Insights and Lessons Learned from Women Business Leaders on Managing through Crisis, Resilience and Recovery

Ana Paula Pessoa is an investor in leading-edge technology companies with a focus on the four “Ps”—people, planet, profit and purpose. Among these is Kunumi AI, a Brazilian artificial intelligence start-up where she also serves as Chair. A seasoned executive and sought-after independent director, she sits on the boards of News Corp, Vinci Group, Credit Suisse, Suzano, and Cosan. Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer of the Rio2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Earlier positions include partner at Brunswick Group, a global strategic and financial communication company, and multiple executive roles at Grupo Globo, Latin America’s largest media group. She also sat on the board of an IFC investee company, as IFC’s nominee director. Ana Paula is a graduate of Stanford University, with bachelor's and master's degrees in Economics and International Relations.

With more than 30 years of banking experience, Delrene Seneviratne most recently served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SDB Bank. Previously, she worked at National Development Bank PLC, where she rose to the rank of vice president. An attorney by profession, Delrene currently works as a consulting corporate lawyer and serves as lecturer and trainer at the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka. Delrene holds a Master in Public Administration from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. She pursued commercial law and arbitration studies at Queen Mary College, University of London and her solicitors’ final examination in the United Kingdom. Delrene is the recipient of multiple leadership awards, including recognition as one of the top 50 professional and career women in 2018/19 by IFC and Women in Management, a Sri Lankan women’s professional association.

A chartered financial analyst, Ebru Koksal is Chair of Women in Football, a global network of football industry professionals working to advance women’s participation in the industry. She also is a senior adviser at J. Stern & Co., and sits on the board of the Professional Footballers Association as an independent director and chair of the Governance, Risk, and Audit Committee. Previously, Ebru served as general manager of leading Turkish football group Galatasaray Sportif A.Ş, with oversight for the company’s football, stadium, and marketing operations. She also worked as a consultant for the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and was the first woman elected to the executive board of the European Club Association. Ebru is a graduate of Brown University with dual degrees in Economics and International Relations, and of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.

Faryal Sadiq is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Interloop, one of the world’s largest hosiery manufacturers and a multi-category textile business recognized globally for its ethical standards and sustainable business practices. In this role, Faryal is responsible for business development and sales across Europe, North America, and Japan. She also serves on the board of IGI Holdings, a publicly traded, Karachi-based insurance company. Prior to joining Interloop—owned by her family—Faryal worked as a management consultant at both Ernst & Young and Deloitte, where she advised clients in the consumer products and retail industries. She holds a Master in Business Administration from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and an economics degree from the London School of Economics.

As Managing Director and CEO, Meena Ganesh heads Portea Medical, India’s largest and fastest growing home health-care company, which she co-founded in 2013. The company has more than 4,500 employees and operations across 16 cities in India. As a partner in Growthstory.in, she also is co-promoter of several Internet and technology enabled start-ups. Previously, Meena served as CEO of the Tesco Hindustan Service Center, Tesco’s outsourced information technology services and analytics operation. Before joining Tesco‚ Meena co-founded Customer Asset, a pioneering Indian business process outsourcing company, which she later sold to ICICI OneSource. Meena holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, where she was honored with the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus award. She also earned a graduate degree in Physics from Madras

Dr. Noni Sri Ayati Purnomo is President and CEO of Bluebird Group—Indonesia’s leading taxi service and transportation group. She started her career at Bluebird—a company founded by her late grandmother—as a member of the maintenance staff. Through the years, she held various roles, learning all aspects of company operations and working her way up to the top job. Under her stewardship, the company has focused on improving the sustainability of its operations, including reducing fleet emissions and a shift to e-taxis. Noni is the founder of Blue Bird Peduli, a non-profit focused on education, women’s empowerment, sustainability, and cultural preservation. In 2019, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Newcastle, Australia. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from the University of San Francisco and a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Newcastle.

Wambui Mbesa is CEO of INTRASOFT International East Africa, a subsidiary of INTRASOFT International, an information technology solutions and services company headquartered in Luxembourg. In this capacity, she oversees operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Zambia. Previously, Wambui held leadership positions in several world-class IT companies, including Microsoft Corporation, Carl Bro International, and AkiliAfrica. With a track record of award-winning performance and recognition as a visionary leader, Wambui is a role model for girls and women in STEM. She is a member of the Kenya Women on Boards Network, Women in Technology Kenya Chapter, and Kenya Institute of Directors, among others. She holds a Master in Business Administration in Strategic Management from Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science from Makerere University and a Bachelor of Education in Business and Economics from Kenyatta University

A prominent business leader and academic, Dr. Zeina Zeidan chairs the board of directors at Royal Financials, a Lebanon-based corporation with offices throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The first woman to ascend to the top role in a Lebanese financial institution, she has focused on improving corporate governance and increasing the gender diversity of the company’s leadership. Zeina also is an independent director on the board of LafargeHolcim Liban, part of the LafargeHolcim construction materials conglomerate. Earlier in her career, she was Group Financial Manager of a multinational clothing retailer. Zeina also chaired the Audit Department at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik. She is the author of a college-level corporate accounting textbook and a frequent contributor to consumer magazines and peer-reviewed professional journals. Zeina earned her PhD from Aix-Marseille University and holds a dual master’s degree in Finance and Audit.