Recap 2025: 5 Most Crucial Women Business Leader's Appointments

By: WE Staff

As 2025 comes to a close, we look back at women’s achievements throughout the year. In this article, we take a look at five of the most crucial women leader appointments that took place in 2025. From Priya Nair being named the first female CEO of HUL to Economist Poonam Gupta being appointed RBI Deputy Governor, the needle for gender diversity moved in the right direction this year. 

The year 2025 marks a historic inflection point for women in corporate leadership in India, as representation at the top reaches its strongest level yet. According to recent studies, women now occupy over 20% of leadership roles in corporate India, the highest ever recorded in FY25. This milestone reflects a steady climb from sub-18% levels just a few years ago, underscoring a decisive shift in executive hiring and succession planning.

Women’s presence on boards has risen to 28.7% in FY25, signaling progress beyond regulatory compliance toward genuine inclusion. While women currently account for 16.6% of senior management roles overall, their influence is particularly pronounced in mid-market businesses, where they hold an impressive 36.5% of senior leadership positions, surpassing the global average. At the topmost tier, women now represent 17% of C-suite roles, though CEO representation remains selective at around 5.1%, highlighting both progress and the road ahead.

What distinguishes 2025 is not just the numbers, but the nature of appointments. Women are increasingly leading core business functions, such as strategy, finance, technology, operations, and revenue, during a period of economic complexity and rapid transformation. This shift signals growing confidence in women leaders to drive resilience, growth, and long-term value.

Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine highlights the Top 5 Indian women leaders appointed in 2025 who held commendable leadership roles.

Priya Nair Appointed First Woman CEO & MD of Consumer Goods Conglomerate HUL

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) appointed Priya Nair as its first-ever woman Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in 92 years, effective August 2025. She succeeds Rohit Jawa, who steps down after steering the company through a challenging consumption environment. A HUL veteran with nearly three decades at the company, Priya joined in 1995. She went on to lead iconic brands such as Dove, Comfort, and Rin, along with major categories including beauty, personal care, and home care. Her leadership journey spans senior regional roles and global positions at Unilever, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer and President of the fast-growing Beauty & Wellbeing business. Her elevation marks a major milestone for gender representation in Indian corporate leadership.

Economist Poonam Gupta Appointed First Female RBI Deputy Governor in 14 Years

The central government has appointed Poonam Gupta as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, replacing Michael Patra and becoming the first woman to hold the position in nearly 14 years. She is the RBI’s fourth female Deputy Governor since its establishment in 1935. A respected economist, she brings deep expertise across policy, academia, and global institutions. She previously served as the first woman Director General of NCAER and is a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. Her career includes senior roles at the World Bank and IFC, along with academic tenures in India and abroad. Known for her nuanced views on inflation and growth, Poonam advocates reforms in monetary transmission, fiscal discipline, and state-level debt management, strengthening India’s economic policymaking framework.

Bhuvaneshwari A. Appointed MD & CEO of SBICAP Securities

SBICAP Securities Ltd, a subsidiary of SBI, has appointed Bhuvaneshwari A. as its Managing Director and CEO, effective November 2025. With over three decades of experience in banking, she began her career at SBI as a Probationary Officer in 1994 and has since held several senior leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Chief General Manager of the SBI Thiruvananthapuram Circle, overseeing more than 1,200 branches and driving growth in retail credit, deposits, and market share. Earlier, she led operational transformation initiatives at SBI’s Corporate Centre. At SBICAP Securities, Bhuvaneshwari will focus on digital transformation, technology enhancement, and improving investor access to research and services.

OpenAI Names Pragya Misra as Head of Strategy & Global Affairs

OpenAI has appointed Pragya Misra as Head of Strategy & Global Affairs, India, underscoring its growing focus on the Indian market. After serving as Head of Global Affairs for India, she will now shape long-term strategy across policy, products, partnerships, and ecosystem development. India has emerged as one of OpenAI’s largest user bases, with AI tool usage tripling year-on-year, prompting the company to establish a local entity and open its first India office in New Delhi. Under her leadership, OpenAI has strengthened ties with the IndiaAI Mission, launched OpenAI Academy India, and expanded access to affordable AI solutions. Her role reflects OpenAI’s intent to co-develop AI with India’s rapidly evolving digital and innovation ecosystem.

Jayanti Ganguly Appointed CEO of Home Centre

Home Centre India has appointed Jayanti Ganguly as Chief Executive Officer, marking a strategic leadership transition as the brand accelerates its growth in India’s expanding home retail market. With over two decades of experience in e-commerce and retail, Jayanti has held senior leadership roles at Myntra, Flipkart, and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail. She is known for driving business turnarounds, scaling operations, improving profitability, and strengthening omni-channel capabilities. Most recently at Myntra, she led market expansion and operational transformation, while at Flipkart Wholesale, she headed the Fashion and Home portfolio. Succeeding long-time leader Sitaram Kumar, Jayanti aims to deepen consumer engagement and redefine how Indian homes are styled and experienced, as Home Centre enters its next phase of growth.