SELECTING IMPACT’S ‘50 MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN, 2024’
THE INITIAL LIST
The exchange4media Group called for nominations and at the end of the extensive nomination period, received close to 450 entries. The IMPACT editorial team created the first shortlist of 80 names which was presented to the esteemed jury. It included new nominations, names drawn from last year’s winners (if relevant), and had leaders who have truly been the talking point this year, for their body of work. The jury was presented with comprehensive profile information about each nominee on this shortlist.
THE JURY PROCESS
While reviewing our shortlist, the jury members added some more deserving names which were further voted on. The jury was then faced with the formidable challenge of reviewing the nominations and ranking each nominee in the list keeping in mind the pre-decided parameters (listed below).
THE PARAMETERS
• Contribution to her role
• Size of business she heads/leads
• Impact of her work on the profession/industry
• Any other notable achievements
1. Sandhya Devanathan
Vice President and Head - India, Meta
#9 in 2023
Sandhya Devanathan is a seasoned global business leader renowned for her expertise in scaling businesses, building high-performing teams, and driving product innovation. As the Vice President and Head of India at Meta, Sandhya is at the forefront of shaping Meta’s strategy and operations in the country. She plays a pivotal role in nurturing key partnerships with businesses, creators, and ecosystem players across Meta’s suite of apps, leveraging its potential to drive India’s tech revolution. Sandhya and her team are passionate about harnessing Meta’s potential to accelerate India’s techade. Under Sandhya’s leadership, Meta India has achieved remarkable growth. In FY24, the unit reported a 43% year-on-year increase in net profit, reaching INR 504.93 crore. Revenue from operations grew by 9.3% YoY to INR 3,034.8 crore, while gross advertising revenue surged by 24% YoY to INR 22,730.7 crore.
Sandhya’s illustrious career began in the year 2000 at Citibank, where she held various roles in strategy, product, and portfolio management across India, Philippines, and the United States. Her leadership journey continued at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore, where she served as Managing Director of the retail banking and payments product group. Joining Meta in 2016, Sandhya significantly expanded the company’s presence in Singapore and Vietnam while spearheading e-commerce initiatives in Southeast Asia. By 2020, she took charge of Meta’s gaming business in the Asia-Pacific region, further solidifying her reputation as an innovative leader.
A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Sandhya actively champions gender equality as the executive sponsor for Women@APAC at Meta, alongside numerous other initiatives she has led throughout her career. In addition to her role at Meta, Sandhya serves on the global board of the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and Singapore’s National Library Board. She is a board observer for Jio Platforms and co-chairs the FICCI National Committee on Media & Entertainment and the CII National Committee on IT and ITeS. With her relentless pursuit of excellence, Sandhya continues to make an indelible mark on the business landscape, driving innovation and fostering inclusive growth in India and beyond.
2. Ghazal Alagh
Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Honasa Consumer Ltd.
#8 in 2023
#13 in 2022
A corporate trainer turned artist turned entrepreneur, Ghazal Alagh co-founded Mamaearth, driven by the passion for making early parenting stress-free. Unable to find toxin-free baby products in India for their child, Ghazal and her husband Varun Alagh took matters into their own hands. Leveraging Varun’s expertise in FMCG and Ghazal’s entrepreneurial drive, the husband-and-wife duo set out to create a brand that offered natural, toxin-free baby care products adhering to international standards. This vision led to the birth of Honasa Consumer, and its flagship brand Mamaearth, in 2016. With a focused digital-first market strategy and customer acquisition through social media platforms, Ghazal steered Mamaearth into becoming one of India’s fastest-growing FMCG brands.
Ghazal spearheads innovation, community, and new brand initiatives. She works closely with a large number of consumers and mom communities, who are central to the innovation strategy and are pivotal in the product development lifecycle. Ghazal’s overarching vision is to make this world a better place through purpose driven brands that solve consumer concerns and serve a greater purpose. After completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology and an intensive course in Modern Art, Design, and Applied Arts from the New York Academy of Arts, she started her career with NIIT as a Corporate Trainer followed by pursuing art and her entrepreneurial journey with two ventures before Mamaearth. She has been leading the innovation function for Honasa Consumer brands like Mamaearth, The Derma Co., Aqualogica, BBlunt, and Dr Sheths. She has been at the forefront of building millennial propositions by these brands to make them relevant to consumers today.
Ghazal has been recognised amongst the Top 10 Women Artists in Indians, nationally and internationally. She has been awarded IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women 2022 and 2023, Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business 2023, Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen, GQ Young Influential Indians, BW Businessworld 40 Under 40 Awards, and many more. She was also one of the Sharks in Shark Tank India Season 1. Having straddled three different roles —a corporate trainer, an artist, and a mother— Ghazal is identified as a trailblazer and an inspiration to women entrepreneurs.
3. Kamiya Jani
Founder & Chief Travelling Officer, Curly Tales
New
50 countries, 180 cities and the rest of the world to go. Kamiya Jani gave up her full-time media job to dare to live the life she always wanted. She doesn’t believe in taking adventures alone and that’s why she started Curly Tales to let people discover their love for food, travel & indulgences. Curly Tales is now known to be India’s Top Food and Travel discovery platform with offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Dubai. It has a community of over 15 million people. Kamiya is also India’s top Travel Content Creator awarded by Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi at National Creators Awards 2024. Her dream is to visit all the beautiful places the world has to offer and showcase it for the world to see.
Her online conversations with famous personalities such as Rahul Gandhi, Aditya Thackeray, CM Eknath Shinde, Virat Kohli, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Pankaj Tripathi, Shilpa Shetty, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Kajol, Ajay Devgn, Janhvi Kapoor and more have made her show ‘Sunday Brunch’ one of the Internet’s most popular shows today. Kamiya is living her dream of being a nomadic traveller. Despite being a wife, mom and a full-time entrepreneur, she has not put a pause on her dreams and passion.
Before this, she was working as a Business Journalist & Television anchor with ET NOW, Bloomberg TV, and CNBC TV18. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from RD National College in Mumbai. She also completed her LLB from G J Advani Law college.
She believes that the wealth of beauty, culture & nature remains unmatched in India. In line with this belief she also launched the series titled ‘I Love My India’ on her channel. She has also been recognised as A Cultural Ambassador of India by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The world is her playground, and she’s far from done exploring it!
4. Harman Dhillon
Executive Director, Beauty & Wellbeing, HUL and GM, Beauty & Wellbeing, Unilever, South Asia
#3 in 2023
#8 in 2022
Harman is a well-rounded business leader and marketer with strengths in strategic thinking, consumer insights, brand crafting, P&L management, and leading diverse teams. She has a successful track record of launching and growing large brands in the Beauty and Personal Care business, with assignments of increasing responsibility covering South Asia, North America, and Europe. She is passionate about transforming businesses and building brands with purpose while continuously reinventing ways to create engagement between brands, consumers, and society. In December 2023, she joined the HUL Management Committee as Executive Director, Beauty & Wellbeing.
Prior to this, as Skin Care Head, she led HUL’s premiumisation portfolio and demonstrated thought leadership for HUL in the FMCG beauty segment. She has also led the transformation of the Skin Care business, with a comprehensive revamp of brands such as Lakmé. Previously as Vice President of Hair Care, Harman built deep expertise in the Hair Care segment wherein she launched Dove hair and TRESemmé in India. She is also known for leading iconic marketing campaigns such as Dove ‘Stop the Beauty Test’ and Clinic Plus ‘Meri Beti Strong’, both of which garnered widespread acclaim and accolades. In 2015, she was given the responsibility to lead TRESemmé’ global business for two years as Global Brand Director based out of London.
Over the years, under Harman’s leadership, HUL has won Multiple Cannes Lions, Effie’s and Emvies Awards across brands like Dove and Lifebuoy. Harman has been featured in various prestigious lists including BW Businessworld’s Top 100 Marketers 2023 list and the IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women list. She joined HUL in 2006 after a stint with Tata Administrative Services. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce and went on to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from the University of Delhi.
