8 Women Leading The Indian Corporate Sphere

Across the corporate world today, women have shattered the proverbial glass ceiling in terms of leadership and management. Be it the Sheryl Sandburgs and Marissa Meyers of the world or the female top brass in India, women have made inroads into the former 'men-only' bastions to slowly but surely register their presence.

On International Women's Day (March 8), DSIJ celebrates 8 women at the helm of companies that have helped investors in India create wealth in the present fiscal. May their tribe increase!

Vinita Singhania, MD, JK Lakshmi Cement: Vinita Singhania has been Managing Director of JK Lakshmi Cement since August 2006. She has long experience of managing the cement business. Singhania is an active member of the FICCI Ladies Organisation and Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown. She was awarded ‘Best Women Entrepreneur’ by Kalyani Foundation, Pune and the ‘Bharat Shiromani Award – 2006’ by Shiromani Institute.

In the present fiscal till date, JK Lakshmi Cement has yielded a capital appreciation of 79.42%. As of March 7, 2013, the market capitalisation of the company stands at Rs 1488.75 crore.

Dr Preetha Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise: Inspired and guided by her father, Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Dr Preetha Reddy formally joined Apollo Hospitals as Joint Managing Director in 1989, and five years later, she became the Managing Director of the group. Dr Reddy was ranked in the International list of ‘50 Most Powerful Women in Business’ by Fortune in 2010 and 2011, and also in Fortune India’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’ list in 2011. She has been a regular in Business Today's list of powerful business women since 2006.

In the present fiscal FY13, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise has witnessed capital appreciation of 34.57% and has secured the second position in our list. Its latest market capitalisation stands at Rs 11299 crore.

Irmgard Velagapudi M. Rao, MD, KCP Sugar & Industries Corporation: Irmgard Velagapudi M. Rao is a German national and the wife of V.M. Rao, the promoter of KCP Sugar & Industries Corporation. She holds a German Diploma in Commerce. She has been instrumental in managing the company through one of the most difficult times for the industry and the company, and her sustained efforts have resulted in improved crushing and profitability.

Her efforts have borne fruit, while is evident the stock’s performance. In the present fiscal, the scrip has yielded a return of 26.66% and its current market capitalisation stands at Rs 226.77 crore.

Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank: Chanda Kochhar is the MD and CEO of ICICI Bank, India's second-largest bank and the largest in the private sector. She is widely recognised for her role in shaping the retail banking sector in. She began her career with the erstwhile ICICI in 1984 and was elevated to the Board of Directors of ICICI Bank in 2001. In 2000, she took on the challenge of building the nascent retail business. She was the JMD & CFO from 2007 to 2009, which was a critical period of rapid change in the global financial landscape. She was elevated to her current rank in 2009 and is responsible for the bank's diverse operations in India and overseas.

In the present fiscal, the scrip has yielded a return of 25.54%. The present market capitalistion of the bank stands at Rs 128919 crore.

Anita Arjundas, MD & CEO, Mahindra Lifespace Developers:Anita Arjundas joined the Mahindra Group in 2002 as Vice President - Marketing in one of the subsidiary companies of Mahindra Lifespaces, Mahindra World City. In 2006, she took over profit centre responsibility for the company. In 2009, she moved to Mumbai to head the Real Estate sector with profit centre responsibility for both the business units of the sector - Residential real estate and Industrial real estate/Integrated Cities. Arjundas is also a member of the Mahindra Group Executive Board from April 2010. An MBA from BIM, India and a Wharton AMP alumnus, she has been named among the 50 ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’ by Fortune India.

Mahindra Lifespace Developers has been a good value creator for its investors. Its market capitalisation went up by 25.16% in the present fiscal and currently stands at Rs 1645.25 crore.

Shikha Sharma, MD & CEO, Axis Bank: Shikha Sharma has been at the helm of Axis Bank since 2009. She has received wide recognition for her achievements and is a recipient of many business awards, notably the ‘Transformational Business Leader of the Year’ at AIMA’s Managing India Awards – 2012 and ‘Woman Leader of the Year’ at Blooomberg - UTV Financial Leadership Awards – 2012 and Businessworld’s ‘Banker of the Year Award – 2012’. Sharma has also been listed in prominent publications such as Forbes List of Asia’s 50 Power Business Women – 2012.

Axis Bank has been another value creator for investors. Its market capitalisation went up by 21.50% in the present fiscal, and its current market capitalisation stands at Rs 57989 crore.

Renu Sud Karnad, MD, HDFC: Renu Sud Karnad is the Managing Director of HDFC. She is a graduate in Law from the University of Mumbai and holds a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Delhi. She is a Parvin Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs, Princeton University, USA. She has been employed with HDFC since 1978, was appointed as the Executive Director of the Corporation in 2000 and re-designated as its Joint Managing Director in October 2007. Beginning January 1, 2010, Karnad has been appointed as the Managing Director of the Corporation for a period of 5 years.

In the present fiscal, the scrip of HDFC has seen a return 14.75%. Its current market capitalisation stands at Rs 115445 crore.

Rajshree Pathy, CMD, Rajshree Sugars and Chemicals: A Commerce graduate and an alumnus of the Owner President Management Programme at Harvard University, USA. She is the President of the South Indian Sugar Mills Association (SISMA), the premier association of sugar factories in South India. She was also the Chairperson of the National Committee on Textiles, Vice Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (Southern Region) and Member of Young Presidents Organisation. She was the President of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) – the national apex association that represents the interests of the entire Indian sugar industry.

Under her able leadership, the stock of Rajshree Sugars and Chemicals has yielded a return of 13.19% in the present fiscal. Its current market capitalisation stands at Rs 100.04 crore.