Board Stewardship To Host Women’s Day Special Edition Of Its March Monthly Live Webinar On Boardroom Insights
Marking International Women’s Day, Board Stewardship will host a special Women’s Day edition of its March 2026 Monthly Live Webinar Series on Boardroom Insights on Friday, March 6, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Centred on the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women & Girls.”, the virtual convening will bring together distinguished board leaders, governance experts, and industry practitioners to explore how boards can embed rights, justice, and inclusive leadership into decision-making and advance meaningful pathways for women in leadership.
The live webinar will commence with a Welcome Address by Vikesh Wallia, Managing Director & Editor, Board Stewardship, who will set the context for the evening and highlight the critical governance themes shaping Board agendas in today’s dynamic business environment.
This will be followed by the Inaugural Address by Shailesh Haribhakti, Non-Executive Chairman & Independent Director on Multiple Boards. Drawing on his extensive Board experience, Haribhakti will share his perspectives on the Board’s evolving responsibility in advancing fairness, equity, and inclusive leadership within corporate governance. He will reflect on how Boards can play a transformative role in strengthening women’s participation in leadership, embedding justice into decision-making frameworks, and ensuring that governance practices meaningfully respond to the broader expectations of society and stakeholders.
The first panel discussion, titled ‘From Policy to Power: Embedding Rights & Justice in Boardroom Decision’, will explore how Boards can move beyond policy frameworks to actively embed principles of rights, fairness, and justice into strategic and operational decisions. The session will examine the Board’s role in ensuring ethical governance, inclusive growth, and stakeholder-centric value creation. The panel will feature Philip Mathew, Independent Director, UTI AMC Ltd.; P.H. Vijaya Deepti, Board Member on Multiple Companies & NGOs; Vinita Korti Patil, Head of Legal – Beauty & Wellbeing, HUL; and Mala Sharma, Founder Director, Qualitatva Consulting. Together, they will share perspectives on translating governance principles into measurable impact at the Board level.
The second panel discussion, ‘Rights to Resource: How Boards Can Advance Economic Justice for Women at Scale’, will focus on the strategic role of Boards in driving equitable access to capital, leadership opportunities, and economic participation for women. The discussion will highlight governance mechanisms, policy advocacy, and organisational practices that can enable long-term, scalable change. The session will feature Shantha Maheswari Sekhar, Independent Director, Board Advisor Global Business Technology Executive Leader; Dr. Shobha Shridhar, Corporate Governance Consultant, Academician, Practicing Company Secretary; and Alok Jha, Global CEO, IPS Ltd., who will share insights on how Boards can champion inclusive economic ecosystems.
The final panel discussion, ‘The Right to Lead: Reimagining Board Pathways for Women’, will examine structural and cultural barriers that limit women’s representation in Board leadership and explore actionable pathways to build diverse and future-ready Boards. The conversation will centre on succession planning, mentorship, governance reforms, and leadership development frameworks that can strengthen women’s presence in decision-making roles. The panel will feature Sunil Deshmukh, IMA Global Board Chair – Emeritus, Independent Director, Executive Leadership Coach, Board Advisor; Sheela Arvind, Independent Director on Multiple Boards, Practicing Company Secretary; Sharada Sunder, Independent Director on Multiple Boards, Leadership Coach; and Aabha Chawhan, Head Client Leadership, WPP Media.
With BoardPAC as Knowledge Partner, the Live Webinar reaffirms Board Stewardship’s continued commitment to fostering informed dialogue, strengthening governance standards, and enabling Boards to lead with responsibility, inclusivity, and long-term vision in a rapidly evolving corporate landscape.
