The 2019 Women Leaders in Consulting: Anjana Mokkarala

Anjana Mokkarala is a Senior Manager in Cognizant's Retail Consulting Practice. She is a key leader in the customer experience and merchandising business and supports the practice's growth through her thought leadership and execution of go-to-market strategies for business consulting and implementation services. 

Post undergrad, she joined one of the top IT service providers as an analyst in their retail arm and had a chance to work with a business consultant during her short stint in the UK, and was inspired by the consultative approach a colleague brought to the table to address the client situation and business challenges. "I knew right then that I wanted to be in an advisory role, which led me to pursue my post-graduate degree and join the consulting industry," she says.  

Today, Mokkarala has over 13 years of experience in consulting and has worked with numerous Top 100 retailers, enabling their digital transformation journeys. She is a big proponent of data-driven customer experiences and has played the role of a change agent helping companies "think data."

"Most often, as consultants, we not only think of our clients, but we also consider their customers. I enjoy being a trusted advisor to our clients, providing unbiased and objective recommendations that can be operationalized to deliver value to their customers," Mokkarala says. "I also love the practical learning that is associated with each engagement as we try to solve our clients' strategic and operational challenges."

In today world, she says businesses have a great opportunity to leverage data as an asset. With emerging trends such as AI and machine learning, there are several new ways and use cases for applying data to solve business problems and drive customer experience. "I am looking forward to continually learn and educate our clients on how they can rethink their strategies to tap into this potential," she says. 

Ask her to consider her greatest professional achievements so far and she'll come up with three. 

"First, with the ever-changing digital landscape, my team and I have been creating and shaping new service lines and offerings to be ahead of the curve. Second, to deliver value to our clients, it has been fulfilling to coach and mentor consultants, and create opportunities and an environment where they can learn and develop their industry expertise," Mokkarala says. 

"Third, in my most recent engagement, I had the opportunity to work with a retailer leading foundational efforts in their aggressive data-driven digital transformation journey," she says. "Building trusted relationships with the newly formed management team and successfully navigating through a very dynamic environment is something that I absolutely cherish."

Q&A: What does winning the Women Leaders in Consulting award mean to you?

"For me, winning this award is a recognition of a "customer-centric" mindset and attitude that we consultants bring to work every day. It is also a testament to my fellow consultants that the impact we deliver to our clients is tremendously valued. As one of them, I feel fortunate and humbled to be recognized."