Pioneering Women – In the Poultry Industry
In this issue of Poultry Creations magazine, we extend a warm welcome to Dr. Shaveta Sood, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Zamira Australia, under the compelling theme of “Pioneering Women in the Poultry Industry.”
“Dr Shaveta Sood is an accomplished professional with 15 years of spearheading functions in leadership role in strategic marketing and Techno commercial operations. A Turnaround specialist with demonstrated track record of developing short- and long-term business plans for nutrition companies in South Asia. Forwarding thinking person with experience in managing, leading and growing teams in cross functional verticals in Animal Nutrition and Healthcare Industry.”
In this exclusive feature, we delve into Dr. Shaveta Sood’s journey, achievements, insights, and her pioneering role in shaping the landscape of the poultry industry.
“Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Trust your abilities. Celebrate your achievements, learn from setbacks, and uplift those around you. Believe in prayers. Ask for help or advice from your seniors/mentors around you.”
Dr. Shaveta Sood
Poultry Creations: What inspired your entry into the poultry industry, and could you highlight a few key milestones that have defined your journey from a veterinarian to the Chief Commercial Officer at Zamira Australia?
Dr. Shaveta: My journey so far: I am born and brought up in a town of Himachal Pradesh called as Palampur. My parents are retired Government employees staying in HP. I have an elder brother working in Private Sector.
I stay in Pune with my husband who works in IT sector and a son studying in school. I am a proud pet parent of a Labrador..
I have completed my bachelor’s in veterinary sciences and master’s in animal nutrition from College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Palampur in year 2007. I have also completed my Senior Management Program from IIM Kolkata in the year 2019-2021 which helps me to hone several functional competencies like operational efficiency, strategic decision making, organisational leadership, human resource management and understand the benefits of digital transformation.
I am secretary member of Vets in Private Welfare association, which is a platform for more than 350+ Veterinarians to associate on professional front as well as personal front.
Started my career working as Veterinarian in Animal Husbandry Department, Himachal Pradesh. Worked in various profiles of Product Manager in Polchem (Ceva), As Nutritionist in Pranav Agro, Group Marketing Head in Vetina. My last two assignments were working as National Sales Manager in Novus. Marketing & Speciality business Head in Adisseo, S.A. before joining in Zamira Australia as Chief Commercial Officer, South Asia, and Board of Directors in Zamira. As a Part of this esteemed Industry, I have attended various National and international conferences and forums.
During my career, I have received many recognitions from my past employers. I have opportunity to represent South Asia in presenting Global Marketing strategies and collaborate with industry experts to share knowledge on the latest innovations. I was also a speaker in the webinar organized by Indian Association of Women Veterinarians on Role of women vets and their contributions in Veterinary Profession. I am also awarded as an Inspiring Lady Veterinarians Award in the year 2021.
Apart from my professional commitments – I love reading, cooking, spending time and travelling with my family and friends.
Poultry Creations: As a pioneering figure in the poultry industry, what sparked your interest in animal health and nutrition during the early stages of your career?
Dr. Shaveta: In the early stages of my career, I found myself drawn to the world of animal health and nutrition through a combination of personal experiences and a deep-seated passion for Animals.
My initial exposure to veterinary sciences during my bachelor’s degree ignited a curiosity about the intricate relationship between what animals consume and their overall health. However, during my internship focussed on poultry farming that I truly recognized the pivotal role nutrition plays in the poultry industry and that realization struck me when I observed the direct impact of well-formulated diets on the growth, vitality, and disease resistance of the poultry flock. Witnessing the transformation of healthy, thriving birds fuelled my enthusiasm for exploring the science behind animal nutrition further. This prompted my decision to pursue a master’s in animal nutrition, where I delved into the complexities of feed formulation and the potential of feed additives to enhance performance.
As I navigated through my studies, I became acutely aware of the economic challenges faced by poultry farmers, particularly the significant portion of production costs attributed to feed. This realization became a driving force behind my desire to contribute to the industry’s growth and sustainability by optimizing feed efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
My mantra: –
Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Trust your abilities. Celebrate your achievements, learn from setbacks, and uplift those around you. Believe in prayers. Ask for help or advice from your seniors/mentors around you.