5. Faye D’Souza
Founder & CEO, Freemedia Interactive Pvt. Ltd.
#3 in 2020
#2 in 2019
#11 in 2018
Faye D’Souza is a multi-award-winning journalist who has gained immense popularity, especially among the youth, for her balanced and unbiased style of journalism. With a following of over 3 million across social media platforms, Faye and her team of journalists have built a reputation for reliable, verified, non-partisan news updates on social media. Faye was the youngest woman journalist in India to have led any national news channel as Executive Editor.
Post her exit from television, Faye has begun her entrepreneurial journey with the launch of her news application - Beatroot News, to innovate with formats and restore dignity and credibility to audio-visual news. Faye launched her news app last year, which gives information that is fact-checked, curated, and prioritised. Faye’s account is reportedly the most credible source of news on Instagram. The grey and black design format has become synonymous with reliability. On the video front, Faye has her YouTube channel, on which, across the year, she has been posting news and explainer videos on current affairs. The 2024 Lok Sabha election coverage was a highlight, garnering over 8 lakh viewers. Additionally, Faye has started a podcast series titled ‘Lessons from Failures’ that speaks in detail about failures and the lessons that can be learnt from them, where guests like Karan Johar and Kiran Rao have shared their life experiences.
Faye has been the recipient of several awards for her work, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the RedInk Award for “Journalist of the Year” in 2018, and the award for reporting on health during the pandemic in 2021. She was also named Vogue Woman of the Year, IMPACT 40 under 40, and has been rated among the IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women in Media and Marketing in India. She holds a BA in Journalism and English literature from Mount Carmel College and MA in Mass Communication from the Convergence Institute of Media, Management, and Information Technology Studies.
6. Hephzibah Pathak
Executive Chairperson, Ogilvy India
#2 in 2023
#14 in 2020
#14 in 2019
#33 in 2018
After nearly 30 years of stewarding many brands across clients, Hephzibah is now the Chief Steward of brand Ogilvy India. She took over as Executive Chairperson of Ogilvy India on January 1, 2024 - the first woman to lead the company in India in 95 years of its existence. She has been the most trusted partner for Ogilvy’s key clients and has played an integral role in creating category-defining transformative work on many of their brands. Her passion for clients, creative excellence, transformation and building people has seen her grow Ogilvy’s top businesses exponentially in the last 10 years. She has also richly contributed to many Ogilvy Award wins over the years.
Importantly, Hephzibah has been an inspiring mentor to many current leaders and emerging talent in Ogilvy India. She has devised and driven the ‘JUNO’ program for Ogilvy India. This program consciously nurtures nextlevel women leaders in the company. As Executive Chairperson, she leads and drives the company’s overall strategic direction, growth, and transformation agenda. Her ambition for the company is to keep the ‘creative’ culture burning and continue to innovate & accelerate its offering. In the past year, she has grown the core business by deepening and winning new brands from existing clients. She has led the transformational agenda at Ogilvy.
At an industry level, she has been a jury member for numerous awards in India and internationally, including Cannes. She was Jury President for Creative Effectiveness at the Lynx 2016 Awards (MENA region). She was on the jury of Cannes Effectiveness Lion 2024. She was a committee member of the Advertising Standards Council of India for 10 years. She is now a part of the Meta India Client Council. She was honoured as the 2nd most Influential Woman in Media, Marketing & Advertising in India by IMPACT. She was recently awarded ‘Creative Agency Head of the Year’ at the IAA Leadership Awards.
7. Vineeta Singh
Co-Founder & CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics
#5 in 2023
#6 in 2022
Vineeta Singh is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sugar Cosmetics – the cult-favourite beauty brand amongst Gen Z and Millennials. Of the women, for the women, by ‘a’ woman: this was Vineeta Singh’s motto while creating Sugar Cosmetics. The Co-Founder & CEO of Sugar always knew she wanted to build a woman centric brand. With a physical presence of over 45,000+ retail touchpoints across 550+ cities, the company has scaled faster than any other and is now one of the top three cosmetics brands in the country. An alumna of IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad, she is famously known for declining a job offer for INR one crore, from a leading investment bank to follow her heart and dive into entrepreneurship.
Today, Vineeta is not just an entrepreneur but an influencer whose entrepreneurial journey is making waves across social media, inspiring so many more. With a vision to build Sugar as ‘fast fashion for the face,’ Singh advocates a fast-paced work culture where speed and experimentation lead the way for rapid innovation and a launch-packed calendar. Well-regarded in entrepreneurial circles for her business ventures, Vineeta was one of the investors on Shark Tank India, one of the most successful reality shows in the country in recent times, which witnessed her investing and mentoring the budding future entrepreneurs of India. Being an avid runner for the last decade, she has completed the Comrades Ultra-marathon which is 89 km long, three times between 2012-14.
Singh has been awarded many honours for her continuous contribution to the industry and emerging businesses. She was honoured with the Start-up of the Year Award in 2019 by the Entrepreneur Awards. She was featured in Forbes magazine as one of the ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’ in Dec 2021. Recently, she was named among the top young entrepreneurs by the BW Disrupt 40 under 40 Awards 2022. She has been featured in Fortune 40 Under 40 Lists, GQ India’s Most Influential Young Indians, and IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women 2022 and 2023.
8. Roma Datta Chobey
Managing Director, Google India
New
Roma Datta Chobey leads Google India’s digital native industries, covering a range of sectors, namely e-commerce, travel, food tech, fin tech, ed tech, telecom, media & entertainment, e-service, gaming and B2B. Having been with Google for over the past six years, she has been a key member of the organisation’s growth journey in India. She is at the helm of key drivers as Google propels further in its commitment of accelerating digitisation & innovation via leveraging technology. A career banker straddling both the private sector & multinationals, she has been at key pivotal points of the evangelisation in the banking industry.
Her passion is not limited to accelerating the growth of digital-first businesses and extends to creating an equitable work culture. Throughout her career, Roma has been an active voice for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion, and she now leads many of these initiatives for Google India. Roma believes that with a population of 1.5 billion, AI can make a real difference by democratising information and opportunities. Google aims to skill 10 million Indians, ensuring they’re prepared for a future shaped by AI
Roma joined Google in November 2015 as Head of Industry – Classifieds & Gaming, a role she held for a little over three years. In March 2019, she took charge as Group Head - Travel, BFSI, Classifieds, Gaming, Telco & Payments. Eight months later, Roma was elevated to the role of Director-Travel, Food Tech, Gaming, eServices, B2B, Telco, Media & Entertainment. In April 2022, she became MD – Digital Native Industries, Media and Entertainment, and Government at Google. In June 2024, Roma took charge as the interim head of Google’s Large Customer Sales team. She also has a decade of experience in the banking sector. Prior to this, she worked with HDFC Bank as Vice President, Branch Banking. She has also worked with Standard Chartered Bank, ABN Amro Bank, and IDBI Bank.
9. Lulu Raghavan
President APAC, Landor
#14 in 2023
#42 in 2019
#31 in 2015
Lulu Raghavan is the President of APAC at Landor. She works closely with the market leaders (in India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Australia) and their leadership teams across APAC to nurture a culture of high performance and extraordinary creativity to drive business growth. She has dedicated her career to being an evangelist for Brand & Design and has spent over 23 years at the company across Landor offices in San Francisco, New York, London, and Mumbai in various roles. She set up Landor in India in the year 2008 and has grown it to be one of India’s largest and most reputed brand and design consultancies. She was promoted to President - Asia Pacific at Landor from Vice President – Asia Pacific in a period of one year in August this year.
She published her very first book, ‘Go Further, Faster: Shaping a Life That Matters’ with Bloomsbury India, which serves as a practical guide for the young and ambitious who are looking for guidance on having a thriving career and a successful life. Lulu has played a pivotal role in servicing the top 10 clients of Landor, including esteemed names like Tata Group, Mahindra Group, Aditya Birla Group, Jubilant Bhartia Group, Axis Bank, P&G, Nestlé, Asian Paints, and Dell. She has led numerous rebrands and new brand creations including DTDC, Zillion, Zuno, SPJIMR, Rivexa, Chargebee, Nuvama, Birla Pivot, TATA.ev, TATA Cliq Palette, Indriya, Dharana, Meesho, and Shree Cement, among others.
