Priya Guha MBE is a Venture Partner at Merian Ventures, investing in women-led innovation, an Advisor to Kheiron Medical Technologies and Gallos Technologies, a member of the Investment Governance Board at Future Planet Capital, a NED at Reach PLC, UK Research & Innovation, Herald Investment Trust, the Digital Catapult & GB Badminton and Adjunct Faculty at the Ashridge Hult Business School. She was previously GM for RocketSpace, launching their UK operations.
Priya used to be a career diplomat, most recently as British Consul General to San Francisco and previously in India and Spain. She sits on the Royal Academy of Engineering International Committee, Althea Foundation Board and Global Tech Advocates Advisory Board. She is a Trustee at TechSheCan. Priya was awarded an MBE in 2021 for services to international trade and women in innovation.
Here’s her exclusive Q&A with Asian Voice:
It’ll take about 4-5 readings of your bio for a layman to process your multitalented personality and to understand the inspiring body of work. When you look back from where you started, what do you think you did right as a woman to reach where you are today?
For me, it's just about opportunities when they present themselves, even if you don't know where they'll lead to. And, make sure you do jobs that you enjoy. We're all likely going to be working till we're past 70 years of age. So it's important to enjoy your work and you get that sort of fulfilment from your work.
As an expert in the innovation sector, how can innovation inspire inclusion and help break stereotypes?
I think it's not about innovation inspiring inclusion. For me, inclusion inspires innovation. If you have diverse voices at the table, you'll get different perspectives and you'll get different ideas and you'll get different products and different companies or innovations coming out of that discussion. So actually, I believe, innovation only really happens when you have inclusion.
To bring a balance in gender and diversity, what do you think is the key factor that could drive us towards an egalitarian society?
I think sadly we are still some way off being a fully inclusive society. There are lots of things that need to happen for us to get there. But one of the biggest opportunities is tackling unconscious bias. Because that is so all-pervasive, and it affects how women and other underrepresented groups can succeed in their personal and professional lives.
How important will be the role of women in innovation and trade in the coming years in the global economy?
It's fundamental. If we don't have women at the table, then we won't have the breadth and range of ideas and contributions to create innovation perspective. We also won't have the economic productivity of having women fully participate in the economy. So it's fundamental to have women fully involved.
If a woman or a young girl were to be like you - where you are today as a professional, what advice would you give them?
I think the advice I would give them is to think about what your core values are. And to live your values in everything you do. Because ultimately, that's the way you will stay true to yourself, and be fulfilled in whatever you end up doing in your career.
