Bombay Chamber of Commerce launches FEM Power dedicated to women entrepreneurs

On the occasion of its 178th Foundation Day, Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) launched FEM Power, a vertical dedicated to help women entrepreneurs and executives by creating a pool of multi-talented and multi equipped business women to assist Indian women achieve professional enhancement and further economic empowerment.

At an event held last evening in Mumbai, eminent women achievers addressed the gathering about their life’s journey and how they managed to carve a niche for themselves. Neera Saggi, CEO, L&T Seawoods who is also the President of BCCI & Chairperson FEM Power, Veena Mankar, Founder & MD, Swadhaar Financial Services & Swadhaar Finaccess, Usha Uthup, well-known Indian Pop music singer and Mahabanoo Kotwal, theatre personality & producer of Black, Vagina Monologues, Cotton Mary & Barah Anna addressed women gathered at the event.

FEM Power will focus on three key areas for women empowerment — networking, mentorship and advocacy. It will try to address issues related to entrepreneurship development, knowledge sharing, financial & legal independence, growth at workplace and in personal space. It will also address concerns regarding work-life balance, safety and security and overall personal and professional development of women.

BCCI has offered the initial corpus of funding to FemPower to kick start this addition to the various initiatives. The activities of FemPower includes lectures, seminars, workshops, coaching, mentoring, help lines, individual problem solving, networking, knowledge sharing sessions to name a few. The Advisory board consists of Mrs. Indu Sahani, Ms. Zia Mody, Mrs. Chandra Iyengar, Ms. Anjali Bansal, Ms. Devita Saraf and Mrs. Neera Saggi. This board will be further enhanced and strengthened over time to provide guidance and support from the members.

In the words of the BCCI Director General Mr. Vikas Gadre “This initiative which is started by BCCI’s first lady president in 177 years is a path breaking one. For the first time the chamber will work towards empowering women to reach the highest positions in the corporate world. The chamber will be helping the industry by harnessing the great intellectual power of the working women executives from our member community. The chamber is providing an outlet for the inherent intellectual and the emotive power which ladies bring to the table. I am certain that in the coming years the FEM power initiative will enable women to reach greater heights and reach board positions and thereby shape the future of the Indian economy.”

According to Mrs. Neera Saggi, President, Bombay Chamber & Chairperson FEM Power, “We at the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry felt the need to help women entrepreneurs and executives by creating a pool of multi-talented and multi equipped successful business women to assist them in achieving economic empowerment. Women’s economic empowerment drives progress towards poverty elimination as well as India’s health, education and gender equality goals,” she said.