Lulu has been instrumental in founding WOCAL, a women’s creative. As a mentor at the School of Visual Arts, New York, she has shaped the next generation of creative talent. She also serves on the Advisory Council of Women Emerging, founded by Julia Middleton in the UK, and is part of the Super Council of WPP Stella India, a mentoring program for high potential women at WPP companies. She has also served on the Cannes Lions Design Jury (2018). She has co-authored five globally recognised business school case studies on branding and conceptualised ‘Beyond Logo’, a TV show for Bloomberg that highlighted the transformative power of branding on business.
10. Monika Shergill
Vice President of Content, Netflix India
#7 in 2023
#12 in 2022
Spl Mention in 2020
Monika Shergill is the Vice President of Content at Netflix India, where she oversees the development, creation, and acquisition of all Indian language content on Netflix. Under her leadership, Netflix India has delivered several hits such as Delhi Crime, Class, Mismatched, Scoop, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, Rana Naidu, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, The Hunt for Veerappan, Darlings, Mimi, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, Haseen Dillruba, Curry & Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case, the Academy Award winning The Elephant Whisperers and Vir Das: Landing, to name a few. Driving this growth, Shergill led Netflix India to become the fastest-growing company amongst all markets with the highest net paid additions in 2022. Monika previously led India programming for leading networks - Star, Sony and Viacom18. She started her career, spanning over two decades, as a journalist and documentary filmmaker, reporting on various social and environmental issues in India.
Monika’s strategic vision and deep understanding of audience preferences led to successful collaborations with India’s top creators, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Yash Raj Films, Hansal Mehta, and Imtiaz Ali. Monika spearheaded the development of popular films and series’ like Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, The Railway Men, Guns and Gulaabs, Kohrra, Killer Soup, Maamla Legal Hai, Kota Factory, and films such as Amar Singh Chamkila, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Jaane Jaan, Khufiya, and Bhakshak, which captivated audiences both in India and globally. Additionally, acclaimed theatrical releases saw strong performances on Netflix, with Hindi titles such as Fighter, Animal, Dunki, among others; alongside South Indian hits such as Hi Nanna, Salaar, Guntur Kaaram, Tillu Square and Leo.
As a creative and business executive, Shergill has led Netflix titles to the biggest international stages and has herself also consecutively featured in various power lists such as 35 Most Powerful Women in International Television by The Hollywood Reporter 2023, Variety’s 500 Most Influential Business Leaders, and IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women 2023 and 2022.
11. Geetika Mehta
Managing Director, Nivea India
#29 in 2023
#38 in 2022
Geetika Mehta, the Managing Director of Nivea India, is steering the brand towards unprecedented heights in the skincare industry. Renowned for her innovative approach and customer-centric strategies, she is dedicated to solidifying Nivea’s dominance in the Indian market. Her illustrious career boasts remarkable achievements in both small business growth and large corporate transformations across the world. She has consistently delivered impressive profitability and successful turnarounds. As an influential figure in industry bodies like FICCI, CII, and AMCHAM, she champions sustainability and drives significant initiatives for the cause. At Hershey India, where she previously served as MD, Geetika revolutionised the company’s strategic focus and operational capabilities. Her leadership fortified the company’s market strategy, broadened its distribution network, and strengthened its presence in the Indian chocolate sector. Notably, she pioneered diversity and inclusivity initiatives, significantly increasing workforce diversity and breaking new ground by introducing women to the shop floor. Her 18-year tenure at HUL saw her rise through various critical roles. Her academic credentials from SRCC and IIM Ahmedabad complement her impressive journey, making her a powerhouse of leadership.
12. Chandni Mehta
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, FCB Kinnect
#19 in 2023
#20 in 2022
Chandni Mehta started her advertising career in Client Servicing with Percept H and then moved on to work with JWT India. Gaining substantial experience and learning the know-how of agency operations, she founded Kinnect at the young age of 22, alongside Rohan Mehta, and is today among the youngest and most successful women achievers in the digital marketing space. Fuelled by a true passion for advertising, Chandni and Rohan envisioned their aspirations for the agency through a ‘dream board’. Building a team of over 300 Kinnectors, clinching a Cannes Award, joining a Global network, and more, they actualised every single item from their dreamboard. Her exceptional skills in mentoring young leaders, managing the company’s operations efficiently, and nurturing client relationships played a huge role in the agency’s success. Chandni manages the creative and strategy sectors at FCB Kinnect, as well as client relations. Under her leadership, the company acquired several prestigious clients, such as HDFC Bank, SBI, TVS Motors, Polycab, RPSG, TVS, Honda, and Lenovo, and more. She is today the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of FCB Kinnect, which is the largest integrated ideas-first agency in the country.
13. Anjana Om Kashyap
Managing Editor - Special Projects, TV Today Network Ltd.
New
A journalist with over two decades of experience in journalism, Anjana Om Kashyap has carved a niche in covering political news over numerous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. She has worked with various media houses, including DD, Zee News, Star News, News 24 and Aaj Tak. Her shows, such as Halla Bol, Rajtilak, and Special Report, have completed more than 10 years. She has covered over 100 Lok Sabha constituencies in the recent 2024 Elections with Aajtak Rajtilak Helicopter Shot! Anjana has become the voice of women in the country, from covering Nirbhaya to the Hathras incident. She also did 18 interviews with the biggest newsmakers, from PM Narendra Modi to Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, Jyotiraditya Scindia, & Asaduddin Owaisi to Shatrughan Sinha. With over eight million combined subscribers on various social media platforms, she has become a voice to reckon with. She has won many accolades for her journalistic work. Her debate shows Halla Bol and Rajtilak have made a record as the only debate show in Hindi news to continue with the same anchor on a channel. She has won many awards as the Best Anchor, Best On-Ground Reporter, Best Debate Show and Best Continuous Coverage at ENBA and several other notable platforms.
14. Ruchira Jaitly
Chief Marketing Officer, Diageo India
#13 in 2023
Ruchira is currently leading the India brand portfolio at Diageo, driving business advantage with winning renovations on Royal Challenge and Signature, delivering strong GP progression and share wins in the most competitive segment. Ruchira is deeply vested in reshaping marketing playbooks to reflect true brand purpose, leveraging the transformative role of technology in brand building and consumer experiences. Ruchira started her career with Unilever as part of the management trainee program and consequently worked in Sales for Personal Care Products, and then transitioned into Brand Activation, Brand Strategy and Innovation roles in the Personal Products category. She can be credited with building some of the biggest brands for PepsiCo in India, including Kurkure and Mountain Dew. She created MANDI, an F&B nutrition start-up at Royal DSM, and launched Nu-Shakti solutions to combat malnutrition, empowering women micro-franchise entrepreneurs in rural India. She also led the award-winning ‘Streedhan’ campaign. She has served as the CMO for Nokia India and APAC. Ruchira is also the Co-Founder at Ashoka University and has been a mentor at Vedica Women’s Alliance (2019-2022).
15. Deepika Kaur Bhan
President - Packaged Foods, Tata Consumer Products Limited
#31 in 2023
#41 in 2022
Deepika Kaur Bhan has been a trailblazer in sales, venturing into hard operational roles, and was also one of the first women to assume a Regional Sales Manager post. Eventually, a journey across profiles ultimately landed her an impactful role in Haircare at Unilever. Deepika led the innovation and communication for this business for South Asia—and has reshaped Clinic Plus as one of the most purpose-driven brands of our times, inspiring a series of hits, including the famous campaign ‘Maa Se Zyada Strong Banna.’
Currently, she is the President of the Foods business at Tata Consumer Products Limited (TCPL), igniting growth. With the addition of Tata Salt, Deepika has led India’s largest FMCG brands and is a strong believer in building brands that shift culture. Deepika deftly managed the VUCA world, posting great growth and record market shares. Under Deepika’s leadership, performance has showcased market-leading growth, establishing TCPL as a trailblazer in the Indian F&B sector.
