Indian boardrooms need more women because diverse boards lead to better decision-making, stronger governance and improved organisational performance, expressed Shalini Warrier, Champion – Leadership Advancement Pillar, IWN Southern Region at the recently held CII-IWN Coimbatore Zone Annual Day.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – Indian Women Network (IWN) of Coimbatore Zone organised its Annual Day, bringing together distinguished leaders, industry professionals and members to celebrate a year of impactful initiatives, collaboration and thought leadership.
Shalini Warrier, in her address in her address on the topic ‘Why India Needs More Women in Boardrooms’, emphasised the relevance of representation. She noted that nearly 50% of any company’s audience or customer base comprises women and having women in boardrooms enables organisations to better understand and respond to their needs.
She further underlined that women leaders bring unique perspectives in decision-making and analysis, which can influence progressive policy-level changes with a broader societal impact. She called for greater representation of women at the highest levels of leadership to build more inclusive and future-ready organisations.
Dr Kezevino Aram, President, Shanthi Ashram, addressed the gathering on “Leadership with Compassion: Why the World Needs Women Leaders,” emphasising the importance of empathetic, values-driven and purpose-led leadership in today’s complex world. She encouraged reflection on the idea of self and how women perceive their identity, agency and role in society, while highlighting the ground realities and lived experiences of women in India.
Urging a shift towards evidence-based understanding, she stressed the need to examine what data and lived narratives reveal about the challenges women face. She also questioned whether self-actualisation is truly attainable for a 21st century woman in India given existing social and cultural constraints and underscored the importance of solidarity built on shared values, a common vision and aligned actions.
She called for a practical and inclusive approach to women’s empowerment through a co-invested and action-oriented framework for meaningful change.
The session also featured an engaging panel discussion on “Equal at the Table: Women Shaping Business, Leadership and Legacy.” The panel included Sujana Abirami, Trustee, Firebird Institute of Research in Management, Ranjana Singhal, Managing Partner, That’s Y Food and Megha Asher, Co-Founder, Juicy Chemistry. Moderated by Kesica Jayapalan, the discussion explored key themes such as breaking barriers to leadership, navigating entrepreneurial journeys, building resilient organisations and creating lasting impact.
The panelists shared insightful perspectives and personal experiences, underscoring the importance of inclusive workplaces, strong mentorship and supportive policy frameworks to accelerate women’s participation in leadership roles.
Why India needs more women in boardrooms? - CII IWN Coimbatore answers!
