We’re thrilled to share that Simran Grewal from SC Ventures UK has been appointed as Global Co-Lead for Standard Chartered’s Gender Colleague Community, driving continued support and meaningful progress towards gender equality across the bank and our community! In celebration of International Women’s Day this year, we sat down with Simran to find out what fuels her passion for gender equality, her views on how inclusion strengthens business outcomes, and why diversity in innovation and venture building is critical to creating successful, high-impact ventures.
- Congratulations on your appointment as Co-Lead for our Gender Colleague Community! Can you share what this role means to you and what excites you the most about it?
Simran: Thank you! I feel very honoured to have been selected together with my Co-Lead, Catherine Tinavapi, Executive Principal, Regional Head, Market Insights, FSS, AME to represent the interests of our Global Gender Colleague Community across this important space. Gender, together with five other pillars under Colleague Communities, plays an important role in providing a sense of belonging for the workforce, and accelerating our culture of inclusion for all. Inclusion is at the heart of how we execute our business strategy, and we aim to have a dynamic workforce that is representative of our client base. By fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can excel, we not only retain and attract top talent but also enhance the way we serve our clients – our colleagues are the driving force behind our inclusive culture! I’m really excited to focus on our continued support and progress towards gender equality and raising awareness on gender-related issues across the Bank and our community!
- What inspired you to advocate for gender equality in the workplace? Was there a defining moment in your career that shaped this passion?
Simran: My advocacy for gender equality in the workplace is deeply rooted in both personal experience and a desire to build on existing progress. Throughout my career at SC Ventures, I have been fortunate to be mentored and sponsored by inspiring leaders across the team and the Bank, who have helped me navigate challenges and unlock opportunities. These relationships have reinforced the importance of supporting emerging female talent, and I have seen firsthand the positive impact of creating spaces for women to thrive. I’m passionate about this topic because I believe in the value of diverse perspectives, the right for all to have equal opportunities regardless of gender, and the transformative potential of gender equality in driving organisational success.
Standard Chartered Global Townhall
SC Ventures Design Thinking Team
- Can you share an example of a time when gender inclusion led to better business outcomes?
Simran: I think a great example is SME Banking’s support of women-led businesses through the Women’s International Network (SC WIN) initiative. Only 1 per cent of all global procurement spend goes to women-run companies, although women-owned small medium enterprises (WSMEs) make up more than 40 per cent of all SMEs in the world! This figure hasn’t shifted for decades, despite the strong desire from many of our large corporate clients who have set large targets for spending with women and diverse suppliers. Ever since we launched SC WIN in 2022, we doubled down on our position as a leading bank with a strong SME proposition to help more WSMEs scale their businesses. As of December last year, the programme is live in seven markets and we’ve extended more than USD300 million of financing to women-led businesses, representing year-on-year growth of 175 per cent – an amazing achievement and win for our business!
Standard Chartered and LIFTWOMEN jointly launch SC WIN Now & Next Challenge
- In your experience, what unique challenges do women entrepreneurs face, and how can institutions like ours support them?
Simran: Women founders continue to face systemic challenges when seeking capital and, in some instances, have limited access to mentors and networks. One of the ways that the Bank supports increased diversity in gender representation across entrepreneurship is with our Futuremakers Women in Tech (WiT) accelerator programme. We recently announced a partnership with Village Capital to continue and expand this initiative across Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. Through this initiative, we provide specialised training, catalytic funding, and access to a global network of peers, finance providers, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners. We have to date committed USD600,000 to support eight high potential tech-enable businesses run by our WiT alumni, and this kind of sponsorship is key to supporting women in growing their microbusinesses, in turn driving positive societal change across their communities.
At SC Ventures, we are focused on supporting women entrepreneurs to drive a more inclusive entrepreneurship culture for all. Through initiatives such as the Women in Entrepreneurship Incubator programme held in partnership with SMU’s Lien Centre for Social Innovation, the Standard Chartered Korea Women in Entrepreneurship programme, and our Entrepreneurship bootcamps, we are providing tailored support and resources for female-led startups. In 2024, we helped more than 35 female founders build, validate and scale their businesses.
SC Korea Women in Entrepreneurship Programme
SMU x SC Women in Entrepreneurship Incubator
- How do you think gender diversity within innovation and venture building contributes to more successful and impactful ventures?
Simran: I think that creating an environment with diverse representation encourages different viewpoints, experiences and problem-solving approaches across a venture. The diversity of thought allows for a holistic understanding of customer needs, leading to the development of products or services that deliver value to a broader customer demographic and address a wider range of challenges. Diverse teams can also be more creative and innovative, stimulating new ideas and unique solutions which can enhance a new business’ ability to stand out in the market – something we’ve seen with our own ventures.
SC Ventures Creation Circle Kenya
- Who is a woman—past or present—who inspires you, and why?
Simran: Ada Lovelace. Her pioneering work in computing continues to inspire both myself and other women in the innovation space today. Her ability to see beyond the limitations of technology in her time and envision a future shaped by software encourages modern women to push boundaries in entrepreneurship and technology. As the first woman to recognise the transformative power of programming, she serves as a role model for women in startup ecosystems, motivating them to take bold risks, challenge conventions and innovate beyond the traditional boundaries. Ada’s legacy reinforces the importance of the diversity of thought, women’s contributions to technology and innovation, and proves that early visionaries can shape entire industries!
Explore our resources and stay connected:
- Standard Chartered Women’s International Network:
- Accelerate your business with tailored financing, insights, networking opportunities, and resources.
- Join the SC WIN Now & Next Challenge for female-led businesses in Hong Kong – offering successful applicants up to HKD 500K in funding and scholarships to the LiftWomen Global Accelerator programme.
- Join the SC WIN Community Platform, a place where businesses can interact and connect with suppliers, customers, partners and allies.
- SC Ventures Global Community Platform, FinTech Bridge
- Join our community platform to connect with startups, investors and corporates, and explore opportunities for business collaboration.