The company has made strategic moves to strengthen its power brands, including Tata Salt, Tata Sampann, and Tata Simply Better. She helmed innovative campaigns like ‘Desh Ka Namak’ for Tata Salt.
16. Somasree Bose Awasthi
Chief Marketing Officer, Marico Ltd.
#27 in 2023
#40 in 2022
#46 in 2020
#48 in 2019
Somasree Bose is the Chief Marketing Officer at Marico Limited, and she is also an Executive Committee Member in the company. She is responsible for driving the marketing function at Marico. She started her professional journey as a Management Trainee in GCPL in 2003, beginning as an Area Sales Manager to climb up the ranks and become the Chief Marketing Officer of Marico with 20+ years of experience. Prior to Marico, Somasree led the marketing function for Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) India business, with a size of about INR 8000 crore in India. Soon she moved on to handling a national brand in household insecticides, HIT. The brand grew from INR 40 crore to INR 450+ crore within the next few years. Prior to that, she worked as the Area Sales Manager for GCPL’s West Bengal upcountry back in 2003-04, being the first lady ASM in Eastern Region for any FMCG company. She has won the Women Super Achiever Award at the 5th World Women Leadership Congress Awards 2018 and has been featured in IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women four years in a row 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023.
17. Mariam Mathew
CEO, Manorama Online
#17 in 2023
#15 in 2022
#7 in 2020
Mariam Mathew has been associated with Malayala Manorama for over 23 years. The media professional, who is also widely known for her organisation skills, takes care of the online edition of Manorama as well as other online properties such as Helloaddress.com, Quickerala.com, Manorama Horizon, and M4Marry.
She is said to be a huge reason behind the success of the online division of Manorama, which is the leading Malayalam news website in the country. She is also currently the Chairperson of the Digital News Publishers’ Association (DNPA). Prior to her stint at Manorama, she held the position of Vice President at JPMorgan Chase in New York, where she was part of the Lab Morgan group that specialised in management consulting for e-businesses. Before that role, she worked as a senior consultant at the Management Consulting Centre at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, specialising in developing new products for the bank. Mariam completed her bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Stephen’s University and MBA from the Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University.
18. Lara Balsara Vajifdar
Executive Director, Madison World
#18 in 2023
#19 in 2022
#22 in 2020
Lara, a fresh alumnus of Harvard Business School, has been at Madison for the past 20 years. She completed her Masters in Marketing from England and joined Madison in 2004 as a Management Trainee, followed by a Client Servicing role in the Advertising Unit, and then took charge of diversification. She later went on to become the Executive Director of Madison World. Today, Madison World is a diversified communication group, with billings of about INR 50 billion with specialisation in Media, PR, Creative, and Sport, employing over 1,300 Communication professionals across cities in India. Lara has played a key role at Madison over the last 20 years and is responsible for several organisational developments over the years. Lara also oversees marketing, new business development, HR and Legal for Madison World corporate as well as various Madison units. Since the inception of IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women in Media list, Lara has featured on the list for 10 consecutive years. She also featured in IMPACT 40 Under 40, 2019. She has recently completed Harvard Business School’s Senior Executive Leadership Programme. Lara is also an Independent Director on the Board of Nobel Hygiene Pvt Ltd.
19. Neha Ahuja
Director, Head of Marketing, Spotify India
#28 in 2023
#47 in 2022
#44 in 2020
Neha Ahuja, with over 22 years of experience, stands at the crossroads of Business, Technology, and Leadership. A distinguished Growth Leader, Marketer, and Mentor, she possesses domain expertise across FMCG, Telecommunications, and Entertainment. Neha has played a pivotal role in building global brands in India, including Gillette, Pampers, and Oral-B at P&G, Vodafone, and currently, Spotify.
As the Director, Head of Marketing at Spotify, Neha was instrumental in the platform’s launch in India, meticulously shaping it from inception to becoming the nation’s most loved music streaming brand. In just five years, she has altered the music streaming industry by fostering a global appreciation for Indian talent and working closely with local artists, labels, and creators. As a Board Member of Women in Tech®, Neha amplifies India’s narrative and talent on the global stage.
Her expertise and influence in the media and entertainment space were highlighted as she became one of the few women speakers from India at the Cannes Lions Festival, sharing Spotify’s journey in India, and inspiring a global audience with insights on Indian consumers.
20. Neha Barjatya
Marketing Director, Google India
#20 in 2023
Neha Barjatya is a Marketing Director at Google India, with over 20 years of experience across advertising, media, and technology industries. During her tenure at Google, she has spearheaded digital transformation and launched several impactful ecosystem initiatives like Internet Saathi, empowering 30 million rural women across 3 lakh villages, upskilling programs for over one million developers, and programs on Internet Safety, among others. She has led several campaigns for various Google products, such as Search, Pay, Pixel, and Android, and helped bring them to the forefront of consumer technology in India. Beyond her corporate role, Neha has made a significant societal impact as the Founder and CEO of FREND (Foundation for Rural Entrepreneurship Development), a Google-funded initiative, in partnership with Tata Trusts. She is also on the managing committee for IAA’s India chapter. She has also represented Google at events like the G20 Summit and Stanford University. Neha’s passion for technology’s transformative power and her commitment to inclusivity have earned her recognition, including being showcased in the UN Women’s #SheInnovates campaign.
21. Sumeet Singh
Chief Marketing Officer, Info Edge
New
Sumeet Singh, currently serving as the CMO of Info Edge, is a distinguished marketing professional with over two decades of experience. Info Edge is one of India’s largest consumer internet companies, known for its leading portals in job search (Naukri.com), real estate (99acres.com), education (Shiksha.com), and matchmaking (Jeevansathi.com). Under her leadership, these businesses have solidified their positions as market leaders. Sumeet’s professional journey began as a Management Trainee with NIIT after completing her Management Studies at Pune University. She has held significant roles in various organisations, including the roles of Founder & Executive Director of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Delhi, and Executive Director of the Indian Venture Capital Association. Her experience also includes advisory roles on IT councils for the government, showcasing her influence and expertise in the Tech and Startup ecosystems. At Info Edge, Sumeet has been instrumental in creating iconic marketing campaigns that resonate deeply with audiences, such as the iconic ‘Hari Sadu’ campaign for Naukri.com. Her strategic vision, innovative marketing approach, and commitment to fostering a collaborative work culture make her a pivotal figure in Info Edge’s ongoing success and growth.
22. Kavita chaturvedi
Chief Operating Officer – Snacks, Noodles & Pasta, ITC Foods Division
#34 in 2023
#43 in 2022
Kavita Chaturvedi, is the Chief Operating Officer of Snacks, Noodles & Pasta Business of ITC Foods. ITC Foods is one of the largest packaged food companies in India with strong play in staples, snacks, biscuits, noodles, spices, luxury chocolates etc. With a wealth of experience of nearly two decades in the FMCG sector, Kavita is known for her strategic vision, innovative approach, and exceptional leadership. Under her guidance, Bingo! snacks and YiPPee! noodles have grown to be named among the market leaders in their respective categories in a short period. Beyond her role as a COO, she is also part of ITC Foods Management Committee. Prior to this, she was the Head of Marketing of the Snacks, Staple and Meals Business. In addition to her corporate role, she serves as Director of Technico Agri Sciences Limited. She also acts as a Mentor of Sprout Life Foods which owns and markets Yoga Bar. Kavita is an active member of CII Marketing Committee. She is also part of the MICA’s Academic Advisory Board.
23. Jyothirmayee JT
Founder & CEO, HiveMinds Innovative Market Solutions Pvt Ltd.