Poultry Creations: Can you highlight a specific moment or project in your career where you felt you were pioneering new approaches or breaking barriers in the Animal Healthcare industry?
Dr. Shaveta: Yes, there are many moments throughout the career which were exhilarating. One of the moments want to share that during my days of working with Vetina, as a Marketing Head, I was one the member who conceptualised and implemented the idea for the launch the concept of Pet Insurance. So, there were significant amount of strategic planning, research, and execution. It needs deep understanding of both the market and the evolving needs of pet owners. Being a Vet and a pet parent, I understand, an emotional connect and on the other side about pet diseases, diagnostic services, and age-related considerations which is required for the thoroughness of the approach. Launching the concept has long-term impact is a significant marker of success in Vetina and an evolution in Pet’s health.
Poultry Creations: What are some of the most significant challenges you’ve observed in the poultry industry throughout your career, especially concerning the role of women in leadership?
Dr. Shaveta: At the time I joined this industry there were very less females including Vets and Non-Vets who were working in Private sector in Poultry field. If there are females, they were more positioned in laboratories, R&D houses. In last 8-10 years things have changed a lot and many females are taking challenging jobs of working in fields like Sales and Marketing, Product Development, Business Development. They are working out their niche area. The challenges which I have seen and feel that women’s is work life balance. Being a professional with family obligations is a significant challenge for women in leadership roles. The demanding nature of Poultry Industry, long work hours and irregular work schedule can exacerbate difficulties in achieving work life balance.
Mentorship plays a pivotal role in shaping future in professional development but also help in navigate challenges in work environment. Sometimes, women are under presented in leadership positions. Limited access to resources, sometimes gender biasness. I suggest that females should always sought help from their Seniors in the Industry. I feel blessed that I have always received a lot of support and guidance from senior veterinarians/key stake holders which helps in shaping my career in this Poultry, Dairy and Companion Industry.
Poultry Creations: Given your expertise in animal nutrition, could you discuss any notable innovations or advancements you’ve witnessed that have positively impacted the poultry sector?
Dr. Shaveta: Yes, there are many notable innovations that have led to advancements in this Poultry industry. Advances in Precise nutrition have allowed more tailored and efficient feeding programs in Poultry. Precise Nutrition helps optimize growth, performance, and overall health status of animals. The development of functional feed additives like prebiotics, probiotic, enzymes and phytogenic that enhance nutrient utilization, improve gut health and improve immunity which contributes to overall performance and disease resistance. To control disease challenges use of anticoccidials in therapeutic doses have given an edge for improved gut health and performance. Right rotation and shuttle programs with the usage of high-quality sourcing of Anticoccidials make a difference in the health of birds. With the ever-growing demand of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices there is always need of alternative feed ingredients. Proactive approaches in gut health and enhancing immune systems have become essential components of Poultry Nutrition.
Although I feel, In India, there is much work needed in Nutrigenomics where studies regarding the interaction of Nutrition and Genome have led to deeper understanding how the nutrients influence gene expression in Poultry. The integration of digital technologies such as precision farming tools and sensors for real time monitoring of feed consumption, growth rates and health parameters.
Poultry Creations: As a leader, what strategies do you employ to navigate and overcome challenges, while also cultivating an environment that nurtures both growth and innovation among your team?
Dr. Shaveta: I believe that the key to success in team is open communication. Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Regularly communicate the organizational goals, values, and expectations. One must be led by example – demonstrate the qualities and behaviours expect from your team, leading by example positive work culture. I believe in empowering of team by giving them autonomy and decision-making authority. Fostering of culture of continuous learning and professional development. Recognition of team members to boost morale of team members. Goal alignment with respect to the company’s purpose and direction. Flexibility in work to balance work life balance. I believe that effective leadership is a continuous process of learning and adaption.
Poultry Creations: Balancing multiple responsibilities is a skill you’ve demonstrated throughout your career. How do you manage the demands of strategic marketing, techno-commercial operations, and team development effectively?
