Vasuta Agarwal

Vasuta grew up in a joint family in her early years with her parents being professors and the family having a business background. This diversity helped her learn the importance of relationships and navigating diverse perspectives early on. After completing her engineering degree at Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore, her career has been influenced by her ability to build lasting networks. Currently, Vasuta is the Chief Business Officer at InMobi, overseeing critical areas such as revenue growth, product innovation, go-to-market strategies, and operations. Her industry influence is widely recognised, with features in IMPACT’s 50 Most Influential Women since 2018, the Economic Times’ 40 under Forty List for 2021, and Campaign Asia’s 40 under 40 Class of 2021. She also serves as an independent director and board member for Kaya Ltd. Vasuta believes that strategic networks are essential not only for navigating present challenges but also for shaping the future, providing crucial insights and aiding decision-making.

Mukta Arya

Mukta began her career with Essar Group in Mumbai and has worked as a Human Resources (HR) professional with Tata TD Waterhouse Securities, Tata TDW Asset Management, and Ogilvy & Mather. She later joined Société Générale, where she has been for over 18 years in India, Singapore and Hong Kong She is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) accredited by the International Coaching Federation and a published author of four books, including Wanton Thoughts, 3:15 PM – Musings in Hong Kong, Whimsical Times, and Criss Cross – A Medley of Thoughts and has been a contributor of a chapter to My Voice-Volume 7. Mukta has received several accolades for her organisation such as Best Employer in Hong Kong 2024, HR Distinction Awards 2024, Most Caring Organisation 2024 and others over the years. Throughout her career, she has intentionally built networks for personal and professional growth, believing that a meaningful, mutually rewarding networks requires genuine engagement with no hidden agendas.

Neha Bagaria

Neha Bagaria is an inspiring entrepreneur redefining online networking and expanding opportunities for women in today’s world. She took a 3.6-year career break to raise her children. This experience revealed the challenges women face when re-entering the workforce, inspiring her to launch JobsForHer on International Women’s Day, 2015. Initially focused on helping women restart their careers after a break, JobsForHer evolved in 2019 into HerKey – a platform that is focused on networking and skilling opportunities for women at all stages of their professional journey. Neha believes that strategic networking involves building relationships across personal, social, and professional contexts. According to her women are natural networkers, inherently skilled at forming genuine connections. Neha has graduated from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with an honours and triple majors in Finance, Marketing and Management Information Systems (MIS).

Aabha Bakaya

Aabha is a veteran journalist with 20+ years of experience and visionary as she launched Ladies Who Lead (LWL) in 2021. Through LWL, Aabha envisions a diverse and inclusive community of experienced and emerging women leaders working together to accelerate meaningful change and create an equitable future for women in the workforce.

Aabha’s journalism career includes distinguished roles as a Senior Financial News Editor and Lead Anchor with some of the most reputed media networks, such as the India Today Group, NDTV Profit, ET NOW, and Bloomberg TV India. She has earned accolades for her contributions, including the prestigious Business Today award for Best Business News Anchor. Aabha believes in the power of cultivating a diverse and intentional network that includes peers, advisors, sponsors, and industry insiders and outsiders. She emphasises the importance of mapping out one’s goals and identifying the right people and steps to achieve them. LWL reflects this philosophy by providing a holistic experience where women can learn, connect, and collaborate in a safe and premium environment.

Shukla Bose

Shukla’s network is a natural extension of her work, built on the value she provides and the people who resonate with her mission. At the peak of her career as Managing Director at RCI (Resort Condominiums International), she made a bold decision in 2003 to leave the corporate world and found Parikrma Humanity Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free, high-quality education to children from underprivileged backgrounds. For Shukla, building a network for Parikrma has always been about creating a strong community. The foundation thrives thanks to its dedicated teachers, students, slum dwellers, sponsors, and volunteers. The core strategy has been to foster trust and a sense of belonging, ensuring that everyone involved feels like an integral part of Parikrma’s journey. Shukla has also played a key role in shaping and influencing education policies at both the state and national levels, serving on the Karnataka Knowledge Commission, Karnataka State Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the CII Education Committee.

Shaili Chopra

Shaili Chopra is a revolutionary leader dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and fostering authentic connections. Growing up in a military household, she attended 17 schools in 12 years, gaining resilience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of change at a very young age.

