Insights from the Women Leaders & Entrepreneurs at the 6th BioAgTech World Congress
During the 6th BioAgTech World Congress in Delhi, the Women Leaders & Entrepreneurs Roundtable brought together influential voices from biologicals, biostimulants, biocontrol, and agri-innovation sectors. This whitepaper showcases their experiences, insights, and forward-looking recommendations. Women are not just participating in BioAg, they are redefining its leadership, innovation pathways, and sustainability agenda.
Panelists shared how their entry into agriculture was often unplanned, but their decision to stay and lead was deeply intentional.
Dr Usha Zehr reflected on growing up in an agricultural household and initially wanting to move away from the sector altogether. It was only through her training in microbiology and agricultural biotechnology that she rediscovered agriculture as a space for scientific innovation and impact. This experience resonated across the panel: agriculture may not always be the first choice, but it becomes a purpose-driven one.
For many women leaders, resilience and adaptability were not learned traits. Rather, they were survival tools in environments historically designed without women in mind. From industrial plants to field operations, leadership meant continuously carving space where none existed.
Women leaders highlighted that one of the biggest challenges in biologicals is not competition, but credibility.
Dr Zehr emphasized that inconsistent product performance has been a major reason farmers hesitate to adopt biological solutions repeatedly. Her response as a leader was to prioritize technical excellence, differentiated products, and uncompromising quality standards, even in a crowded marketplace.
This focus on building trust was echoed by other panelists, who noted that innovation in BioAg is not just about new molecules or microbes, but about consistent performance, transparency, and long-term farmer relationships. Women leaders are playing a critical role in strengthening the scientific and ethical backbone of the biologicals sector.
The discussion made clear that gender bias is often subtle, situational, and deeply ingrained. Roberta Vinciguerra shared an experience where a client initially addressed her male colleague during a meeting, assuming she was an assistant. Rather than reacting defensively, she chose to assert leadership through expertise and results—later raising the issue internally to ensure such behavior was not normalized.
Panelists agreed that women frequently navigate a double bind: assertiveness is perceived as aggression, while restraint is mistaken for lack of leadership. Limited access to capital, male-dominated investor networks, and the absence of sponsors further compound these challenges. The overall consensus was soundly that bias cannot be solved by women alone, it requires institutional accountability and cultural change.
Concrete examples from UPL Brazil and OCP Group demonstrated that inclusion is achievable when it is intentional.
Liria Sayuri Hosoe described how UPL Brazil’s diversity and inclusion programs focus not just on hiring women, but on creating environments where they can succeed, especially in field roles. Starting from internships, women are introduced to agronomy and sales functions early, supported by leadership training and post-maternity reintegration frameworks. As a result, women’s representation in sales roles has steadily increased.
Narjisse Mahmoudi shared how a century-old, mining-rooted organization evolved into a role model for gender inclusion, not by chasing KPIs alone, but by shifting mindsets, redesigning systems, and extending support beyond the workplace.
All panelists identified the post-maternity phase as the most vulnerable point in a woman’s career. Fear, self-doubt, and systemic inflexibility often push women out of leadership pipelines at this stage.
Roberta powerfully called maternity “a master’s degree”—one that builds agility, crisis management skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. Narjisse reinforced that real inclusion means enabling women to return without having to “prove themselves again,” through flexible work models, remote options, and shared parental responsibilities.
The message was clear: retaining women leaders requires empathy, preparation, and structural support, not goodwill alone.
The roundtable made it clear that the future of BioAg will not be shaped by inclusion alone, but by women’s growing influence across strategy, innovation, and execution. Closing the gender gap could increase global GDP by 1 percent and reduce food insecurity by 2 percent. Beyond the economic argument, panelists emphasized that women are naturally aligned with sustainability-driven innovation, making their leadership critical to the BioAg revolution.
Several speakers highlighted that women leaders are naturally positioned to drive sustainability-led innovation because their leadership journeys have required long-term thinking, adaptability, and systems-level problem solving. Whether it was Dr Usha Zehr’s focus on quality and consistency in biological products or Narjisse Mahmoudi’s emphasis on moving beyond KPIs toward inclusive mindsets, women leaders consistently linked business success with resilience and responsibility.
Importantly, the discussion emphasized that influence emerges when organizations enable women to remain in leadership pipelines through critical life stages. The post-maternity phase, often described as a breaking point, was reframed by panelists as a moment of transformation. When supported by flexible policies and empathetic leadership, women return with sharper decision-making skills, higher adaptability, and stronger people management capabilities, qualities that are increasingly vital in the fast-evolving BioAg ecosystem.
Examples from UPL Brazil illustrated how influence grows when inclusion is intentional. By introducing women early to field roles through internships, building leadership programs tailored to women, and supporting reintegration after maternity, the company has steadily increased women’s presence in sales and agronomy; areas traditionally considered the hardest to penetrate. These shifts demonstrate how influence is built not at the top alone, but across the operational backbone of BioAg businesses.
As Sandeepa Kanitkar reflected during the closing moments of the roundtable, the aspiration is not permanent separation but parity. The ultimate measure of success will be a future where women leaders are no longer seen as exceptions but as an integral and visible part of BioAg leadership.
Action Framework for the BioAg Industry
The panel discussion translated lived experience into a practical roadmap for the industry:
Panelists consistently emphasized leadership styles rooted in trust, listening, and long-term vision. From managing diverse teams to supporting employees through life transitions, empathetic leadership emerged as a business enabler, not a soft skill.
Women leaders highlighted the need for ecosystems that support innovation beyond R&D labs through access to decision-making, visibility in go-to-market roles, and opportunities to lead differentiated product strategies rather than “me too” offerings.
While mentorship provides guidance, sponsorship opens doors. Roberta Vinciguerra’s experience underscored how visionary leaders who judged performance over gender played a decisive role in accelerating her leadership journey.
Flexible work models, remote work options, post-maternity reintegration programs, and shared parental responsibilities were repeatedly cited as essential, not optional, for retaining women leaders.
The field remains one of the most gender-imbalanced areas in BioAg. UPL Brazil’s deliberate efforts show that change is possible when companies prepare the environment and support women beyond recruitment.
Panelists cautioned against relying solely on headcount metrics. True progress lies in tracking retention, promotion velocity, post-maternity return rates, and leadership pipeline strength, and acting decisively on those insights.
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