SALUTE | South Asian Leaders Unite to Empower

Forbes 50 Over 50 list for 2024 is here, and we’re celebrating the trailblazing South Asian women who are showing the world that age is just a number. From visionary entrepreneurs to game-changing investors, these women are leading the way across four categories: ?? LIFESTYLE ?? Bela Bajaria | Chief Content Officer, Netflix Responsible for bringing streaming hits to global audiences and steering Netflix’s expansion into sports and live programming. ?? IMPACT ?? Arti Finn | Co-founder, Orijin? Giving inmates and probationers in the US second chances through free educational and rehabilitation programs. ?? Geeta Mehta | President, Asia Initiatives Empowering underserved communities with Social Capital Credits, a community currency designed to help individuals lift themselves out of poverty through skill-building and community service. ?? INNOVATION ?? Jyotika Virmani, PhD, FRMetS — Executive Director, Schmidt Ocean Institute Advancing cutting-edge research in oceanographic research through innovative technologies and open data sharing. ?? Seemantini Godbole | Executive Vice President, Lowe's Companies, Inc. Driving Lowe’s digital transformation, integrating advanced technologies like AI to enhance customer service and product visualization. ?? Reshma Kewalramani, MD FASN | CEO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Driving innovation in healthcare with groundbreaking therapies for sickle cell and Type 1 diabetes ??INVESTMENT ?? Avantika Daing | Founding Partner, Plum Alley Ventures Company On a mission to flip the statistic that less than 1% of IPOs are by female-led tech companies. ?? Gunjan Kedia | President, U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. With a career spanning leadership roles at PwC, McKinsey, and BNY Mellon, she’s redefining the future of institutional banking. ?? Ramola Motwani | Chair, Merrimac Ventures Transformed Merrimac Ventures into a real estate empire with over $3 billion in completed projects. ?? Jalak Jobanputra | Founder and Managing Partner, Future\Perfect Ventures Empowering the next generation of tech innovators by investing in decentralized technologies like crypto and blockchain. ?? Seema Hingorani | Founder, Girls Who Invest and Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Championing diversity in the investment landscape by empowering 2,500+ women through financial education, training, and paid internships. ?? Sonal Desai | Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton With a Ph.D. in economics, she steers the firm’s macroeconomic strategy, building on a career spanning academia, the IMF, and private sector leadership. These remarkable women are rewriting the rules and showing us all that the best is yet to come. ????? #southasiantrailblazers #50Over50 #Forbes50Over50 #southasianwomen

We’re thrilled to introduce our first LinkedIn newsletter, #TheSALUTESuite. Moving beyond email-only updates, this new format leverages LinkedIn’s platform to showcase and celebrate the incredible achievements of SALUTE members with greater visibility. By amplifying the contributions of South Asian women in our community, we’re spotlighting their wins and sharing their accomplishments with a broader audience. Stay tuned for more updates and subscribe!

Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business of 2024 has arrived, and we’re proud to celebrate six exceptional South Asian women leading the way in global industries. ???? ?? Shemara Wikramanayake — As the CEO and managing director of Macquarie Group, she advocates for governments to increase renewable energy production to combat global climate change. ?? Revathi Advaithi — As the CEO of Flex, she’s pioneering advanced manufacturing with a global workforce of 200,000 employees, while also serving on boards like Uber and MIT’s CEO Advisory Board. ?? Bela Bajaria — Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, she’s responsible for bringing global hits like Wednesday and Squid Game to audiences worldwide and is steering Netflix’s expansion into sports and live programming. ?? Leena Nair — Stepped in as CEO of French luxury house CHANEL in 2022, leading the brand to a 16% revenue growth by the end of 2023. She also serves as a steering committee member of the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Education and The Global Future Council on New Social Contract. ?? Reshma Kewalramani, MD FASN — As the CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, she oversaw the company’s $4.9 billion acquisition of Alpine Immune Sciences and is driving groundbreaking therapies and biotech innovation in healthcare. ?? Roshni Nadar Malhotra — From TV news producer to Chairperson of HCLTech, she returned to lead her family’s business — an Indian technology services company with a $48 billion market cap. These inspiring leaders highlight the impact of South Asian women in business worldwide. Join us in celebrating them. ????? #southasianexcellence #southasianwomen #womeninbusiness #fortunempw

