Who We Are
The Women’s Collective Forum (WCF) is a platform dedicated to advancing gender equality and equity through women-centred initiatives in gender equality, health, education, and entrepreneurship. At WCF, we focus on empowering women to transcend social and economic barriers through Women-Led Development, which drives sustainable change and fosters self-reliance.
Our Advisory Board
Ms. Smriti Zubin Irani
Smriti Zubin Irani is a distinguished politician, social innovator, and founder of The Alliance for Global Good: Gender Equity and Equality, passionate about advancing gender rights and empowering women and youth. Elected to key roles at the 126th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, she is recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and served as USAID Goodwill Ambassador to India. As an esteemed former Union Minister of India, she has held portfolios in Women and Child Development, Minority Affairs, Textiles, Education, and Information and Broadcasting. She played a key role in developing India’s New Education Policy and launched transformative initiatives like SWAYAM and the National Digital Library to enhance education access and quality.She championed permanent commissions for women in the Indian Army and introduced Saksham, a groundbreaking vision document to empower differently-abled individuals in India.
Ms. Anita Bhatia
Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director at UN Women. A seasoned senior executive and leader, she has over three decades of experience in gender equality, international development, sustainable finance, and organisational transformation. Anita has been instrumental in strengthening strategic partnerships with Heads of State, Ministers, CEOs, policymakers, civil society, women's rights organisations, refugees, entrepreneurs, as well as corporates, banks, asset managers, and institutional investors. Her work has focused on advancing gender equality, financial inclusion, support for women-owned businesses, and other priorities critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mr. Yaniv Konchitchki
Yaniv Konchitchki is a Tenured Associate Professor and Distinguished Teaching Fellow at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Renowned for his expertise, he is also a Professional Macro Forecaster for the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Founder and Faculty Director of the Berkeley Fintech Program. As a founding father of Macro-Accounting, Professor Konchitchki conducts pioneering research on financial-based solutions to real-world problems, benefiting macroeconomics, finance, accounting, and related disciplines. He advises global executives on strategy, innovation, corporate financial and risk matters, and the impact of macroeconomic changes on their firms, such as inflation, interest rate risks, and cash flow sensitivities.
Mr. Vikram Sood
Formerly heading the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency, Vikram Sood is a distinguished expert in security, foreign relations, and strategic issues. He currently serves as an adviser at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). He is a prolific writer, regularly contributing to prominent journals and newspapers such as Hindustan Times, The Asian Age, and Midday (Mumbai). His insights are also featured in several books on security, China, intelligence, and India's neighbourhood. He is the author of two acclaimed books, "The Unending Game: A Former R&AW Chief's Insights into Espionage" (2018) and "The Ultimate Goal" (2020), providing in-depth perspectives on strategic affairs.