Mumbai: On 24 March 2023, India’s business leaders and global changemakers gathered at the Forbes India Leadership Awards 2023 held at The Grand Hyatt in Mumbai to honour business leaders who have defined success in business and economy. FILA 2023, Forbes India’s annual business awards distinguishes itself from the sea of business awards by focusing on people who represent transformative leadership.
“Now in its 12 edition, the Forbes India team has attempted to be consistent with the original vision of shining the spotlight on the best leaders, founders and innovators. Award categories like Outstanding Startup, Best CEO and Entrepreneur of the Year—selected by a crack jury headed by jury chair Harsh Mariwala—are thus par for the course. Yet, every year we make changes to reflect the rapidly changing times or to capture facets of significant businesses that tend to often get short shrift in the mainstream deluge. The result is new categories like Regional Goliath, Bootstrapped Hero, Climate Warrior and Emerging Innovator,” said Forbes India editor Brian Carvalho.
Forbes India deputy editor Ruchika Shah in her welcome address emphasised the significance of persevering and of stubborn leaders in challenging times, “If the last three years have taught us anything, it’s that plans don’t tend to work out the way you thought they might. And in an ever-changing world, if the show has to go on…you need leaders who refuse to give up in the eye of a storm, are willing to evolve, and even listen to the softest voice in the room.”
The Forbes India Leadership Awards 2023 Distinguished Keynote was delivered by The Rockefeller Foundation president Dr. Rajiv J. Shah and he took the stage to emphasise on the importance of leadership and collaboration to achieve a green, sustainable and inclusive future. He spoke about the pathway that India needs to take to become not only one of the world’s richest economies by 2047 but also the world’s most inclusive.“Philanthropy can play a tremendous role in reshaping the societies in which we live, making them more just, making them more inclusive, and making them live up to the ultimate Gandhian principle that every person should be treated with dignity and be given an opportunity,” he said.
The event also saw high profile panellists discuss ‘How to Unlock India’s Philanthropy Potential’, with ATE Chandra foundation cofounder of Amit Chandra; Indian School of Public Policy chairman & cofounder Luis Miranda; Apollo Hospitals vice chairperson CSR Upasana Kamineni Konidela, and Swades Foundation cofounder, full-time managing trustee & director Zarina Screwvala, on the stage, moderated by moderated by Dasra co founder & partner Neera Nundy.
The evening’s momentum surged with a compelling fireside chat featuring Guneet Monga, the producer of the 2023 Oscar-winning documentary short film, ‘The Elephant Whisperers.’ At FILA 2023, Monga spoke about the business of independent films, and the importance of telling good stories. Monga expressed, “With less than five percent of women holding directorial positions, the odds are stacked against us. Our film industry is fuelled by equity and built to serve the diaspora. The equity-driven approach of this industry allows us to reach a larger audience with our content.”
FILA 2023 also saw a panel on the importance of inclusion in business, sports, and entertainment featuring, Tokyo 2020 Gold medal-winning paralympic champion and Khel Ratna Awardee, Padmashri Avani Lekhara; Meena Ganesh, chairperson, and co-founder of Portea Medical; and Sushant Divgikar aka Rani KoHEnur, performer, singer, LGBTQIA+ activist—speakers who have been trailblazers for diversity and inclusivity in their respective fields. They shared their unique journeys, learnings and perspectives on accelerating inclusion. A discussion on the valuations game and startups saw Alteria Capital MD & cofounder Vinod Murli; ICICI Prudential AMC head, PMS & AIF Investments Anand Shah; and Commerzify founder & CEO Sudhakar Adapa, discuss and debate their opinions.
The evening concluded with a captivating debate between PPFAS MF CIO & director Rajeev Thakkar and Axis Bank chief economist Saugata Bhattacharya, who discussed their views on whether ‘India is immune from the global storm brewing in the markets and the economy’. The evening was truly a magnificent illustration of excellence, knowledge, and inspiration.
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