SUTRA 2025 : The Sustainable Trade Summit

Speakers and Panelists

"Agenda and speakers are subject to change and any change will be notified on this page closer to the event"

Co-Founder and Partner
Sattva Consulting

Aarti Mohan is a Co-founder and Partner at Sattva, where she leads the organisation’s Gender and Responsible Supply Chains practice. Aarti brings over 15 years of experience in building inclusive systems that centre women and marginalised communities across geographies in India, Africa, and Asia. Her work bridges the worlds of business, philanthropy, and government to design impactful solutions that are deeply grounded in equity.

Aarti has played a pivotal role in advancing women’s economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, skilling, agriculture, and health. She has worked closely with stakeholders such as USAID, UN Women, the World Bank, JP Morgan Philanthropy, Mastercard Foundation, SEWA, and Frontier Markets to bring their mission to life. She has advised global and domestic philanthropies on gender strategy, helped shape gender-responsive portfolios, and led large-scale initiatives for women in agriculture and rural enterprise.

Her belief that markets must work for everyone drives her commitment to embedding inclusion into core business and supply chain models. She has worked with organisations to mainstream gender within private sector practices, while also contributing to policy engagement in areas like gender & work, and gender & health.

Aarti is also known for curating action-oriented platforms that foster collaboration between business, civil society, and government. She has led flagship research and ecosystem engagements that bring evidence to decision-making and amplify the voices of women and underserved communities.

A graduate in Computer Engineering from BITS Pilani, Aarti is also an alumna of the Management Programme for Women Entrepreneurs (IIM Bangalore) and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women programme.

Partner| Business Consulting
Ernst & Young LLP

Founder & CEO
Samunnati

Professor
ICRIER

Deputy CEO, N K Proteins Pvt. Ltd.
Vice President, IVPA

Leader of Bibi Fathima Women’s Self-Help Group
Equator Prize 2025 Laureate

Bibi Jan is a distinguished grassroots leader and the founder of the Bibi Fathima Women’s Self-Help Group (SHG) in Teertha village, Dharwad district, Karnataka. Over the past two decades, she has played a pivotal role in mobilizing rural women to achieve economic independence, ecological resilience, and social empowerment.

Under her leadership, the SHG has grown from a small collective into a federation of more than 5,000 farmers across 30 villages. The group has successfully implemented community seed banks that conserve over 250 indigenous crop varieties, promoted millet-based multi-cropping systems, and pioneered natural farming practices that enhance biodiversity and climate resilience. Through its solar-powered millet processing unit and value-addition enterprises, the SHG has strengthened local food systems while generating sustainable livelihoods for women and youth. In recognition of these transformative contributions, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) awarded the Bibi Fathima SHG the prestigious Equator Prize 2025. Selected from over 700 nominations across more than 100 countries, the award acknowledges their innovative, nature-based solutions and inclusive, women-led approach to biodiversity conservation, food sovereignty, and climate action.

Bibi Jan has also emerged as a strong advocate for rural women farmers at state and national forums, effectively bridging grassroots realities with policy dialogue. Her leadership demonstrates how collective action can create enduring impact—reducing poverty, improving nutrition, and fostering ecological sustainability. Through vision, resilience, and deep commitment, Bibi Jan has shown that empowering women is not only a pathway to social justice but also a cornerstone for sustainable development. Her work continues to inspire communities and policy makers alike, positioning her as a leading voice in the global movement for climate-resilient, equitable food systems.

Business Development Advisor
Shell Foundation

Devi Murthy joined Shell Foundation in December 2023 as Business Development Advisor. She is based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Devi brings over 12 years of experience in agriculture, social technology, and engineering, with a focus on product innovation and leadership. Her work at Shell Foundation centres on building ecosystem-level interventions to help small farmers in India increase their livelihoods through a reduction in post-harvest losses.

Professional Background
Before joining Shell Foundation, Devi was the CEO and founder of Kamal Kisan, a for-profit social enterprise she founded that worked on improving farmer livelihoods through smart mechanization. At Kamal Kisan, she commercially launched over 10 products for horticulture cultivation and won international awards for innovation and impact from organizations such as Bayer Foundation, DBS Foundation, and GIZ. Prior to that, she held various roles in the commercial automotive space, building design, quality assurance and business development capabilities.

Sector Expertise
Devi has extensive experience in the clean energy, agriculture, and social technology sectors. She has led initiatives in product development, including the conceptualization and implementation of a new agribusiness models.

Leadership & Impact
As a social technology entrepreneur, Devi is committed to working on problem statements that have the potential to eliminate poverty and increase sustainability at scale. She is known for leading innovation, impact, and collaboration in the agricultural sector. She has a track record of impactful achievements, including winning international awards and heading the development of over 10 different products.

Education & Certifications
Devi holds a Masters in Entrepreneurship from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University.