Anushree Shukla (PFM 2007-09) is a Global Business Area Sourcing Specialist at IKEA of Sweden. IKEA was ranked 40th in the Forbes list of the world’s most valuable brands, while it remains a Global Fortune 500 company with an annual turnover of approx. Euro 34 Billion.
In her current role at IKEA, Anushree is responsible for globally leading the optimal supplier setup at the best cost for new product development as well as running outdoor range.
Anushree started her career in 2009 with BILT, where she worked as Sourcing Manager for wood and wood-based raw material at the corporate office in Gurgaon. As part of her work, she implemented the first FSC certified eucalyptus plantations in India in the state of Orissa. This led to BILT being the pioneer in India for the first FSC certified export quality paper.
After working for close to 5 years in BILT, she was offered the role of Wood Supply and Forestry at IKEA, India, where she led the function for South Asia and the Middle east. In her role at IKEA, she was responsible for ensuring consistency in the supply of ethical wood at optimal cost by the suppliers. She was the main driver for identifying the major wood species and wood sourcing set up in India for use in the IKEA range, and currently being implemented by the suppliers.
In hex next role, she moved to FSC International in Germany as Business Development / Key Account manager, where she globally led the Timber and NTFP value chains, supporting global brands in day-to-day troubleshooting, marketing FSC, and ensuring a good relationship with the key accounts. Thereafter, she was offered her present position at IKEA of Sweden.
Email – [email protected]
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
A. So far so good. It has been almost 12 years since I left college and yet when I retrospect, it seems like yesterday. IIFM had given me, my first steps to reach where I am today, and it has been a really good experience.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. There is nothing you can’t achieve if you believe in yourself and work hard towards it with focus and determination. In our life, there is only a certain amount of time that you have, so you can either think about a million things, and invest yourself in this and that, or gather all your energy, empty your head and focus on making the best version of yourself.
Q. What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
A. Being at the headquarters of IKEA and working in the heart of IKEA product development, leading it on a global level, and seeing my work contributing to fantastic products and thereby meeting customer expectations.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. Yes, IIFM gave me my first steps in the professional world, and all the good learnings at IIFM have enabled it to happen. My mantra has always been:
Smaller minds discuss people, Average minds discuss events, but great minds discuss ideas.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers. What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles?
A. My mother has been the biggest influence during my formative years, she is a highly educated and forward-thinking woman.
The second biggest influence in my life has been my husband who is my dearest friend, philosopher, mentor, and guide and has been my greatest support and pillar throughout.
My advice to freshers would be that there is a lot of competition in this world and one must be up to date and continuously add value to oneself in terms of learning new things by on-the-job experience, training, and learning.
I can suggest reading the Harvard Business Review for developing social, managerial, and leadership skills. Then I suggest reading about current affairs as they help you in striking meaningful conversations. I like The Economist for current updates. Also, it is important to understand that once you land a job in an organization you are in a symbiotic relationship with that organization, as long as you are learning new things and adding value to yourself while contributing to the company, it is a win-win, but when you’re learning curve is over, it is time to move on and find better opportunities.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. So many good memories the best would be the field trips of IIFM esp. in the second year.
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, and alumni. Anything else!!) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional.
A. I feel it is a mixture of all the above.
Q. The best friends / seniors /faculty at IIFM? Some memorable tidbits that you like to share.
A. I had a couple of friends I use to hang out with, but I am not much in touch with all of them since our professional paths took all of us to different places. But I am still in touch with some, but mostly due to professional reasons. On the other hand, I have been in touch with the faculties for various collaborations like orientation programs, guest lectures, market research etc.
Q. As an alumnus, what is your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get best out of the 2 years there?
A. My advice would be that IIFM is not a regular MBA institute, it is a forest management institute and that is your strength as a student at this institute.
Q. What is your typical day at the office?
A. My workdays are super hectic and that is why I have not been able to send a response for this interview for a long time :).
Due to COVID-19 I mostly work from home, but I do go to the office once a week. My day usually starts at 7:30 with checking emails over a cup of coffee. Meetings usually start from 8:00 am with the Asia Pacific team and in the second half of the day with the western hemisphere. Having a day with several meetings is usual, and such meetings could be working meetings in many cases, but after that, I work on my things. My day usually ends by 5:30 or latest 6 pm.
Q. And how about weekends, Hobbies, Family, and anything else you want to add?
A. On weekends I enjoy hiking as Sweden is an extremely beautiful country.
My hobbies include learning new things – could be a sport and most recently I learned to ski, learning guitar, a new language, etc., etc. Basically, anything new!!
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors?
A. Favorite Movie directors of all time are Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Coen Brothers (as writers and director).
Almost all movies starring: Al Pacino, Robert Di Nero, Tom Hanks, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Amir Khan.
Authors: Most recently Yuval Noah Harari.
Q. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
A. Happy to contribute in whichever way the students would like me to!
Q. What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? What do you think is a positive change and what is not?
A. The curriculum is a lot more relaxed now and I think it should be more rigorous.
The positive change is that we have added new subjects to the course. Also, the active engagement with alumni has been a remarkable initiative.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A. Ashish Malik (Olam), Atish Khan (Tetra Tech and Nature Dots), Priyanka Agarwal (KPMG), Pramod Choudhary (International Paper), Hemant Joshi (Mckinsey), Abhinav Shekhar (Aron Global).