Women’s Day Special: Bengaluru to Host Board Stewardship Huddle with Focus on Stewardship in Boardrooms
Board Stewardship will hold the upcoming edition of its signature event ‘Huddle’ in Bengaluru on Friday, February 27, 2026, bringing together board members, Independent Directors, policy experts, and business leaders for focused conversations on governance and leadership. The edition will be a ‘Women’s Day Special’ that will be held at the JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru, Vittal Mallya Road, from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Centred on the theme ‘Stewardship in Boardrooms,’ the Huddle will explore evolving board responsibilities, sustainability frameworks, leadership diversity, and the intersection of governance and data, while also highlighting the diverse and impactful roles women play across the Corporate Governance ecosystem. BoardPAC joins the initiative as Knowledge Partner, while Concentrix comes on board as Silver Partner for the Bengaluru chapter.
The evening will begin with a welcome address by Vikesh Wallia, Managing Director and Editor, Board Stewardship. The inaugural address will be delivered by Emmanuel David, Advisory Board Member, Board Stewardship, Independent Director, Strategic Leader and Coach, who is expected to outline the broader context of boardroom stewardship in a shifting regulatory and economic environment.
Ajay Nanavati, former Chairman of Syndicate Bank, former MD of Bank of Maharashtra, and Chairman of Quantum Advisors and Alcon Castalloy Ltd., will deliver the keynote address. Drawing from decades of leadership across financial institutions and corporate Boards, he will reflect on governance standards and fiduciary accountability.
A key panel discussion titled ‘Women in Family Business Leadership – Breaking Barriers’ will feature Ashwini Prakash, Managing Partner and Board Director (Singapore & India), Stanton Chase Executive Search & Leadership Consultants; Preeti Saikumar, MD, Hiten Fasteners Pvt. Ltd.; and Saraswati Ramachandra, MD and Country Head, Lightcast. The session will explore leadership transitions in family enterprises, Board representation, and succession planning frameworks.
The Huddle will also host a panel discussion on ‘Engineering ESG Maturity through Data and Analytics.’ Dr. Hari Saravanabhavan, MD of Global Data & Analytics, Concentrix; Ritesh Sachdev, Senior Vice President (SVP) & Head of Commercial Leasing, Asset Management, Sustainability & CSR, Tata Realty & Infrastructure Ltd; Prof. Sanjay Khare, Independent Director, ESG & Innovation Advisor, Professor of Practice at IIT Kanpur and Startup Mentor at NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore; Cauveri Sriram, Company Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer at Swiggy, will deliberate on ESG reporting, data governance, and performance measurement systems.
A fireside chat titled ‘Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women & Girls: The Leadership Equation That Scales’, will bring together Swatya Murarka, MD & Head, Corporate and Institutional Banking Front Office, HSBC Capability Centres; and Shardul Khisharagar, Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & MD of Fowler Westrup (I) Pvt. Ltd. and Independent Director. The conversation will address inclusive leadership models and scalable governance practices.
The formal proceedings will conclude with a felicitation ceremony, followed by a vote of thanks by Ashok D. Murthy, Director of Board Engagement (South), Board Stewardship. The evening will close with networking over cocktails and dinner, offering participants an opportunity to extend discussions and build professional connections.
With participation from leaders across banking, analytics, real estate, manufacturing, and executive search, the Bengaluru edition of the Board Stewardship Huddle aims to provide a structured forum for advancing dialogue on boardroom effectiveness and responsible stewardship.
