India Inc's succession plan is seeing a gender shift, albeit slowly

Women leaders, succession planners and lawyers say doors in family businesses are opening but a stronger push is needed

Legacy planning firm Terentia is helping a north India-based mid-sized manufacturing company form a policy to induct women family members — including daughters-in-law — into business. 

India Inc’s succession planning is seeing a gender shift, albeit slowly but with many caveats. 

Chennai-based Murugappa Group, for instance, voted against giving Valli Arunachalam a seat at its holding company’s board. The eldest daughter of former executive chairman M V Murugappan, in an interview with Business Standard, later pointed out there has been no woman from the family on the board for 119 years.

Women leaders, succession planners and lawyers say doors in family businesses are