Ashwini Balasubramanian
VP of R&D, 3M | Author, Map Your Ascent
I spent 23 years rising through Fortune 500 companies including Toyota, ZF, Martinrea, and Harley-Davidson before becoming VP of R&D at 3M. I founded the women's resource group at ZF after returning from my second maternity leave, served as executive sponsor of the women's ERG at Harley-Davidson, and have led global teams through continuous organizational change at the enterprise level. My debut book, Map Your Ascent: Embracing Change as Your Leadership Superpower, releases September 1st 2026.
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Sept. 28, 2026
233. Women In Leadership: Success In a Male- Dominated Industry & Mentoring In The Workplace
The most capable person in the room isn't always the one who gets promoted. Ashwini Balasubramanian learned that the hard way. In this episode of The Leader I Needed, James Rosseau Sr. sits down with Ashwini, an author and seasoned executive who spent years climbing in the male-dominated world of automotive. She is honest about the season she calls "faking it," when she blended in so well that her colleagues told her she'd become "one of the bros," and the moment that finally forced her to br...
Guest: Ashwini Balasubramanian