Recognizing ZSers who embody our core values of treating people right, getting it right and doing the right thing is crucial to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation. ZS does this in formal and informal ways, including performance reviews, annual bonuses, team celebrations and our annual Prateek Bajaj Legacy award. ZS launched this award in memory of Prateek Bajaj, a consultant in our Princeton office who passed away in 2022 as the result of a brain tumor. To honor Prateek’s collaborative spirit and his embodiment of our values, ZS created this award to acknowledge a ZSer who demonstrates exemplary job performance while providing exceptional mentorship and support to their peers or community.
Of the 40 finalists nominated this year, Deepti Poddar earned the award as a testament to her exceptional work, eagerness to tackle diverse projects and capacity to embrace challenges with a proactive attitude.
Where passion changes lives
Deepti first learned about ZS through our campus recruitment programs in India. “I knew the great reputation ZS has in the consulting industry,” Deepti recalls. Eager to use her skills to improve health outcomes around the world, she started a full-time role on the decision analytics team. Today, she uses her knowledge of data, analytics and technology to help clients make actionable decisions and achieve their business goals.
After almost four years of exceptional work, collaboration and growth, Deepti moved from India to ZS’s office in Evanston, Illinois.
“Working at ZS has helped me feel more empowered and independent,” she says. “The confidence I’ve built here has helped me push through my move from India to the U.S.”
The ZS transfer program enables cross-office or cross-regional learning and development opportunities for ZSers. Both domestic and international transfer opportunities allow ZSers to learn new skills, experience a different part of the world, expand their ZS expertise and more. This can also help ZS fulfill key business needs to build up teams in a region or balance our capacity to deliver work to our clients. ZS evaluates transfer applications on a regular basis and makes decisions based on criteria such as tenure, performance and business need.
Deepti’s move allowed her to explore a different culture, connect and mentor a new team of ZSers and further her personal career aspirations. Her team has noted her collaborative spirit remains unwavering as she supports ZSers around the globe, always sharing accolades and acknowledging their contributions. Because of her dedication to cross-functional cooperation, Deepti’s move allowed her to find synergies in how our India-based and U.S.-based teams work to achieve client goals.
Deepti’s ability to find synergies across ZS teams in India and the U.S. became clear in one of the first projects she worked on after moving. Her team faced obstacles due to changing goals and objectives. But Deepti built a strong relationship with the client, listening to their needs and showcasing her knowledge of ZS operations and industry expertise. “I was able to provide guidance for my team internally and support the client in understanding how we can use patient analytics to drive their goals forward,” she says. “This experience helped me grow as a leader.”
Outside of work, Deepti demonstrates a strong commitment to community and social responsibility in her volunteer efforts. In India, she and her family held a Diwali festival for a local orphanage and organized annual dinners for a senior living home. Since moving to the Chicago area, she has kept up her commitment to giving back through volunteer opportunities like packing lunches for the homeless through ZS Cares.
Deepti’s innate understanding of ZS’s core values of treating people right, getting it right and doing the right thing allows her to bring a unique perspective and expertise to our clients and community when improving health outcomes for all. Through a memorial fund created for this legacy award, a charitable donation will be made jointly in Deepti’s and Prateek’s names to the National Brain Tumor Society.
To stay updated on how we live our values and improve health outcomes around the world, follow us on social media.
Life at ZS
Add insights to your inbox
We’ll send you content you’ll want to read – and put to use.
