SYNOPSIS

How

Women Work: Fitting In and Standing Out in Asia observes women leaders through a pan-Asian lens providing lessons and learnings on leadership and success in Asia.

From India to Singapore, China to the Philippines and Japan to Thailand, this book distils the triumphs and tribulations of leaders to present readers with insights on how women lead across a complex region, navigating cultural expectations and yet retaining their authenticity. It lays down the skills and strategies that work and the pitfalls to avoid for the modern working leader as they navigate the intricate ties between leadership and culture in the Asian hemisphere.

With observations from women leaders as well as their male counterparts, How Women Work enriches our understanding of women leadership in Asia, providing a balanced perspective that is relevant for both men and women. Published by HarperCollins, the book’s theme is topical and relevant for managers and leaders working in our globally interconnected world.

Programme

5:45 PM Registration & High Tea

6:00 PM

Welcome Address

Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM

Executive Director, Madras Management Association

Launch of the book & Address by the

Author

Author in Conversation with the Panelists

Ms Aarti Kelshikar

Intercultural Coach & Author

Founder, 3A Consulting

Mr Ninad Gadgil

President Abrasives

Carborandum Universal Ltd

Ms Devasena Ravisankar

Global Head Innovation Ecosystem

Cognitive Business Operations

Tata Consultancy Services

Discussion and Q&A with the Special Invitees

Ms Mythili Chandrasekar

Consumer Behaviour and Brand Strategy Enthusiast

7:15 PM Vote of Thanks

Ms Babita Baruah

Executive Director, VMLYR and Regional Client Lead, WPP

Aarti Kelshikar

Aarti Kelshikar is an intercultural coach and author. She is the founder of 3A Consulting and has been working in the space of leadership and cultural effectiveness since 2008. She has worked and lived in India, Singapore and the Philippines.

Aarti is a certified facilitator of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and accredited coach of The International Profiler (TIP), frameworks that help assess and develop intercultural effectiveness. She is also a certified executive coach from the international NeuroLeadership group. Through her cultural interventions, Aarti enables executives and students to successfully transition roles, levels and geographies.

Aarti conducts workshops on developing cultural intelligence and a global mindset, doing business unmints to work more effectively in different roles and countries. She also helps organisations in South-East Asia and India. She has trained senior executives from multinational corporations like Nestlé, Unilever, Proctor and Gamble, Colgate Palmolive, and Texas Instr achieve greater alignment and synergy across their diverse teams.

Her first book How India Works: Making Sense of a Complex Corporate Culture was published in 2018. The book is a guide to the cultural nuances and complexities of working with Indians. She is on the founding board of SIETAR South East Asia (Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research). Before discovering the fascinating world of intercultural coaching, Aarti worked for seven years in the area of securities market compliance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India in Mumbai and with ComplianceAsia, a consulting firm in Singapore.

Aarti has a Master’s in Business Administration from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai and a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Sydenham College in Mumbai.

Ninad Gadgil

Profile

Business leader with 29 plus years of successful operational and business results. Proficient in diverse sectors such as packaging, graphic arts & signage, architecture and building materials, automotive OEM, Aftermarkets and health care.

Currently responsible for the Abrasives business of Carborundum Universal part of the $6 billion Murugappa group.

Approximately $ 180 mn size, 6 manufacturing plants and a direct presence in more than 10 countries.

Successfully led business transformation efforts in a 21 year career with 3M leading to record sales growth.

Have worked in Strategy (3 yrs ), Sales & Marketing (11 yrs), and Business Leadership (13yrs) coupled with a 2 years stint as a Six Sigma Black Belt .

Devasena Ravisankar