The conversation around women in sales is no longer confined to diversity dashboards. At the latest edition of the WinS Conclave in Mumbai, business and HR leaders made the case that women are not only underrepresented in frontline and leadership sales roles but remain one of the most untapped talent levers for growth.
LinkedIn data shows women account for just 19 per cent of sales teams globally and only 13 per cent of sales leadership roles. In India, job market data from Foundit suggests participation is improving but from a low base. For CHROs, this uneven representation is less a compliance issue and more a strategic opportunity.
“Women in sales bring more than just diversity—they bring empathy, resilience, and the kind of innovation that today’s dynamic selling environment demands,” said Ruchee Anand, Senior Director, Talent Solutions, LinkedIn India. “For CHROs, this isn’t just about inclusion—it’s a smart growth strategy.”
From pipeline to leadership
The conclave put the spotlight on structural interventions designed to build women’s careers across different stages. The Sell-A-Thon case contest drew participation from campuses across the country, exposing young women to sales careers early. For mid-level professionals, the FastLane programme is equipping women with three to seven years of experience with leadership skills and peer support.
Mentorship was another recurring theme. Senior women leaders shared candid stories of their own sales journeys, emphasising the need for visible role models and networks that support both capability-building and confidence.
Poonam Yadav, Group Head Talent Staffing at Aditya Birla Group, told the audience: “Building inclusive, future-ready sales teams begins with intentional action and platforms that inspire change. Our commitment is to amplify the voices of women in sales, nurture talent, and create pathways for growth.”
Challenging the middle
A panel discussion on “Fix the Middle” tackled the stubborn drop-off point where women stall between mid-level and senior sales positions. Speakers pointed to structural barriers, cultural biases and the absence of sponsorship as factors that often prevent capable women from progressing.
The CHRO Relay brought human resource leaders together to trade ideas on fuelling the leadership pipeline, with rapid-fire exchanges that underscored how inclusion in sales requires more than isolated initiatives—it must be hardwired into organisational strategy.
Recognition and visibility
The conclave also featured mentoring sessions, practical workshops on professional branding, and the WinS Prix Awards, which recognised women delivering impact in sales roles. Recognition, leaders argued, is not tokenistic but essential to normalising women’s visibility in revenue-generating functions.
“Diverse sales teams are 35 per cent more likely to outperform their peers—and it’s no coincidence,” said Anjali Joneja Amar, VP & Country Head – India & SAARC at Cloudflare. “Platforms like WinS are not just shaping careers—they’re reshaping the future of sales.”
A business lever, not a side noteThroughout the day, the underlying message was consistent: inclusion in sales must be treated as a core growth lever, not a peripheral diversity initiative. With sales teams under pressure to adapt to digital-first buyers, shifting customer expectations and complex revenue cycles, companies can ill afford to sideline half the talent pool.
Latika Bolar, Chief Business Officer at EbixCash, captured the sentiment: “Building inclusive sales teams isn’t just about representation—it’s about unlocking diverse perspectives that drive innovation, empathy and stronger client connections.”
What set the conversations apart this year was their framing. Women in sales are not being positioned as beneficiaries of inclusion but as drivers of competitive advantage. For CHROs and talent leaders, the challenge is now execution: closing the leadership gap, designing systemic interventions and embedding inclusion into the DNA of sales functions.
The WinS Conclave has emerged as a platform where these issues are debated openly and solutions are exchanged. The direction of travel is clear: women in sales are not a token presence—they are a strategic imperative for organisations serious about growth.