The Most Impactful Business Leaders to Follow in Finance May2025 by Insights Success Media

Ashwani Baweja

Editorial

Redeining Financial Leadership

Theﬁnanceindustrystandsattheforefrontofinnovation,navigatingthecomplexitiesof

globaleconomies,digitaltransformations,andshiftingregulatorylandscapes.Theleaders shapingthisdynamiclandscapearenotonlyadeptatmanagingﬁnancialriskbutare visionarieswhodrivegrowth,fosterinclusivity,andleadbyexample.

Theexclusivefeature"TheMostImpactfulBusinessLeaderstoFollowinFinance"highlights thoseexceptionalindividualswhoseinfluenceextendsbeyondtraditionalfinancialboundaries. Theseleadersarepioneersinsustainablefinance,advocatesforethicalinvestment,andchampions oftechnologicaldisruption,bringingforwardnewapproachesthatwilldefinetheindustry’sfuture.

Whatsetstheseleadersapartistheirabilitytoblendexperiencewithforesight,makingstrategic decisionsthatbalanceprofitabilitywithresponsibility Whetherthroughleadingmajorfinancial institutions,innovatinginfintech,orshapingpolicyatthehighestlevels,theyaretransforming howbusinessesandindividualsapproachfinanceinaglobalized,digitalworld.

Thesefiguresembodytheevolvingspiritofthefinancesector—onethatthrivesonresilience, adaptability,andvision.Asyouexploretheirachievements,takenoteoftheircommitmentto empoweringthenextgenerationoffinancialprofessionalsandinfluencingglobalfinancialsystems forthebetter.Theimpactoftheseleaderswillundoubtedlyresonateforyearstocome,andtheir insightsareonesthatallprofessionalsinthefinancialworldshouldfollowclosely

-Alaya Brown

C OV E R STO RY

Ashwani Baweja Driving Financial Excellence and Strategic Growth

16. 20.

Culture Builders: How Leaders Shape the DNA of Great Companies

Servant Leadership in the Modern Enterprise: Putting People Before Proﬁts

Art

Business

Digital

Co-designer

Marketing

CoverSTORY

Ashwani Baweja Global Head of Corporate Finance ETG

Ashwani Baweja

Driving Financial Excellence and Strategic Growth

Ashwani Baweja articulates a clear and direct vision to establish scalable and sustainable ﬁnance teams.

Understandingthecompany’sheritage,Ashwanigenuinely feellikehehasawhitecanvastodrawuponfreely-butit’s importanttoremember,it'sacanvaswhereeverystroke carriessigniﬁcantrisk.However,theorganizationalculture atETGinspireshimdeeply,fosteringautonomyand innovation.

Heshares,“There's substantial freedom and empowerment. Each functional head is given autonomy to deﬁne their roadmap and vision without daily interference or micromanagement.”Butthisfreedomdoesn’tmeanno one'spayingattention.Toensurealignmentwiththevision andmaintainconsistentprogress,monthlyreviewsand meetingsareheldwithCEOsandkeystakeholders.This allowstheteamtostayontrack,evaluateitsdirection,and makestrategicadjustmentsasneeded.

Thisautonomy,whileexciting,carriesaresponsibility-it canprofoundlyimpactboththebusinessandone'spersonal careertrajectory.Witheverydecisioncarryingweight, Ashwaninavigatescarefully,knowingtheoutcomescan shapebothbusinessandpersonaltrajectories.However,it demandsconstantself-motivation,strategicdecisionmaking,andaneagernesstodrivetransformativechange.

Reflectingonhisdedicatedendeavors,heshares,“I thrive in this dynamic, empowering environment. It keeps my passion alive, and I look forward to every day without the slightest hint of Monday blues My vision is clear, simple, and easily understood - to build a scalable and sustainable finance team. At its core, corporate finance revolves around people. My focus is always on nurturing and developing my team because I firmly believe that everything we achieve depends on our people.”

BridgingStrategyandOperations:Collaborative FinancialLeadership

ETG’svision,purpose,andcorevaluessignificantly influencehowAshwanileadsandimplementshisdecisions. Often,financeprofessionalsaskhowtheydirectly contributetothecompany'svisionsincetheyaren’talways inthefrontlines.

