The DDB Mudra Group, has launched The Phyllis India Project, to encourage women in the company to thrive in leadership roles and drive professional growth.

The project involves a year-long mentorship program, which will include a customised career plan for each participant based on their goals and development areas. It will also help them navigate mental and societal challenges around themes such as experiencing motherhood guilt-free, overcoming the imposter syndrome, to name a few.

This is the group’s effort towards creating a more gender-balanced company. The program also includes one-on-one and group mentoring sessions conducted by several women industry leaders including Suparna Mitra, CEO – Titan Watches; Gayatri Yadav, CMO – India and SEA, Sequoia Capital and Virginia Sharma, VP – brand solutions, Jio Saavn, among others.

The project’s pilot kicked off in 2020 and has been training its pilot batch of women leaders since.

Aditya Kanthy, CEO and MD, DDB Mudra Group, said, “Gender gaps influence the society, culture, economy and the way in which we shape our world for the next generation. Supporting the advancement of women and non-binary individuals by addressing the challenges they face is a global priority for the Group, and we in India have taken it very seriously. It’s inspiring to watch the participants of the Phyllis program grow personally and professionally, take on new roles, and steer the company towards a future with unbound potential. Leaders like Mehak Jaini who now heads strategy at 22feet Tribal WW, and Sharon Misra who is now leading Exxon Mobil’s business, are great examples of how the program enables and empowers women to lead the biggest businesses in the market. Our notable alumni from this global programme include Shagun Seda, marketing director at Netflix, and Sonal Jhuj who leads global brand strategy at Lego Global.”

Rita Verma, executive vice president and head-HR, DDB Mudra Group, added, “At DDB, we know that better product and cultures emerge from diverse and inclusive teams. That’s why initiatives like The Phyllis Project are at the heart of our people strategy. We hope to learn and strengthen our current efforts from the UNWEP network, which is yet another step in making a deeper, meaningful impact. This impact drives culture, company policies, business, and gender parity at work and at home.”

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