WeQual Recognises 8 Exceptional Business Women Across Asia

Rhea-AI Summary

The WeQual Awards have recognized eight exceptional businesswomen from top companies in the Asia-Pacific region for their leadership roles, including Rajani Kesari from Holcim, winner in Finance. WeQual aims to promote gender parity at the executive level, with over 35% of award winners achieving positions on global executive committees. The awards are assessed anonymously and feature a diverse panel of executive interviewers. WeQual has also launched an online platform, WeQual Global, to further support gender diversity in corporate leadership.

Positive

• Recognition of eight businesswomen as winners of the WeQual Awards, highlighting significant female leadership in Asia-Pacific.
• Over 35% of winners now hold positions on global executive committees, indicating progress towards gender parity.

Negative

• None.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Eight talented businesswomen, holding prominent executive roles in leading companies listed across the Asia-Pacific region, have been named winners in the WeQual Awards.

(Photo: Business Wire)

The WeQual Awards were created to accelerate gender parity at the top of the largest companies in the world. More than 35% of WeQual Awards winners are now at global executive committee level, and more than 50% of the category winners of our first awards have made it to the top - including one chief executive.

The 8 category winners of the WeQual Awards, Asia-Pacific, 2022, are:

• Finance: Rajani Kesari, Chief Financial Officer - Ambuja Cements Ltd., Holcim
• Product: Sarala Menon, Executive Vice President - Manufacturing & Product Supply Chain - India & South Asia, Colgate-Palmolive
• Marketing: Paula Pinto, Global Head - Business & Marketing Excellence, UPL
• Strategy: Mehrnavaz Avari, Area Director UK & General Manager, St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel & Taj 51 Buckingham Gate, Suites & Residences, London, Indian Hotels Company Ltd
• People: Sarah Southwell, General Manager, Human Resources, GrainCorp
• Communication: Frances van Reyk, Head of Investor Relations, Ampol Limited
• Operations: Kavita Jain, Vice President Supply Chain & Operations, South Asia, Hindustan Unilever
• Innovation: Deborah Peach, Executive General Manager - Health, Safety & Environment, Cleanaway

All entries for the WeQual Awards are anonymously assessed, meaning that our assessors see neither their name nor the company for which they work. After the assessment, the 24 finalists are appraised by one of our executive interviewers before eight category winners are chosen.

WeQual's Executive Interviewers include:

• Dame Inga Beale, Chair of Mediclinic and Former CEO of Lloyd’s of London, Mediclinic
• Pier Luigi Sigismondi, President, Dole Sunshine Company
• Shumit Kapoor, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Kellogg Company
• Umang Vohra, Managing Director & Global Chief Executive Officer, Cipla
• Tamara Box, Managing Partner - Europe & Middle East, Reed Smith
• Tulsi Naidu, Chief Executive Officer APAC & Group Executive, Zurich Insurance
• Sanjiv Mehta, President, South Asia, Chair and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited
• Zoran Bogdanovic, Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola HBC

There are now more than 160 major companies worldwide that can boast a WeQual Award finalist - known as WeQual Alumni - among their senior leadership.

Katie Litchfield, Founder of WeQual, said: "WeQual’s mission is to achieve corporate gender parity. The WeQual Awards are designed to identify, celebrate and encourage talented women who are ready and willing to take the next step to Group Executive Committee level.”

WEQUAL GLOBAL
To help accelerate gender parity, WeQual recently launched the online platform "WeQual Global". Members benefit from regular events, ‘Think Tanks’, peer-to-peer coaching and instant access to a global directory of WeQual women, creating the perfect conditions to collaborate with thought leaders at some of the largest companies in the world.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221005005916/en/

Founder, Katie Litchfield

Chief Executive Officer, Mark Bateman

awards@wequal.com

Source: WeQual Global

FAQ

What are the WeQual Awards?

The WeQual Awards celebrate and promote gender parity at the executive level by recognizing outstanding businesswomen in leading companies.

Who won the WeQual Awards in 2022?

In 2022, winners included Rajani Kesari from Holcim in Finance and other leaders from various sectors across the Asia-Pacific region.

What is the significance of the WeQual Awards?

The WeQual Awards underscore the importance of gender diversity in corporate leadership, aiming to increase the representation of women in executive roles.

How does WeQual support gender parity?

WeQual supports gender parity through initiatives like the WeQual Global platform, offering events, coaching, and a directory for networking among women leaders.

Which company is associated with the winner Rajani Kesari?

Rajani Kesari is the Chief Financial Officer of Ambuja Cements Ltd., part of Holcim.