New Delhi: Women representation on the board level of companies is about 11% in Asian firms, much lower in Indian context. In India maximum women leadership is seen in the financial and technological sector. Various studies mention that at the global front there is around 34% participation by women at the entry level, however this percentage reduces drastically to merely 13% at the board level.

With a view to accelerate efforts to empower women in the oil & gas sector, a pre-conference to PETROTECH-2016 was organised (04 December 2016) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The theme of the conference was ‘Women in Oil & Gas Sector: Emerging Trends’ (empowerment beyond biases and barriers).

Though much is being talked about gender disparity not only in the oil & gas sector but across sectors, the need of the hour is to recognise competence and potential of women workforce, skill development, political, economic, social transformation, access to and control over capital, credit and other resources, technology and training which would enable women to contribute more towards the growth and development of the industry as well as to the nation at large.

The conference organised, witnessed participation from women professionals, senior HR functionaries working in energy-based organisations and allied manufacturing sectors partnering the Indian Oil & Gas sector, representation from academia and women leaders across the globe.

Addressed by eminent speakers like Ms. Rebecca Liebert, President & CEO, Honeywell UOP, Dr. Reena Ramchandran, Former CMD, Hindustan Organic Chemicals and the first women CMD in Public Sector Enterprise , Ms. Kathleen Dorey, Managing Partner, Petrel Robertson Consulting Ltd., Canada, Dr. Asha Bhandarkar, Professor International Management Institute, New Delhi and Ms. Mekala Krishnan, Partner Mckinsey Global Institute; the conference addressed critical issues pertaining to the potential of emerging leadership of women in leadership roles in professional realm. The session was moderated by Dr. Debashis Chatterjee, Dean of International Relations and distinguished professor at Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow.

The discussions in the forum were appreciated by the packed house comprising of women leaders and executives from a diverse diaspora of industry, academia, policy makers, board members from oil & gas PSUs and knowledge think tanks.