Acknowledging that an organizationʼs true strength is derived from its talent, Ashwani is dedicated to nurturing a culture characterized by growth, collaboration, and empowerment.

Ashwani’sanswerisstraightforward:“We are essential partners to our operational teams - neither can succeed without the other. Operations teams rely on us for strategic financial support, and without them, we would have no purpose. Understanding this interdependence eliminates confusion and clarifies our role as finance leaders.” It curatesacollaborativeapproach,ensuringthatthedecisions alwaysalignwithETG'sbroadergoalsandshareholder expectations.

NavigatingChange:InnovatingforaSustainableFuture

Ashwanistronglybelieves, "ETG is inherently a creative organization and advocates challenging status quo. While traditional and proven solutions have their value but in reality, the world is continuously advancing with a constant shift in regulatory environment, technology, market dynamics, and stakeholder expectations resulting in numerous challenges."

Histeamdoesnotrelysolelyonpastsolutions,theysay “we'll risk becoming redundant,”heexpresses.It’scrucial tocontinuouslyadvance,innovate,andstepoutsidethe comfortzones.Hisleadershipphilosophyisrootedinthe beliefthatoneshouldneverbecomecomplacentorconsider anypositionirreplaceable.Thisproactivemindsetenables himtostayagile,relevant,andconsistentlyalignedwith ETG’sambitiousglobalobjectives.

Hisapproachisgroundedintheunderstandingthatevery actionaﬀectsthewhole;drivingaleadershipstylebuilton clarityandcohesion.Inthebroadercontext,sustainability resonatesdeeplywithAshwani’spersonalandprofessional valuesincludinghis3Dformula.Itcentersaroundthree keypillars:EﬀectiveDelegation,Developingastrong secondlineofleadershipforeverycriticalposition,and continuouslyDevelopingarobusttalentpipelinetosecure thefutureoftheorganization.

Throughthisapproach,heaimstopositivelyimpactonthe livesofitspartners,adaptresponsibly,andcreatea sustainablefutureforallstakeholdersatETG.Ashwani believesthatbuildingstrong,motivatedteamsiscrucial becausetheirgrowthisconnectedwithbothhisandthe organization'ssuccess.Whenpeopleseethemselves developingandsucceedingwithintheorganization,it fostersloyaltyandsustainableperformance.

UnderAshwani’sguidance,ETGhasalreadyembarkedon itsdigitaltransformationjourneywithinﬁnance.However, “While this journey hasn't progressed very rapidly, we are

Instead of constantly chasing new opportunities, I encourage professionals to seek stability and invest in their growth. Avoid walking away from challenges or disagreements prematurely; engage in meaningful conversations to resolve issues. Maintaining focus and clarity on the bigger picture ensures sustained direction and purpose.

moving forward steadily, and I'm conﬁdent we’ll see meaningful and satisfying results over the next year,”he reveals.

ETG’s ﬁnance and IT teams collaborate closely, perpetually workingonsystemupgrades,migrations,andtheintegration of advanced technologies, including AI, to streamline and enhanceitsﬁnancialoperations.

AdviceforAspiringFinanceLeaders

Whileoﬀeringadvicetoyoungﬁnanceprofessionals aspiringtoleadinglobalorganizationslikeETG,Ashwani sharedhisinsightsinastraightforwardandpractical manner.Heemphasizedtheimportanceofinvestingintheir careerandtreatingitastheirmostvaluableasset.Patience andunwaveringcommitment,hestresses,arefundamental, astruesuccessunfoldsgradually

“Instead of constantly chasing new opportunities, I encourage professionals to seek stability and invest in their growth. Avoid walking away from challenges or disagreements prematurely; engage in meaningful conversations to resolve issues. Maintaining focus and clarity on the bigger picture ensures sustained direction and purpose.” hesays.

Deliveringconsistentresults,whilesimultaneouslyworking onpersonalgrowthandteamdevelopment,iskeytolongtermleadership.Aboveall,hebelievesinembracing positivityandspreadingitthroughouttheorganization, steeringclearofnegativitythatcanhinderprogress.