In 2015, she founded SheThePeople to challenge the media’s limited portrayal of women. Today, it’s a thriving digital platform with a reach of 400 million, built on the foundation of creating a supportive sisterhood. She is now spearheading a new initiative focused on women’s health called Gytree. It is India’s first nutrition supplements and programs platform helping Indian women take charge of their daily health and beat chronic lifestyle diseases from obesity, diabetes, muscle loss, irregular periods and more.An award-winning journalist turned entrepreneur, Shaili is an Aspen Fellow and a recipient of India’s prestigious Ram Nath Goenka Award for Journalism. She is also the author of five books, cementing her impact across media, business, and advocacy.

Priti Rathi Gupta

Priti is the founder of LXME, India’s first financial platform for women, empowering them to build financial acumen and invest seamlessly. She also founded Ishka Films, a media production company focused on creating intelligent and thought-provoking urban cinema. Priti’s journey has been shaped by her belief in the power of meaningful connections. Inspired by her father’s love for people, she sees networking as more than a professional task and more of a personal investment in your own growth. Her greatest lesson has been understanding that the essence of networking lies in giving, helping others, and fostering relationships that matter. As Managing Director of Anand Rathi, one of India’s leading financial services firms, Priti brings over 27 years of expertise in capital markets, commodities, and currency sectors.

Meenakshi Iyer

Meenakshi is a dynamic leader whose career has been profoundly shaped by the opportunities that emerged through her networks. As the Managing Director of Wealth and Retail Banking Tech at Standard Chartered GBS, India, she currently spearheads digital transformation for banking applications and customer journeys, overseeing product engineering, solutions, delivery, and global applications. At the outset of her career, Meenakshi did not aspire to work abroad; however, she landed an exciting assignment at Infosys that took her to New York, right on Wall Street. Meenakshi attributes her dedication to diversity and inclusion (D&I) to the women’s networks she has engaged with and currently serves as the Chair of the D&I Council at Standard Chartered, GBS India. She firmly believes that, from a senior leadership perspective, nothing truly functions without a strong network.

Shreya Krishnan

As a child, Shreya faced the challenge of being overlooked because of prejudices associated with colourism and her small frame. She pushed beyond these limitations and pursued her passion for acting and connecting with others by joining her school’s acting club. This experience in her early years has laid the foundation for her approach to networking – which she sees as building a circle of meaningful connections. Shreya’s networks have driven her career and personal growth in marketing, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and corporate social responsibility (CSR). She has won prestigious awards like Ms. Universal Empowerment 2024 and Mrs. India Universe 2017 and has pursued dance, theatre, blogging and sustainability. Now, as a leader at AnitaB.org India, she empowers women and nonbinary technologists by cultivating a like-minded community, which Shreya defines as strong networks to drive meaningful change.

Charu Sheel Kunwar

Charu is a seasoned Human Resources and Talent Development leader with over 25 years of experience in financial services and business processes. Her career exemplifies the power of strategic networking, which has been instrumental in her career progression and her ability to uncover new opportunities. Driven by a strong sense of initiative and purpose, Charu has consistently stepped forward to contribute and make a difference, willingly taking the lead whenever opportunities arise. For Charu, a strategic network in a professional context is a circle of individuals with whom one builds meaningful relationships, including mentors, sponsors, and colleagues. She firmly believes that a strong network is not just about hierarchy; it is about fostering trust and enabling mutual growth

Kuppulakshmi

With 15 years at Zoho and counting, Kuppulakshmi Krishnamoorthy (Kuppu) secured this remarkable opportunity through her professional network. It was thanks to a colleague she met in 2010 who has since become a close friend and well-wisher. For Kuppu, this experience embodies the essence of a strategic network, a deeply rooted community that supports each other unconditionally, and looks ahead to benefit future generations. Today, Kuppu heads the Zoho for Startups programme globally, bringing nearly 25 years of professional experience to the table. During her time at Zoho, she has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth story, specialising in bridging the gap between businesses and technology. Her work focuses on forging strategic alliances between Zoho and various startup entities, including state governments, incubators, accelerators, and other global stakeholders. Kuppu is a TEDx speaker and also delivers keynotes on global platforms, sharing her insights on future skills, emotional intelligence, and the human elements of technology. She firmly believes that there should be no FOMO, the “fear of missing out,” when creating a network. True connections require depth rather than the rush of trying to keep up.

