A Seat At The Table
Business Today India|December 24, 2023
Nearly a decade since it was mandated that India Inc. open its boardrooms to women, they have got their foot in the door. But there is still plenty of room to create a healthy gender balance in letter and spirit
VIDYA S. AND ASHISH RUKHAIYAR
A Seat At The Table

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, corporate veteran Arun Duggal was part of a board discussion to consider firing an otherwise thoroughly professional company secretary who had made a grave error. While the board was focussed on the severity of the mistake, Duggal recalls its only woman director pointing out: How can you punish a person for making an honest mistake that any one of us could have made? "She went a step further and said, 'Have you considered how terrible he must be feeling? We should tell him it was a mistake that embarrassed us. But it happens, so let us move on'," says the Chairman of ratings agency ICRA, who is a former CEO of Bank of America, India.

Duggal who co-founded industry body Ficci's Women on Corporate Boards programme with Avaana Capital's Founding Partner Anjali Bansal to identify and mentor high-potential women for board positions through one-on-one mentorships-says the discussions are always richer when women are on the board. Mark Mobius, the guru of emerging market investing, agrees. "I don't care what the sector is; it is good to have a woman on the board. More than that, maybe the chairperson as a woman... I really think that women directors are very important to a company," he says. "The decisions are more balanced. There is more empathy in difficult situations," adds Duggal, as he lists out more than half a dozen traits that make women valuable additions to the board.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BUSINESS TODAY INDIAView all
The EV Craze
Business Today India

The EV Craze

The country’s growing luxury car market is seeing a shift with environmentally-conscious consumers betting on electric vehicles as a sustainable travel option. Though just 6%, the share of EVs in the luxury segment is rising rapidly

time-read
5 mins  |
November 10, 2024
The Storage Boom
Business Today India

The Storage Boom

Data centres are being built at a frenetic pace in india as companies scramble to meet the ballooning demand from mobile phone users and firms adopting al. Can the country’s energy infrastructure keep up?

time-read
8 mins  |
November 10, 2024
India Beckons
Business Today India

India Beckons

Owing to rising incomes in India and overall wealth expansion, luxury brands are wooing the country like never before

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
The Pearls of The Sea
Business Today India

The Pearls of The Sea

Caviar, that rare food, is considered the epitome of fine dining. Here is everything that you need to know about it

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
66.Brand persona should define the core"
Business Today India

66.Brand persona should define the core"

I’d say this was a strategic pivot. We had an iconic brand, but had, over time, evolved into diversified lines of businesses that could no longer be represented within the confines of our ‘name’.

time-read
1 min  |
November 10, 2024
Unwind in Style
Business Today India

Unwind in Style

Here is acomprehensive list of top tech picks that help you unwind by blending perfection in performance with luxury

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
A Lifelong Affair with Inspiration
Business Today India

A Lifelong Affair with Inspiration

In my art journey, the diversity of my acquisitions mirrored the expanding horizons of my understanding of art

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Make it Bubbly
Business Today India

Make it Bubbly

Champagne is much more than just a symbol of celebration and success. Know about its nuances beyond the bubbles

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Palatial Splendour
Business Today India

Palatial Splendour

Buoyed by renewed demand, sales of the glitzy mansions of the ultra-rich are surging like never before. Real estate majors are looking to capitalise on this by launching luxury offerings in record numbers

time-read
7 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Of Beaches and Cream
Business Today India

Of Beaches and Cream

GianChand Single Malt Whisky

time-read
1 min  |
November 10, 2024