As the Senior Director of Talent and Learning Solutions at LinkedIn India, Ruchee Anand embodies the essence of a visionary leader in the talent and learning landscape. At LinkedIn, her transformative journey has been marked by scaling the Talent Solutions business into a vital consultancy for India's top enterprises. Her mission is clear: To revolutionize how companies hire, develop, and engage talent, fueling their growth in innovative ways.

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Ruchee's impact extends beyond business growth; she's a fervent advocate for diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Her dedication to women's advancement in their careers shines through her initiatives and leadership roles, particularly in the "Women at LinkedIn" group and the "Women in Sales" community, which she co-founded with People Connect. As a certified coach, she's committed to empowering individuals to reach their full potential, creating a workplace environment where talent and skill bridge the gap to opportunities.

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With a career spanning over two decades, Ruchee's expertise in the talent economy is backed by diverse leadership roles at organisations like Info Edge-Naukri.com, AuthBridge, and GTL Limited. Her approach is unique – a blend of strategic business acumen and a people-first philosophy, driving growth while nurturing diverse and dynamic teams. 

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Ruchee's influence also radiates beyond the corporate world. She's passionately involved in social causes, notably in educating and empowering young girls, ensuring they possess the skills needed for a successful future. She also serves as a regional council member (Mumbai) at Nasscom, contributing to the development of the IT industry in Western India.

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Ruchee is a strategic thinker, a compassionate leader, and an inspiring change-maker – making her a true role model for aspiring professionals.

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Rukmini Banerji is Chief Executive Officer of Pratham Education Foundation. She has extensive field experience working directly with rural and urban communities as well as in designing and implementing large scale partnerships with governments for improving learning of elementary school age children. From 2005 to 2014, she led Pratham’s research and assessment efforts including the well-known ASER initiative (Annual Status of Education Report). Rukmini is the 2021 recipient of the Yidan Prize for education development.

Sabina Dewan is the Founder and Executive Director of the JustJobs Network, a global institution that produces cutting-edge, actionable research on good job creation and workforce development. Under her leadership, the organization has become a key voice shaping global discourse on employment and labour market governance.

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Ms. Dewan has served as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in India and as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire. Previously, she was Senior Fellow and Director for International Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C.

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Her research explores how forces such as technology and climate change are transforming employment, emphasizing the need for dynamic education and skills policies. She works closely with governments, businesses, multilaterals, and grassroots organizations to advance inclusive and sustainable economic growth through better employment and employability outcomes.

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Ms. Dewan’s experience spans institutions including the World Bank, International Labour Organization, and European Commission, as well as grassroots organizations in Sierra Leone, India, and Western Samoa. She serves as an advisor to the Swedish Prime Minister’s Global Deal initiative, a member of the Global Challenges Foundation’s Climate Governance Commission, CII’s National Committee on Skills and Livelihoods, NITI Aayog’s Vision 2035 advisory committee, and the Work Fair and Free Foundation advisory group. She also contributed to integrating vocational education into India’s National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2023.

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Her commentary appears regularly in leading international media such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Mint, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, and NDTV.

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Safiya Husain is the Co‑Founder of Karya, where she leads the organization’s research and impact agenda through the Karya Institute and oversees the Operations Team. Safiya was selected as one of Forbes India's “30 Indian Minds Leading the AI Revolution” and is a 2024 Mulago Rainer Arnhold Fellow. Safiya brings a multidisciplinary background spanning research, anthropology, impact evaluation and entrepreneurship. She is dedicated to shaping inclusive and ethical models for the future of digital work, with a focus on expanding opportunity and dignity for communities.

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Samar leads the foundation’s education work in India, partnering with organizations to improve schools, expand career opportunities for young people, and enhance learning with technology.

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Before joining the foundation, she spent more than a decade as a consultant with Boston Consulting Group and Ernst & Young, advising companies in media, consumer internet, and retail. With a background in understanding consumer behavior, she now applies those insights to strengthen education.

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Samar studied economics at Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, and earned a dual master’s degree in public administration from the London School of Economics and Sciences Po Paris.

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Das is the senior rural development specialist at the World Bank. He is an experienced professional who has worked for around two decades with government line ministries, civil society organizations and private foundations in the areas of community-driven development, human resource development, community-based skilling and micro-business promotion. He has contributed extensively towards the preparation and implementation of largescale rural development programs.

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Sandhya is an experienced leader with a 22-year career spanning banking, payments, and technology. She joined Meta in 2016, leveraging her expertise to drive growth in Singapore and Vietnam, and played a key role in promoting online shopping across Southeast Asia. In 2020, she took charge of the Gaming division for APAC.

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She holds an MBA from FMS, Delhi. Sandhya is passionate about empowering women in business and serves as an executive sponsor for Women@APAC at Meta. She also founded Play Forward, a program focused on supporting women in leadership.

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Sandhya serves on the global board of Pepper Financial Services, the National Library Board – Singapore, and is a board observer for Jio Platforms. She co-chairs the FICCI Committee on Media & Entertainment and the CII National Committee on IT & ITeS.