According to data from Primeinfobase, about 830 first-time independent directors were appointed in calendar 2023, up from 776 the previous year and 518 in pre-pandemic 2019. The average age of these first-time independent directors has declined to 53 years in 2023 from 59 years five years earlier.
Prominent leaders such as Naushad Forbes, Saugata Gupta, Bharat Puri, Pankaj Arora, and Shailesh Haribhakti stress the significance of empathy in leadership. Companies recognize the need for employee engagement and value leaders who demonstrate both performance and empathy.