Women in Leadership Spotlight: Surabhi Tewari

For Surabhi Tewari (MBA ’27), President of the Energy Club, leadership has been shaped on refinery floors as much as in the classroom. From leading teams in high-pressure, global environments to refining her analytical edge at HEC Paris, she brings a grounded, data-driven, and deeply human approach to leadership—one rooted in resilience, precision, and the power of community.

What moment in your career - or during your MBA at HEC Paris - has most shaped the leader you are today?
One of the most defining moments in shaping me as a leader was my time as a Field Advisor, traveling to refineries across the globe. I was often tasked with stepping into high-stakes environments, leading multicultural and cross-functional teams, and driving strategy execution on the ground, often under intense time pressure. Each site brought new technical and human challenges that required quick judgment, resilience, and the ability to align diverse stakeholders toward a common goal.

Working in physically demanding conditions - crawling through two-meter-high trays or emerging from large chambers covered in rust - kept me grounded in the realities of operations. It taught me that leadership is not about giving directions from afar, but about showing up, building trust on the ground, and taking ownership when it matters most.

How has your time at HEC Paris influenced or reshaped what leadership means to you?
Earlier, I was strategic in a more abstract sense - focusing on team dynamics, stakeholder alignment, and understanding overall project requirements. That foundation remains strong. What HEC added was precision. Through various coursework and simulations, I learned to read the numbers deeply, challenge assumptions, and use data creatively to shape decisions. Leadership, for me, evolved from understanding what needs to be done to understanding how value is actually created, in margins, trade-offs, risk, and capital allocation. It has made my thinking more analytical and more disciplined.

Who is a woman who has inspired you during your career or MBA experience, and why?
I’ve been truly fortunate to have a long list of inspiring women in both my personal and professional life. Each of them has taught me something unique, so I honestly can’t take just one name.

In my career, I met Aashima, Srishti, Suchetana, Komal and Pragya, and many more whom I’m so proud to call my friends. I’ve seen their resilience up close, the way they handle pressure, show up consistently, and still remain grounded and generous. During my MBA, that list only grew. I met fellow girls running huge businesses on their own while supporting their families. I saw women excelling tremendously in roles that aren’t traditionally women-centric. They are fierce in their ambition and capability, yet so humble, so full of love at heart.

I can’t thank HEC enough for introducing me to some of the smartest, fiercest - yet cutest and kindest - women in this cohort. The MBA journey pushed me to network, to really meet and speak to new people, and that opened my eyes so much. Conversations with women like Kanupriya, Abhiruchi, and Mansie left a deep impact on me.

I’m just deeply grateful to have met them all. I carry their sparkle with me and I hope to drop some sparkle of my own along the way.

What do you wish more people understood about women’s experiences in business school today?
I’m really glad to see the diversity in business schools today. Having worked in a heavily male-dominated industry earlier in my career, especially in field roles, I never consciously felt that representation made a difference. I think a big part of that was simply not knowing what a difference it could make.

It was only when I moved into a sales and business development role, where nearly 70% of the team was female, that I truly understood the impact. It just felt different, in a very natural way. It was easier to connect, conversations flowed more effortlessly, and there was this unspoken support for each other’s growth.

That’s why I value the representation we see in MBA programs today. Schools are clearly making intentional efforts toward balance, and it shows, but I do think we still need to keep pushing because representation doesn’t just change numbers, it changes experiences, confidence, and the way people show up.

If you were mentoring the next cohort of women arriving at HEC, what’s the one thing you’d want them to know?
Take up space - fully and unapologetically. You belong here, not because you made it through, but because you add something no one else can. And just as importantly, build your tribe. The women around you will become your sounding board, your safety net, your biggest cheerleaders. Pour into them and let them pour into you. HEC will stretch you, but don’t shrink yourself in the process. Grow loudly, dream boldly, and leave a little sparkle behind for the women who come after you.

What hobby, passion, or personal interest has helped keep you grounded during your MBA at HEC, and why is it important to you?
I love to paint and experiment with textures, do embroidery, swim, read non-fiction, and meditate among many things. But the MBA has been so intense that I haven’t been able to pursue them as much as I would have liked. What has truly kept me grounded are the small walks. Just stepping out after a long day, even for 10 quiet minutes, helps me reset. Those simple walks give me space to think, breathe, and slow down amid the constant pace.