Naina Lal Kidwai
Naina Lal Kidwai | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 14, 1957 India |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, Chartered Accountant, Corporate Leader |
| Known for | First female President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) |
| Notable work | Group General Manager and Country Head at HSBC India; Chairperson of Max Financial Services; Non-executive director at Nestle SA and Altico Capital Partners |
Naina Lal Kidwai (born 14 April 1957) is a distinguished Indian banker, chartered accountant, and corporate leader. She held the roles of Group General Manager and Country Head at HSBC India. Kidwai made history as the first female President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
In recognition of her achievements, she was bestowed with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2015.
Early life and background
Born on 14 April 1957 into a Punjabi family, Naina Lall Kidwai is the daughter of Surinder Lall, who served as CEO of an insurance firm. Her maternal grandfather was Karamchand Thapar, the founder of the Thapar Group. She has one sister, Nonita Lall Qureshi, an Arjuna Award-winning golfer who is married to Faisal Qureshi, a prominent Pakistani golf player.
Education
Kidwai completed her undergraduate studies in economics at Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, graduating in 1977. Benefiting from the support of her mother's influential Thapar family, she pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School, graduating in 1982 as the first Indian woman to do so. Additionally, she is a certified chartered accountant.
Career
Her professional journey began at Price Waterhouse, now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). She transitioned into banking with ANZ Grindlays from 1982 to 1994 and subsequently joined Morgan Stanley India between 1994 and 2002, where she was appointed head of investment banking in 1997.
In 2002, Kidwai became part of HSBC Securities and Capital Markets. She advanced to vice-chairman and managing director while leading investment banking operations in India until her retirement in 2015. Her responsibilities also encompassed overseeing HSBC India’s insurance, asset management, securities, capital markets divisions, software development units, and global service centers.
She has chaired Max Financial Services and serves as a non-executive director on the boards of Nestle SA and Altico Capital Partners. Kidwai leads the City of London's Advisory Council for India and acts as a Global Advisor to Harvard Business School. Her governance roles include membership on the Governing Board of NCAER, Audit Advisory Board of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and National Executive Committees for both CII and FICCI. Furthermore, she holds independent directorships at Nayara Energy (formerly Essar Oil Limited) and Biocon.
In 2012, Kidwai broke new ground as the inaugural female President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). She has also been a Senior Adviser to Rothschild & Co in India and contributes to advisory boards for AIESEC India as well as India's International Movement to Unite Nations (I.I.M.U.N.). In 2025, she took on an advisory role at Lightspeed Venture Partners, a venture capital firm.
Recognition
For her significant impact on trade and industry, Kidwai was honored with the Padma Shri award in 2015. She earned the All Ladies League's Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award in 2013 for Excellence in Banking. Her consistent presence on Fortune magazine’s global list of Top Women in Business includes ranking 12th on the Wall Street Journal’s 2006 Global Listing of Women to Watch. In 2002, Time Magazine recognized her among their 15 Global Influentials.
Personal life
Kidwai was married to Rashid Kidwai, who served as the head of the NGO Grassroot Trading Network for Women. Together, they have a daughter named Kemaya Kidwai. Additionally, Rashid Kidwai had a son from an earlier marriage. Kidwai has expressed her passion for music, with the exception of heavy metal genres, and is an enthusiastic admirer of nature, often undertaking trekking expeditions in the Himalayan region.
External links
- Businesspeople from Delhi
- Living people
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Lady Shri Ram College alumni
- Indian accountants
- Indian women accountants
- 1957 births
- Recipients of the Padma Shri in trade and industry
- Indian women bankers
- Indian bankers
- Businesswomen from Delhi
- 20th-century Indian businesswomen
- 20th-century Indian businesspeople
- 21st-century Indian businesswomen
- 21st-century Indian businesspeople