Headspace strengthens international advisory board by onboarding social entrepreneur Neerja Birla

NEW DELHI: Mindfulness and meditation platform Headspace appointed Dr Neerja Birla to its international advisory board.

Birla is the founder & chairperson of Mpower, an initiative by Aditya Birla Education Trust that focuses on mental health, wellbeing and mindfulness.

With this, Headspace endeavors to create a robust ecosystem of global industry leaders and practitioners in their respective fields, to further its global mission of transforming mental healthcare.

Times Bridge, the global investments and venture arm of The Times Group, announced investment in Headspace in 2020 and has led it’s launch in India.

Since its India entry, which coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, Headspace's membership base in the country has grown by over 50%.

The company's international advisory board is responsible for advancing intellectual awareness of key mental health topics and trends and also advising Headspace on emerging mental health trends across the globe.

The board consists of reputed industry leaders like Dr Reena Kotecha, doctor & founder of Mindful Medics; Patrick Watt, commercial director, Bupa Global; Dr Hiba Sher Khan, ObGyn and deputy CCIO; Dr Lydia Brown, clinical psychologist, resilience researcher & mindfulness teacher; among others.

As the first Indian representative on the board, Dr Neerja Birla will lend her experience of destigmatizing mental health in India’s vast landscape and her domain expertise will be crucial in supporting Headspace’s mission in India.

Simon Blake OBE, Chair, The International Advisory Board, Headspace said: “We're in continuous pursuit of leaders with diverse backgrounds, entrepreneurial zeal and operational experience who can come together and help us advance the conversation around mental health care. Constantly working to improve our understanding of mental health in India and remaining informed on the latest trends is of critical importance to the board and to Headspace. Dr Neerja Birla has worked tirelessly to campaign for better awareness and improved support in the country, and we are simply thrilled to welcome her and her extensive expertise to the conversation."

Simon Blake is also CEO of Mental Health First Aid, England and has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his work in the voluntary sector and with young people.

Dr Neerja Birla said: “Headspace is on its way to becoming an iconic global leader in delivering mental health support to millions around the world. I am thrilled to be a part of their International Advisory Board at a juncture where mental health is becoming a part of mainstream conversations, globally and in India. Our expertise in working closely in the mental health space allows us to understand human and cultural barriers in opening up toward mental health concerns and offer tailor-made solutions."


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