Brands
65 per cent women start credit early, 76 per cent show confidence: mPokket survey
mPokket survey highlights rising financial independence and purposeful borrowing
NEW DELHI: A quiet financial shift is underway across India, and women are at the centre of it. A new survey by mPokket suggests that young Indian women are entering the credit system earlier, with greater confidence and a sharper sense of purpose than ever before.
Based on responses from 10,000 women across the country, the study finds that more than 65 per cent took their first loan before turning 30. Far from hesitation, confidence appears to be the norm, with nearly 76 per cent saying they felt assured when taking that first step into formal borrowing.
The findings point to more than just access. They reflect a broader shift in financial independence. Nearly 79 per cent of respondents believe women today are more financially empowered than the previous generation, a view supported by rising workforce participation and easier access to digital finance tools.
What stands out is the diversity of borrowers. While 48.6 per cent of respondents are salaried, close to 40 per cent are self-employed, running small businesses or working independently. This signals that credit is no longer limited to traditional employment structures but is reaching India’s expanding micro-economy, including gig workers and entrepreneurs.
The intent behind borrowing also tells a story. For 41.6 per cent, loans are a safety net for emergencies. Another 20.8 per cent use credit to support their families, while 15.7 per cent borrow for education or skill development. In short, borrowing is less about impulse and more about planning.
Financial discipline is keeping pace. Around 40 per cent of respondents report saving monthly, 28.4 per cent use autopay to manage EMIs, and over a quarter maintain a monthly budget. For many, financial health is defined not by wealth, but by reliability, with 45.7 per cent ranking timely EMI payments as their top priority.
The survey largely captures women under the age of 29, a group entering formal credit systems for the first time. Their habits, the report suggests, could shape how India approaches borrowing in the years ahead.
Commenting on the findings, mPokket CEO and founder Gaurav Jalan said the shift is structural rather than temporary. “It is not just about borrowing, it is about agency. Women are confident, they borrow with clear purpose, and they follow through. The responsibility for platforms like ours is to build products that are accessible, transparent, and designed for such a cohort.”
As India’s credit culture evolves, this new generation of women borrowers appears to be rewriting the rules, proving that financial confidence and responsibility can go hand in hand.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