#37 in 2023
Jyothirmayee, Founder & CEO of HiveMinds, has successfully led the agency to sustained growth, managing approximately 3% of India’s digital media market. With 400+ employees across India and Dubai, HiveMinds is a recognised leader in digital marketing. A seasoned entrepreneur, Jyothi began her career in Tech and later transitioned to Marketing. Her innovative spirit led to the founding of HiveMinds in 2010. As an angel investor, she has supported numerous startups, including several that have been acquired by larger companies. HiveMinds is a trusted partner to many of India’s leading brands, including unicorns and traditional companies. The agency specialises in e-commerce, helping clients like Crompton, Marico, and Pidilite navigate the digital landscape. HiveMinds has continued its impressive growth, adding prominent brands like Wakefit and Cleartrip to its client roster. She has represented India at the Women Economic Forum in Italy (November 2023) as one of the few India women showcasing leadership in gender equality on a global stage. She has also received the Karnataka State Youth Award (Business Entrepreneur category) in Jan 2023, presented by the Chief Minister.
24. Akshali Shah
Executive Director, Parag Milk Foods
#24 in 2023
Spl Mention in 2017
Akshali Shah is currently the Executive Director at Parag Milk Foods Ltd, one of India’s largest private dairy players and manufacturers of leading brands such as Gowardhan, GO, Pride of Cows, and Avvatar. She has been spearheading innovation and strategy for new product development. In her current role, she is actively involved in Product Innovation, Branding, Marketing & Advertising Strategy, Category Intelligence, and Competitive Analysis.
She successfully launched the #GarvSeGowardhan campaign, resonating with consumers and emphasising pride in using Gowardhan products.
#HarTastyCheezMeinGOCheeseHai was a nationwide TVC campaign highlighting the versatility and taste of GO Cheese. The brand partnered with the popular TV show Anupama to educate viewers on the cheese-making process, enhancing brand awareness. Under her leadership, Parag Milk Foods strengthened its flagship brand Gowardhan’s presence by collaborating with Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). In a significant CSR effort, Gowardhan Ghee, in collaboration with Sony Television, donated 1,800 kgs of ghee to Roti Bank, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to community welfare. She featured on BW Businessworld’s 40 under 40 2024 list and also on IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women, 2023.
25. Vaishali Verma
Chief Executive Officer, Initiative India
#16 in 2023
#14 in 2022
#43 in 2020
Vaishali Verma, who leads a global marketing and media agency within the IPG Mediabrands network, is a distinguished leader in the Advertising and Media industry. With over 25 years of experience, Vaishali has crafted and led successful campaigns for renowned brands such as Samsung, Nestle, Reckitt Benckiser, Wipro, and ITC. A proud alumna of MICA, Vaishali began her journey in 1995 at Mudra Communications, later advancing to lead innovative campaigns at Universal McCann.
Her strategic brilliance was evident as she played a central role in launching and driving Amazon’s success in the Indian market, a milestone that marked a significant achievement in her career. In 2014, she was appointed COO of Lodestar UM and Initiative India, where her leadership was instrumental in driving the agency’s growth. By 2018, as CEO of Initiative India, Vaishali had steered the agency to an impressive third position in the Indian market, making it the preferred choice for tech platforms and clients in the start-up ecosystem. Vaishali’s visionary leadership fosters top talent, drives brands to forge deeper consumer connections, and consistently delivers ROI-driven solutions.
26. Anisha Iyer
Chief Executive Officer, OMD India
#43 in 2023
#48 in 2022
With over two decades of experience in the advertising industry, specialising in Digital and Technology, Anisha Iyer serves as the Chief Executive Officer of OMD India. In her leadership role, she is responsible for shaping the organisation’s vision and driving its strategic goals. Anisha is committed to ushering in transformation, building future-ready teams, and delivering innovative, best-in-class solutions. Her approach is grounded in a culture of creativity, agility, and forward-thinking. Throughout her career, Anisha has worked across a wide range of sectors, including FMCG, Pharma, Automotive, Travel, Telecom, e-Commerce, Food, and Retail. Her deep expertise in these industries has enabled her to deliver impactful, results-driven strategies for some of the world’s most recognised brands. Her previous stints include working across Mindshare, Madhouse, and Group M. Anisha has been with Omnicom Media Group since 2019 - when she joined OMD Malaysia as its Managing Director and later moved to OMG Thailand as Chief Product Officer before taking charge of OMD India in 2021. Over 2023-24, Anisha’s passion has resulted in 10 new client wins, 3 client retentions, and a high satisfaction rate amongst clients—all while maintaining low employee turnover.
27. Binaifer Dulani
Founding Partner & Creative, Talented
New
Binaifer Dulani is the Creative and Founding Partner at Talented. Previously, she was part of the leadership team at Dentsu Webchutney as a Creative Director, where she helmed India’s most awarded campaign in Cannes Lions history: The Unfiltered History Tour. In 2023, Binaifer represented India in the prestigious ‘See It Be It’ cohort at Cannes Lions. In 2022, she was named Creative Director of the Year by the Cannes Lions Creativity Report. She has also been featured in IMPACT Magazine’s Top 30 under 30 Creatives (India) and on IMPACT’s Creative Hotlist 2022 & 2023. She was selected as part of Google’s RARE leadership programme and recognised on Pitch Magazine’s list of Superpeople. Binaifer has gained widespread recognition for her campaigns that have advanced gender discourse and gone viral, particularly her work for Tanishq, a legacy Indian jewellery brand. Her campaigns for Urban Company – ‘Chhota Kaam?’ and ‘Chhoti Soch’ – stirred the internet and became mainstream news. She has also showcased her work at prominent forums, including UN Women and the Unstereotype Alliance. In addition to her creative work, Binaifer teaches at MICA and Miami Ad School, sharing her expertise with the next generation of creative leaders.
28. Aditi Mishra
Chief Executive Officer, Lodestar UM
#22 in 2023
#33 in 2022
Aditi Mishra, who became CEO of Lodestar UM in March 2022, has been a driving force at the agency for over two decades. Her career began as a Management Trainee, and through hard work and dedication, she rose through the ranks, taking on various roles and excelling in each. Before becoming CEO, Aditi served as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) for a decade. In this role, she cultivated strong client relationships and led innovative strategies across sectors such as consumer goods, technology, lifestyle, and automotive. Her expertise lies in addressing global client needs while delivering solutions tailored to the Indian market. Aditi’s leadership has steered Lodestar UM to become the second-largest media agency in India, according to RECMA rankings. Under Aditi’s guidance, Lodestar UM secured significant client wins, including marquee names like Levi’s, GMI, Renée, Boeing, Tata Steel, along with project-based work for TOI and Colorbar. Before Lodestar UM, Aditi held leadership positions at McCann, Lintas, and FCB Ulka. She is an alumna of Delhi Public School, Hindu College, and IMT Ghaziabad.
29. Anurita Chopra
CMO, Haleon India
#32 in 2023
#46 in 2022
Anurita Chopra is a visionary marketing leader with around 22 years of expertise in shaping consumer behaviour and driving brand success. As the driving force behind Marketing at Haleon, formerly GSK Consumer Healthcare, she has revolutionised the industry, particularly through her pivotal role in Sensodyne’s remarkable journey in the Indian subcontinent. Anurita’s strategic acumen has not only propelled the growth of iconic brands like Eno, Iodex, Otrivin, and Crocin but also orchestrated the successful entry of Centrum into India in 2022, as part of Haleon’s strategic expansion. With a career spanning from her early days at HUL to significant tenures with industry giants like PepsiCo, Nokia, and Philips India, Anurita has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation. Her groundbreaking marketing strategies have earned her acclaim at prestigious forums such as Cannes Lions, AdClub, and Emvies. Anurita’s contributions have been recognised through numerous prestigious awards, including being named one of BW Businessworld’s 100 Most Influential Marketing Leaders 2023. In 2023, she was honoured as the ‘Global Marketer of the Year’ at Haleon.
