BT MPW 2024: Women leaders share tips on breaking barriers, multitasking, money management, taking risks, work-life balance and more 

Business Today on November 8 hosted the 21st edition of its Most Powerful Women 2024 event in Mumbai, where prominent female leaders from various sectors gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs in India.  

The event highlighted the increasing presence of women in managerial and entrepreneurial roles and the positive impact they are having on the country’s business and economic development. 

Women-led businesses are driving social progress by creating jobs, empowering communities and inspiring the next generation of female leaders. At the event, leaders shared their personal stories, reflecting on their journeys from obstacles to opportunities. 

In a conversation moderated by Business Today Editor Siddharth Zarabi, several influential women shared their experiences of overcoming challenges in the workplace. Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO of Colgate-Palmolive (India), noted that while both men and women share qualities like grit, gumption, and guts, women often tend to undervalue themselves. “What makes it interesting for women is that we tend to undersell ourselves a little bit,” she said. 

Padmaja Ruparel, Co-founder of Indian Angel Network, spoke about societal challenges, noting, “Women always had a tough time. In most societies, not just India, people have preconceived notions about women. That’s the first challenge. The second is that women are not nurtured to take risks in their workplace.” 

Prativa Mohapatra, VP & Managing Director of Adobe India, and Pavitra Shankar, MD of Brigade Group, also shared their personal experiences in navigating the corporate world. 

In another session moderated by Aayush Ailawadi and Sakshi Batra, top executives Shefali Goradia, Chairperson of Deloitte South Asia; Radhika Gupta, MD & CEO of Edelweiss AMC; and Amisha Vora, Chairperson & MD of Prabhudas Lilladher Capital discussed the evolving dynamics of business leadership. 

Radhika Gupta spoke about women’s natural multitasking abilities, saying, “Women are natural multitaskers without any professional training and spreadsheets. Multitasking is a tremendous skill in leadership.” 

Shefali Goradia raised concerns about the gender gap in corporate leadership, stating that despite growing awareness, women still struggle to secure equal representation at the decision-making table. Amisha Vora emphasised the importance of self-belief for women in the workplace, adding, “The best approach is for women to believe in themselves first.” 

Gupta also highlighted the need for women to shift their focus from simply saving money to actively investing. “For generations, women have been the CFOs of their homes,” she pointed out, “Now, they need to extend that role to financial markets.” 

At the event, the stars of Netflix’s Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives —Shalini Passi, Neelam Kothari, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Sajdeh and Bhavana Pandey — shared their personal experiences and insights into wealth creation, finance, and entrepreneurship during a session titled Art Meets Business: Wealth Creation by Leading Women. 

In a separate panel, Ritu Arora, CEO & CIO of Allianz Investment Management (Asia Pacific), Nirupa Shankar, Joint MD of Brigade Group, and Devita Saraf, Chairperson & CEO of Vu Group, discussed the importance of achieving balance between work and personal life.  

Nirupa Shankar commented on the evolving concept of work-life balance, stating, “The work-life balance concept is old. Things are changing now, and we no longer compartmentalise work, family, and home life as we once did.”  

Devita Saraf of Vu Group stressed the importance of maintaining clear boundaries between work and personal time. “When we focus, we focus completely on work,” she explained. “When it’s time to leave, we leave together, and my employees know they can completely disconnect.” 

Goyal on Trump and tariff   

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who attended the event, praised India’s long-standing respect for women leaders and noted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has taken significant steps to empower women in leadership roles.  

Responded to a query from Rahul Kanwal, Executive Director, Business Today; News Director, India Today & Aaj Tak, regarding the political landscape, Goyal said he would not comment on the US presidential elections, as the political dynamics in India are distinct. 

Addressing concerns about global trade tariffs, Goyal stated that India was not worried about potential tariff hikes from the US. “If it’s a tariff hike on China, it only helps India. If it’s a tariff hike on everybody, we’re all in the same boat. We will still continue to do well,” he said. “India is seen as a trusted partner by the democratic world,” he added, commenting on India’s strong position in global trade. 

“Products where there is no competition. We don't manufacture heavy bikes like Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We won't have any problem in taking a request in this regard,” Goyal said. 

The Business Today Most Powerful Women 2024 event highlighted not only the remarkable achievements of women in leadership roles but also the continuing need to address gender inequality and foster an environment where women can thrive in business and beyond.