Vidya Laxman

Vidya is a senior leader with 18 years of experience in India and the United States (US). She is an experienced technology leader and also has an entrepreneurial spirit with commercial acumen in products and the services business. Vidya’s career has been shaped by her adaptability and resilience, learned from growing up in a military family that moved across various regions of India. Sports played a pivotal role in her life, teaching her the value of purposeful connections and strategic networking. Throughout her career, Vidya has often been one of the few women in technology. However, her ability to build meaningful relationships, her integrity, sense of humour, and her willingness to embrace vulnerability have helped her drive change and build supportive networks. She is among the few women technology leaders who works closely with the business and focuses on agile product development, programme management and strategic planning.Vidya has also contributed as a core committee member with NASSCOM, CII, Anita Borg Institute, and Women Leadership Forums. She serves as an ambassador for Everywoman, a UK-based organisation that champions women in business and promotes gender diversity.

Nandita Lakshmanan

Nandita has consistently prioritised building a few high-quality connections, while nurturing strong networks throughout her life. With over 30 years of experience in Public Relations (PR), she is the Founder and CEO of The PRactice, one of India’s leading PR firms, that has just completed its 25 year milestone. Nandita attributes the launch of The PRactice in 2000 to her “invisible network” that came to the fore. This network wasn’t built intentionally, but was a natural outcome of the connections she fostered with her professionalism and consistent effectiveness over the years. Nandita’s peer networks played a role in getting her an opportunity to be a radio jockey at All India Radio (AIR) during college to landing her first job in Public Relations at Genesis PR. Nandita is committed to giving back to the industry that has shaped her life and is a Founding Member and is part of the four member Managing Committee of Global Women in PR (GWPR) India. .

Dr Sunita Maheshwari

Sunita is a leading Doctor and the driving entrepreneurial force behind The Telerad Group. From her shy beginnings to stepping into leadership roles, she found her voice and purpose through perseverance and the power of networks. A Yale-trained paediatric cardiologist, she broke barriers in a male-dominated field and leveraged strategic connections to co-found and grow multiple startups parallelly – a primary care chain RxDx healthcare, Telerad Tech and Teleradiology Solutions, revolutionising teleradiology with a global network. As a board member of GSK (Glaxo Smith Kline) and HDFC Bank, she continues to bring diversity of thought and fresh ideas to the table. Sunita is a firm believer in the importance of proactive engagement in networks, contributing meaningfully, and paying it forward to create lasting impact.

Ruche M Mittal

Growing up in a business family, Ruche Mittal developed networking skills early on by observing her parents, who were natural at building connections. At just 20, Ruche embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in graphic design, which evolved into a self-funded business. Having faced the challenges of running her own venture, she recognised the importance of knowledge-sharing and community learning, which inspired her to launch Her Entrepreneurial Network (HEN) India in 2011. HEN is an online business networking platform for women-led businesses, with a vision to ‘Inspire, Inform, and Support’ a community of women entrepreneurs by providing essential resources and opportunities for building successful businesses while maintaining balanced lives. Today, HEN is a thriving community with a reach of 40,000+ women entrepreneurs across India. Ruche is, at her core, a true Connector, dedicating each day to engaging with new people and linking them to valuable resources, information, and opportunities that enhance their journeys. She firmly believes that connecting with others is not merely a social or functional need; it is essential for emotional well-being. For her, networking is a fundamental life skill and not an option.

Zainab Patel

Zainab Patel’s story is a testament to the transformative power of networking, rooted in resilience and curiosity. It all began in ninth grade, where her participation in inter-school science fairs not only ignited her curiosity but also helped her explore her scientific temperament. Zainab also tapped into the strength of her community connections to overcome the personal struggles that came with a suicide attempt. The network facilitated her healing and empowered her to embrace her identity as a transgender woman while stepping into full-time activism. She has held significant roles, such as the head of Diversity and Inclusion at KPMG India and Pernod Ricard India, advocate for education rights, and served on the Justice Verma Committee during the Nirbhaya rape case. Zainab has also contributed as an associate on the first study commissioned after independence examining the status of women in India. She credits her extensive network for her growth and opening these opportunities. She currently serves as the India Region DEIC Leader at Cummins.

Naiyya Saggi

Naiyya’s strategic networking philosophy is rooted in continuous learning and the purpose of giving back. Today she is the Co-founder, of Good Glamm Group – South Asia’s Largest Content to Commerce Conglomerate and Founder of BabyChakra. The foundation and success of BabyChakra is built on a strong network of mothers, doctors, and FMCG companies, establishing it as India’s most trusted parenting platform. BabyChakra is also among the few ventures from India to be covered as a Harvard Business School case study. Naiyya is a member of The National Taskforce for Regulatory Issues, DPIIT Ministry of Commerce India, on the Governing Council of Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai and also on the Hardvard Alumni Entrepreneurs. She has been a mentor at Facebook’s flagship #SheLeadsTech, Google for India and The Government of India’s National Startup Awards. She serves as an independent director on the board of the publicly listed Welspun Living, part of the $5 BN Welspun Group. Naiyya is recognised as one of India’s Top Emerging Leaders by Entrepreneur, The Economic Times and Business World.

