Poonam Srivastava has built her career across FMCG, telecom infrastructure and e-commerce. With over 20 years of professional experience, she has worked in procurement, supply chain management, negotiations and last-mile operations. Today, she is an IICA Certified Independent Director, bringing her business experience to discussions on corporate governance, enterprise risk and supply chain resilience.
Her journey began with limited resources and guidance. Through work experience, learning and a willingness to take on difficult roles, she built a career across different industries.
Starting Her Career at Eveready Industries
Poonam began her professional journey in 2003 at Eveready Industries Ltd. She recalls being the first woman in a diversity role to walk onto the production floor, where many of the workers and reportees were close to her grandfather’s age.
The environment was male-dominated, and the role required her to work with people from different age groups and backgrounds. This early experience gave her an opportunity to learn about industrial operations and workplace relationships. She had to understand the work, communicate clearly and earn the confidence of the people around her.
Ten Years in Telecom
After FMCG, Poonam spent ten years in the telecom sector. She handled major sourcing and negotiation responsibilities, working with labourers, contractors and senior executives from large companies.
The work required her to understand business needs, discuss terms and manage different expectations. These responsibilities helped her gain experience in procurement and supply chain management. Working across different levels of the industry also gave her a practical view of how decisions are made and carried out.
For Poonam, each new role meant learning how to handle fresh challenges while staying focused on the work at hand.
A Leadership Role at Flipkart
Poonam later joined Flipkart, where she became the first woman appointed as an Area Manager across India, according to her account. She took charge of last-mile operations across multiple locations and oversaw up to 25 delivery hubs.
Managing several hubs meant coordinating teams, tracking daily operations and addressing delivery challenges. The work called for clear communication and timely decisions. Each location had its own needs, while all the teams worked towards common delivery goals.
During this period, Poonam contributed to a reported record of 90% on-time delivery performance. Her experience shows the practical side of e-commerce operations, where planning and coordination directly affect the customer’s delivery experience.
Moving from Operations to Corporate Governance
Poonam is now an IICA Certified Independent Director. She brings her experience in business operations to board and advisory discussions, with a focus on supply chain resilience, procurement governance, enterprise risk and sustainable value creation.
Her experience across three industries gives her a practical understanding of how business decisions affect daily operations. Her work in governance allows her to apply that understanding to wider questions of risk, accountability and long-term business value.
The move from operational roles to board-level work marks a new stage in her professional career. It also connects the lessons she learned on the ground with the responsibilities involved in corporate oversight.
A Message for Women Building Their Careers
Poonam’s story began without a ready-made career plan or a network of influential connections. She believes women can build meaningful careers by trusting their abilities, continuing to learn and having the courage to make difficult choices.
Her experience also points to the value of staying grounded. She places importance on humility, integrity, respect for people and learning from each experience. These values have remained part of how she views leadership.
For women entering fields where they may have limited guidance, her message is simple: the beginning does not decide the entire journey. Skills can be developed, confidence can grow with experience, and new opportunities can come through consistent effort.
Looking Ahead
Poonam Srivastava’s career spans industrial operations, telecom sourcing, e-commerce logistics and corporate governance. Each stage brought different responsibilities and lessons. Her journey offers a practical example of how professional growth can happen across industries when a person remains ready to learn and take on new challenges.
As an IICA Certified Independent Director, she continues to draw on her business experience in governance and advisory work. Her story is a reminder that a career does not have to follow a straight line. With effort, adaptability and self-belief, people can keep finding new directions as their experience grows.