Dr. Shaveta: The key to manage the demands of working profile is priority. To identify and prioritize the tasks based on their importance and urgency. Strong time management skills to allocate time efficiently, use of tools and techniques to avoid procrastination. In work, delegation of the task is very important. Empowering team to take responsibility of their own needs so that you can focus on high level strategies. A clear strategic plan to outline goals and objectives for marketing, techno-commercial operations, and team development. Cross functional collaboration between different departments and team. Continuous learning about the industry trends, technological advancements, and marketing strategies. Establish key performance indicators for each area of responsibility. Monitor regularly and analyse performance metrics in your work to track progress, identify areas of improvements and make data driven decisions wherever required.
In all my work experience, I have given edge to learn and adapt in response to changing market conditions, technological shifts and market dynamics. Embracing a mindset that welcomes change and view challenges as opportunities of growth. I must add the most important thing which we overlook during our growth and career is self-care. Balancing multiple responsibilities can be demanding so ensure that you prioritize self-care to avoid burn out and long-term effectiveness.
Poultry Creations: With challenges like high production costs and lower selling prices in the poultry industry, what ideas do you have to make things better and more profitable?
Dr. Shaveta: Yes, it’s a big challenge in current situation. Efficient feed mill management where we can work out accurate feed formulations. Embrace technology advancements such as automated feeding systems, data analytics to monitor and manage poultry production efficiently. To use sensors and IoT devices. Implement robust biosecurity systems. We should invest in energy efficient equipment and practices to reduce utility costs. Vertical integration like owing or partnering with feed mills, hatcheries, and processing plants. This allows better control over the entire production process, potentially reducing the costs and improving quality. Diversification of the products like speciality or organic poultry products that command higher prices in market. Be a market differentiator – sustainable practices, superior product quality to justify higher prices. Supply chain operations must be streamlined to reduce transportation and distribution costs. One should take advantage of various government incentives and grants that support sustainable and innovative practices in agriculture. One of the important tools is risk management to mitigate the impact of market fluctuations in feed and poultry products prices.
Poultry Creations: In a male-dominated industry, how do you manage the hurdles of solo travel and attending meetings? Could you share insights into your approach for successfully navigating these situations?
Dr. Shaveta: Preparation is the key, research the destination and understand local culture and plan your itinerary in advance. Prioritize your safety by choosing good accommodations, reliable transportation and always being aware of your surroundings. There are many tools in this era to stay connected with family like I always share my location with my family so that if I am not reachable, they should know my whereabouts. Attend meetings before and after seminars/conference. Be confident in your interactions. Speak assertively and maintain eye contact with professional appearance. Establish a support network around you. Learn new things continuously, respect cultural differences while you work. Try to take some breaths out of your hectic schedule to relax, unwind yourself.
Poultry Creations: As a pioneering woman in the poultry industry, how do you see the role of women evolving in leadership positions, and what advice would you give to aspiring women professionals?
Dr. Shaveta: There has been a lot of evolution of women in leadership positions like gradual increase of women representation in Poultry Industry in different positions like management, Research and Development, Sales, and Marketing etc. Many companies are giving importance to diversity in leadership as it brings different perspective, ideas, and problem-solving approaches. As more women are participating in education and fields in agriculture and allied sciences has always contributed to a larger pool of qualified professionals. I believe that this trend will continue as many as women will be joining this industry. As we all know that industry dynamics in changing in meat and milk production so there is more opportunity of work to do in the field like analytics, technology implementation and strategic thinking. Always embrace changes. Try to Maintain work life possible as much as possible.
Poultry Creations: What specific improvements and suggestions do you recommend for enhancing Poultry Creations, ensuring it becomes more engaging and resonates better with our readership?
Dr. Shaveta: Poultry Creations offer a diverse range of content, including articles, product understanding and industry news and updates. I have seen that the variety keeps readers interested and caters to different preferences within your audience. If there will be a user-generated content, it always fosters a sense of community and allows your audience to actively contribute to the platform. Create a feedback mechanism to understand your audience’s preference for improvement. Regularly reassessing and adapting your approach based on audience feedback and analytics will contribute to the ongoing success of Poultry Creations. I wish Poultry Creations best in future.
