Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Priya Kundamal Wins Excellence in Leadership Award

The metaphor “glass ceiling” was conceived by workplace advocate, Marilyn Loden, in 1978 to inspire working women to break the barriers of professional advancement. While the glass ceiling still exists in many workplace sectors, judging from the efforts of firms like DTCC that foster advancement of women leaders, the glass ceiling is surely breaking. Priya Kundamal, DTCC General Manager and Head of DTCC Data Repository (Singapore), is a female leader at DTCC who has been recognized for her achievements. She recently won Excellence in Leadership at Markets Media Group’s 5^th Annual Women in Finance Asia Awards.

The award recognizes the most talented and accomplished women in several categories across finance, including buy-side and sell-side trading desks, institutional investors, wealth managers, securities exchanges, technology providers, etc. Winners are selected based on a thorough review process – focusing on the important opinions of market participants.

Taking Charge

Kundamal assumed responsibility for DTCC’s Global Trade Repository service in 2021. Since then, she has led the business during difficult times, while setting and executing the region’s strategic vision, which aims to deliver client value by driving infrastructure improvements and innovative solutions to grow DTCC’s trade repository business. During periods of unprecedented uncertainty, she has led by example, demonstrating to both her immediate team, and others across the DTCC enterprise, the importance to remain focused and diligent in strengthening client relationships to support future business growth.

Kundamal has been actively engaging with the industry and working closely with regulators in the Asia Pacific region on delivering greater operational efficiencies in trade reporting at lower cost. Most recently, she has been interacting with regulators on the much talked about reforms in trade reporting rules – to ensure that the harmonization and standardization of reported data meet the intended goal of monitoring and managing trends and nascent risks in the financial ecosystem.

Keeping the flag high

As the first Asian woman to run DTCC’s Data Repository, Kundamal, said, “I encourage young women to play an active role in breaking the glass ceiling to close the gender gap in financial services. It is inspiring for me to see the recent success and recognition of my fellow female peers– as success is not defined by gender or race, but by hard work, determination and endurance.”