Recognizing Our Women in Tech Leadership

Over the last few decades, women have made incredible strides in the worlds of business and technology, and we’re very proud to have several women leaders of our own. In fact, we have women in leadership positions in each of our offices around the globe, from India to Canada and the United States—and four of them are represented on our Executive Leadership Team.

Earlier this month, we caught up with a few of our outstanding women leaders to talk business, EPSoft and their careers as women in tech. Here are their stories.

Women in Leadership Spotlight: Deepa Bachu, Vice President, Global IT Operations

When Deepa Bachu joined EPSoft in June 2019, it was the company’s mission, vision and values that drew her to the organization. Soon thereafter though, she learned the company was just as interested in investing in her and her own skill set.

As a qualified engineering graduate with an extensive background and experience at Oracle, Ms. Bachu brings with her a deep knowledge set highly applicable to EPSoft’s products, services and clients. Additionally, as a woman in a leadership role, Deepa brings a unique perspective to the table that the company has not only appreciated, but embraced. “EPSoft has given me an opportunity, irrespective of gender… to learn and contribute to the success of EPSoft in the areas of HR, Recruitment, IT, DevOps and QA,” says Ms. Bachu. It was this very opportunity at learning that opened the doors for her promotion to our Senior Leadership team—continuing the cycle of investment in our hard-working people.

In her role as Vice President of Global IT Operations, Deepa has supported the company through times of significant growth, as well as through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. Through it all, she has managed to build her own career and help create a supportive work environment for others. “One of the greatest things in EPSoft is the work-life balance, [the] work culture and the freedom to share my views,” she tells us.

Women in Leadership Spotlight: Katie Oliver, Chief Marketing Officer

When Katie Oliver joined the EPSoft team in 2019, she brought with her a decade-long background in strategic tech marketing that included stops with both multinational and startup organizations. Much of her experience focused on the crossroads of marketing execution and technology, working on initiatives for IoT, marketing automation, RFID, and process automation among others—a combo of experience that made her a perfect fit for our growing organization.

Translating big technical conversations into user experience and marketing content is a specialized skill, and it’s one Ms. Oliver has honed throughout her tenure with EPSoft. “I am thrilled by the dynamics of user experience, design, and content creation, and love my role as a creative leader,” she says. “I am passionate about distilling technical concepts into relatable, understandable ideas that bring value to everyday business users.”

In her role as Chief Marketing Officer, Ms. Oliver is responsible for creating and executing a strategic marketing plan to help the company achieve its set goals. As she so aptly puts it, “I help determine who we should talk to, how to talk to them, and how to keep the conversation going.”

When asked what drew her to the company, Ms. Oliver explains that EPSoft’s values were evident from the outset. “It was clear from the beginning that they valued strategic thinking and meritocracy,” she tells us. Beyond the company values, she also says the company’s culture of innovation and openness to new ideas was a big attraction. When asked about what she appreciates most at EPSoft, Katie didn’t hesitate. “The freedom to fail,” she says. “Have a good idea? Test it. Fail? Learn and move on. Having the freedom to fail gives you the confidence to do more, be better, and push past the status quo.”

Women in Leadership Spotlight: Jamileh Elias, President, Global Markets

Though she officially joined the team in June 2020, Jamileh Elias has been consulting with the EPSoft executive team for several years on a number of international engagements. It was this consultative experience that ultimately attracted her to a full-time role with the company. “The success of these engagements, along with the integrity, professionalism, and moral value system that the EPSoft executive team demonstrated in my interactions were the turning point in my relationship with the company,” explains Ms. Elias.

Self-proclaimed as “customer-obsessed” executive, Jamileh was highly enthusiastic about the deep value EPSoft could help her deliver to her customers.

In her role as President of Global Markets, Ms. Elias wears many hats, with her primary responsibility keeping EPSoft and the EZFlow platform top-of-mind for recognized companies around the globe, establishing it as the pre-eminent process automation solution.

Women in Leadership Spotlight: Priya Ethikaran, Senior Vice President, Program Management

Priya Ethikaran has always had a strong interest in all things technology. Her professional work experience extends across multiple major IT companies and through various industries. When she joined EPSoft in 2017, she recognized that her deep-seated interest in technology was echoed by the company’s founders. When asked what drew her to the company, Ms. Ethikaran’s answer was direct and simple. “The founder’s passion, product vision and women empowerment.”

From the beginning, Priya recognized that the company genuinely valued her input. “I have always been passionate about technology. I have never been shy putting forth my suggestions and opinions—which have always been well received by management.”

As Senior Vice President of Program Management, Priya oversees the EZFlow platform’s program and project management initiatives, designing new and better features to support the company’s growing network of business clients. While designing technology is her favorite thing about her job, Priya says there’s one more thing that makes it all worth it: “I have a voice here, and have been provided a platform to do the right thing.”

A Few Words of Wisdom

In closing, we’d like to share some words directly from our leaders themselves, hopefully to inspire young aspiring women leaders of the future. We asked each of the ladies on our executive board the same question:What’s your best advice for aspiring women business leaders?

Deepa Bachu: I suggest to all aspiring women leaders not to be afraid of failures and move outside of their comfort zone. Get feedback from time to time. Keep learning. And finally—do not hesitate to ask for what you need.

Katie Oliver: Own your role. You are in your position for a reason, whether it’s a new internship or your first management role. Don’t try to shy away from your diverse way of thinking, when in fact, this may be one of your greatest assets and what they’re hoping to learn from you. And find a good mentor! Find someone successful who has similar values and learn from them. I can’t thank my mentors enough.

Jamileh Elias: There is nothing more powerful than women leaders supporting each other and lifting each other upwards at every level of their journey. I say that from experience that was handed to me from some of the best women leaders I worked with and for. I am proud to say that the mentorship I received from them impacted and shaped my career to where I am today.

Priya Ethikaran: Carry yourself with confidence and conviction; no matter how big a hurdle you have to face, you will find your way. Don’t search for an available opportunity, rather create your own.

Thanks for the sage advice, and more importantly for your ongoing hard work, endless dedication, and supportive servant leadership you put it in every single day. We appreciate you!