Poonam Barua, CEO, WILL Forum India; Chairman, Forum for Women in Leadership: Breaking Barriers in Corporate India

Poonam Barua, CEO, WILL Forum India; Chairman, Forum for Women in Leadership: Breaking Barriers in Corporate India

• Leadership is ever-evolving and must contribute to making the world a better place.
• It is grounded in diversity, open-mindedness, progress, and equal opportunity.
  

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In this insightful episode of The Brand Called You (TBCY), host Ashutosh Garg sits down with Poonam Barua, CEO of WILL Forum India and Chairman of the Forum for Women in Leadership.

She shares her leadership journey, the persistent challenges facing women in corporate India, and the systemic reforms needed to bridge the trust deficit in boardrooms.

Below are the key insights from the conversation:

00:55 – What shaped your leadership philosophy?

• Leadership is ever-evolving and must contribute to making the world a better place.

• It is grounded in diversity, open-mindedness, progress, and equal opportunity.

• Influenced by visionaries such as H.G. Wells, George Orwell, Adam Smith, and Carl Sagan.

• Productivity, sustainability, and innovation inform strong leadership.

• Leadership is not confined to boxes—it is a kaleidoscope of colors and perspectives.

05:05 – What motivated you to focus on women in leadership?

• There was no single defining moment—she simply recognized the need and acted.

• Observed men dominating decision-making spaces while women were overlooked.

• Emphasized the need to change not just the narrative, but the language around women.

• Underutilizing female talent is “bad economics.”

• Identified a deep “trust deficit” as a major structural barrier.

08:02 – What is “leadership by proxy”?

• One half of the world leads on behalf of the other.

• Women’s voices are often absent from discussions on tariffs, geopolitics, and strategy.

• Token representation is insufficient.

• Structural and macro-level change is necessary.

09:33 – Why was WILL Forum founded?

• Existing institutions were not adequately addressing women’s leadership development.

• The goal was to redefine leadership and create an appetite for change.

• Building the ecosystem required shifting mindsets, one at a time.

11:42 – What surprised you about men’s engagement?

• Many men are eager for inclusion and shared humanity.

• Enlightened male allies can accelerate change.

• Inclusion must move beyond token participation to genuine mindset shifts.

14:08 – Why does board diversity still face resistance?

• A deep trust deficit persists.

• Some companies prefer paying fines over sharing real power.

• Women appointed to boards are often made “comfortable and invisible.”
• Fear of failure and lack of solidarity hold women back.
• Safe spaces and board certification initiatives help equip women for leadership.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Poonam Barua: LinkedIn 

Enjoyed this podcast?

Why the resistance to board diversity? The deficit of trust is so high that companies often prefer to pay penalties than truly share power. And when women do make it in, the playing field is anything but level. Share your thoughts in the comments and spread these insights with friends!

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Thanks for listening! 

• Leadership is ever-evolving and must contribute to making the world a better place.

• It is grounded in diversity, open-mindedness, progress, and equal opportunity.
• Influenced by visionaries such as H.G. Wells, George Orwell, Adam Smith, and Carl Sagan.

• Productivity, sustainability, and innovation inform strong leadership.
• Leadership is not confined to boxes—it is a kaleidoscope of colors and perspectives.