Women Leadership Circle to Bring Together 100+ Women Leaders at IGNITE 2026 in Mumbai

2026-10-07 09:04:43 Events / Trade Shows

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Mumbai, October 7, 2026: Women Leadership Circle (WLC), an intentionally created ecosystem focused on advancing women leaders through meaningful connections, conversations and opportunities, will host IGNITE 2026, its flagship event, on October 8 at The Quorum, Lower Parel, Mumbai. IGNITE will bring together 100+ founders, CXOs, investors, board leaders, entrepreneurs and business leaders to explore the ideas shaping the future of leadership and business.

With artificial intelligence reshaping businesses, digital-first models changing consumer relationships and financial independence becoming an increasingly important part of leadership, IGNITE 2026 will bring these themes together through four conversations and one fire-side conversation. The programme will examine AI and business, wealth and financial leadership, digital-first consumer relationships, ambition and the evolving balance between human intelligence and technology.

The summit will open with “The New World Order and AI,” featuring Mathangi Sri Ramachandran, Co-Founder, YuVerse; and Aditi Kothari Desai, Chairperson, DSP Mutual Fund and Advisory Board Member, WLC; Niraj Ruparel, Creative Technology Lead, WPP / WPP Media India. The session will be moderated by Puja Srivastava, Founder, Smarter Start and Founding Member, WLC.

“Money, Money, Money” will explore the relationship between wealth, leadership and legacy, and what it means to take greater ownership of one’s financial future. The conversation will feature Anu Jain, President, 360 ONE Wealth; Shivani Bhasin Sachdeva, Founder & CEO, India Alternatives; and Lakshmi Iyer, President Investments & MD and CEO, Bajaj Alternates Investment Management Ltd., moderated by Jaya Mehrotra, Founder & CEO, Women Leadership Circle.

The third conversation, “Audacity of Ambition,” will explore what it means to think bigger, take bold decisions and lead with conviction. The session will feature Barkha Dutt, Journalist, Author and Founder-Editor, Mojo & We the Women; Renuka Kirpalani, Consulting Editor, Autocar India and Editor, Auto Mashable India, Member, WLC; and Mallika Sagar, Auctioneer and Indian Art Specialist, moderated by Gayatri Rangachari Shah, Journalist, Founder, GRS Consultants and Founding Member, WLC.

The fourth conversation, “It’s Personal,” will examine how brands are building direct relationships with consumers in a rapidly evolving digital-first landscape. The panel will feature Payal Singhal, Founder, Payal Singhal Design House and Founding Member, WLC; Vasundhara Patni, Founder, Kiro Beauty; and Kainaz Messman, Co-Founder, Theobroma Patisserie India, moderated by Vivek Gambhir, Venture Partner, Lightspeed India and Chairman, Imagine Marketing (boAt), Advisory Board Member, WLC.

“IGNITE reflects what we are building through WLC — an intentionally built, high-trust circle where women can broaden their perspectives, challenge their thinking and build meaningful relationships. The conversations are deliberately diverse because leadership today is influenced by technology, financial choices, consumer behaviour and personal ambition. We want to create spaces where these ideas come together and translate into meaningful connections and action,” said Jaya Mehrotra, Founder & CEO, Women Leadership Circle.

The summit will conclude with a fireside conversation between Anita Lal, Founder & Creative Director, Good Earth, and Gayatri Rangachari Shah, followed by a closing note by Vivek Gambhir.

About Women Leadership Circle (WLC)

Women Leadership Circle (WLC) is an intentionally created leadership ecosystem focused on creating pathways for women to grow through learning, meaningful connections, mentorship, trust and belonging. It brings together women leaders across industries and career stages to exchange perspectives, build high-trust relationships and elevate their leadership impact. WLC is expanding across cities with the larger ambition of building a connected circle that provides women with structure, mentorship, learning and relationships that support sustainable leadership journeys.