"As long as my values system and my integrity are reconciled at the end of each day, I'm OK."

So says the extraordinary Dr Bijna Kotak Dasani MBE, investment banker, entrepreneur, investor and venture capitalist, in conversation with me on my Better Under Pressure podcast.

Bijna has appeared in many top 50 and top 100 lists, from the World's Top 100 Women Executives to Top 50 Women to Watch. In 2025, she was named Venture Capitalist of the Year in India. Yet she sees awards differently from most: "It is nice to be appreciated, but it is a bigger responsibility to honour that."

Throughout her career, Bijna has focused on her personal impact and what she can contribute to make a better world, and she does it her way: "I am very clear on who I am, what I represent, and what works for me and what doesn't."

For me, this conversation is about clarity, ownership, accountability, and how to achieve it. I hope you enjoy.

Follow Dr Bijna on:

- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/bijna

- Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thedrbijna

- X: https://x.com/drbijna

Outline 📍 00:00 Intro

02:30 What pressure comes with growing recognition and a rising reputation? 10:00 Spirit & Discipline: A No is a Full Sentence 13:17 How do high performers decide what deserves their energy and what gets a no? 16:46 Insight 1: Lessons learned 20:04 What are the biggest pressures facing women in business today?

24:00 How can women build allyship, shift the system, and claim their own agency? 28:42 How do you manage your emotions? 30:54 What is the first sign you need to go into airplane mode?

34:15 Insight 2: Lessons learned

36:34 What's the worst pressure you've ever been under? 39:22 Was there a moment you realised enough was enough?

43:00 What 2 pieces of advice would you pass forward to people listening?

45:43 Outro