What makes an influential leader?
Kabelo Mathipa, South Africa, Pre-MBA: Reinsurance Business Actuary, Sanlam
In relation to International Women’s Day, an influential leader not only advocates for women and underrepresented individuals in general, but actively removes barriers through challenging biases, stereotypes, and inconsistencies in policies. As a leader, I strive to inspire people to be empowered to go beyond what is expected of them in following their purpose.
Ameny Chaabani, Tunisia, Pre-MBA: R&D Signal Integrity Engineer, Fischer Connectors
An influential leader embodies purpose and empathy, inspiring others through a clear vision while valuing their perspectives. By fostering trust and collaboration, they drive meaningful impact, individual growth, and collective success. I’m honored to co-lead the Women in Business Club at IMD with my amazing classmates Agustina and Ashton. We’re committed to fostering a strong community and excited about upcoming events and initiatives that will inspire, connect, and empower women in business.
What or who inspired you to pursue your MBA or career path?
Jean Christy Robles, Philippines, Pre-MBA: Senior Finance Manager, ACEN
My decision to pursue an MBA is driven by purpose. Beyond achieving personal goals, I want my journey to empower underprivileged women, showing them that breaking barriers and achieving their dreams is possible. I also believe that success means little if not shared, so I want to pay it forward by helping women access quality education and opportunities to build thriving careers in finance.
Santa Lidwina, Indonesia, Pre-MBA: Assistant Vice President, PT Bank Mandiri
My mother inspired me to pursue an MBA, teaching me that an educated woman shapes a smarter generation. She emphasized knowledge, independence, and lifelong learning. Her support motivated me to excel, embrace leadership, and contribute to society, fueling my ambition to grow and make a meaningful impact.
How is the IMD MBA helping you to achieve your goals?
Marcella Severini, Brazil/Italy, Pre-MBA: Sr. Trade Marketing Coordinator, Unilever
One of my goals is to create a meaningful impact by promoting an environment where others can grow. IMD is equipping me with the skills to achieve this, strengthening both my inner and outer management capabilities while sharpening my strategic perspective to drive positive change effectively.
Lauren Samuelson, UK/Germany, Pre-MBA: Business Architecture Specialist, Accenture
The IMD MBA was the right choice for me because of the focus on developing leadership skills and personal development – both things which will help me grow in my career, and which I think are particularly important for women in business.
What role have you taken this year to support/promote women in leadership?
Ashton Songer Ferguson, USA, Pre-MBA: Senior Strategist, No Single Individual
I was recently selected to co-lead the Women in Business Club. My vision is a more equitable world built for everyone. This year, we’re working to equip our female classmates (and allies!) to be changemakers in their professions.
Yenju Lu, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Pre-MBA: Account Representative, Ansys
As a co-lead of the Tech Club, I am proud to support women in leadership. This year, Twinkle, Zareen, and I – three women – are leading the tech club together. To ensure gender balance, the CDC also invited Lohit to join us. It’s inspiring to see more women stepping up and making an impact in the tech industry.
Janine Pereyra, Philippines, Pre-MBA: Global IT Operations Consultant, Perfetti Van Melle
As the lead of the IMD MBA 2025 Sustainability Committee, I aim to encourage women to lead high-impact initiatives, building confidence and strategic skills for aspiring female leaders. Through IMD’s real learning approach, my goal is to develop the skills to lead in a way that aligns with who I am and what I care about, enabling me to drive solutions that create a meaningful impact in the world.
Can you share a key concrete moment when your actions made a difference?
Yao Mei Lin, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Pre-MBA: Sales Manager at Kyndryl
I made a difference by proactively initiating a conversation with my general manager to pursue a more challenging role. In my new position, I led a business model transformation, effectively resolving stakeholder conflicts and exceeding targets, driving successful organizational change. In the tech industry, where men are the majority, a common misconception is that women in sales win deals due to their gender or youth rather than their expertise. To challenge this stereotype, I actively build industry knowledge and provide valuable insights to clients, demonstrating my competence and impact.
Name a woman who has inspired you through her actions rather than words.
Aundria Mirabrishami, USA/Iran, Pre-MBA: Senior Tax Consultant, Deloitte & Non-Profit Co-Founder
One woman who has inspired me through her actions is the Brazilian footballer Marta. She didn’t just dominate on the field – she used her platform to fight for equality in women’s sports. Instead of just asking for better treatment, she demanded it through her career choices, her symbolic gestures, and her refusal to settle for anything less than respect. She showed young girls, especially in Latin America, that their dreams in football are valid and worth fighting for.
Andrea Herrera Honderman, Peru, Pre-MBA: Senior Investment Analyst, Beyond Consulting
For me, my sister has always been a role model. Through her actions, she’s shown me the importance of integrity and hard work in achieving any goal. I’m proud of her academic and professional achievements, and her example continues to inspire me to become better every day. This year, I took on the role of co-leader of the Finance Club. Coming from a finance background, I saw an opportunity to make a real impact by getting more women involved in our industry.
What is one action you take regularly to empower yourself or other women?
Agustina Bigatti, Italy/Uruguay, Pre-MBA: Partnerships & Business Development, Light-it
Small, consistent actions create lasting impact. I make a point to uplift women through encouragement, constructive feedback, and advocacy, whether by recognizing their achievements, pushing them toward their goals, or fostering confidence in their abilities.
My mother showed me the power of initiative, resilience, and awareness. She taught me to read the room, adapt to challenges, and take decisive action, lessons that have shaped my ability to navigate complex environments with confidence.
What’s a stereotype or misconception about women in your field that you actively work to break?
Kabelo Themane, South Africa, Pre-MBA: Associate Principal, Edge Growth & Board Member, CareWorks South Africa
Women are chronically underrepresented as decision-makers in venture capital. I have tried my best to make an impact, often as the only woman and person of color in the room trying to drive a focus on funding women who are often over-mentored yet underfunded in venture capital despite great business plans.
How do you think we can accelerate progress toward gender equality in your field?
Somerset Jarvis, Canada, Pre-MBA: Intermediate Structural Designer, Entuitive
Accelerating gender equality in engineering and sustainability requires leveraging global networks to share best practices, promoting women in leadership through mentorship and sponsorship, and embedding sustainability principles in business decisions. Industry-wide collaboration and strong leadership commitment will drive systemic change and create more inclusive opportunities.
Surabhi Verma, India, Pre-MBA: Growth Specialist, Consulting Startup
We need strong mentorship pipelines to ensure equitable access to career growth opportunities. Companies must foster inclusive cultures where diverse leadership is the norm, not the exception.
If you had unlimited resources, what action would you take to create a positive change for women?
Vin Ne Foo, Malaysia, Pre-MBA: Business Insights Lead, Incitec Pivot Fertilisers
With unlimited resources, I would focus on creating equitable access to education and opportunities for women globally. This means funding education initiatives, mentoring programs, healthcare access, and policies ensuring equality in workplaces. Empowering women at every level builds stronger societies, drives innovation, and creates lasting change for future generations.
What’s one action the world needs to take right now to support women?
Pallavi Jayanty, India, Pre-MBA: Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young
Encourage every woman around you to dream big and empower them to pursue what’s meaningful to them by actively challenging limiting stereotypes, connecting them with resources, and championing their ambitions.
We are looking forward to watching the growth and actions of our 2025 class and the impact they make as inspiring, diverse leaders.
