Srividya Kannan, Founder and Director, Avaali Solutions

As founder and director of Av­a­a­li Solutions, Srividya Kan­n­an oversees the company’s visi­on and strategy, along with its operations. She works closely with her team of experts to de­ve­­lop new products and services that meet the needs of their clients. “At Avaali, we work with large enterprises to impact profit and loss through digital servi­ces. Our source to pay platform Velocious significantly accelerates cycle time to sourcing and procurement processes and brings down the cost of operations,” she notes.

According to Kannan, the increasing use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented and virtual reality; growth in the use of mobile devices; greater emphasis on cybersecurity, business intelligence and analytics; and rise of cloud services and hyper-automation technologies are some of the latest trends to watch out for.

She started her career in the banking, financial services and insurance industry and handled various roles, including business finance, innovation, technology sales, channel and partner management, and business operations, before founding Avaali Sol­utions. Completing a bachelor’s degree in commerce and a master’s degree in business administration, alongside studying cost accountancy, has helped her develop a strong background in business and finance.

Kannan cherishes the setting up of Avaali Solutions as her most memorable project. “We have come a long way since then, and I am proud of what we have accomplished as a team. We are cash flow positive, debt-free and have a great team,” she notes.

Describing her management style, Kannan notes that she tries to be as hands-off as possible, giving her team the space they need to do their jobs. “I believe in people, and I trust them to do the right thing,” she says. Kannan believes that her strength is in paying attention to details while not losing sight of the big picture. As a business, the team is always looking for new opportunities to grow and expand. “We are continuously looking to in­novate and be relevant for our customers. We believe that by focusing on key objectives, we can continue to grow and be successful in the years to come,” she asserts.

During her spare time, Kannan likes reading non-fiction. She also likes to spend time outdoors, going for a walk or a run, or sitting outside in the sun. “I love trying out new recipes, so I do spend time cooking and I am a big fan of podcasts. I could listen to them all day,” she adds. Kannan’s family comprises her fa­ther, and her husband and their daughter.