MPW Summit 2019: Celebrating women power

As French author and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir had once said, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” The process of “becoming” a woman is determined by various socio-political and economic factors. Men and women are brought up differently and have different experiences, giving each their unique characteristics.

One of the ways the gender difference manifests itself in business and in the workplace, is in the ability to take risks, a crucial factor in professional and entrepreneurial success. In this year’s edition of the Fortune India Most Powerful Women in business summit in Mumbai on Friday, some of the most accomplished names in India Inc. will debate precisely that: Women take fewer risks than men at the workplace.

Women, not just in India, but the world over, hold more positions of power than they have ever before. But not nearly as many as they should, considering they make half the population. The Most Powerful Women in business list is an acknowledgement of the contribution that women entrepreneurs and executives have made towards the representation of women.

Every year, Fortune India brings together women executives and entrepreneurs to discuss ideas and issues related to gender, women in the workplace, the economy, and the society at large.

The debate is the highlight of the event. This year, Arundhati Bhattacharya, independent director - Reliance Industries, Wipro, CRISIL, Piramal Enterprises, SWIFT India; Ameera Shah, promoter & MD, Metropolis Healthcare; and Revathi Roy, co-founder and CEO, Hey Dedee, will argue against the topic. Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Media India; Zia Mody, co-founder, AZB & Partners; and Rekha M. Menon, chairman and senior MD, Accenture in India, will argue for the motion. The debate will be moderated by deputy editor T. Surendar.

Deputy editor Aveek Datta will moderate a jury discussion after the debate with Meena Ganesh, managing director and CEO, Portea Medical; Padmaja Ruparel, co-founder, Indian Angel Network; and Kaku Nakhate, president and country head, India, Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Also, catch editor Sourav Majumdar in a fireside chat—Breaking Barriers—with Jyoti Deshpande, head of media and entertainment business, and president, chairman’s office, Reliance Industries; and Apurva Purohit, president, Jagran Prakashan Group.

Catch all the action live on on our Facebook page.

Catch all the action live on on our Facebook page.

Here are the highlights from last year.