the Wond'ry

Areas of Expertise:Leadership, Marketing, Networking, Operations, Presentation, Technology

Anant is a passionate, experienced, hands-on strategist with deep backgrounds in innovation, business strategy, negotiation, supply planning, optimization and human-centered design. He has a proven track record for successfully managing and launching best in class products and his North Star is his passion for delivering forward looking innovation and technology to society.

At his day job, Anant leads Enterprise Innovation at Bridgestone Americas, driving disruptive and game-changing ideas from conceptualization to commercialization. In this role, Gandhi has helped establish a culture of innovation by leveraging and coaching others in Design Thinking across Bridgestone. He also is a key member of the company’ s global innovation committee, serving as a liaison between Bridgestone Americas and innovation teammates based at the Bridgestone Corporation’s other poles.

To meet with Anant, or any of our excellent mentors, please fill out this interest form.

Q. What excites you most about the Wond’ry?

A.The energy and the radical collaboration that a place like this has and attracts is what excites me most about the Wond’ry.

Q. What do you feel are the most important skills you have to offer in your role as a mentor?

A.

• Being able to color outside of the lines in a really good way and showing others how to do so as well – simply put: creative problem solving.
• Simplify that which is complex and crafting clarity on the communications to do so.
• Make connections – both people and organizations.
• Coaching on how to present and speak to “suits”

Q. What has been your proudest moment in your career?

A. The first time I showed a CEO that her thinking was flawed by leveraging the words of customers. On a day to day basis my proudest moments are when I work with individuals and teams that feel empowered and energized and have a bias towards action.

Q. What has surprised you most about your job?

A. This is a tossup between how a fear of failure can often handicap some of the brightest people from taking any action and the number of times I hear opinions stated as fact…Common people, we don’t know, what we don’t know and the only way we are going to find out is by doing!

Q. If you could do everything over again, would you make the same career choices?

A. There is one thing that I would have changed and you’ll have to ask me in person to find that one out.

Q. In your opinion, what is the most important quality for success?

A. Grit.

Q. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A. A 00 (double O) agent.