Why Are There So Few Women Leaders?
Fortune India|December 15, 2019 - March 14, 2020
Only around 6% companies on the Fortune India 500 list are managed by women.
Arnika Thakur
Why Are There So Few Women Leaders?

The world economic forum says that at the current rate of change, it will take 108 years to close the overall gender gap and 202 years to bring parity in the workplace. India has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in the world and a majority of women work in the informal sector. Even though there are more women graduates, the number of those joining the corporate sector and rising to the top remains abysmally low.

A close look at this year’s Fortune India 500 list reveals how acute the problem is. Just 29 companies on this year’s list have women leaders with executive powers.

The list of women heading some of India’s largest corporations includes Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and managing director, Biocon, No. 243 on the list; Kaku Nakhate, president and country head, India, Bank of America (BofA), which is at No. 370; and Meher Pudumjee of Thermax, which is at No. 240.

Renu Sud Karnad, managing director of HDFC Ltd, which is at No. 16 on the Fortune India 500 list, says when it comes to leadership positions, the numbers tilt against women for various factors— one reason being women’s role as primary caregivers in the family, which often makes them leave their careers midway.

“One major challenge that women always face is ‘work-life balance’. Those who can achieve the right balance will succeed... The balancing act between family and work leaves women with almost no time to socialise professionally. Effective networking is a necessity for a good leader,” she says.

There are some sectors that have seen a significant number of women leaders in recent years. Take banking and insurance. This year, apart from BofA and HDFC, there are several other companies in the sector headed by women, like Corporation Bank (No. 86), which has P.V. Bharathi as its MD and CEO; and Indian Bank (No. 73) where Padmaja Chunduru is MD and CEO.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 15, 2019 - March 14, 2020-Ausgabe von Fortune India.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 15, 2019 - March 14, 2020-Ausgabe von Fortune India.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

FEATURED STORIESAlle anzeigen
Forza!
Vogue US

Forza!

Tennis has a new force: the 22-year-old Italian ski racer turned court champion Jannik Sinner nickname: The Fox). Abby Aguirre meets him in the midst of an electrifying winning streak.

time-read
9 Minuten  |
Summer 2024
THE OTHER SIDE
Vogue US

THE OTHER SIDE

Sophie Turner talks about the harsh glare of attention following her breakup and how she has emerged stronger, happier, and healthier than ever.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Summer 2024
Now and Forever
Vogue US

Now and Forever

From corsetry and embroidery to the fineness of tailoring, this season's most beguiling silhouettes offer a palpable sense of history and craft.  Liya Kebede and her children connect the dots between past, present, and future.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Summer 2024
Madame Paris
Vogue US

Madame Paris

Mayor Anne Hidalgo has long been a leader under scrutiny. And now she and her glorious city will be center stage for the Olympics.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Summer 2024
Free Reign
Vogue US

Free Reign

Boho chic, the liberated and unfettered style statement of the aughts, is back with a floaty, festival-ready vengeance.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Summer 2024
No Filler
Vogue US

No Filler

The sandwich” facial migrates to other parts of the body.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Summer 2024
A WATERY STAGE
Vogue US

A WATERY STAGE

The Paris Games will kick off, in spectacular fashion, with a procession on the Seine. Gaby Wood meets the creative director orchestrating it all.

time-read
9 Minuten  |
Summer 2024
DOUBLE ACT
Vogue US

DOUBLE ACT

Married artists Sam Moyer and Eddie Martinez have built their lives and careers on parallel tracks. Now, with simultaneous shows at the same museum, they are converging.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
Summer 2024
Everything Under the Sun
Vogue US

Everything Under the Sun

To Kendall Jenner, mental health means many things: rest, reflection, riding, reading—and being open. She talks to Rob Haskell about a decade in modeling. Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Summer 2024
The Longest Journey
Vogue US

The Longest Journey

In 2022 a stroke brought Hamish Bowless teeming life to a crashing halt. After months spent in the hospital and a year back at home, he reflects on just how far hes come.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Summer 2024
THE BATTLE OF THE BUILDS DEDICATED VS INTEGRATED GPUs
Maximum PC

THE BATTLE OF THE BUILDS DEDICATED VS INTEGRATED GPUs

We put AMD's latest Ryzen 5 8600G to the test

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June 2024
Intel Raptor Lake Core 19 Instability Problems
Maximum PC

