This year the BRICS is chaired by the Brazilian government, and business forums are secretariated by Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI). The inaugural meeting of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) took place in Brasilia.
Created to promote sustainable growth, reduce inequalities, and expand the influence of emerging economies on the international stage, the BRICS is led by the Brazilian government in 2025. The Women’s Business Alliance (WBA), secretariated this year by the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI), is one of the discussion groups of the mechanism and had its first meeting this Thursday (January 23). The Brazilian presidency of the WBA presented their work plan for this year to the foreign and Brazilian members.
Similar to BRICS, WBA’s discussion groups have a rotating presidency, led by the government of the respective country for a period of one year. In 2025, while the Brazilian government presides over the group, CNI holds the executive secretariat of both the BRICS Business Council (BBC) and the Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) — with the coordination of the agenda, actions, and support to the Brazilian presidency.
The purpose of the Alliance is to promote women’s economic participation and foster cooperation among women-led businesses. Composed of nine member countries — Brazil, South Africa, Russia, India, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates, and Iran — the group now aligns the entry of the newest member, Indonesia. In addition, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan this year became now partners, participating in BRICS, but without voting rights.
WBA bets on female leadership to strengthen BRICS
The Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) is chaired in 2025 by the executive consultant of Times Brasil – exclusive CNBC licensee, Mônica Monteiro. The Alliance is composed of six working groups, which are attached to the following themes: Health, Innovative Development, Inclusive Economy, Creative Industries, Tourism, and Environmental and Food Security. According to Monteiro, the group has a strategic role in the development of the member countries. “BRICS is the balance the world needs today. Women represent conciliation and unity in times of extremism. We are the opportunity to change the world and make a difference, and we will enter people’s hearts through business,” stated the president of WBA. Mrs. Monteiro also highlighted that today only 14% of Brazilian companies involved in trade globally have female CEO’s.
The meeting is part of the agenda of the National Forum of Business Women
The inaugural meeting of WBA is part of the agendas of the National Forum of Business Women, also coordinated by the Brazilian Confederation of Industry (CNI). The Brazilian group represents companies, industry federations, sectoral associations, and networks, councils, and business chambers of women. The professionals work to propose strategies, actions, and recommendations to accelerate the movement for gender parity in the country and within industries.
The coordinator of the group, Danusa Lima, emphasized the role of the female inclusion in business: “We will have many relevant agendas, and at each of these events, we will need the strength of female representatives”, she said.
In addition to the president and the sherpa of WBA, the hybrid meeting on Thursday (23) was attended by the executive secretary of the group, Ludmila Carvalho, Brazilian female leaders and the Chairpersons of the National Chapters, which are: Anna Nesterova, Founder of Watchmaking Manufactury Palekh Watch, Chairperson of BRICS WBA Russia Chapter; Zhao Haiying, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of China Investment Corporation, Chairperson of BRICS WBA China Chapter; Marianne Ghali, Managing Director of Qalaa Holdings, Managing Director of Grandview Investment Holdings, Chairperson of BRICS WBA Egypt Chapter; Sara Hassen Adem, CEO of Saos Group PLC, and Co-Owner and Deputy Manager of Sebata Agro-Industry, Chairperson of BRICS WBA Ethiopia Chapter; Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, Chairperson of BRICS WBA India Chapter; Lebogang Zulu, Chairperson of International Relations Portfolio Committee of the Black Business Council, Board Chairperson of Africa Women’s Bank, Executive Director of Kampara Group Holdings, Chief Executive of Kokozu International, Chairperson of BRICS WBA South Africa Chapter.
The BRICS Business
The sherpa of the BRICS Business Council (BBC) and the Women’s Business Alliance (WBA), Constanza Negri, reinforced the commitment of the Brazilian presidency to implement tangible and short-term initiatives, such as promoting business and socioeconomic development projects, as well as long-term goals, with the advancement of political recommendations and the promotion of international cooperation. “The BBC and the WBA agenda are strongly aligned with CNI’s objectives and its efforts to economically empower women and promote their participation in business,” Negri said. The slogan under the Brazilian leadership is “Building Global Bridges: Women Strengthening BRICS Economic Boundaries”, and the work will be carried out on four fronts:
• To promote businesses (meetings to promote business among women-led companies; a new edition of the BRICS Women’s Startups Contest — competition to identify and promote these companies in the member countries)
• Policy recommendation development (online meetings of the BRICS working groups; handover of public policy recommendations to the heads of state)
• Cooperation projects (Focus on creative economy projects)
• Integration of new members (assurance of engagement of the teams from the new member countries of BRICS)
BRICS Women’s Startups Contest
Brazil is taking center stage as the host of the BRICS Women’s Startups Contest for the year 2025, aiming to forge stronger economic ties and enhance trade boundaries among the BRICS nations.
This prestigious contest, which has garnered a staggering 2,000 applications, showcases women-led startups across several critical categories. These categories include Healthcare and Wellbeing, Agriculture and Food Security, Education and Skills Development, Energy, Infrastructure, and Mobility, Commerce, Service, and Digital Transformation, as well as Sustainable Development and Climate Solutions.
