Pervin Varma: trustee, Mumbai
Pervin brought her ample communication expertise and special leadership skills to the fore, when she left a career in advertising (in account management at Lintas India, now Lowe Advertising) in 1990 to join CRY. Starting out in the communication team as an executive and later going on to head the function, she was instrumental in leading the organisation's efforts to refocus on vision and mission, both internally and externally. During this time, she was also a member of the management committee, and acted as a primary force in institutionalising Rippan's vision in CRY and in sustaining the passion.
Her leadership style, as is CRY's, was evident with her appointment as CEO in May 1998, based on the belief that the vision, mission, convictions and ethos of the organisation needs to be collectively shaped, shared and owned in order to ensure that these are institutionalised. Up until 2004, when she relinquished the post, she provided the space and opportunity for people to define and implement strategies within the overall organisational framework.
Currently she works as a consultant in the development sector and rejoins as a member of CRY board of trustees, January 2008.