From Mumbai To Wall Street
The Inspirational Journey of Sandhya Ganapathy, Tepper MBA Alumna Turned Renewable Energy CEO
Sandhya Ganapathy (MBA 2006) exemplifies the achievements possible by pushing out of one's comfort zone. Fresh out of college and armed with a CPA, she moved from her home in southern India to Mumbai to work in universal banking. A few years later, she had an epiphany. "I have to do something different," she realized. "I want to work on Wall Street and am applying for an MBA." Two weeks later, she took her GMAT, got her papers in order, and sent out applications.
"A colleague told me great things about GSIA, and deep down, I had this intuition that not being an engineer, I would be out of my comfort zone," she explained. "I wanted an experience that would be totally different." Soon thereafter, she found herself headed alone and for the first time to Pittsburgh and the Tepper School.
After weathering the unfamiliar winter and the very first B+ of her life, she hit her stride. "Maybe it was destiny," she said, "but in hindsight, I think it was probably one of the best choices I made. And I love Pittsburgh. It’s such a beautiful city."
Following graduation, Ganapathy took a position with Morgan Stanley doing mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which she continued with HSBC when she and her oil engineer husband moved to the Middle East. There, she found time to guest lecture at CMU’s Qatar campus. When they returned to the U.S., specifically Houston, Ganapathy felt it was time for another shake-up.
Although a risky and difficult move mid-career, she pivoted to in-house M&A, heading the effort at EDP Renewables North America, the fifth largest U.S. renewable energy producer with more than 1,000 employees. Within six years, she was heading M&A for EDPR, the global parent company and fourth largest worldwide, enabling the firm to expand operations to its current 28 countries.
When in 2022 she was tapped to become CEO for EDP Renewables North America, Ganapathy was excited — and a bit unsure.
"I used to think that I was a 'deal junkie' because that’s all that I’d done," she explained. "I never thought that I’d enjoy my current role so much, but I love it. I absolutely love it."
"This is all about the people," she added. "It’s about culture and taking care of the careers of everyone joining us — and that’s a huge responsibility. You move from a mindset of transaction to a mindset of people, driving change, and creating the organization for the future. And that’s phenomenal."
When Ganapathy was contemplating her initial move in-house, she had also been determined to find a position that would allow her to "create long-lasting impact." She found that in the renewable energy industry.
"Of course, we are generating value for our shareholders, but this is so much more, and that's very profound," she said.
"This industry is super, super purpose-driven and that goes beyond individual motivation, individual ambitions. It’s how we can collectively do something for this community and ensure that at the least we leave this planet the same way that we inherited it. When people come in with that mindset it doesn’t feel like work. It’s just beautiful."
Ganapathy relays a personally moving testimonial to EDPR’s impact. As the largest renewable player in Indiana, EDPR provides numerous local farmers decades of much-needed, reliable income for the turbines placed on their land. "One of the local landowners came up to me and said, 'Thanks to EDPR. I was able to send my children to college,'" she recalled. "It was so touching."
Ganapathy is quick to credit Tepper for helping her along the way to success. Not only did the experience give her the confidence to "get out of her comfort zone" but also to take on a challenge, persevere, and succeed. Importantly, the quality of the class and professors modeled the culture she created for her company.
"The people at Tepper are super-smart, down-to-earth people, which is the culture that I want to continue to build — really ambitious, really perseverant, strong, resilient, committed people but at the end of the day, super humble, nice human beings," she stressed.
"There are lots of takeaways from Tepper. You learn from the atmosphere, the culture, the beliefs, and the value system of the school and then spread that warmth and positive behavior to everyone. I think that's wonderful."
Ganapathy has been a regular Tepper contributor, keeps in touch with classmates, and connects with students interested in EDPR but is looking forward to further increasing her involvement. She would like to explore greater recruiting options and connection to the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, as well as supporting female and international students.
"I want to make sure that I'm doing my part for the school," she said. "I have that obligation to do so. I think it's a great school and I love it. We alumni have a responsibility to make sure that future generations have an even better experience than we had, to give back, and pay it forward."
