Aspire, Achieve, Inspire: Women in LeadHERship Roles
17th - 19th January 2024 I Colombo, Sri Lanka
AIMA organised the first LeadHERship Retreat on the theme ‘Aspire, Achieve, Inspire: Women in Leadership Roles’ from 17 – 19 January 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Mr. Santosh Jha, the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, graced the event as the chief guest, and commended AIMA for establishing a platform where women leaders could share and learn from one another. The welcome remarks were delivered by Mr. TV Mohandas Pai, Past President, AIMA and Chairman, Aarin Capital Partners while Mr. Shiv Shivakumar, Past President, AIMA and Operating Partner, Advent International Private Equity gave the concluding remarks. The introductory remarks were given by Ms. Rekha Sethi, Director General, AIMA.
This unique retreat aimed to connect emerging and aspiring women professionals from diverse industries with visionary leaders and strategists. These leaders shared their perspectives on how women can prepare for leadership roles and elevate themselves to the next level.
‘Why the World Needs More Women Leaders’ was addressed by Mr Shiv Shivakumar who highlighted the unique aspects and perspectives that women bring to businesses. A fireside chat between Mr TV Mohandas Pai and Ms Otara Gunewardene, Founder and Managing Director, Who We Are, Embark, Otara Foundation & Odel, Sri Lanka, explored entrepreneurship with a purpose-driven approach, blending profits with societal and environmental well-being.
In another session, Mr Dilhan C. Fernando, CEO, Dilmah Tea, talked about the journey of Dilmah. He shared the ups and downs they faced, turning challenges into lessons for market innovation and responsible business. Ms Anoma Wijewardene, a Sri Lankan contemporary artist, and Ms Savithri Rodrigo, Managing Director, Stratyx Promotions & Media Concepts, Sri Lanka, discussed the power of art in creating global awareness in the 'HEartWORK' session.
A session themed 'Own Your Style: Being Comfortable Leading as a Woman' was adressed by Ms Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, Group Chief Executive Officer, Hemas Holdings PLC, in conversation with Ms Savithri Rodrigo.
Mr Mohandas Pai spoke on ‘Development of Leadership’ emphasising the importance of developing emotional and social intelligence for effective leadership; while in another session, Ms Anusha Shetty, Chairperson and Group CEO, Grey Group India challenged ‘Gender stereotypes in media and communications’. Dr Shikha Nehru Sharma, Founder, Nutriwel Health India Pvt Ltd, elucidated the importance of balancing personal and professional aspirations during her session on ‘Balancing Act: Wellness and Healthy Living for Working Women’.
AIMA’s maiden LeadHERship Retreat offered a comprehensive perspective on empowering women leaders focusing on enriching them with valuable insights and fostering resilience through knowledge exchange. The retreat was attended by 29 women professionals from Corporates and PSUs, who also participated in a guided city tour of Colombo as part of the programme.
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For more details, please contact:
Smita Das
Email: aspire@aima.in
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