Industrial Innovation: Shaping Tomorrow's Industries

We are thrilled to welcome Veena Lakkundi as our guest for episode 218 of our Momenta Digital Thread podcast series. Veena is the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development at Rockwell Automation, a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation.

Rockwell Automation is a $7.7 billion company with more than 28,000 employees across 100 countries. It provides industrial automation, control, information, and smart manufacturing solutions. Rockwell’s subsidiary, ROK Star Ventures, is the Anchor Limited Partner for Momenta’s fourth Digital Industry Venture Capital fund, which invests in the most innovative and disruptive digital industry startups.

Veena has a wealth of experience and expertise in strategy, corporate development, innovation, and leadership. She joined Rockwell Automation in 2023 after serving as the Chief Strategy Officer of 3M Company, a $32 billion global conglomerate operating in various markets such as consumer, safety and industrial, transportation and electronics, and health care.

Veena spent 28 years at 3M, where she held key leadership positions, overseeing strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, portfolio management, digital transformation, and more.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to Veena's advocacy. She serves on the board of MINNDEPENDENT, a non-profit focused on STEM K–12 programming in Minnesota, and is the executive sponsor for company resource groups.

Veena holds bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering from Western University in Canada and is a visionary leader driving growth and value creation through strategic partnerships, innovation, and digital transformation.

In this podcast episode, we will talk to Veena about her career journey, her insights on the industrial industry, her role at Rockwell Automation and ROK Star Ventures, and her vision for the future of the digital industry.

 Discussion Points:

• What would you consider your digital thread (the one or more thematic threads that define your digital industry journey)?
• You’ve had quite a trajectory at 3M, from R&D and Technical Service in 1994 through a steady ascension across Sales, Marketing, Strategic Business Development, Operations General Management, and your executive leadership roles starting in 2017. To what do you attribute your success there, and what are you most proud of?
• What were the key enablers of innovation at 3M, the 'innovation powerhouse' known for its 60,000 products like Scotch, Command, and Post-It Notes, which have been awarded the US government's highest award for innovation, the National Medal of Technology?
• You joined Rockwell Automation in late 2021 as Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer. What attracted you to the company?
• What is your remit, and what have been your key focus areas?
• How are you weaving your industrial innovation experience into Rockwell, and what are some of your early wins?
• Due to reshoring, the energy transition, and labor challenges, industrial automation is at an important crossroads. What are the key trends you are watching relative to Rockwell and the future of the industry?
• Digital has been a key enabler of Productivity in traditional industries and now is creating what we like to call ‘industrial impact’ across People and Planet. Where do you see the largest impact potential, and how is Rockwell Automation enabling its customers and partners to lead this?
• You are a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Tell us about some of your activities here and how you weave this into your everyday leadership.
• In closing, where do you find your personal inspiration? (i.e., book recommendations, articles, podcasts, people, etc.)