Women need to embrace risk-taking as pathway to innovation: Azmat Habibulla

Held on March 1, 2024 in Mumbai, the fifth edition of Adgully’s WOMEN DISRUPTORS 2024 sought to straddle today’s transformative times and unleash the true potential that India’s women workforce drives.

Delivering a keynote address on ‘Dare to Dream: Cultivating Courage to Achieve Your Glory’ at the event, Azmat Habibulla, Joint General Manager & Chief Marketing Officer, South Indian Bank, highlighted the invaluable contributions of women in the workforce. She emphasised their multifaceted abilities, including adept management of challenges, multitasking prowess, and high levels of empathy and emotional intelligence (EQ) crucial for workplace dynamics.

Habibulla noted that while the average representation of women in the workforce stands at 30%, South Indian Bank defies this norm with an impressive 45% female workforce, significantly surpassing industry standards. Notably, the bank boasts a female Chief Financial Officer (CFO), serving as a beacon of inspiration.

Despite the strides made, Habibulla acknowledged the stark gender disparities in top leadership roles – only 15-16% of CXO positions are held by women, with even lower representation in government (13%) and NGOs (20%).

In her rallying call to aspiring women professionals, she urged them to nurture ambition, pursue goals with unwavering courage and determination, prioritise self-care and continuous learning, embrace risk-taking as a pathway to innovation, and wholeheartedly celebrate their achievements.

These are the seven tips that she shared to unleash feminine confidence:

• Be ambitious
• Go about achieving the goal with courage & determination. Give it all you’ve got.
• Take your breaks as you desire & step back in
• Prioritise self care and Upskilling
• Believe in yourself and your abilities
• Take risks and be a trailblazer
• Own your success and revel in your glory

Watch the entire Women Disruptors Summit here