Women at the Helm: Monica Chawla on Ambition and Women-Led Businesses

As the Creative Head and co-founder of Essentia Environments, a design and build firm, Monica Chawla leads the brand alongside director and husband, Hardesh Chawla. She has spent over two decades designing some of the most refined homes and commercial spaces in India.  

For her, planning a space sits at the core of good design and is the foundation on which everything is built. “I feel that institutions are built through systems, discipline, and consistency,” says Chawla during an exclusive conversation with Robb Report India.

Chawla sits at the epicentre, representing a generation of entrepreneurs who have redefined the country’s luxury interiors landscape. For our Women’s Day campaign, Women at the Helm, we speak to her about women shaping the future of the design industry, building one of India’s leading luxury design studios, and navigating leadership in a traditionally patriarchal industry.

Robb Report India: What conviction did you have about the Indian consumer that gave you the confidence to build in this category? 

Monica Chawla (MC): I have always believed that the Indian consumer is evolving towards a deeper appreciation of design that is thoughtful and conscious. Over the years, there has been a growing awareness that the spaces we inhabit influence how we think, sleep, and live. My conviction was that if we approached design with honesty and a strong foundation in wellness science, there would be a consumer who values that depth. Essentia was built on the belief that people increasingly seek environments that are calm, minimal, and enduring while also being trend-driven.  

RR: How do you approach ambition in a culture where women are often encouraged to balance their lives? 

MC: Ambition, for me, has always been about building something meaningful and not just for the sake of growing quickly. I feel balance is not about limiting ambition but understanding what truly matters at different stages of life and work. Women are infamous for carrying multiple roles. But that perspective can also bring depth to leadership. For me, ambition has always been about creating environments and ideas that endure. 

RR: Do you believe women-led businesses bring a different lens to longevity, trust, and community building? How has that shaped Essentia’s evolution? 

MC: I believe many women-led businesses tend to focus on relationships and long-term trust. Longevity in design requires patience, the willingness to create things that remain relevant for years rather than seasons. At Essentia, this perspective has shaped our emphasis on minimalism, quality, and timelessness. It’s about creating spaces where people can live comfortably over time, rather than spaces that simply make an immediate statement. 

RR: What does empowerment look like to you today? 

MC: Empowerment today is about creating real opportunities with access to leadership, resources, and platforms where women can contribute meaningfully. Tangible changes happen when they can build institutions, influence industries, and shape decision-making spaces.  Empowerment is ultimately about creating environments where the next generation of women can lead with confidence and clarity.