Atalanta Diaries Breakthrough Women in Conversation with Enma Popli

Meenakshi Wadhwa is a planetary scientist and educator who studies the formation and evolution of the Solar System through analysis of planetary materials including Meteorites, Moon rocks and other Extraterrestrial Samples returned by Spacecraft Missions. 

Meenakshi  is currently director and Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University and is additionally appointed as a Distinguished Visiting Scientist and Mars Sample Return Principal Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

She was previously director of the Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University (2006-2019), where she oversaw the curation of one of the largest university-based meteorite collections. She has also searched for meteorites in Antarctica with the Antarctic Search for Meteorites Program.

Among many laurels, Asteroid 8356 has been named 8356 Wadhwa in recognition of Meenakshi's contributions to meteoritics and planetary science and she is a recipient of the J. Lawrence Smith medal of the National Academy of Sciences, the Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Award and  the Guggenheim Fellowship.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli’s website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Born into a third-generation business family in Brunei Darussalam, Hafimi Abdul Haadi is the Executive Director of the LVK Group of Companies. Her upbringing reflects a diverse cultural background since she spent her early years in Brunei, New Zealand, and Australia.

Dedicated to public service, Hafimi has held influential positions as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission of Brunei Darussalam since 2018. She was also a member of the Legislative Council of Brunei Darussalam from 2017 to 2022, where her contributions made a lasting impression. 

Hafimi's commitment to fostering entrepreneurship is evident through her leadership at the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei (YEAB) and as a key contributor to the ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneurs Forum. Internationally, she represents Brunei Darussalam at the APEC Business Advisory Council, chairing the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Working Group. Currently, she also leads the Inclusion Task Force as the Chair for ABAC in 2023.

In addition to her professional commitments, Hafimi holds significant board positions in various organizations, including UBD Corp Sdn Bhd in Brunei, TOQQA Global in Australia, and Jen Energy Africa Ltd in Uganda. She also serves as an International Advisor to Abodoo in Ireland.

Her passion for community development is exemplified by her role as the Chair of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation's Committee on Social Enterprise Strategy, initiating a living incubation project called "Ristaan Abadi di Kg Bolkiah.

Hafimi is an alumna of Deakin University, holding a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Architecture (Honours). In recognition of her contributions, she was honored with the P.S.B. medal (The Most Blessed Order of Setia Negara Brunei-4th Class) by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam in 2019.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Born in the UK, Melanie Jones (Mel) returned to Melbourne with her Australian mother at just 3 months old while her West Indian father remained in the UK. 

Mel is currently a part of Fox Sports' Cricket team, anchoring coverage alongside renowned cricket personalities. She leads commentary for significant events like the World Cups and the 2023 men's and women's Ashes series for Sky Sport.

Her journey into sports commentary began in 2015 when she became one of the first-ever female commentators in the Indian Premier League (IPL). By 2018, Mel had transitioned into full-time sports commentary, notably becoming the first female cricket lead in Australia's men's and women's Big Bash broadcasts.

Before her commentary career, Mel had an illustrious playing career in cricket. She played alongside cricket legends such as Karen Rolton and Belinda Clark and faced formidable opponents like Charlotte Edwards and Jhulan Goswami. Her debut in international cricket came during Australia's dominant era, notably with her pivotal role in the 1997 Women's Cricket World Cup victory against New Zealand at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, witnessed by 70,000 fans. She continued to excel, scoring a notable 131 on her test match debut during Australia's Ashes tour of England, and concluded her playing career with a spectacular win in the 2005 Women's Cricket World Cup final in South Africa, earning a reputation as one of the world's finest fielders.

Beyond cricket, Mel dedicated herself to supporting and expanding opportunities for women in sports, significantly contributing to various women in sports task forces and serving on the board of Bowls Australia.

Her remarkable contributions to cricket and the community led to her receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2019. Later that year, she assumed a position as a Director on the board of Cricket Australia.

An advocate for charitable initiatives promoting equality, Mel is currently an ambassador for Victoria University and Red Dust Role Models."

