Retired as the Executive Director on the board of HSBC Asia Pacific and Chairman HSBC India, Kidwai is currently a non-Executive Director on the global board of Nestle, CIPLA Ltd and Larsen and Toubro. She has been Past President of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry). An MBA from Harvard Business School, she has received many awards and honours in India and was awarded the Padma Shri for her contribution to Trade and Industry. She has edited three books - Contemporary Banking in India, 30 Women in Power: Their Voices, Their Stories, and Survive or Sink.
Her interests in water, environment, and empowerment of women are reflected in her board positions of not-for-profit institutions like Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, International Advisory Council of the Inquiry of United Nations Environment Program.