Intel Raptor Lake Core 19 Instability Problems

THE RACE BETWEEN AMD AND INTEL has heated up in the past few years as Ryzen processors have become increasingly competitive. The amount of headroom for overclocking has shrunk in response, and it seems motherboard vendors may have tweaked settings a bit too aggressively.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 2024
CREATE A SECURE WIREGUARD VPN SERVER
Maximum PC

CREATE A SECURE WIREGUARD VPN SERVER

Discover how to securely access your home network when out and about, with Nick Peers

time-read
8 Minuten  |
June 2024
Intel announces 6th Gen Xeon brand
Maximum PC

Intel announces 6th Gen Xeon brand

'Xeon Scalable' becomes the Xeon 6 series

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 2024
What exactly is an 'AI' PC?
Maximum PC

What exactly is an 'AI' PC?

AI, EVERYWHERE, all at once. That, in a nutshell, is what's happening to the computing industry. The PC, inevitably, is not immune. Later this summer, you'll be able to buy a machine that officially qualifies as an 'Al' PC, according to no lesser an authority than Microsoft. But you might be surprised at who's making it.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 2024
LG ANNOUNCES GAMING OLED
Maximum PC

LG ANNOUNCES GAMING OLED

The panel can alter refresh rates and resolutions

time-read
1 min  |
June 2024
Use Photoshop's new AI features
Maximum PC

Use Photoshop's new AI features

YOU'LL NEED THIS PHOTOSHOP CC 25.5 OR LATER

time-read
9 Minuten  |
June 2024
HP Omen 45L
Maximum PC

HP Omen 45L

HP's biggest desktop PC offers mighty gaming potential

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 2024
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN HACKED?
Maximum PC

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN HACKED?

Don't let attackers sneak under your radar: Nik Rawlinson reveals the telltale signs to look out for

time-read
7 Minuten  |
June 2024
Sapphire RX 7900 GRE Pulse
Maximum PC

Sapphire RX 7900 GRE Pulse

The Golden Rabbit Edition goes global

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June 2024
THE THEATRE - PHOTO REALISM
The New Yorker

THE THEATRE - PHOTO REALISM

Moisés Kaufman's Here There Are Blueberries.”

time-read
5 Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
Thataway Thomas McGuane
The New Yorker

Thataway Thomas McGuane

The two sisters were growing old now, but they went on gazing toward Palm Springs from this windblown prairie town as though to Mecca.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
FAMILY PORTRAIT
The New Yorker

FAMILY PORTRAIT

In his latest novel, Garth Risk Hallberg shrinks his frame.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
AGE OF ANXIETY
The New Yorker

AGE OF ANXIETY

The love songs of Billie Eilish.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
A REPORTER AT LARGE YOU MAKE ME SICK
The New Yorker

A REPORTER AT LARGE YOU MAKE ME SICK

How corporate scientists discovered—and then helped to conceal—the dangers of forever chemicals.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
THE WORLD OF TELEVISION CASTOFFS
The New Yorker

THE WORLD OF TELEVISION CASTOFFS

REALITY-TV CONTESTANTS ARE BARELY PAID, AND THE EXPERIENCE CAN FEEL LIKE ABUSE. SHOULD THEY UNIONIZE?

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
ONWARD AND UPWARD WITH TECHNOLOGY ABRIDGED TOO FAR
The New Yorker

ONWARD AND UPWARD WITH TECHNOLOGY ABRIDGED TOO FAR

The world according to Blinkist.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
ANNALS OF INQUIRY WAIT FOR IT
The New Yorker

ANNALS OF INQUIRY WAIT FOR IT

Suspense in literature and life.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
THE CURRENT CINEMA APOCALYPSE WHEN
The New Yorker

THE CURRENT CINEMA APOCALYPSE WHEN

“Megalopolis.”

time-read
6 Minuten  |
May 27, 2024
SHOUTS & MURMURS IDENTIFIED
The New Yorker

SHOUTS & MURMURS IDENTIFIED

A panel of scientific experts commissioned by NASA to study unidentified anomalous phenomena,” more widely known as UFOs, said Thursday that it found no evidence that any of the reported objects were extraterrestrial in origin.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
May 27, 2024