Join us for our upcoming?#SALUTETalks?session, “Power Down to Power Up: Prioritizing Sleep with a High-Powered Career,” with Dr. Upneet Chawla, [email protected]_md?on Wednesday, November 13 at 6:30 PM ET. Dr. Chawla is a double board-certified physician in Internal and Sleep Medicine and an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical Center focused on redefining sleep health for the modern world. ?? About Dr. Upneet (Neety) Chawla Dr. Chawla is a double board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine. She serves as an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical Center with roles in both Departments of Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine. Her efforts are dedicated to merging the fields of sleep health with hospital medicine and extending this knowledge to the public. Dr. Chawla completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Ohio and her fellowship in Sleep Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. Beyond her clinical and academic roles, Dr. Chawla aims to simplify the complexities of sleep medicine for the general public. She is an avid advocate for the importance of sleep health, using her expertise to educate and connect with a broader audience. Through her presence on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, she provides valuable insights, tips, and a behind-the-scenes look into the life of a sleep medicine expert. Dr. Chawla is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to sleep health information, advocating for its integration into comprehensive medical care and public health awareness. ?? Follow her on Instagram and [email protected]_md, to gain valuable tips on achieving restful, restorative sleep.

In partnership with Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, we're excited to host our #BehindtheBook event today at 6 PM ET featuring award-winning journalist and author Prachi Gupta. Prachi will be discussing her debut memoir, They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us, recognized as one of the best books of 2023 by Amazon, one of the best memoirs of the year by Audible, and nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award. Join us for an inspiring conversation with one of today’s boldest voices in journalism and literature! *This exclusive event is for SALUTE members only.* Video Source: Crown Publishing Group *About Prachi Gupta* Prachi Gupta is an award-winning journalist and author whose debut memoir, They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us, was named one of the best books of 2023 by Amazon, one of the best memoirs of the year by Audible, nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award, and named a “book of the day” by NPR. Her reporting on data privacy and discrimination for Marie Claire was included in 2021's Best American Magazine Writing, and as a former senior reporter at Jezebel, she won a 2020 Writers Guild Award for her investigative essay, "Stories About My Brother." The essay was also named one of the best essays of 2019 by Longform and Longreads and a finalist for the South Asian Journalists Association Nonfiction Writing Award. In 2016, Prachi covered the presidential election for Cosmopolitan.com, where she "set the standard" for interviews with Ivanka Trump, per Media Matters; interviewed former First Lady Michelle Obama on her first solo trip to the Middle East; and traveled to Jordan to report on the refugee crisis. She has also written for the Atlantic, the Washington Post Magazine, the Guardian, Salon, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and elsewhere. Prachi frequently offers commentary on race, gender, mental health, and politics on outlets MSNBC and NPR, and speaks to students, educators, employees, and mental health professionals at colleges, nonprofits, and private companies across the country. #BehindTheBook #PrachiGupta #StrengthInStories #SurvivorSupport #CommunityHealing #Sakhi #AuthorEvent #SouthAsianVoices

In partnership with Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, please join us on Thursday, September 26 at 6 PM ET for a special, virtual?#BehindtheBook?with award-winning journalist and author Prachi Gupta. Prachi’s debut memoir, They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us, has been named one of the best books of 2023 by Amazon, one of the best memoirs of the year by Audible, and nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award. Her writing has earned acclaim for its depth and insight, with her investigative essay, “Stories About My Brother,” winning a 2020 Writers Guild Award and being named one of the best essays of 2019 by Longform and Longreads. Prachi has covered a wide range of issues, from the presidential election for Cosmopolitan.com to reporting on the refugee crisis in Jordan. Her work has appeared in publications like The Atlantic, The Washington Post Magazine, The Guardian, and Harper's Bazaar. She frequently offers commentary on race, gender, mental health, and politics on MSNBC and NPR. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from a bold voice in journalism and literature! Please note that this event is exclusively for SALUTE members. #SALUTEEvent?#BehindTheBook?#PrachiGupta?#WomenInJournalism?#Memoir?#AuthorEvent?#SouthAsianVoices

