Play to Potential Podcast · 2026-01-15 · 1h 23m
GUEST: Roopa Kudva is the former Managing Director of CRISIL and the former Managing Partner at Omidyar Network India. Over the last four decades, she has worked across financial services, impact investing and company boards, and now brings those lessons together in her book Leadership Beyond the Playbook. In this conversation, we explore what she has learned from leading at scale, investing in early-stage founders and observing leaders across sectors and generations. Roopa talks about what it really takes to stay grounded as you rise, how to think about purpose without forcing it, and why leadership is rarely a clean, framework-driven journey. We also go into the nuance of decision making when information is imperfect, how to balance autonomy with accountability, and what it takes to work effectively with teams that span Boomers to Gen Z. Roopa shares stories from her years at CRISIL, her time at Omidyar Network and the lived experiences that shaped her view of leadership. It’s a thoughtful reminder that growth as a leader often comes from widening the lens, staying curious and building your own way of working rather than following someone else’s template.
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