10 Most Influential Female Leaders in Business 2023

10 Most Influential Female Leaders in Business 2023

10 Most Influential Female Leaders in Business 2023

10 Most Influential Female Leaders in Business 2023

Banhisha Kundu March 08, 2023 Female Leaders

From being the CEO's of Fortune 500 companies to dominating the global business spectrum, these ten businesswomen have achieved extraordinary success and continue to blaze trails for the next generation. Let’s spend a minute or five, at least, raising a toast to these wonderful inspiration on a day like the International Women’s Day.

1.   Falguni Nayar – Founder of Nykaa

Falguni Nayar
Falguni Nayar

As the founder and CEO of the beauty and lifestyle retail business Nykaa, formerly known as FSN E-Commerce Ventures, an acronym of her own name, billionaire Falguni Sanjay Nayar is one of the two self-made Indian female billionaire.

2.   Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – Founder & Chairperson of Biocon
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

The other female billionaire from India is Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and executive chair of the India-based biotechnology companies Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited. She received the Othmer Gold Medal in 2014 for her remarkable contributions to the development of science and chemistry.

She appeared on the list of the top 50 businesswomen published by the Financial Times in 2011 and was ranked by Forbes as the 68th most powerful woman in the world in 2019. Furthermore, she was named the 2020 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year.

3.   Suneeta Reddy – Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd.
Suneeta Reddy
Suneeta Reddy

Heading the finance department, she played a crucial part in successfully introducing the company to the global equity markets and securing the first foreign direct investment in Indian healthcare. The Apollo Group's managing director couldn’t be anyone better than someone like her.

Her financial prowess has been a major contributor to the group's rapid expansion and success. She oversaw the development of the Apollo Reach Hospitals model, which was praised by the World Bank as an invention that redefined healthcare and healthcare design.

4.   Vani Kola – Founder & Managing Director of Kalaari Capital
Vani Kola
Vani Kola

Indian venture capitalist Vani Kola who founded and serves as managing director of the Indian early stage venture capital business Kalaari Capital was named as one of the most powerful women in Indian business by Forbes and Fortune India in 2014. Kola worked in Silicon Valley for 22 years and founded and served as CEO of the e-procurement business RightWorks, which she sold to ICG for $657 million after four years.

On July 20, 2018, in Delhi, she received the TiE Delhi-NCR 5th Edition of Women Entrepreneurship Summit Award and was recognised as one of Fortune India's "Most Influential Women in Business" in 2018 and 2019 and has been featured in a number of books

5.   Radhika Ghai - Founder & Chief Business Officer of ShopClues
Radhika Ghai
Radhika Ghai

The first woman from India to join the Unicorn Club is Internet entrepreneur Radhika Ghai Aggarwal. She is one of the two founders of the 2011 Silicon Valley-based online marketplace ShopClues. As of right now, she leads the organisation as its chief business officer.

Among her many honors, she received the "Women Entrepreneur of the Year" at the 2016 Entrepreneur India Awards, the "Exemplary Woman Entrepreneur of the Year" at the 2016 CMO Asia Awards, and the "CEO of the Year Award" at the 2016 CEO India Awards.

6.   Roshni Nadar – Chairperson of HCL Technologies
Roshni Nadar
Roshni Nadar

Indian billionaire businesswoman Roshni Nadar Malhotra serves as the HCL Technologies chair. She is the first woman to serve as the CEO of an Indian listed Technology business. She is listed as the 54th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2019.

In Forbes' list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World in 2020, she was ranked at 55. She serves as the CEO of HCL Corporation, the holding corporation for the whole HCL Group

7.   Leena Nair - CEO of Chanel
Leena Nair
Leena Nair

Leena Nair serves as the global CEO of the luxury brand – Chanel – since December 2021. Prior to that, Nair was hired by Unilever in 2016 and quickly rose to the position of chief human resources officer and under her leadership, Unilever has been recognised as the top FMCG graduate employer in 54 nations.

Born in a small town of Kohlapur, Maharastra, Nair was set out to shatter every glass ceiling that came in her path and became a dominant figure and an inspiration in the business world. It may surprise you to know that Nair is the protege of none other than PepsiCo.’s CEO - Indra Nooyi.

8.   Jayshree Ullal – CEO of Arista Networks
Jayshree Ullal
Jayshree Ullal

Leena Nair serves as the global CEO of the luxury brand – Chanel – since December 2021. Prior to that, Nair was hired by Unilever in 2016 and quickly rose to the position of chief human resources officer and under her leadership, Unilever has been recognised as the top FMCG graduate employer in 54 nations.

Born in a small town of Kohlapur, Maharastra, Nair was set out to shatter every glass ceiling that came in her path and became a dominant figure and an inspiration in the business world. It may surprise you to know that Nair is the protege of none other than PepsiCo.’s CEO - Indra Nooyi.

9.   Tanya Dubash – CEO of Godrej Group
Tanya Dubash
Tanya Dubash

Tanya Dubash is a prominent Indian businesswoman who serves as the executive director and chief brand officer of the Godrej Group. She is credited with taking on the responsibility for the 2008 Godrej Masterbrand Strategy rebranding initiative.

In 2007, the World Economic Forum named her a Young Global Leader. In her speech at the 2010 India Today Conclave, Dubash focused on the Indian young while discussing the tension between idealism and reality. She emphasised her conviction in idealism by saying that if reality forces you to give up your goals, alter reality.

10.   Swati Piramal – Scientist and Vice Chairperson of Piramal Group
Swati Piramal
Swati Piramal

Indian industrialist and scientist Swati Ajay Piramal works in the healthcare industry with a focus on public health and innovation. She serves as vice chair of the Piramal Group, a business conglomerate with holdings in glass packaging, real estate, financial services, and healthcare.

The President of India bestowed Piramal with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian accolades, in 2012 for her work in the science and technology industry. She held the position of Apex Chamber of Commerce of India as its first female president.

There are more names on the list than just these 10, and if we could mention them all in a single blog post, we would have done it by now. Nonetheless, despite the world's attempts to reject them, they had faith in themselves and made the decision to pursue their aspirations.

This Women's Day serves as a reminder that, despite the changes in the world, you can still accomplish greatness if you set your mind to it.