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Rina Singh's roots are in rural North India, where she was raised within a culture of family and community craftsmanship, which continues to influence her. She has experience researching and developing indigenous Indian textile techniques with NIFT Gandhinagar, where she worked as an assistant professor. She gained international fashion insight through her travels and work with an international design studio based in Prato, Italy, and with Wills Lifestyle, where she headed the women's wear category.

In 2011, Rina Singh launched "ekà," primarily working with textile craftspeople in rural Western and Eastern India to develop natural and sustainable fabrics in modern yet enduring silhouettes.

Eka` means one in Sanskrit and describes a one-of-a-kind product for women who wear their hearts on their sleeves and attitude in their clothes.

Rina Singh made history as the first designer from India to collaborate with the global apparel conglomerate Uniqlo for the launch of its first-ever Kurta collection, available across stores globally, for the AW19 and SS20 seasons.

She received the Chairman's Scholarship from Wigan & Leigh College to study fashion in the UK in 1998. In 2015, she was awarded the Elle India Graduates Award. In 2016, she was a runner-up at the Vogue India Fashion Fund and a regional finalist from India for the prestigious International Woolmark Prize. In 2019, Rina Singh was awarded the Vogue Power List - Minimalist Designer of the Year and featured as Harper Bazaar's Women of the Year.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Rayman Mathoda is a CEO, board director, and social entrepreneur with a compelling track record of transforming companies to deliver exceptional growth and value creation. Rayman successfully transformed 5 companies, executing 4 M&A transactions with Fortune 500 buyers or sellers, including exits to Fidelity National Financial and Goldman Sachs. 

Rayman serves as an independent board member for Mosaic Finance, a market-leading clean energy fintech, and previously served as a board director for Genesis Capital, Sharestates, GPX, the Housing Authority of the City of LA (HACLA), LA LGBT Center, and Planned Parenthood LA.

Rayman started her career at McKinsey, where she co-led the firm's West Coast healthcare practice. Rayman has an A.B. Honors from Princeton University and an M.B.A. with Distinction from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Rayman Mathoda has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Women of Influence award by GlobeSt.com, a testament to Rayman's unwavering commitment to excellence, leadership, and innovation in the commercial real estate industry.

Rayman lives in Los Angeles with her wife and two sets of twins.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Swati Shetty is a producer based in Los Angeles and the Founder & Director of Samosa Stories. She is a Pharmacist and MBA by education.

Swati began her entertainment career at StarTV, followed by Disney. Earlier, as President of Balaji Motion Pictures, Swati put together a successful slate of films, starting with The Dirty Picture, the first-ever female-driven film that had extraordinary success at the box office. She also produced Umrika, a drama that won India's first Sundance award (2015).

Prior to launching her own company, Samosa stories, Swati was Executive Vice President at Imagine Entertainment and moved to the US in 2016 as Netflix's first employee from India. Her most recent success is the release of the much-loved Netflix Original movie, The Wedding Season.

In this episode, Swati shares her courageous leadership journey as a film producer, her experience working and living in the US, and how she creates a brave and beautiful life for herself.

Key Takeaways from the episode:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Asha Kharga is the Chief Customer and brand Officer and a Member of the Group Executive Board of the Mahindra Group. In her role, Asha leads Group Corporate Brand, Group Corporate Communications, and Mahindra Culture Festivals for the Group. She is responsible for building two big capabilities for the Group – one on Customer Experience and the other is the Customer Data Platform – the largest repository of the entire Group's customer data that drives business impact. 

She is the Chairperson of the Mahindra Group's Diversity Council and is a Director on the Board of Mahindra Holdings Pvt. Ltd, as well as the publicly traded Mahindra Lifespaces Developers. She also served as Chairperson for Mahindra Racing UK for 2 years. Asha has 25+ years of rich experience that spans FMCG, financial services, and advertising. She joined the Mahindra Group from Axis Bank, where she was the Executive Vice-President and Group Chief Marketing Officer for the Bank and its subsidiaries. Before Axis Bank, she was with Unilever for almost a decade in a variety of brand and marketing roles in the homecare and refreshments category. 