30. Anita Kotwani
CEO Media, South Asia, dentsu
#15 in 2023
#25 in 2022
#47 in 2019
Anita Kotwani is an industry veteran with over two decades of experience in leading and fostering strategic senior stakeholder relationships for clients. As CEO Media, South Asia, dentsu, Anita has spearheaded the network’s expertise, delivering integrated solutions across Commerce, Performance Marketing, Content, Entertainment, Product and Technology, Insights & Planning Effectiveness, Gaming, and Retail. Her proactive approach has been focused on designing future-ready solutions for the new age era. Prior to this, Anita held the position of CEO at Carat India, where her systematic approach drove record-breaking growth, setting the stage for her current role in leading dentsu’s Media businesses across South Asia. Anita established the ‘growth squad’ to boost client revenues, which culminated in impressive TRR scores and new business wins with 80 brands, including renowned brands like Berger Paints, Welspun, Carlsberg, Bharat Benz, etc. The agency’s media practice witnessed double-digit growth. Anita’s mentorship was instrumental in equipping the teams to make a substantial leap forward. Under her leadership, the top two agency brands demonstrated significant growth, leading the charts in the top positions.
31. Ashwini Deshpande
Co-Founder, Director, Elephant Design
#39 in 2023
#27 in 2022
#25 in 2020
A 1989 graduate of NID, Ahmedabad, India, Ashwini is the Co-Founder of Elephant Design, India’s top-ranked design consultancy. Elephant recently celebrated 35 successful years of pioneering practice. Ashwini has held various prestigious positions, such as Honorary member, Global Design Network; Board Member, Design Alliance Asia; and Governing Board, TiE – The Indus Entrepreneurs. She was also the Founding Member of the Association of Designers of India. Under her leadership, the agency had worked for renowned brands like Athletics Federation of India, Azorte (fashion retail brand for Reliance), Bowlers (Allana Group), Campa Cola (the great revival for Reliance Retail), Cipla, Domino’s, Godrej Properties, Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages, and Reliance Retail. The agency won 12 new brands in 2023-24 like Tata Coffee, Tata Tea, Tata Sampann Yumside, Rasa, Vantara (Animal Rescue Centres by Reliance), Wipro Consumer Care – Foods, and Yousta (a young fashion retail brand for Reliance) named, branded, & packaged by Elephant Design. Paper Boat continued their design partnership with Elephant for several new flavours and foods. Other start-up brand partnerships include Epigamia and Chaayos, among others.
32. Greishma Singh
Vice President of Marketing, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia (INSWA)
New
Greishma Singh is the VP of Marketing for Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia (INSWA) and the youngest member of the leadership team. In her role, she manages a broad portfolio including category and brand strategy, integrated marketing experience, digital marketing, media and human insights. With over 15 years of rich cross functional experience, Greishma has held leadership roles in Marketing, Strategy, and Customer & Commercial Leadership across Australia, South Pacific, and Southeast Asia. She is known for her consumer-centric approach to driving business outcomes and for consistently delivering growth in competitive markets with agility. Greishma joined Coca-Cola in 2008 and during her journey has worked across global brands such as Glaceau, Powerade, Vitaminwater and brand Coca-Cola. Greishma is known for her leadership style, blending optimism, humour, and empathy to inspire and empower her teams. She is a strong believer in mentorship and has mentored many young and emerging leaders. She is passionate about empowering women and was a founding member of the INSWA ‘She Network’ – a powerful community that nurtures women leaders across Coca-Cola’s business.
33. Darshana Shah
Chief Marketing Officer, Aditya Birla Capital
#35 in 2023
Darshana brings over 26 years of expertise in driving marketing strategy and brand loyalty, with a strong focus on gender inclusion and empathetic leadership. Darshana joined the Aditya Birla Group as the Founding Member and Marketing Head of Aditya Birla Health Insurance, bringing her depth of experience in building digital products and an omnichannel customer experience. Before that, Darshana led marketing initiatives at Indian retail giants for several years, after starting as one of the few women within her sales team. Darshana now heads Marketing and Customer Experience for Aditya Birla Capital, the Financial Services business of Aditya Birla Group; and writes about Leadership, Marketing and Equality on LinkedIn. Darshana is a Senior Executive Leadership Program Graduate from Harvard Business School. Darshana has launched several campaigns in the last year creating equity for the brand and envisioning the spirit of One ABC by supporting the lines of business. A few of the campaigns include ‘India, Ab Hadh Kar De’ and ‘Ab Kahani Badlegi’. She has also been awarded as an ‘Exceptional Contributor’ in the Chairman’s Individual category at the Aditya Birla Awards, 2018.
34. Asha Kharga
Chief Customer & Brand Officer and Member of the Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group
#31 in 2023
#28 in 2020
Asha Kharga is the Chief Customer & Brand Officer and Member of the Group Executive Board of the Mahindra Group. She heads Brand Communications and Customer Data and develops Customer Experience (CX) initiatives across diverse businesses. She is a Director on the Board of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers as well as NBS International Ltd. Asha has 27 years of rich experience that spans FMCG, Financial Services, and Advertising. She joined Mahindra from Axis Bank, where she was EVP and Group CMO for the Bank and its subsidiaries. She was with Unilever for almost a decade in a variety of brand and marketing roles in the Homecare division. She was the Marketing Director for Tea - South Asia, under which there were brands like Red Label, Taj Mahal Tea, and Lipton. She launched Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan in India. Asha spent 10 years with leading advertising agencies like Leo Burnett, J Walter Thompson, and TBWA, and has worked on brands such as Unilever, P&G, Beiersdorf, and Samsonite. Asha is the Chairperson of the FICCI Committee for Women Empowerment in 2024 and chairs the Mahindra Group’s Diversity Council. She also served as Chairperson for Mahindra Racing UK for two years.
35. Hema Malik
Chief Investment Officer, IPG Mediabrands India
Spl Mention in 2022
Hema Malik, the first Chief Investment Officer of IPG Mediabrands India, is renowned for her strategic vision and exceptional business acumen. She has been instrumental in elevating the IPG Mediabrands network to new heights in India by driving performance, accountability, and transformative partnerships. With a career spanning over 29 years, Hema has garnered extensive experience across diverse industries and businesses. Before assuming her current role, Hema served as COO of Lodestar UM in Delhi for six years, where she expertly led operations, clients, and teams with strategic finesse. Her deep expertise in brand building, innovation, media planning, and buying has delivered immense value to top-tier brands such as Coca-Cola, Samsung, BMW, Gillette, Reckitt Benckiser, Airtel, Zomato, Tata Docomo, ITC, PhonePe, Tata Motors, Amul, Wipro, and Mahindra. Hema’s curated solutions have consistently delivered award-winning work, earning accolades at both national and international forums. Notably, she spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives like Coke Studio and the Samsung Camera Phone partnership with NDTV, setting new benchmarks for content innovation and significantly enhancing brand imagery.
36. Naiyya Saggi
Group Co-Founder, Good Glamm Group
New
Naiyya Saggi is the Group Co-Founder and Board Member of Good Glamm Group and CEO of Good Community. She is also the Founder of BabyChakra, India’s largest parenting platform, serving over 30 million mothers. With a background in Consulting and Business Education from Harvard, Naiyya has been instrumental in transforming Good Glamm Group into India’s first Insurgent Brands Unicorn, valued at $1.2 billion. Naiyya serves as an Independent Director at Welspun Living and is a member of the National Taskforce for Regulatory Issues at DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce. She is also an elected Governing Council member of The Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai, representing the $50 billion Mumbai tech ecosystem, which includes 50 Unicorn and Soonicorn Founders. She advises STEER World, a global advanced manufacturing Deep Tech company, and sits on the Advisory Board of The Contract Manufacturing & Private Label Association. Recognised among India’s Top Entrepreneurs and Women in Tech, Naiyya founded The Moms Co-Mompreneur Show, featured in a Harvard Business School case study.
