A recent announcement by Goldman Sachs that it would not assist a client company to an IPO, if it has an all-male board, is a welcome new step to get help from an impactful market intervention. This intervention could help to accomplish what multiple feel good announcements have not, in terms of gender equality. But a lot more needs to happen, and there is a faster way to get there.
Multiple empirical studies have noted that gender diverse portfolio companies outperform in every aspect, whether it be in innovation or operational efficiency. These diverse companies ultimately contribute to a higher incremental return for investors, in some empirical studies as much as 35% higher. The bottleneck however is in access to capital, especially at an early stage of a company’s life cycle. Much has been documented on this issue, including data which suggest that less than 3% of venture capital is invested in women businesses.
So why is the usually savvy investing world foregoing this incremental alpha?
The answer always ends up in the common denominator of the existence of conscious and unconscious gender biases which themselves stem from the lack of gender diversity amongst investors.
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The underutilised and yet over-qualified set of professional women should be promoted in the financial services industry. A recent study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) famously noted that gender diverse fund management teams deliver an incremental 10%-20% return compared to a non- gender diverse fund management team. Additionally, women investors invest in a higher number of women impacting businesses. And yet, most investors are typically an all-male team!
So why are the investors in a fund aka Limited Partners leaving so much money on the table? Because they get told that there are not enough women fund managers at the Partner level.
Now this one needs some deliberation. Why are there not enough women fund managers at the Partner level?
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Because most women in the financial services industry who are at a Partner level age were traditionally commercial bankers. The daring ones got into the usually ‘all-male’ environment of investment banking. The few that got into the private equity and fund management were kept out of partner level positions because this was the holy grail in the world of finance; many quit because of lack of access to a partner track or just burnout. However, there is optimism when one looks at the landscape now and sees the younger generation of women who are associates and analysts, but it will take time for them to rise to the Partner level. Therein lies the problem.
And the solution.
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Seema Chaturvedi believes transformative power of asset allocation, when made available to women, can truly and more definitively accelerate the drive towards gender parity. Instead of waiting for 7-10 years for this younger group of women to rise, why don’t Limited Partners back experienced first-time women fund managers who have invested before, albeit not in the construct of a fund? I am not a proponent of newbies trying their hand at investing third party money with no prior investing experience, and I do subscribe to the seriousness of the fiduciary responsibility that comes with third party money.
I am proposing that the Limited Partners open up the definition of what constitutes fund investing. Is investing from a balance sheet significantly different than investing from a pooled vehicle? I would argue, the former takes greater effort because most balance sheets typically require greater evaluation of strategic aspects and a deeper fundamental analysis.
So why not help promote the underutilised and yet over qualified set of such professional women in the financial services industry to broad base and bring diversity into the fund managers universe?
An old Indian adage, ‘Jiski Laathi, uski Bhains’ translates to ‘the one who controls the stick, controls the cattle.’ The essence of this still rings true and is extremely relevant in this case.
This transformative power of asset allocation, when made available to women, can truly and more definitively accelerate the drive towards gender parity.
(The author is a founder & managing Partner of AWE (Achieving Women Entrepreneurs) Funds, an early growth fund seeking to invest in innovation to impact gender balance)
IIFL Wealth Hurun India List: Meet India’s Richest Women
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The IIFL Wealth Hurun India Women Rich List is out. In its second year of existence, the list continues to celebrate women wealth creators in the country. And despite strong murmurs of an economic slowdown, this list has something to cheer about, after all.
The number of women in this year’s rich list has grown to 152 women. And while that can hardly be called an equal representation - with just about 16 percent of the total number of individuals - it’s a leap from previous years where women were hardly visible.
Here's a list of this year's entrants:
The IIFL Wealth Hurun India Women Rich List is out. In its second year of existence, the list continues to celebrate women wealth creators in the country. And despite strong murmurs of an economic sl..
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The 37-year-old HCL Technologies scion tops this year’s women rich list at Rs 36,800 crore. Roshni Nadar, the only child of Shiv and Kiran Nadar, is also the only woman in the top 20 that boasts of the usual suspects including Mukesh Ambani, Azim Premji and Gautam Adani. Roshni, who is married to Shikhar Malhotra, also serves as the Executive Director and CEO of HCL Enterprise. Ranked 51 in the Forbes Power List 2018, she has been driving change via diversity and philanthropy through the Shiv Nadar Foundation.
The 37-year-old HCL Technologies scion tops this year’s women rich list at Rs 36,800 crore. Roshni Nadar, the only child of Shiv and Kiran Nadar, is also the only woman in the top 20 that boasts of t..
