Not Just a Seat at the Table: Supriya Patil on Redefining the Tech C-Suite for Women

When Supriya Patil began her career in technology, she wasn't chasing titles—she was chasing solutions. With a natural sense of curiosity and a desire to step outside of 'normal' convention, she quickly stepped outside of conventional boundaries in a fashion that redefined not only the problem she solved, but how she even thought of and approached that problem.

- Aanchal Ghatak

SUPRIYA PATIL Director, Quality Engineering / QE Practice Head, R systems

Now, as the Director of Quality Engineering and QE Practice Head at R Systems, Supriya Patil is a powerful voice for inclusive leadership in tech—an industry that is still working through representation issues at the top of the employee experience as well. Her path is one that represents self-belief, mentorship, and continuous learning that supports a combined transition toward leadership through intent, empathy, and equity. Excerpts:

What defining moments shaped your journey to tech leadership?

My journey has been driven by a consistent passion for technology, solving complex problems, and creating meaningful impact through innovation and collaboration. Early in my career, I found myself naturally drawn to challenges that went beyond the obvious task at hand. I wasn't just interested in solving problems, I wanted to understand their root causes and design solutions that could deliver long-term value. This mindset pushed me to take initiative: to go beyond my role, proactively propose ideas, and experiment with unconventional approaches. Over time, this helped build innovative solutions for our clients and strong relationships founded on trust and dependability.

One pivotal moment was realising the limitations of traditional upskilling models, which led me to think of a dynamic, collaborative way to share knowledge and surface innovation across teams. I proposed a platform where tech SMEs could share solutions, ideate openly, and gain visibility across the organisation. What began as a simple idea evolved into a mechanism that empowered individuals to step up as leaders and created a stronger culture of continuous learning and appreciation.