KeyLessonsforFinanceLeadersfromAshwaniBaweja:

Principle

StrategicClarity

EmbraceInnovation

CollaborativeMindset

Empowerment&Accountability

SustainableTeamBuilding

ContinuousLearning

StakeholderCentricity

Key Insight

Precisionandclaritysimplifycomplexity.

Continuouslyinnovatetoavoidredundancy.

Financeteamsandoperationsmustalignclosely.

Autonomyfostersgrowthwhencoupledwithaccountability.

Prioritizedevelopingtalentforlastingsuccess.

Stayagileandinformedamidevolvingmarketdynamics.

Stakeholdersshouldalwaysremaincentraltostrategy.

CorePrinciplesofEﬀectiveFinancialLeadership

Whileit'seasytocraftvisionormissionstatementswith well-chosenwords,Ashwani’sexperiencehastaughthim thatthecorepurposeremainsconstant—deliveringgenuine valuetoshareholdersandstakeholders.Theyarethecentral fulcrumaroundwhicheverystrategy,decision,and initiativemustbeimplemented.Thisholdstrueacrossall organizations,includingnon-proﬁts,wherestakeholders mayrepresentacauseorcommunity

Clearlyidentifyingthestakeholdersandtheirrequirements, understandingtheorganization'sculture,andunderstanding thedigitallandscapearecrucial.Theseelementshelpto createaroadmapthattrulyservestheirinterests.In Ashwani’sperspective,what’sequallyimportantisthe powerofcollaboration—surroundingyourselfwith experiencedprofessionalswhoseinsightscanenrichyour perspectiveandelevatedailydecision-making.

HisjourneyatETGcontinuestobedeeplyrewarding, shapedbycontinuousgrowth,dailylearning,andthe opportunitytoleadwithpurpose.“As I move forward, my focus remains on driving ﬁnancial strategy that fosters innovation, creates a lasting impact, and keeps our stakeholders at the heart of everything we do,”Ashwani concludes.

Culture Builders: How Leaders Shape the DNA of Great Companies

ntoday'shyper-competitive,innovation-driven Ieconomy,strategyisinsuﬃcient.Therearecompanies thatwininthelongrunagainandagain,andtheyall haveoneimportantthingincommon:asolid,authentic,and lastingculture.Cultureisnotcompanyslogansorperks;it istheintangiblehanddrivingdecisions,conduct,and involvement.Atitscoreareleaders—individualswhodo notjustcommanddirectionbutembodyvaluesthat inﬂuencethecompany'sDNA.

Leadersbuildculturebyhappenstanceorintent.Thereal diﬀerentiatorsarethosewhodoitonpurpose,building spacesthatinspire,include,andempower.Thosewhoget thattheirlegacyismorethaninnumbers—it'sintheway peoplethink,feel,andgrowintheorganization—getthis.

TheLeaderasCulturalArchitect

Leadershipandculturegohand-in-hand.Whateverthe leaderdoes,whatevertheleaderdoesandwhattheleader modelsandinstillsinvaluescontributestowardscreating thesocialcodeforanorganization.Whetherintroducinga newproduct,ﬁxingafailure,orbringingaboardanew executive,leaderssendpowerfulmessagesthatcascade throughoutanorganization.

Greatleadersareculturalbuilders.Theydon'tleaveculture tohappenstanceorHRpolicy—instead,theyconstructit. Theyclarifycorevaluesinplainsightandtiethemtodayto-daywork.Theyimpartmeaningtoprocesses,enforce behavioralignedwithcompanyidentity,andrepaircultural driftwhenitrevealsitself.

Putsimply,theydon'tjustleadculture—theybreatheit.

ModelingValuesThroughBehavior

Employeesdonotlistentowords—employeeslistento whatisbeingdone.Ifanorganizationindicates transparencyisvaluedandtheleadershipwon'treveal,that disconnectioneliminatestrust.Integrityleadersbeginwith leadingbyexample,thatis,inalignmentwiththebehavior ofanindividualwiththevaluesoftheorganization.Culture buildersaretruthtellers,takeownershipwhentheymakea mistake,andbehaverespectfullywithotherswherethey are.

Thisbehaviormodelingisn'tsymbolic,though—it's learning.Employeeslearnwhatleadersdointimesof stress,ambiguity,andsuccess.Whattheyseeinﬂuences theirowndecisionsandultimatelytheentireorganization's culturalnorms.