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Smitha V. Crishna ranks second on this year’s list at Rs 31,400 crore. A third-generation heir of the Godrej Empire, she has a one-fifth stake in the Group, along with her brothers. Her brother Jamshyd runs consumer goods firm Godrej & Boyce. She is married to Vijay Crishna, a well-known theatre actor, and has a daughter Nyrika Holkar who also works in the group. In 2014, she purchased a bungalow belonging to the late atomic physicist, Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, for ₹371 crore. The bungalow was demolished two years later, with reports of a high-rise being planned in its place. This move was met with much displeasure by the Indian scientific community.
Smitha V. Crishna ranks second on this year’s list at Rs 31,400 crore. A third-generation heir of the Godrej Empire, she has a one-fifth stake in the Group, along with her brothers. Her brother Jamsh..
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Kiran Nadar, who comes third in the list at Rs 25,100 crore, is a well-known art enthusiast. Under her patronage and guidance, the famed Kiran Nadar Museum of Art has provided a platform to young artists, and also helped improve the visual aesthetics of public spaces in and around the National Capital. Apart from art and aesthetics, the 67-year-old is also one of the top bridge players in the country and has represented India in several world championships. Last year, Nadar led her team to win Gold at the Commonwealth Bridge Games in Australia.
Kiran Nadar, who comes third in the list at Rs 25,100 crore, is a well-known art enthusiast. Under her patronage and guidance, the famed Kiran Nadar Museum of Art has provided a platform to young art..
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With a net worth of Rs 18,500 crore, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon retains the crown of the richest self-made woman in India. She founded Biocon in 1978 and has led its successful IPO in 2004. The Biocon Chairperson and Managing Director, who has 1.5 mn followers on Twitter, has often highlighted government apathy and policy failures on the micro-blogging site. A role model for millions of young women, she has also been conferred with the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan for her achievements.
With a net worth of Rs 18,500 crore, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon retains the crown of the richest self-made woman in India. She founded Biocon in 1978 and has led its successful IPO in 2004. The Bi..
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Irrespective of gender, pharmaceuticals has shone in this year’s rich list. Of the top ten entries, four belong to the domain. Manju Deshbandhu Gupta follows biocon entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at the fifth slot with Rs 18,000 crore. She served as the Executive Director of Lupin till 2017, and has been a Member of the Board for over four decades.
(Image: Lupin)
Irrespective of gender, pharmaceuticals has shone in this year’s rich list. Of the top ten entries, four belong to the domain. Manju Deshbandhu Gupta follows biocon entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw a..
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The pharmaceuticals domain continues its golden streak in this year's IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List. Leena Gandhi Tewari, the chairperson of USV Private Limited which is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, comes in at the sixth position. Her wealth is estimated at Rs 13, 200 crore. USV was founded by her grandfather Vithal Balkrishna Gandhi in 1961.
(Image: USV India)
The pharmaceuticals domain continues its golden streak in this year's IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List. Leena Gandhi Tewari, the chairperson of USV Private Limited which is a multinational pharmaceu..
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Hyderabad-based Nilima Motaparti comes in at number eight on the list. The daughter of Divi's Laboratories founder Murali Divi, her wealth is valued at Rs 9,800 crore. She has a masters in international business from Gitam Institute of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam, and masters in international finance from Glasgow University in the UK. At Divis Laboratories, she acts as the Chief Controller - Commercial, and handles finances and matters related to procurement.
(Image: Divis Labs)
Hyderabad-based Nilima Motaparti comes in at number eight on the list. The daughter of Divi's Laboratories founder Murali Divi, her wealth is valued at Rs 9,800 crore. She has a masters in internatio..
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The London-born, India-raised Jayshree Ullal ranks at the ninth spot. The President and CEO of Arista Networks, she is now one of the wealthiest female executives in America. She owns close to 5 per cent of Arista's stock, some of which has been kept for her two children, niece and nephew.She studied electrical engineering at the San Francisco State University. The 58-year-old lives in Saratoga, California.
(Image: LinkedIn)
The London-born, India-raised Jayshree Ullal ranks at the ninth spot. The President and CEO of Arista Networks, she is now one of the wealthiest female executives in America. She owns close to 5 per ..
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Sangita Jindal, the better half of steel magnate Sajjan Jindal, is ranked at the tenth position with Rs 9,600 crore. She is the Chairman of the JSW Foundation which drives social development projects within the Group. The 57-year-old also leads Jindal Arts Centre and is the President of Art India magazine that focuses on contemporary art practices and critical theory. She has one son and two daughters.
Sangita Jindal, the better half of steel magnate Sajjan Jindal, is ranked at the tenth position with Rs 9,600 crore. She is the Chairman of the JSW Foundation which drives social development projects..
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
