Himangini Kumar, 2025 Recipient of the EDHEC Global MBA’s Swati Kansal Memorial Scholarship for Women of Impact
Awarded the 2025 Swati Kansal Memorial Scholarship for Women of Impact, Himangini Kumar joins the EDHEC Global MBA with a clear ambition: to redefine leadership through empathy, authenticity and sustainable action.
For Himangini Kumar, a member of the latest GMBA cohort, leadership begins with awareness.
After seven years in marketing and communications at leading start-ups and agencies in India, she arrived at EDHEC with both experience and conviction. Her career taught her how deeply storytelling shapes perceptions and how women’s representation in media reflects broader social realities.
Her selection as the 2025 recipient of the Swati Kansal Memorial Scholarship recognises that commitment to inclusion and social impact. Created in memory of Swati Kansal (Global MBA 2019), the scholarship honours women from lower-middle income economies who show exceptional leadership potential and a desire to contribute to business and society.
Leadership Rooted in Purpose
“I’ve always believed leadership is about empowerment,” Himangini explains. “It’s about creating equal opportunities, mentoring others and giving space for underrepresented voices to grow.”
In the advertising industry, she often saw the absence of women in senior roles reflected in creative decisions. “Women were typically assigned to beauty or fashion clients, while men handled technology or automotive accounts. It wasn’t intentional bias, but it limited the kind of stories women could tell.”
This awareness pushed her to advocate for more authentic portrayals of women in the campaigns she managed. Her professional mission became one of balance: ensuring creativity did not reinforce stereotypes but reflected the diversity of real experience.
That commitment also shaped her view of leadership. “True leadership isn’t just about visibility or authority,” she says. “It’s about using your influence to open doors for others.”
Beyond her daily work, Himangini volunteered for sustainability-focused initiatives, supporting organisations that helped people find green jobs and promoting eco-conscious marketing practices. Her approach to professional growth is both ethical and strategic, grounded in the idea that commercial impact should align with social change."
Sustainability, Storytelling and the MBA Journey
Himangini’s belief in purposeful communication took tangible form in a campaign she led for a leading sanitary napkin brand in India. Women were invited to share a “baseless rule” they had once been told to follow. For every post shared, the company donated sanitary napkins to girls in rural India.
“The campaign received over 1,500 entries, resulting in 150,000 sanitary napkin packs distributed,” she recalls. “It was a reminder that storytelling can create measurable social change.”
Her experience designing such campaigns made her realise the power of strategic marketing. “I’ve worked as a digital creative strategist and writer for years. Now I want to evolve into a broader, more strategic role,” she explains. “The Global MBA gives me the tools to move from creativity to leadership.”
The ten-month format suited her professional rhythm. “After years in the workforce, I wanted a compact programme that allows me to return to my career quickly. The ROI is strong, and EDHEC’s focus on responsible leadership made it the right fit.”
Diversity was another key factor. “The community here is truly international. Every conversation broadens your thinking,” she says. “And before joining, I spoke to two previous recipients of the scholarship, Shreeja and Disha. Their kindness and guidance confirmed what I already felt about EDHEC’s culture.”
Empathy, Impact and the Next Generation of Women Leaders
For Himangini, receiving the Swati Kansal Memorial Scholarship is both a recognition and a reminder. “It reinforces my belief that women can drive meaningful change when they are given the right opportunities and the confidence to lead with empathy,” she says.
Personally, the award strengthens her commitment to mentorship. “I want to help ensure the next generation of female professionals do not face the same barriers that I did,” she explains. “Empowerment is not just about progress for oneself; it’s about pulling others forward too.”
Professionally, it inspires her to continue creating campaigns and initiatives that reach beyond profit and contribute to society. “I want my work to make a genuine difference in people’s lives,” she adds.
Her message to other women is clear and deliberate: “Your story and your voice matter. Be proactive about your growth and make yourself visible, because visibility helps create change. Even small actions, whether challenging a stereotype at work or mentoring someone, can create ripples of impact. Believe that your influence doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful.”
Her reflections mirror the spirit of Swati Kansal, whose legacy continues to inspire women at EDHEC to lead with empathy, courage and conviction. In Himangini’s words and outlook, that legacy lives on, refined, reimagined and ready to inspire others.
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