Join us for our upcoming event, “Women Who Serve: South Asian Women Leading the Way” on Thursday, June 27 at 7 pm ET, hosted by SALUTE in partnership with Indian American Impact. This empowering virtual event will feature four inspiring South Asian women leaders in public service. ? ????Dimple Ajmera (Charlotte City Council Member) ????Dr. Aditi Srivastav Bussells, PhD, MPH (Columbia City Council Member) ????Dr. Darshana Patel, Ph.D. (Poway Unified School District Board Member, President of San Diego School Boards Association, & Candidate for California State Assembly) ????Nabilah Islam Parkes (Georgia State Senator) This nonpartisan discussion will highlight the journeys of these leaders and explore how South Asian women can get involved in their communities to make a meaningful difference, especially during an election year. ? Discover why local and state government matters and learn practical strategies for civic engagement beyond elected positions. Hear from these leaders as they share their experiences, challenges, and successes, and learn how to become a catalyst for positive change in your community! SALUTE members: Please RSVP using the link sent to you via email for this event. Thank you! #SouthAsianWomen #WomenWhoServe #SouthAsianLeadership #PublicService #CivicEngagement #WomenInPolitics #SouthAsianWomenLeaders #Empowerment #CommunityImpact #SALUTEWomen #InspiringLeaders #SALUTE

Join us on Tuesday, June 4, at 6:30 PM ET for an exclusive Behind the Book session with Neelu Kaur, author of "Be Your Own Cheerleader." This exclusive event for SALUTE members will begin with an introduction to Neelu's background and the inspiration behind her book, followed by an interactive session where attendees will engage in deliberate practices and share reflections. The session will conclude with a live Q&A with Neelu. For those of you who attended the #SALUTESummit last year, Neelu's book was in your attendee gift bag! If you're interested in learning more or purchasing the book ahead of the session, please go to: https://www.neelukaur.com/. *About Neelu Kaur* Neelu Kaur is the author of Be Your Own Cheerleader, which focuses on self-advocacy for Asian & South Asian Women. The practical tips and advice in the book can benefit anyone who struggles with self-advocacy, including underrepresented voices, introverts, and neurodivergent people. Neelu is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and executive coach focusing on leadership development, self-advocacy, and holistic health and burnout management for Fortune 500 Enterprises. She holds a bachelor's from NYU Stern School of Business, a master's degree in social & organizational psychology from Columbia University, and she is a certified NLP Master Practitioner and Coach from the NLP Center of New York. Neelu has been teaching hatha vinyasa yoga for over 15 years and is a lifelong student and practitioner of Ayurveda. #SALUTE #BehindTheBook #NeeluKaur #BeYourOwnCheerleader #SelfAdvocacy #LeadershipDevelopment

The SALUTE Consumer & Retail Collective, in partnership with Coefficient Capital, is excited to host its in-person SALUTE Visionary Series featuring Anish Melwani, Chairman & CEO of LVMH for North America, on Tuesday, June 18 from 6 - 8 PM ET in New York City. Join us for an exclusive, industry-focused fireside chat to hear about Anish's personal journey, uncover market trends, and gain valuable insights from one of the leading voices in the field. note that we have limited capacity for this event. We will first prioritize SALUTE members and South Asian female professionals in the consumer and retail industry for attendance. Please register your interest here: https://lnkd.in/eMGXKSAq *About Anish Melwani* Anish Melwani is the Chairman & CEO, LVMH for North America. In this role, he oversees and coordinates the activities of the LVMH Group across 75+ Maisons as well as 22 Montaigne Entertainment. He sits on the board of directors for Fresh, Marc Jacobs, Colgin Cellars, Starboard Cruise Services, Tiffany & Co, and Lotus Tech. *About the SALUTE Consumer & Retail Collective* The SALUTE Consumer & Retail Collective is a member-led cohort within SALUTE empowering South Asian women in retail, fashion, beauty, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) through industry-specific networking, mentorship, and professional development. *About Coefficient Capital* Coefficient Capital leads investments in high-growth consumer brands that align the physical world with the digital universe. It partners with entrepreneurs to build brands, tell stories, and engage consumers across the digital and physical worlds. It offers capital, expertise, connections, and its brand tool kit to help businesses grow. #southasianinconsumer #southasiansincpg #lvmh #anishmelwani

Save the date on Thursday, October 3 in NYC for the SALUTE Empower Forum, an inspiring gathering of leaders and innovators! This end-of-year event, in lieu of our SALUTE Summit, will be a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow South Asian women professionals, celebrate our members’ successes, and engage in empowering programming designed to inspire and motivate. Stay tuned for more details on the #SALUTEEmpowerForum.