Setting the benchmark for Leadership in the Technology world

SWAPNA BAPAT, VICE PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDIA AND SAARC, PALO ALTO NETWORKS

At Palo Alto Networks, we have built an environment where women are encouraged to take risks, put their hands up for bigger roles, and be heard in the rooms where decisions are made. We have very active employee resource groups, including our women’s network, that give employees access to mentorship, career development, and a community that genuinely supports growth. These groups influence how we hire, how we retain talent, and how we make sure women have the opportunities and support needed to move into leadership. For me, enabling more women in leadership ultimately comes down to two things: removing barriers and creating visibility. When women see other women leading not just in pockets but across functions; it sends a clear message that leadership isn’t the exception, but the expectation. And that’s the environment we are creating at Palo Alto Networks every day.

INSPIRATION TO LEAD THE TECH WORLD

My journey into technology started with a sense of curiosity and possibility. The idea that everything could suddenly be connected; that you could communicate over a platform without boundaries, was incredibly exciting. That early exposure shaped my belief that technology can fundamentally change how we live, work, and solve problems. Over the years, I moved across domains — embedded systems, networking, software, cybersecurity — and that breadth gave me a deep view of how systems really work. But leadership came from something more personal: the need to help people grow and use my skills to lead a business. Early in my career, being one of very few women on engineering teams taught me to speak up, to claim my voice, and to lead by example.