Making 2024 the year that women achieve equitable numbers in business leadership

In a dynamic panel discussion chaired by Ameer Ismail, President of Lintas Live, MullenLowe Lintas Group, at the fifth edition of Women Disruptors 2024, the spotlight was on the pressing issue of achieving equitable numbers of women in business leadership in the year 2024. With an acknowledgment of the existing gender biases and the need for collective action, the panelists Rekha Rao, Managing Director, Zeno Group India; Sunchika Pandey, Founder, HAT Media; and Mitchelle Rozario Jansen, VP Business, Dentsu Creative, shared their personal experiences, shedding light on the challenges faced by women in climbing the corporate ladder.

Expressing his concern over the stark gender disparity in leadership roles, Ameer Ismail set the stage for a candid conversation about the hurdles that women face in the business world. He emphasized the need for change through collective voices, diversity agendas, and movements, challenging the status quo that continues to favour men.

Rekha Rao delved into the subtleties of gender biases, focusing on the internalized conditioning that women often grapple with. She highlighted the societal expectation for women to take on additional responsibilities at home and the subsequent impact on career choices. Rao called for women to challenge these conditioned biases and emphasized the importance of self-belief in breaking through barriers.

Sharing her personal journey, Sunchika Pandey recounted her experiences as a crime reporter and a field journalist while managing her responsibilities as a mother. She spoke about the societal double standards that question a woman’s ability to balance work and family, emphasizing the need for changing perceptions and creating a conducive environment for women to thrive in their careers.

Mitchelle Rozario Jansen highlighted the importance of empowering young girls from an early age. Drawing inspiration from the “Girls Takeover” campaign by Plan India, she emphasized the impact of allowing young girls to take over leadership positions, giving them a voice and a sense of agency. Additionally, Mitchelle discussed the impostor syndrome and the need for collective responsibility in combating biases within corporate environments.

Conclusion

As the panel discussion concluded, it became evident that achieving equitable numbers of women in business leadership requires a multifaceted approach. The importance of challenging internalized biases, empowering young girls, and collectively addressing the impostor syndrome was underscored. The call to action resonated: it’s time for women to believe in their abilities, for companies to share the responsibility of fostering diversity, and for society to re-evaluate its expectations. In making 2024 the year that women achieve equitable numbers in business leadership, the power lies in breaking barriers and rewriting the narrative.

Watch the entire Women Disruptors Summit here