Women Of Influence 2025: Policybazaar.ae's Toshita Chauhan

With over a decade of experience in business development, customer relations, marketing, and strategic growth, Toshita Chauhan is the Chief Business Officer – General Insurance at one of the UAE’s leading insurance aggregators, policybazaar.ae.

Chauhan, who has played a key role in driving the exponential growth of the platform over almost five years, leads the retail insurance verticals across motor, health, and travel, contributing significantly to the 75 percent year-on-year demand growth for health insurance and more than 100 percent for motor insurance; additionally, her leadership has led policybazaar.ae’s general insurance to be developed into a thriving business segment.

“The most pivotal decision in my career was choosing to shift from a traditionally structured corporate role into a high-growth, digital-first environment. It was a leap of faith—one that required unlearning and relearning almost everything I knew about the industry. That moment redefined my perspective on leadership: it’s not about following a playbook, but about having the courage to write your own when the opportunity demands it,” she tells Inc. Arabia, adding, “Embracing uncertainty turned out to be the most rewarding risk I ever took.”

According to Chauhan, the contribution of female leaders is “reshaping the room” across the insurance industry. She tells us, “Traditionally seen as a male-dominated space, the insurance landscape is now witnessing women at the forefront—leading innovation, championing customer-first strategies, and bringing empathy to the heart of business. This shift is fostering more inclusive decision-making and nuanced leadership that values resilience and collaboration alongside performance.” She adds that, critically, their leadership is driving significant business growth, concluding, “The ecosystem is slowly but surely recognizing that diversity isn’t a checkbox—it’s a catalyst for better results.”

Lessons Learned: Q&A with Toshita Chauhan 

Looking back on your journey, if there is one piece of advice you’d give yourself before you embarked on your career, what would that be? Additionally, if you could go back in time and tell yourself something that you should avoid or simply not do, what would that be?  

If I could talk to my younger self, I’d say this: "You are allowed to take up space. Don’t shrink yourself to fit in-stand tall and own your voice." I’d remind myself that perfection is a myth, and progress is where the real growth happens. It’s okay to be ambitious, and it’s more than okay to fail—as long as you’re learning, you’re moving forward. 

What would I avoid? Seeking validation before making bold choices. I’d tell myself not to wait for someone else to say, "you’re ready." The truth is, we become ready by stepping up, especially when it feels uncomfortable. That’s when transformation begins.

Pictured in the lead image is Toshita Chauhan, the Chief Business Officer at policybazaar.ae. Courtesy of policybazaar.ae

Toshita Chauhan was one of Inc. Arabia's Women of Influence 2025, a showcase of 30 women rewriting the rules of business in the MENA region. For the full list, please click here.