37. Rathi Gangappa
CEO, Starcom India
#41 in 2023
#39 in 2022
Rathi Gangappa is a visionary CEO propelling Starcom India to unprecedented heights. Since taking the helm in 2018, she has built the agency into a powerhouse, constantly generating groundbreaking campaigns for prominent brands such as Meta, Spotify, and P&G. With over two decades of experience, Rathi has led Starcom India’s growth from a small agency of 50 employees to a dynamic team of over 170 experts. Under her leadership, the agency has embraced a ‘Move People, Move Business’ strategy, placing human connection at the heart of success. In the past year, Rathi has played a key role in securing major mandates from blue-chip clients like Spotify and P&G, contributing to a consistent 25% year-on-year growth. Rathi has also fostered talent development, launching a mentorship programme where C-suite leaders personally train promising employees to enhance their leadership skills. Under her leadership, Starcom has also improved the diversity ranking, now boasting over 38% female leaders on the team, well above industry standards.
38. Priyanka Salot
Co-Founder, The Sleep Company
New
Priyanka Salot, a first-generation entrepreneur, is making waves in India and beyond as the Co-Founder of The Sleep Company. She has revolutionised the Comfort Tech sector after a 60-year hiatus, with the company raising INR 13.4 crore in a pre-Series A round, followed by INR 177 crore in Series B and INR 184 crore in Series C funding. Priyanka’s pioneering work on the exclusive SmartGRID Technology has positioned The Sleep Company as India’s leading comfort technology startup. An alumna of IIM Kolkata, Priyanka brings over a decade of experience in the consumer durables industry. Before co-founding The Sleep Company, Priyanka had stints as an Analyst at JP Morgan and a Strategic Consultant for major healthcare companies at Frost & Sullivan. She then joined P&G, where she managed the company’s USD 350 million Fabric Care business and led innovative initiatives, including the successful Mamy Poko Pants campaign in the Asian market.
39. Sujatha V Kumar
Head of Marketing - India & South Asia, Visa
#37 in 2022
Sujatha V Kumar has been working in Sales and Marketing for over 27 years and has been in a leadership role for over 12 of these years. She is the Head of Marketing for Visa India and South Asia and has been here for the last 5 years. She is responsible for driving the overall marketing strategy and execution, including Consumer, Retail and Digital Marketing initiatives for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Maldives. She started her career at Procter & Gamble and, over the years, has gathered rich experience across top Marketing companies such as Coca-Cola, Gillette, Nokia, and Google. She has worked across Thailand, India, and South Asia. Apart from working in all key areas of Marketing, like Brand Development, Launch Strategy, Creative Advertising, Media, Consumer Behaviour, Client Engagement, and more, she has also been a part of these company’s leadership teams for over 12 years. She has headed the Diversity & Inclusion Council at Coca-Cola and mentors many young women in and outside the workplace.
40. Priti Murthy
President, GroupM Nexus, GroupM
#40 in 2023
Priti is the head of GroupM Nexus India which has been a driving force and acts as the transformation engine for GroupM. As the Centre of Excellence, Nexus India is reinventing Biddable & Non-Biddable media, Connected TV, Advanced TV, Performance Marketing, and Commerce. Priti’s strategic vision has led to the successful remodelling of GroupM agencies by creating roles that align with current market demands, enhancing agility and responsiveness. She also spearheaded a comprehensive study to define the current capabilities, devising an innovative upskilling and cross-skilling mechanism to achieve ‘One Team’ in integrated planning. The impact was profound, with the team garnering numerous prestigious internal and external awards. She has championed initiatives like ‘Choose the Career You Want’, revolutionising resource mobilisation by providing unparalleled internal opportunities, thus fostering a culture of continuous growth and empowerment. Nexus India has introduced the Integrated Planning Certification Program—NextUs, an immersive initiative designed to develop professionals with integrated skills in Biddable and Non-Biddable practices, meeting evolving business needs. Priti has accomplished ICF (ACC) certification to coach women in leadership and is actively involved in grooming women leaders.
41. Shradha Agarwal
Co-Founder and Global CEO- Grapes Worldwide
#42 in 2023
#50 in 2022
As an entrepreneur, Shradha has donned multiple roles such as disrupter, risk-taker, and innovator to steer the company to new heights. Having created a presence in India with offices in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, she and her team are determined to expand and create presence across the globe. They have opened their first international office in the UK, and aim to expand the business horizons in the years to come. Throughout her journey, Shradha has taken a lot of risks, where she left a stable job, joined hands with her husband, and started the journey of entrepreneurship from being a COO to CEO and now global CEO. Her greatest satisfaction lies in transforming the company from a creative agency to an integrated communications powerhouse, offering cutting-edge solutions across PR, Creative, Media, Digital Marketing, and Content. Today, the agency stands as a one-stop shop, delivering everything from digital campaigns to impactful TVCs for leading brands. Over more than 10 years in the industry, Grapes has scripted some phenomenal work in their journey.
42. Pavithra KR
Head of Revenue, Colors
#47 in 2023
Spl Mention in 2022
Pavithra KR, Head of Revenue for Colors, is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in the media and entertainment industry. Her career began at Star India, where she managed revenue portfolios for prominent channels like NGC, Star News, and Channel V. By the age of 30, Pavithra had already become the National Revenue Head for NDTV 24x7, making her one of the youngest leaders in the industry. Her journey with Viacom18 started over 11 years ago, where she has been instrumental in driving revenue for the Hindi Mass Entertainment cluster. Pavithra has played a pivotal role in securing large-scale clients such as Maruti Suzuki, Parle Agro, HUL, and Tata Motors, among others. Her strategic acumen and hands-on leadership have been critical in maximising the network’s value and monetisation strategies. Pavithra has a deep understanding of regional markets and has the ability to deliver contemporary solutions. Her career trajectory reflects her commitment to excellence and innovation in revenue generation within the highly competitive media landscape.
43. Anuja Trivedi
Chief Marketing Officer, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited
New
Anuja Trivedi, CMO of Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., is a transformative leader in the Indian media industry. She is a Chartered Accountant and an alumna of IIM Ahmedabad, where she completed her postgraduate program in management. At Shemaroo, she drives marketing initiatives that have significantly increased the focus on brand & consumer and expanded the company’s content library & digital presence. Her efforts have led to substantial revenue growth, positioning Shemaroo as a significant player in the industry. Before her role at Shemaroo, Anuja held several key positions at Disney Star, where she was instrumental in shaping monetisation and content consumption across linear TV and digital platforms. As the Executive Director and Head of Content Studio Strategy, she drove significant subscriber growth and market share for Disney+ Hotstar. Her tenure at the World Gold Council, McKinsey & Company, and PwC provided her with a solid foundation in strategic initiatives and advisory services. Anuja’s career is a testament to her analytical rigour, creative vision, and ability to redefine industry standards, making her a pivotal figure in the media and entertainment sector.
44. Monaz Todywalla
Chief Executive Officer, PHD Media (Part of Omnicom Media Group)
#48 in 2023
#44 in 2022
Monaz Todywalla leads a team of creative media specialists, delivering disruptive and forward-leaning solutions for the agency’s diverse roster of clients, underpinned by the ethos of ‘Intelligence. Connected.’ - an approach that emphasises the importance of intelligence, connectivity, and collaboration to achieve transformative results. With over two decades of experience, Monaz is a formidable industry leader with an in-depth understanding of business, strategy, media planning, analytics, and market research. Over the years, she has lent her knowledge across leadership roles at Wavemaker, Madison Communications, and Lodestar and has rich experience across industries like FMCG, Auto, Telecom, BFSI and Retail. When not striving to deliver value to clients beyond mandated KPIs, you can find her lending her voice to topics close to her heart across the power corridors of India’s business ecosystem. An IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women 2022 & 2023 awardee, she has several accolades to her credit, including BW Businessworld’s Most Influential Women 2024, BW Businessworld’s 20 Most Influential Women of 2022 and IMPACT 40 under 40, 2017.
