When Mala accepted the challenge to establish AVI-SPL’s Indian operations in September 2021, the AV industry was still reeling from pandemic disruptions. Yet within four years, she has built something remarkable: a 250-person organisation across six cities, demonstrating that visionary leadership can turn ambitious dreams into an extraordinary reality.
Mala M Prasad, Managing Director at AVI-SPL INDIA, brings 22 years of broadcast media and audio-visual expertise to AVI-SPL. With strong skills in business strategy, operations, and international trade, she has extensive experience establishing system integration operations across the Indian subcontinent. As a team-focused leader, Mala is dedicated to expanding AVI-SPL’s presence in the South Asian market while delivering exceptional customer service.
The idea was not to create yet another system integration firm,” Mala explains, reflecting on her decision to grow organically rather than acquire an existing company. “We aimed to attract talented individuals from across the industry; energy from various diverse organizations and backgrounds.” This philosophy of selecting the best talent from the entire ecosystem, rather than inheriting a pre-existing culture, laid the foundation for AVI-SPL India’s success. The journey wasn’t without skeptics. Industry watchers believed the only way to build a large-scale workforce quickly was through acquisition. But Mala had a different vision—one that prioritized AVI-SPL’s global culture of accessibility, open-door policies, and core values over rapid growth.
Building a team of 250 professionals in a specialized industry required creativity and persistence. “I became something of a detective in talent search,” Mala laughs, reflecting on her recruitment strategy. The results soon spoke for themselves, as top performers began joining and the industry took notice. For Mala, it was a powerful validation of their mission to create a company where ambitious professionals don’t just find jobs, but discover a platform for meaningful career growth
The secret wasn’t just in finding people, but in attracting those who wanted to be part of something bigger. “People came to us looking for a career, not a job,” she emphasises. AVI-SPL’s reputation as a global leader, combined with its commitment to learning and development, investing nearly $2 million annually in training, makes it an attractive destination for top talent.
What makes AVI-SPL unique isn’t just its size or global reach, but its distinctive culture. “It’s a very different organization,” she notes, describing leaders who drive autos with team members and create environments where employees can prioritize family needs without apology.
As one of the few women leading major AV operations in India, Mala provides a unique perspective on gender dynamics in the industry. She argues that leadership barriers often begin in childhood: “When buying birthday gifts, we give girls kitchen sets and boys cars, unconsciously creating gender discrimination.” Her solution is refreshingly practical—judge leaders by qualifications, experience, and personality, not gender.
“Women are natural business leaders,” she observes, drawing parallels between managing households and running companies. “They start with budgets, manage stakeholders, coordinate vendors, and generate savings – that’s business.” The key is helping women recognize these transferable skills and encouraging them to take bold career leaps.
Mala credits her success to an exceptional support network, particularly highlighting her mother-in-law’s four-decade HR career, her husband’s strategic insights, and her 13-year-old daughter, who “did a crash MBA watching me work from home.” This family foundation enabled her to navigate the demanding schedule of building a multi-city operation.
Looking ahead, Mala’s ambitions go beyond just increasing numbers to making transformational change. She imagines changing how the industry views system integrators from simple vendors to strategic partners who design, deliver, and support complete technology solutions. This involves growing AVI-SPL’s managed workspace practice, UC and voice services, and experiential technology offerings in more Indian cities.
Her advice to women aiming for leadership roles is clear: “Nothing’s stopping them. The AV industry touches every sector, like retail, IT, hospitality, and banking. There’s a lot of room to grow, and the glass ceiling only exists in our minds.”
Mala’s journey from startup founder to industry leader demonstrates that with the right vision, culture, and support, extraordinary growth isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.
