Meet woman, raised by widowed mother, once didn't have money for school trip, now manages company worth Rs 1625369040000; her name is...
The story of Dhivya Suryadevara, the Indian-origin CEO of US-based Optum Insight and Financial, is a truly inspirational journey that underscores the power of hard work, perseverance and dedication in changing the circumstances of one's life. Raised by a widowed mother along with her two siblings, Dhivya Suryadevara spent a childhood marred with financial constraints, and at one point didn't even have the money to pay for a school trip.
However, her hard work and dedication have taken her to the pinnacle of the corporate world in the United States, where she now leads an 18.8 billion company as its CEO. Who is Dhivya Suryadevara?
Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Dhivya Suryadevara lost her father at a very young age, and was raised by her mother, who managed her day job at the Syndicate Bank, apart from taking care of three young kids, including Dhivya, at home.
After completing her schooling, Dhivya earned a degree in Business, Finance and Economics from Madras University, and later completed CFA and CA courses. At 22, she moved to US and completed her MBA at the prestigious Harvard Business School, and then began her career at PwC.
Later, Dhivya Suryadevara interned at the World Bank, and then joined UBS Investment Bank as an Associate Director. However, her first major professional success came in 2005, when she joined General Motors (GM), the largest carmaker in the US. Dhivya worked at GM for over 16 years, and during her tenure, rose from Senior Financial Analyst to become the first woman Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company in its 110-year history.
After leaving GM, Dhivya Suryadevara joined Stripe– a multinational financial services and software major– as its CFO, and in March 2024, she moved to Optum Insight & Financial as its CEO. Who Dhivya Suryadevara credits for her success?
In an interview, Dhivya Suryadevara credited her remarkable success to her mother, who did everything in her power to ensure that her three children received the best education, despite the family's financial hardships.
'My mother had to raise three children alone. It is difficult to do this especially in India. She left no stone unturned in our education. She had a lot of expectations from us and this motivated us to do better. We learned that nothing comes easily. You have to work hard to get what you want,' she said.
Asked about her experience of moving to the US, Dhivya said it was difficult at first because of the vastly different culture and the fact that she had little money to pay for anything, including a college trip.
'It was very difficult. I was far away from home and it was definitely a culture shock for me. I did not have much money at that time. I could not afford to go on a college trip. Everything was funded by student loans which I had to repay. So, there is a different kind of pressure on you to find a job,' the 42-year-old said. What's Dhivya Suryadevara's net worth?
According to various media reports, Dhivya Suryadevara has an estimated net worth of about $20 million, which is quite incredible considering her humble background, and is a testimony to her hard work, professional skill and dedication.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
6 minutes ago
- Hans India
Singapore-based Surbana Jurong eyes AP housing projects
Singapore: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a series of back-to-back meetings on the first day of his Singapore visit, successfully engaging global investors and inviting them to capitalise on AP's burgeoning growth opportunities. Among the key developments, leading urban infrastructure company Surbana Jurong expressed keen interest in investing in the state's housing sector, while Malaysian construction giant Eversendai proposed setting up a significant manufacturing factory. Representatives from Singapore-based Surbana Jurong, a prominent urban and infrastructure consulting firm, met Chief Minister Naidu. The Chief Minister extended an invitation to Surbana Jurong to actively invest in large-scale housing construction projects across Andhra Pradesh, encouraging their participation in the state's ambitious 'Housing for All' initiative. Chief Minister Naidu elaborated on Andhra Pradesh's strong focus on infrastructure development, highlighting plans for the development of 20 ports and 15 airports. He emphasised the state's strategic positioning as a major logistics hub and outlined the government's vision to transform these regions into thriving industrial townships. He urged Surbana Jurong to explore the extensive investment opportunities available in these areas. Tan Sri Dato' A K Nathan, chairman and managing director of Eversendai Engineering, a leading Malaysian construction company renowned for its iconic projects, also held discussions with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The primary focus of their meeting was Eversendai's proposal to establish a state-of-the-art manufacturing factory and an integrated training center in Andhra Pradesh. The Eversendai chairman indicated that Visakhapatnam or Krishnapatnam are being considered as potential locations for this facility, which would facilitate nationwide distribution of its products. The proposed manufacturing unit is projected to span approximately two lakh square meters. This substantial investment is anticipated to significantly boost industrial growth and create large-scale employment opportunities within the state. Eversendai also conveyed its interest in investing in infrastructure projects related to the development of Amaravati, the state capital. Furthermore, Chairman Nathan discussed the establishment of a Structural Engineering Training Center in collaboration with premier institutions such as IIT-Tirupati and IIIT Sri City, underscoring a commitment to skill development. Eversendai highlighted its impressive track record, which includes contributions to landmark global projects such as the Burj Khalifa, Petronas Towers, DLF Downtown Taramani in Chennai, and the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, showcasing their expertise and capacity for large-scale development.
