Prathima Kamalanathan compares her tech-focused role at Northern Trust to that of an orchestra conductor. Just as a conductor leads and coordinates various artists to deliver a masterful performance, the role of a software engineering manager it to pull together a team with varying skills to deliver a superior product.

Describe your role at Northern Trust

As a Senior Software Engineering Manager, my role involves overseeing a team of engineers and ensuring successful delivery of projects and initiatives. It requires a lot of cross-functional collaboration with other teams and providing technical leadership to my team. There is lots of planning to develop long term strategies and goals and aligning them with overall business objectives. Identifying potential risks and obstacles and developing mitigation plans for them is imperative for the role.

In-short it’s a role of an Orchestra conductor, similar to how a conductor leads and co-ordinates artists, fine tuning elements to deliver a masterful performance.

My goal is to deliver a finished product that not only exceeds performance expectations but also drives revenue and business growth for the organization.

Take us through how you ended up at Northern Trust?

I served as a consultant for about 15 years, prior to Northern Trust in various organizations in the fintech, banking, retail, ecommerce and also market data research sectors in varied roles. My initial engagement with Northern was also a consulting role but the experience was very different and rewarding and I ended up becoming a full-time employee.

The opportunity to work with talented and supportive colleagues was a significant factor in the decision making process. As I joined Northern, I was returning from a short career break, when I saw more women taking on varied and influential roles within the organization, it drew me closer to Northern Trust as I felt a greater sense of belonging and empowerment.

What are you most proud of in your career at Northern Trust so far?

I am proud of the personal and professional growth achieved over the time, including the specialized skills that I was able to develop as a Fintech Leader in the investment management space.

The experience that I have gained working with different departments and business units has broadened my skill set and given me a technical perspective that I am extremely proud of.

What technology/technologies have you been excited to work with here at Northern Trust?

Our technology landscape is poised to revolutionize our workplace and drive innovation across our business segments. I have always worked with current and cutting edge technologies at Northern Trust.

The applications I manage are a combination of Vended SaaS and in-house built solutions that leverage Microsoft Azure and Snowflake for their technology needs.

How do you create a balance between work and home?

I regularly practice Hatha-Yoga and a new-bee with guided meditation. I find my solace and inspiration in learning complex Carnatic compositions on Saraswati veena.

There are times when I need additional strategies and I often fallback to engaging with my kids/family or taking a short break from my regular routine. Having a multi-faceted approach to self-care and stress management has helped me maintain a balance and fulfillment in both my professional and personal life.

What would you say to someone considering a career at Northern Trust? 

You will truly be in the best place possible.

Northern Trust’s culture fosters collaboration, mentorship and unity that is a very supportive setting for professional development and success. Regardless of the level you are joining, there will be many opportunities, ensuring a well-rounded rewarding experience and a village of people to fall back on for support.

What advice would you give to Northern Trust partners beginning their career at Northern Trust?

The most important aspect for me is to commit to lifelong learning and professional development. Stay curious, seek out new challenges and invest in acquiring new skills and knowledge that will enhance your capabilities and keep you competitive in your field.

Fast Facts

Name - Prathima Kamalanathan

Role -  Senior Engineering Manager, Vice President

Business Unit -  Northern Trust Asset Management

Geographic Location - North America

Career Level - Senior Management

Education - Engineering Degree

Any additional certifications - Microsoft Cloud Certified and Snowflake Certified.

Hometown / where are you living now - From Chennai, India. Currently Living in Naperville, Illinois, USA

What are you reading / podcast recommendation - Not a vivid reader, but I try to set goals to at least read one or two biographies of famous people in a year.

Comfort food - Tomato rice (The closest match I could find was Mexican rice)

Best icebreaker to start a meeting  - The typical “How are you today?” – hasn’t been very successful as the question comes back to me within seconds. So it really varies depending on the day of the week, participants I am talking, time of the day. I often try to keep it relevant to current affairs, weather etc.

Best advice you’ve received - There were many – The ones that I try to stay close is to:

- Surround yourself with positive influence. It’s like having a cheerleading squad to lift you up all the time even if you are trying to just reach the top of the shelf.

- Stay Fearless and overcome your insecurities. It’s like trying to catch a spider with tissue, you might be terrified but you do it anyway because you are the boss of your own destiny.

Describe Northern Trust in one word - Trustworthy for its clients, Supportive to its employees

Careers at Northern Trust

Come find your greater at Northern Trust. Review our open roles here.