Navneet shares strategies, skills, and mentorship experiences to thrive in an engineering company dedicated to broadening access to complex medicines.
Navneet Dhesi AMIChemE, recently nominated for an ISPE award, is a chemical engineer with seven years of experience spanning pharmaceuticals and fast-moving consumer goods. Her journey began at PepsiCo, where she developed project management skills and a deep understanding of food manufacturing technology.
Transitioning to GlaxoSmithKline, she specialized in bulk sterile manufacturing processes. At Procter & Gamble, Navneet served as a process engineer, technical leader, and line manager, refining her technical expertise and leadership skills over two and a half years. For the past four years at IPS, she’s been a process engineer in design, overseeing design documentation, engineering studies, and safety assessments with unwavering dedication to innovation and efficiency.
In male-dominated industries such as engineering, what strategies have you found effective in advocating for yourself and your ideas and fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment?
When advocating my ideas, I prioritize confidence by thorough preparation and clear structure. This approach boosts acceptance and inspires younger females to enter the field.
What underappreciated qualities or skills do women often bring to engineering roles, and how have you leveraged these attributes to enhance team performance or project outcomes?
One skill that women are particularly good at is multitasking. Multitasking is a skill women excel at. Juggling multiple tasks improves time management, fosters stronger team relationships, and enhances overall performance.
Have you had a mentor that helped you? If so, can you share some wisdom they imparted to you?
My mentor, the Process Lead at IPS, guides me toward IChemE Chartership. She emphasizes the importance of asking questions, knowing when to seek expertise, and instilling confidence. Continuous self-review fuels motivation for career improvement.
How do you navigate and bridge potential communication or cultural gaps that may arise in multicultural or multidisciplinary teams within the field of process engineering, and can you share any strategies you’ve found effective in fostering understanding and collaboration across different perspectives?
“When advocating my ideas, I prioritize confidence by thorough preparation and clear structure. This approach boosts acceptance and inspires younger females to enter the field.” During a project in Denmark, a client-hosted session highlighted cultural disparities between Denmark and the UK, particularly in humor and communication styles. This awareness improved client interactions and fostered better relationships.
Featured in; The Medicine Maker
