CHAIRMAN, ADVENT PRIVATE EQUITY INDIA ADVISORY BOARD | PAST PRESIDENT, FICCI
Naina Lal Kidwai is a well-known leader who has successfully broken the glass ceiling, with many firsts to her credit – from being the first Indian woman MBA from Harvard Business School to the first woman to head a private sector / foreign bank in India and the first woman to be elected as President of India’s leading national industry association, FICCI, in 86 years.
She brings her experience and wisdom in the corporate world to her sessions and speaks about organizational culture, values, discovering one’s true potential and leadership. She also speaks on environmental issues like water, sanitation, energy efficiency and pollution – topics that she is actively engaged in through think tanks and not-for-profit organisations in India and abroad. She writes frequently in mainline dailies and has authored a book on these subjects.
Over Naina’s professional journey, she has led investment banking at Morgan Stanley and was Executive Director on the board of HSBC Asia Pacific and Chairman HSBC India as well as CEO of the bank in India. Currently, she is Chairman India Advisory Board of Advent International Private Equity. She is also a Non-Executive Director on the global board of LafargeHolcim and Nestle where she recently concluded a 12-year engagement. Other board engagements include Max Financial Services, CIPLA, Nayara Energy and Larsen and Toubro.
She has been repeatedly listed amongst the most powerful women in business and is the recipient of several awards and honours including the Padma Shri for her contribution to Trade and Industry.
She has authored three books including the bestsellers “30 women in Power: Their Voices, Their Stories” and “Survive Or Sink: An Action Agenda for Sanitation, Water, Pollution, and Green Finance”.