Mumbai, October 9, 2026: Women Leadership Circle (WLC) is an intentionally created leadership ecosystem for women, successfully hosted IGNITE 2026, its flagshipleadership summit, on October 8 at The Quorum, Lower Parel, Mumbai. Bringing together 100+ founders, CXOs, investors, board members, entrepreneurs and senior business leaders, the invite-led gathering created a high-trust space for women leaders to exchange perspectives, share experiences, and explore the forces shaping leadership andsuccess today.
Built around the belief that women do not need to shrink to fit into existing definitions of leadership, IGNITE 2026 brought together voices from business, finance, media, technology, fashion, culture, andentrepreneurship. Across the day, conversations explored wealth, power, ambition, AI and the future of business, personal growth, storytelling, brand building, and the courage to pursue ambitious goals.
Jaya Mehrotra, Founder & CEO, Women Leadership Circle, said, “Women are becoming stronger and more confident in the way they approach leadership and ambition. Iam very happy to see how this conversation is growing across industries and generations. IGNITE is about creating a room where women can exchange ideas openly, learn from different experiences and leave with greater clarity on what they want to build.”
The summit opened with “The New World Order and AI”, featuring Niraj Ruparel, Creative Technology Lead, WPP / WPP Media India, and Aditi Kothari Desai, Chairperson, DSP Mutual Fund and Advisory Board Member, WLC, moderated by Puja Srivastava. The session examined how AI and technological change are reshaping businesses,decision-making, and leadership.
Aditi Kothari Desai, Chairperson, DSP Mutual Fund and Advisory Board Member, WLC, said, “AI will change how businesses are built, scaled, and run. The opportunityis not simply about adopting new tools but understanding where technology can create real value. The businesses that succeed will be those that bring technology together with human judgment, creativity, and a strong understanding of their customers.”