Madhura DasGupta Sinha

Since the age of 18, Madhura has been driven by a deep desire to create meaningful change for the women of India. Data that showed India ranked alarmingly low in women’s participation in the economy and some real-life experiences, inspired Madhura to leave her successful banking career of 25 years and create Aspire For Her (AFH) — a groundbreaking platform to motivate and empower women to join and stay in the workforce. Madhura’s networks that she has built through her career and her alumni, have been highly supportive of the mission of AFH and come forward to contribute as sponsors, partners, mentors and volunteers. Today, AFH has grown into a vibrant global community of over 600,000 women across 23 sub-communities. Within the community there are ambassadors who imbibe the passion and purpose of Aspire For Her, and pay it forward in their own way.

Gunjan Soni

Gunjan is a seasoned leader who believes that the most effective way to build networks is by excelling in what you do and then nurturing relationships that are rooted in trust and mutual growth. Currently, Gunjan serves as a Management Board member and the Chief Operating Officer of Global Fashion Group (GFG). In her role, she is also the CEO of ZALORA, GFG’s Southeast Asia business. Recently, she was appointed as an independent member of the Board of Directors of CBRE Global, a Fortune 500 company (rank 135). Curiosity has always been a defining trait in both her professional and personal life. During her career spanning over 24+ years, she has consistently demonstrated that true networking is about proactively contributing and creating value long before seeking any personal gain. Gunjan has also been the Chief Marketing Officer at Myntra and Head of Jabong, both major fashion verticals under the Flipkart Group in India. Gunjan’s extensive experience also includes serving as the Executive Vice President for Strategy and CEO Office at Star India (a 21st Century Fox subsidiary) and was Partner at McKinsey & Company having spent 10 years with the firm.

Soorya Themudu

Soorya grew up in a modest household in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, where she learned the value of education early. Her career at General Electric (GE) instilled a leadership philosophy combining individual excellence with building relationships, which became central to her networking approach during key roles at GE, Bumi Armada, and Sodexo. Today, as a versatile leader in Human Resources (HR), she excels in optimising operations, inspiring teams, and driving market growth. For Soorya, networking means nurturing a “web of influence”, that gives you those few supporters that make all the difference. She strongly believes that in today’s digital and automated world, we still need a balance of human connections as it provides insights, grounding, and a unique form of support that no technology can replace.

Veena Venugopal

Veena exemplifies the power of self-awareness, strategic networking, and stepping beyond comfort zones. Her journey is grounded in the values of discipline, sincerity, and courage instilled by her parents. Veena began her career at Honeywell, where an internship evolved into a full-time role — a testament to her hard work and early networking efforts. At Airbus, she has taken on several initiatives, including leading the Women India Network and participating in diversity and inclusion efforts. Each of these opportunities has heled her create meaningful connections and make a positive impact within the organisation. Veena views networking as a cumulative process that fosters collaboration, trust, and career growth. Her philosophy of “need-less networking” highlights the importance of building relationships beyond immediate needs, often unlocking opportunities that may not be visible at first. Veena was named among the “100 Most Influential Artificial Intelligence Leaders of the Year” in 2024 by Analytics India Magazine (AIM) and honoured with the title of “Transformational Woman Leader of the Year” in 2024 by the Indian Inspirational Women Awards (IIWA).

Jaya Virwani

Jaya leads the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy and the Ethics office for Ernst & Young’s (EY) Global Delivery Services, covering eight countries, including India, China, Spain, and Argentina. With EY since 2004, Jaya assumed the DE&I leadership role in 2012 and the Ethics leadership role in 2018, continuing to create a lasting impact in both domains. Inspired by her mother’s effortless ability to connect with people and the resilience she learned through sports, Jaya’s journey highlights the power of strategic networking and visibility in transforming opportunities into meaningful leadership roles. She firmly believes that even exceptional work can fall short without the right connections to establish a strategic network and gain the visibility needed for career acceleration. Jaya’s influence has earned her notable accolades, including the Diversity Leadership Award by the World Human Resources Development (HRD) Congress in 2016 and recognition by the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP) Awards in 2021.