The criteria for evaluation remain rigorous and multifaceted, focusing on Innovation and Positive Impact, each with a weight of 20%. Furthermore, the contest emphasizes the importance of Scalability in BRICS Markets and Commercial Viability, assigning them 15% each. Additional factors such as Partnerships & Networks, Technical Capability, and more nuanced elements like Processes, IP & Operations, and Presentation Quality, carry a 10% and 5% weight respectively.
The competition has been structured into various stages to accommodate startups at different points in their journey. It caters to new proposals, guiding early-stage startups focused on concept validation, to traction-establishing startups that have already seen market acceptance, and finally, scale-ups which have experienced significant growth and are looking to expand internationally.
Key milestones of the contest include an illustrious Launch Event in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, submissions deadline, and progressive stages such as technical analysis and final review, leading up to the grand Awards Ceremony which will be held in conjunction with the BRICS Summit in July.
As the contest participants advance, startups will be rigorously assessed with a comprehensive Technical Analysis at each qualification stage. The events are lined up sequentially, beginning with the Contest Launch Event at the WeForum in March, followed by the submission deadline in April, advancing to the event in Brasilia.
The contest not only seeks to highlight the innovative prowess of women entrepreneurs but also aims to establish lasting networks and partnerships that will transcend beyond the contest, thereby reinforcing the BRICS entities as a formidable economic bloc on the global stage.
Women Orchestra: A Harmonious Blend of Culture and Feminine Talent
In an unprecedented cultural initiative, the BRICS nations, under the leadership of Brazil, are orchestrating a historic event — the BRICS Symphony Women Orchestra. The project, led by Chairperson Mônica Monteiro, will culminate in a series of symphonic concerts scheduled for 2025, across major Brazilian cities including Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.
This grand venture, BRICS Symphony WBA 2025, seeks not only to celebrate symphonic music but also to strengthen cultural relations between the member countries. One of the most impactful objectives is to encourage and facilitate cultural exchange. By bringing female musicians together to share their knowledge and engage in joint responsibilities, this initiative strives to promote the values of unity, diversity, and camaraderie among the BRICS countries.
The orchestra will be composed of an extraordinary ensemble of 75 musicians, with a representation of ten Brazilians, including a female conductor. The remaining 65 musicians are to be divided among the remaining BRICS nations. A particularly poignant goal of the project is the democratization of classical music—challenging the conventional ideas of musical leadership roles by showcasing female conductors. An essential aspect of the project is promoting concert music to broader audiences and enhancing cultural diversity through a thoughtfully selected symphonic repertoire.
Each participating nation will contribute works that hold significant cultural value in terms of rhythm, harmony, or orchestration. This endeavor is backed by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture. The project will unfold through a series of meticulously planned phases, including auditions by the Institute of the Brasilia Symphonic Band (IBSB), with continuous engagement scheduled for the year leading to the main event in July 2025. This initiative is set to culminate in a multicultural symphony, symbolizing the harmony that can be achieved through collaborative artistic expression.
Women’s Leadership from Cotton Field to Industry
Brazil is stepping into the limelight with the “Cotton Project: Women’s Leadership from Field to Industry,” slated for 2025 as part of Brazil’s proactive role in the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance. Through this ambitious project, Brazil aims to promote its cotton globally, elevating the commodity’s place in international markets while highlighting the pivotal role of women in the cotton value chain, from cultivation to fashion runways.
This project echoes Brazil’s commitment to innovation, sustainable growth, and female entrepreneurship in the cotton industry. With the creation of an exclusive and original collection by designers from each of the BRICS countries, Brazil showcases the superior quality of its cotton, serving as the raw material for an eclectic fashion series.
Furthermore, the initiative extends into an expansive cultural exchange, as selected stylists unite to weave their diverse cultural heritages into a single fabric, all the while championing Brazilian cotton. Acknowledging the complexities involved, a multitude of activities has been arranged, including debate forums, master classes, and technical cooperation agreements involving prestigious institutions like SENAI and SENAI CETIQT.
Brazil’s responsibilities encompass the entire logistical framework, ensuring sustainability and tracing principles guide the selection of cotton, which will be processed into garments by the adept hands of local community seamstresses, particularly within Rio’s renowned Samba Schools.
The project’s culmination will be a grand fashion show at Brazil’s National Museum, followed by a month-long exhibition in Rio de Janeiro that beautifully narrates the journey of Brazilian cotton from field to fabric. Additionally, this storyline will be chronicled in a bilingual catalog and further immortalized in a documentary, highlighting the creative process and crafting a narrative that will be broadcasted on prominent channels like Agromais and Arte1.
The “Cotton Project” is a testament to Brazil’s forward-thinking vision for economic integration through sustainable practices and empowering women’s leadership, setting an example of creative and entrepreneurial synergy within the BRICS countries.
Photos by: Gilberto Sousa