45. Anindita Veluri
Director – Marketing, Adobe India
New
With over 25 years of experience blending technology, business acumen, and creative flair, Anindita Veluri is a dynamic Sales and Marketing professional dedicated to delivering top-notch customer experience and building brand eminence. She is passionate about driving change and crafting impactful stories through the power of technology and data insights. Her expertise spans across APAC, Greater China, Latin America, the Middle East, and India, where she has collaborated with visionary leaders and innovative teams. Her role as a Diversity & Inclusion advocate is close to her heart, bringing her joy in mentoring and empowering young women. As the Director of Marketing at Adobe, Anindita spearheads the development and execution of marketing strategies that have increased Adobe’s SOV in the market and positioned Adobe as a clear leader in the digital experiences space. She leads a team of marketers and BDRs, fostering a collaborative environment. Her work has focused on driving brand growth, integrating Generative AI into campaigns, and fostering deep customer engagement across diverse industries. She is a member of forums like IMA CMO Council, CII Marketing Leadership Council, and WOB 2.0 Cohort- Aspire for Her.
46. Saumya Rathor
Marketing Director, PepsiCo India
New
Saumya has been the youngest ever Category Lead to lead iconic brands such as Pepsi and Lay’s. She has been instrumental in turning around the growth and equity on brand Pepsi with campaigns that not only architected growth but also generated smiles for consumers. She is a turnaround specialist, taking on tough company assignments and leading not only the largest brands in India but also the largest brands for the organization. She always challenges the status quo and has disrupted the world of marketing by not only creating industry first playbooks but by also constantly venturing into territories such as deepfake, NFTs, short video and more, that have broken norms for the brand. She has led award-winning campaigns that have gained national and international acclaim, including recognition at Cannes Lions, where her work earned a Glass Silver and a Bronze. With over 100 accolades from prestigious marketing platforms, her contributions stand out in the industry. Notable campaigns under her leadership includes the Pepsi Rise Up campaign.
47. Anupama Ramaswamy
Joint MD & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Creative India
New
With 24 years of industry experience, Anupama is currently the Joint Managing Director & Chief Creative Officer at Havas Creative India. She leads teams handling some of the most renowned global and Indian brands, including Reckitt, Dabur, Tata Group, P&G, Vivo, Bandhan Life, Fortis, Suzuki, UTI Mutual Fund, Celio, and William Grant, among others. Previously the National Creative Director & Managing Partner at dentsu Impact, Delhi, she led teams for marquee clients like Maruti Suzuki and IKEA. Her Paytm campaign for financial literacy became an organically viral success, earning a spot on IMPACT magazine’s cover as Creative Stars to Watch Out For. She was the first NCD in India to lead an automobile category for nearly six years and played a pivotal role in establishing IKEA as a household name in India. During her tenure at JWT Delhi, she guided the office to its first Cannes Lions and Clio Gold in its 100-year history, contributing to the network being named Agency of the Year at AdFest that same year. Notably, her Fujifilm campaign was ranked among the top 20 most awarded print campaigns worldwide by the Gunn Report.
48. Tuhina Pandey
CMO & Director - Marketing & Communications, IBM India & South Asia
New
A seasoned global professional with two decades of expertise in Marketing, Communications, Sales, Consulting, and Journalism, Tuhina began her career in 2005 at NDTV, covering major national events like the Satyam scandal and Mumbai terrorist attacks. In 2010, she joined Aegis News Network and launched an innovative internal Corporate News Network across 11 countries in 8 languages, engaging over 50,000 employees. In 2014, she transitioned to Tech Mahindra, leading Regional Sales for Europe and later heading Global Corporate Communications for 90 countries and 118,000+ employees, while also managing government relations and public affairs. From 2018-19, she advised a leading tech firm on communication strategy and crisis management, facilitating a billion-dollar business deal. In 2020, she joined IBM as Head of Communications for India & South Asia, later taking on the role of Global Head of Digital Sales Communications. By 2024, she rose to Marketing and Communications Director for India, South Asia, and the India Global Hub within three years.
49. Deepali Naair
Group CMO, CK Birla Group
#49 in 2023
#49 in 2022
#48 in 2020
Deepali Naair is the Group Chief Marketing Officer for the $3 billion CK Birla Group, overseeing Marketing and Communications for 12 brands. Previously, she was the CMO for IBM India & South Asia, also leading Digital Sales for APAC. She has held leadership roles at IIFL Wealth Group, Tata Motors, BPL Mobile, and Draft FCB-Ulka. At Marico, she managed iconic brands like Saffola and Mediker. She also led Marketing and Digital initiatives at HSBC Global Asset Management, L&T Insurance, and Mahindra Holidays, driving significant growth in Digital and Inventory Sales. Deepali hosts the podcasts ‘Being CEO with Deepali Naair’ and ‘Being Founders with Deepali Naair’, boasting a strong social media presence with 28K+ LinkedIn and 10.6K Twitter followers. She has appeared in campaigns for Zoya, Coach, and the movie Sherni. A sought-after speaker, she has been invited by companies like LinkedIn, Swiggy, and Infosys. Deepali also teaches at SP Jain, MICA, and IIM Kozhikode, making a lasting impact in marketing and leadership.
50. Aparajita Biswas
Head of Brand Marketing, The Hindu Group
New
Aparajita Biswas is a seasoned marketing specialist with over 15 years of diverse experience across the Telecom, Food & Beverages, and Media industries. Throughout her career, she has successfully led and nurtured renowned global brands, including Vodafone, The Times of India, Carlsberg, and Café Coffee Day. At The Hindu Group, Aparajita played a pivotal role in strengthening brand affinity by spearheading product launches, brand management, advertising, consumer engagement initiatives, events, PR, sales promotions, and operations. Her work spans both digital and physical platforms, driving consumer loyalty through strategic brand campaigns, innovative social media initiatives, and impactful on-ground events. Aparajita’s innovative approach has set new benchmarks in brand management, advertising, sales promotion, and public relations. In 2023, she revitalised Sportstar and Frontline, earning widespread acclaim. She also led the successful ‘Made of Chennai’ campaign, which garnered multiple national honours and an international accolade from WAN-IFRA Worldwide for Best in Audience Engagement in Denmark. Her strategic insights revived key properties like Sportstar Aces and increased nominations for the BusinessLine Changemaker Awards by 40%.
WOMEN TO WATCH OUT FOR
Saloni Anand
Co-Founder, Traya, Tatvartha Health Pvt. Ltd.
Born in the small town of Vapi, Gujarat; Saloni was raised in a family of Doctors and was a conventionally average student amidst high achievers. She pursued B.Tech from Cummins College of Engineering and an MBA from IBS Hyderabad. With experience in product strategy, marketing, and EIR roles, Saloni always enjoyed tackling unique business challenges. Despite being an introvert, she became an accidental entrepreneur after discovering her husband’s premature hair loss. This led her to explore a solution combining Ayurveda, Nutrition, and Dermatology. Identifying a gap in the market, Saloni founded Traya, India’s first health-tech brand offering medically reviewed, research-based hair fall solutions.
Saloni has played a crucial role in transforming Traya into one of India’s fastest-growing startups in the hair loss solutions space. The Traya mobile app, launched in March 2023, is now ranked 7th on Google Play Store in the health category. The launch of Traya Women in June 2023 has already surpassed INR 5 crore in monthly revenue. Additionally, Traya’s podcast, What The Health, has amassed 23 million organic views in the last 6 months.
Simran Khara
Founder & CEO, Koparo Clean
Simran Khara is the Founder of Koparo, a pioneering brand committed to non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning solutions. Born out of the pandemic in 2021, Koparo was inspired by Simran’s experience as a mother in New Delhi, grappling with the risks of toxin-laden chemical products used to clean her home. Driven by the need to create a safer environment for her family, she launched Koparo with a mission to redefine home cleaning for millions of households. An Economics and Management graduate from SRCC and LSE (UK) with an MBA from ISB, Simran brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic expertise to her entrepreneurial journey. Her career began at McKinsey & Co., where she developed a strong foundation in problem-solving and business strategy. She then held leadership positions at Star India, and served as CEO of Juggernaut Books, where she successfully led the company through significant growth phases. At Koparo, Simran has combined her professional acumen with personal purpose, creating a founder-led brand, recognised for its innovation and impact. The brand gained national attention on Shark Tank India and was featured on Brands of Tomorrow, reflecting its rapid rise and deep consumer trust.
