Job description: As head of Hitachi Rail's Competence Center for Onboard and Wayside Products in North America, Jayashree oversees a portfolio of ground transportation, wayside signaling and onboard systems products in the United States and Canada. She and her team focus on reliability of existing products, as well as implementation of customized innovations. She also defines parameters of new products.

Why she's influential in technology: With over 20 years at Hitachi Rail, Jayashree has grown her own career, bringing together stellar teams and innovating Hitachi Rail's product service offerings. She has championed the introduction of digital audio frequency track circuits (now in use at the Chicago Transit Authority and in Los Angeles) and the MicroCab III onboard platform, which supports both mass transit and positive train control applications. These new products are designed with self-diagnostic capabilities and intelligent maintenance tools that speed up deployment and improve fault detection and rectification.

Beyond her technical expertise, Jayashree has built a high-performing team of engineers and subject matter experts. She fosters a culture of innovation, encouraging her team to push technological boundaries and engage directly with customers to develop solutions that meet real-world operational challenges. Her ability to blend global technology insights with industry-specific customization has been instrumental in shaping the future of rail.