With International Women’s Day just past, we are continuing to spotlight voices from across the industry as part of our IWD Voices series. Leaders will share their journeys, experiences, insights, and the lessons that have shaped them.
In this instalment, we speak with Priyadarshani Jain, Head of Branding and Communication at Triton Logistics & Maritime.
In our conversation, Priyadarshani reflects on what the IWD 2026 theme means to her personally and professionally, and shares how her understanding of fairness has evolved from equal opportunity to informed evaluation. She also touches on what drew her to branding and communication, and the advice that shifted how she thinks about authority and self-recognition.
She also discusses TriCademy, an initiative she helped create to break silos and connect teams with field operations, and what she believes senior leaders must do beyond statements and policies to build equitable workplaces.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” What does this mean to you professionally and personally?
To me, this theme is about being evaluated on merit on the depth of your thinking, the quality of your work, and the consistency of your results, not on how closely your life matches a template. We still live in a time where personal choices can quietly influence professional perception.
Rights mean having the freedom to define your own timeline without that choice shaping how far others think you can go. Justice is when merit outweighs assumption and contribution is not filtered through bias. Action is the courage to update our thinking, especially when it challenges what we’ve always believed. For me, progress is real only when it shifts how decisions are made, not just how statements are written.
What first drew you to your industry, and was there a defining moment that set your career in motion? Was there a role model who influenced you early on?
I was drawn to branding and communication because I’ve always been aware of how perception shapes outcomes. The way something is positioned often determines how seriously it’s taken. Over time, I realized that even at senior levels, the difference between sales, marketing, business development, and brand still needs articulation. In 2026, that clarity still matters. Instead of seeing that as friction, I saw it as responsibility. Someone has to bring structure to complexity.
If you don’t recognize your own value, the world will keep negotiating it for you. Power isn’t assigned. It’s stepped into and once you step into it, the room adjusts.
A piece of advice that stayed with me is this: clarity does not appear unless you are willing to ask for it. For a long time, I waited for direction before taking space. Eventually I understood that authority begins internally. If you don’t recognize your own value, the world will keep negotiating it for you. Power isn’t assigned. It’s stepped into and once you step into it, the room adjusts.
How has your understanding of fairness changed as you’ve gained experience and seniority?
Earlier, fairness meant equal opportunity. Now I understand it also means informed evaluation. Different functions carry different kinds of pressure, yet they are often measured through a similar lens. Revenue is visible immediately. Reputation and positioning compound over time. Both matter, but they move differently.
One trend I’m genuinely excited about is leaders becoming more cross-functional in their thinking. When people take the time to understand roles beyond their own, comparisons become more thoughtful and collaboration improves. What concerns me is when empowerment becomes language without structural clarity behind it. Real fairness shows up in how we evaluate contribution, not just how we speak about it.
As conversations around women and work have evolved, what do you think has genuinely improved—and where do you think more attention and action are still needed?
There is more openness now. Capability is acknowledged more directly than it was years ago. I’ve been part of rooms where merit clearly led the conversation, and that gives me hope. At the same time, subtle assumptions still surface about readiness, stability, availability. They are rarely loud, but they quietly influence confidence over time.
I often think of the Dream Crazier campaign by Nike, featuring Serena Williams. It reframed emotion as strength rather than weakness. That message resonated because many women have experienced being labelled for intensity instead of being respected for conviction. Representation matters when it validates lived experience, not when it simply decorates it.
The next shift we need is not louder advocacy. It’s deeper awareness especially in the rooms where decisions are made.
Is there a project or initiative you’ve worked on related to women’s empowerment that you’re particularly proud of? What made it meaningful to you?
One initiative close to my heart is TriCademy, a platform created to break silos and connect strategy with ground realities. We encouraged teams to step beyond their functional roles and experience field operations firsthand. The intention was simple: understanding builds respect.
Exposure changes perspective. And perspective changes culture faster than policy ever can.
The response was powerful. Many realized how layered and interconnected the logistics ecosystem truly is. Some shared that despite years in the industry, they had never seen certain aspects up close. That reinforced something important for me. Exposure changes perspective. And perspective changes culture faster than policy ever can.
What responsibility do senior leaders have in shaping more equitable workplaces, beyond statements or policies?
Leadership shapes culture through everyday behavior. I’ve observed that leaders who have experienced different layers of an organization often display greater adaptability. Exposure builds empathy. When leaders stay curious about functions beyond their own expertise, decisions become more balanced.
Equity grows when evaluation is informed, not assumed. It’s not about dramatic shifts. It’s about consistency in who is heard, how performance is interpreted, and what potential is recognized.
What is one change you would like to see in workplaces for the next generation of women?
I would like the next generation to spend less energy proving they belong. Professional growth should not be measured against personal life stages or external milestones. When evaluation becomes more nuanced, ambition feels lighter. And when ambition feels lighter, potential expands.
The goal is freedom to lead without carrying invisible qualifiers and the confidence to take up space without first seeking permission.