Asha also led the consumer & customer-centricity agenda at HUL and launched Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan in India. Her last role in Hindustan Unilever Ltd. was as Marketing Director of the tea business for South Asia, which includes brands like Brooke Bond, Taj Mahal, and Lipton. Asha spent the first decade of her career with leading advertising agencies that include Leo Burnett, J Walter Thompson, and TBWA and has worked on a variety of brands from Unilever, P&G, Beiersdorf, and Samsonite, amongst a host of others. Externally, she has been recognized as one of India's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Marketing & Advertising, by Business World. 

She has also been recognized among the top 100 most Influential Marketing Leaders in India in 2023. Asha is a commerce graduate from Narsee Monjee and an MBA in Marketing from Mumbai University.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website

>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Zainab commenced her career with the Brunei Shell Joint Ventures Companies in 1983, accumulating valuable international experience in countries like Oman, Qatar, the UK, Netherlands, Norway, and the ASEAN region. She actively contributed to multicultural teams, enriching her global perspective.

In her role as the HR Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum from September 2017 to July 2023, Zainab played a pivotal role in enhancing the organisation's competitive performance and supporting ambitious growth goals through a strong commitment to people excellence.

Zainab's journey is deeply influenced by her family, drawing inspiration from her mother's values and benefiting from her husband's selfless career sacrifice in support of her success. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in her remarkable story.

With extensive career-spanning roles at BSP, BLNG, Petroleum Development Oman, Qatar Gas, and the Ministry of Energy, Zainab's expertise in performance management, leadership development, competence management, coaching, and mentoring garnered her the prestigious "CEO Award of Excellence" in 2012 during her tenure at Qatar Gas, along with the "Best Coach & Mentor" Award.

Zainab holds professional coaching and mentoring credentials and obtained external certification in Executive Leadership Coaching from the FORTON Group in 2021. Her active involvement in various groups, including the Young Professionals Network (YPN), Global Shapers Brunei Chapter, Brunei Mentoring Entrepreneur Network, ASEAN Mentoring Entrepreneur Network, Brunei Young Leaders Conferences, INITIATE HR Summit, and University Technology Brunei, is a testament to her dedication to guiding and shaping future leaders.

She is also the founder and current President of the Human Resources Society in Brunei, which also provides coaching and mentoring to HR professionals in Brunei in addition to executing workshops and panel discussions for HR upskilling.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Kim Kirkconnell joined Kimberly-Clark in 1990 as a System Analyst. 

Her leadership journey began as an ITS Team Leader for Manufacturing, which led to her taking on the positions of Organization Effectiveness Project Manager, IT Director of Kimberly-Clark Global Professional Division, IT Strategic Planning Director, and Senior Director of ITS KCP Business Partner KCP.

Kim is currently the Vice President and Head of Global Digital Supply Chain and Finance. In this role, she is driving technology enablement for the Kimberly-Clark Global Supply Chain, the Finance organization, and Digital Operations across the globe. Her current focus is ensuring the successful delivery of the Aurora Transformation Program. 

This technology transformation program includes moving to a global SAP S4, a global rollout of Coupa for procurement, and Kinaxis for planning and delivery of foundational finance. Kim also successfully drives the implementation of MES and Quality systems for Manufacturing globally, all as part of strategic global transformation efforts. 

Kim is also a mother of four and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Sciences from the University of South Alabama and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of South Alabama.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/

Vedika Bhandarkar, Chief Operating Officer for Water.org, is responsible for the operating efficiency and effectiveness of Water.org and for the attainment of strategic objectives and annual organizational goals. She works closely with the CEO, the executive team, and the President of WaterEquity to support the mission and vision of Water.org. She previously served as Water.org's Chief Global Impact Officer and the Managing Director of India.

Vedika has more than 25 years of experience building teams and businesses with Indian and international financial institutions. Prior to joining Water.org in January 2016, she served as Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Credit Suisse Securities (India) Private Limited from 2010-2015. Previously, she served as the Managing Director and head of Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan, where she worked for over 10 years. She started her career with ICICI Limited in Mumbai.

Vedika serves as an Independent Director on the boards of several companies. She also serves as a board member of the Jai Vakeel Foundation, an institution focused on children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

Connect with Enma Popli on Linkedin: 

>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/enmapopli/

Visit Enma Popli's website
>> http://www.enmapopli.com/