Time of India
6 minutes ago
- Time of India
UK firms can offer telecom, construction services in India without local office under CETA
New Delhi: Companies from the UK will be able to offer services in sectors such as telecom, and construction in India without setting up a local presence, under the free trade agreement signed between the two countries. The British firms will be treated on par with Indian firms. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed on July 24 in London. It may take about a year for items implementation as the free trade pact needs approval from the British Parliament. "UK companies can now provide telecom, construction, and related services in India without establishing a local presence, enjoying full national treatment, meaning they will be treated on par with Indian firms," the commerce ministry said. Services is a key chapter in the agreement as both countries are strong in different kinds of services. India enjoys a trade surplus of around USD 6.6 billion with the UK. The country's services exports stood at USD 19.8 billion and imports at USD 13.2 billion. In the agreement, the UK has provided a comprehensive and deep market access in 137 sub-sectors to Indian firms. On the Indian side, commitments have been extended in 108 sub-sectors, granting UK firms access to domains like accounting, auditing, financial services (with FDI capped at 74%), telecom (100% FDI allowed), environmental services, and auxiliary air transport services, it said.>
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 minutes ago
- Business Standard
BYD runs India remotely as tensions with China shut out top brass
China's BYD Co. is forging ahead with its attempts to expand in India despite roadblocks from the government that are preventing the electric vehicle maker from conducting key business dealings there. Like most Chinese companies, BYD has been unable to obtain visas for executives after a deadly clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers along a Himalayan border in 2020 sparked a major deterioration in political ties. That's seen the EV giant resort to holding board meetings and high-level business interactions in Colombo in Sri Lanka and Kathmandu in Nepal, and even as far away as Singapore, according to people familiar with the matter. Ketsu Zhang, BYD's managing director for India, has been unable to obtain a work permit since he left the EV maker's local base in Chennai, despite government efforts to facilitate his travel, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they're not authorised to speak publicly. Zhang worked from the carmaker's headquarters in Shenzhen in 2021 before moving to Tokyo this year, they said. From Japan, he oversees Asian markets including India, the people said. An on-the-ground presence is particularly important for manufacturers, given the need for quick decision making, addressing productivity issues and establishing community ties. Cold Shoulder The cold shoulder is mutual. As recently as March, travel restrictions were still being wielded in the political spat. That month, an Indian contingent wanting to visit a major meeting of BYD car dealers in Shenzhen had to be scaled down after the majority of participants, including the company's employees based in India, were unable to obtain visas, a person familiar with the matter said. A representative for BYD in India declined to comment. Despite the operational difficulties, BYD has proved popular with Indian drivers — sales in the first half of this year are nearly touching the total units sold in 2024. Indian officials have been clear they won't welcome investment from the carmaker — Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said earlier this year that it's a 'no' to BYD due to caution around the nation's strategic interests. India has already rejected BYD's $1 billion plan to build a plant in partnership with a local company. This leaves the Chinese firm unable to qualify for reduced tariffs on imported EVs in exchange for establishing a substantial manufacturing presence in India. The freeze contrasts with the experience of Tesla Inc. Its Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk met with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US earlier this year. The US carmaker opened its first showrooms in India this month, with deliveries set to begin as early as August. Tesla doesn't have plans to establish local manufacturing, meaning it faces import taxes of as much as 110 per cent for fully-assembled vehicles. Expanding overseas is critical for BYD, which risks missing its target to sell 5.5 million cars this year as demand in China stagnates and it draws the ire of Beijing following rounds of heavy price discounting. But without the ability to invest in manufacturing in India, BYD relies on its assembly plant in the southern city of Chennai, which has annual capacity of 10,000 to 15,000 units, to meet Indian demand. The company also imports most cars it sells in India, but hefty duties — aimed at shielding domestic firms — effectively double the cost of a vehicle and India restricts volumes unless a model has received a local roadworthiness certificate. While tensions between China and India are thawing, it's unclear whether curbs on professional visas will be lifted or if BYD will ever be welcomed with open arms. Still, there are tentative signs of progress. Earlier this month, India allowed Chinese nationals to apply for tourist visas again.
