MAM
JWT to host Portfolio Night 11 in Mumbai
MUMBAI: JWT India will be hosting Portfolio Night 11, a platform to nurture young talent in the industry in Mumbai. The event gives them an opportunity to showcase their ideas to the most creative minds of the country.
Portfolio Night is an annual property of ‘IHAVEANIDEA’, the creative founders and the world’s first and largest community of the international advertising industry.
This year the event is scheduled to take place simultaneously in over 20 cities on the same date across the world, including Athens, Austin, Beijing, Boston, Costa Rica, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Paris, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Tokyo and Toronto. It will be held on 22 May. This is the fourth year that the event is taking place in India.
JWT South Asia CEO Colvyn Harris said, “We are delighted to host Portfolio Night 11 and would like it to be an entry point for unleashing creativity in the new world order. Portfolio Night is an ideal platform that identifies and recognizes fresh creative talent and offers them a unique opportunity of getting mentored and nurtured by the best in the advertising fraternity. This is also the perfect opportunity for industry experts to give back to the industry, by guiding aspiring young creatives and helping them carve a niche for themselves.”
JWT India chief creative officer and managing partner Bobby Pawar said, “JWT India has always encouraged budding talent and Portfolio Night 11 is a platform that celebrates creativity. It is a brilliant opportunity for us to unite the advertising and design communities as the next generation of creative talent makes an exciting foray into the industry.”
Portfolio Night director of content and communications Brianna Graves said, “Portfolio Night is thrilled to have JWT representing Mumbai on the global stage that will be highlighted in May during #PN11. We expect JWT to execute an amazing event that supports the young creative community in Mumbai and allows its best creative leadership to give back to the industry and nurture the advertising leaders of tomorrow.”
Portfolio Night 11 is open to young creative professionals from advertising, digital and design agencies and also senior students of art colleges. JWT India will viral the promotional campaign through broadcast and digital medium. Participants will need to register on their respective city’s page on the Portfolio Night website.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