HiringandDevelopingforCulture

Oneofthemostoverlookedleversleadershaveinshaping cultureistalent.Whogetshired,whogetspromoted,and whogetscelebratedallcommunicatewhatacompanytruly values.Leaderswhoareintentionalculturebuildersdon’t justrecruitforskills—theylookforalignmentwith purpose,mindset,andbehavior

Theyalsoinvestincreatingindividualswithcultural leadership,notperformance.Thatis,creatingemotional intelligence,ethicaldecision-making,andinclusive leadershipoverthelongterm.Suchculturechampionsend upbeingmultipliersintheprocess,replicatingand reinforcingthevaluesthatdistinguishthecompany.

Itiseasytotalkaboutcultureingoodtimes.Butintimesof trouble—economicdownturns,publichumiliation,internal conﬂict—thetruecharacterofacompanyisrevealed. Leaderswhohaveestablishedastrongculturalfoundation areabletoweatherstormsbetterbecausetheiremployees trustthem.

Duringcrises,culturalcongruenceisastabilizer.Itguides toughdecisionsandmobilizespeople'scommitmentbased onvalues.Leaderswhohaveculturalintegrityamidst challenges—transparency,accountability,andpeoplefriendliness—havebetter-performingcompanies.

CultureIsEveryone'sJob—ButLeadershipSetsthe Tone

Culturebelongstoall,butit'sdeﬁnedatthetop.Ifthe leadershipisconﬂicted,inconsistent,orremovedfrom culturalconversation,theresultisdisintegrationandchaos. Butwhenleadersgetonboardwithasharedvisionof culture,theyestablishalignmentandclarityatalllevels.

Culturecreatorsdonotwritemissionstatements—they buildmeaning.Theycraftritualssupportingvalues,listen deeplytotheemployeevoice,andreimagineculture constantlyasneedsandaspirationsshift.Theydon'ttryto managecultureasaproject,butasalivingsystem.

BuildingaLegacyThroughCulture

Ultimately,culturebeatsstrategy.Leaderscomeandgo, marketsshift,productsevolve—butastrongculturestays andwillinformeverythingthathappensthereafter.That's whythegreatestlegacyaleaderleavesbehindisn'ta balancesheet—it'sasystemofvaluesthatsubsequent generationscanevolve,modify,andthrivefrom.

Culturecreatorshavethislong-termvision.Theydon'tjust seeleadershipasacareer,butasaresponsibilitytobuilda betterfuture—fortheirpeople,theircustomers,andtheir community.

Servant Leadership in the Modern Enterprise: Putting People Before Profits

Duringaperiodofincessantcompetition,techdisruption, andshareholderpressure,CEOsarereachingbackforan old-fashionedmethodologythat'sindiametriccontrastto passétop-downadministration:servantleadership.Simply put,servantleadershipmeansputtingtheneedsofworkers abovetheurgeforquickproﬁts.Andthepunchlinehereis, oddly,morestableandbiggerproﬁtstendtoensue.

TheTransitionfromControltoCare

Theoriesofagingleadershiphaveadesireforcontrol, authority,andcontrols.Successisindicatedbyproductivity, performance,andmeasuresofendresult.Servant leadership,incontrast,believesinpower—notpowerto wield,butpowertoshare.Theservantleaderisnotatthe pinnacleofsomehierarchybutsweatedonthebottom, liftingotherstorise.

Inmodernbusinesses,thistransformationisnotonly envisionedasamatterofmoralitybutalsoofstrategy As employees'aspirationsshift—courtesyofGenZculture, hybridworkarrangements,andimperativesof inclusiveness—servantleadersaremorelikelytocultivate loyalty,commitment,andinnovation.

WhyPeople-FirstLeadershipWorks

Thereisadditionalresearchthatiscurrentlyavailable whichreportsthatwhenemployeesarevalued,listenedto, andempowered,theirperformancewillimprove.Servant leaderscreatetrust,psychologicalsafety,and purpose—markersofahealthyculture.Whenindividuals aretreatedasendsinthemselvesandnotasameansto someotherend,theywillworkharder