With shifting industry dynamics and gender representation, Financial Services has emerged as the most represented sector in the inaugural 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List with 23 women leaders. This is closely followed by the Consumer Goods sector, with 18 female leaders.
Candere and Hurun India on Wednesday unveiled their inaugural Women Leaders List that recognised 97 women who are making a significant impact across key sectors of India’s corporate landscape. These leaders span across nine categories, including professionals, investors, first-generation entrepreneurs, and digital influencers. These women, the report said, are leading businesses valued at over Rs 11.7 lakh crore.
Financial sector powerhouses driving Rs 7.9 lakh crore in value
The dominance of financial services on the list underscores a powerful trend: women are not just participating in finance — they’re leading it.
Top executives in the list from the financial services sector included Shanti Ekambaram, Deputy Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank; Parminder Chopra, Chairperson & Managing Director, Power Finance Corp; Vibha Padalkar, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, HDFC Life Insurance. Others in the segment are A. Manimekhalai, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank of India; and Vishakha Mulye, Chief Executive Officer, Aditya Birla Capital.
Collectively, the five financial services leaders in the professionals category oversee businesses worth over Rs 7.9 lakh crore in banking, insurance, and lending.
From FMCG to education, women take the lead
Beyond finance, women in Consumer Goods, Healthcare, and Automobile & Auto Components sectors are leading major transformations.
In the Consumer Goods segment, 18 women leaders made it to the list. From personal care to retail, leaders like Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO, Colgate-Palmolive India, and Adwaita Nayar, Co-founder of Nykaa, made a mark.
Next in line is the Healthcare sector with 14 women leaders. In the segment, Swati Dalal, Managing Director, Abbott India, made it to the Top 10 Professionals list.
Besides this, Food & Beverages with 9 women leaders, Media & Entertainment and Education & Training with 8 women professionals each, showcased the dominance of these industries among India’s most influential women.
“When women lead, businesses thrive, societies flourish, and a new era of wealth creation and value generation emerges,” said Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder and Chief Researcher of Hurun India.
A look at top 10 professionals and the powerhouses they lead
Shanti Ekambaram, the Deputy Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, valued at Rs 3.82 lakh crore, is at the forefront of driving digital banking innovation and expanding financial inclusion.
Close behind is Parminder Chopra, the Chairperson and Managing Director of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), which is valued at Rs 1.44 lakh crore.
Vibha Padalkar, the Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Life Insurance, valued at Rs 1.37 lakh crore, has propelled the company to a prominent position in the life insurance sector through strategic growth and technological advancement.
Shaping the future of India’s beverage industry, Hina Nagarajan, the Managing Director and CEO of United Spirits (Diageo India), oversees an Rs 1.06 lakh crore enterprise.
Bringing innovation in banking, A Manimekhalai, the Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank of India, leads an Rs 85,300 crore company.
The commitment to clean energy takes centre stage with Shveta Arya, the Managing Director of Cummins India, an enterprise worth Rs 81,600 crore.
Prabha Narasimhan, the Managing Director and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India, valued at Rs 73,700 crore, is driving the expansion of premium products and market growth, thereby strengthening the company’s leadership in personal care.
Swati Dalal, the Managing Director of Abbott India, is leading the charge with a company valued at Rs 58,800 crore.
Eranti Sumithasri, the Chairperson of Schaeffler India, heads an Rs 50,700 crore enterprise.
Vishakha Mulye, the CEO of Aditya Birla Capital, valued at Rs 46,400 crore, has played a key role in the company’s growth and success in the financial services industry.
