics, and sustainability reshaping industries, adaptability is key. Future leaders must be agile, collaborative, open to learning new age technology and able to harness the strengths of younger generations
