Richard Rekhy is the former CEO of KPMG, India, and a current Board Member of KPMG Dubai. As CEO, he was a member of KPMG's Global Board and the Council of KPMG International. He set the foundation for strengthening KPMG India’s capabilities across advisory and tax solutions for the GCC channel. With over thirty-six years under his belt in Consulting and Professional Services, Richard has worked at Arthur Andersen, Ernst & Young, and KPMG, spearheading the firms in various capacities. Richard is affiliated with leading business enterprises, domestic and worldwide, and is also an active member of diverse industry associations and trade bodies. He was a member of the advisory group for the HSBC Skills for Life Programme and the CII National Council member. An eloquent and powerful orator, Richard is a respected voice on a range of social and economic issues and focuses on customer centricity.
Amit Agrawal is a Pragmatic, Customer-focused, Result Oriented, data-driven, and regulatory-driven transformation leader. Brings a well-rounded experience with business-minded strategic thinking complemented by strong technical acumen and excellent analytical skills. Hands-on with a strong sense of accountability and team spirit and always willing to roll up the sleeves and go the extra mile. Led by Investment banking over 20 years of investment banking corporate finance experience encompassing the financial services advisory spectrum Amit has been sharing his knowledge and experience with gen-next as guest faculty, entrepreneurship mentor, and panel judge to a few business schools and journal contributions (FMS, MDI, SRM, FORE, FIIB, IILM, Jaipuria, etc.) M&A advisory, Transaction structuring, Restructurings, Family Business Advisory Capital Raising (Angel/ Seed/ VC/ PE), Debt Syndication advisory (INR/ ECB), Business Plan Advisory, Strategic Advisory, and Valuations Funds and Value unlock advisory Advising across Indian, the US, Middle East, and Asian Markets.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, a distinguished social entrepreneur and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, revolutionized the BFSI sector by founding the Grameen Bank and introducing groundbreaking concepts of microcredit and microfinance. His strategic vision in utilizing microcredit for economic and social development earned him global acclaim and the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Recognized with the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, Dr. Yunus is also ranked #2 on Foreign Policy magazine's 'Top 100 Global Thinkers.' Beyond his impactful contributions, he advocates for business strategy evolution through social businesses and corporate social procurement partnerships. Dr. Yunus believes organizations can drive positive impact by integrating social responsibility into their supply chains, emphasizing the transformative potential of strategic collaborations for societal benefit.
Prakash Gaba is a Certified Financial Technician, Technical Trader and a Trading Mentor. He is a Post Graduate in Management, exposed to the corporate world as a Senior Manager at a young age in the late seventies, an accomplished sportsperson. He is a Marksman and an Aviator who has a passion for Flying. Gliding is his hobby and he is among the pioneers of Hang Gliding in the country. attracted to River-Rafting and Trekking escapes, a good Wind-Surfer and a Scuba Diving enthusiast. He embraced Snow Skiing and Water Skiing which in the early seventies while still in its infancy in the country. He is fearless and Para Gliding & Sky Diving do not scare him
Prakash Gaba is also SEBI registered Research Analyst and a winner of the Viewer’s Choice ’Best Technical Analyst Award’ and has the honour of receiving it from the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sneh, an Expert Motivator and Inspirational Coach for diverse demographics, embodies a quest for lifelong success, happiness, and personal growth. With 26 years of transformative experience, he reshapes belief systems and fosters positivity, reducing stress for individuals seeking triumph. His journey as a Living Legend resonates with incomparable knowledge and tangible results, impacting countless lives.
Initially resembling a young, curious MBA, Sneh's depth of understanding, modesty, and clarity unveil a genius in self-awareness and inner strength. His multifaceted nature defies molds, blending uniqueness into every facet.
Fueled by a childhood dream inspired by 'Anthony Robbins,' Sneh embarked on training at nine, obtaining a Microsoft Certified Professional title by 12. For over 25 years, he has been a guiding force, founding Sneh World, conducting life-altering seminars, and unlocking inner potential.
Nidhish Singh, VP and Head of Transformation at JP Morgan, is a multifaceted professional. Founding Finsapient Training & Research Institute in India and the UK, he's a qualified accountant and member of global bodies like CISI, ACCA, IPA, and IoD. His roles extend to mentoring at the National Entrepreneurship Network, serving as a Board Member at EDIIC, and advising the New York Institute of Finance. A PhD. scholar specializing in Private Equity and Indian Economics, Nidhish is a sought-after keynote speaker at universities globally. His mentorship spans hundreds of accounting professionals, teaching diverse subjects from audit to AI application in finance across leading business schools.
Siddharth Surana, a prominent figure in the field of finance education, is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Widely recognized as the "Tax Guru" among students, CA Siddharth conducts both online and offline classes specializing in Direct Tax for those preparing for CA, CS, and CMA exams. He is also the Founder of SS Pro Edu Care. With a teaching career spanning over a decade, he has imparted knowledge to over 30,000 students. Siddharth has contributed his expertise to renowned institutions such as Kapasi Commerce Classes, Mensa Commerce Classes, and Achievers Academy, solidifying his reputation as a distinguished educator in Mumbai's academic landscape. His commitment to excellence and his student success remains unwavering.
Strategic Evangelist: India / AI (MR/AR/VR/Robotics) / Gamification / B2G / Sport / M&E (content) / Alternate Energy / Sustainability / Investments. Let's talk. Life is like a candle against the wind - Dream, Believe, Maximise. Experienced Senior Vice President with a demonstrated history of working in Media, Entertainment, Sports and Banking industry. Successful in Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, forging Corporate & Govt Alliances. Adept at International Relations and an industry Analyst on M&E and Sports.
Narayan has spent almost nine years training, coaching and teaching graduate students, financial advisors, content creators, managers, and investors of diverse backgrounds. Starting his career as an assistant faculty of CFPCM and Wealth Management courses, Narayan is now innovating how financial knowledge flows through investors and public to scale the reach. Narayan’s training and coaching experience has focused on life insurance, general insurance, wealth management, mutual funds, and alternative assets. As a professional trainer, Narayan has also assisted in developing popular courses like CWM®, CREP, and AFA for AAFM India and several modules of CFPCM certification for IIFP and other institutions. He is also well-versed in creating legally and socially acceptable digital and marketing content for BFSI brands. Over the years, he has worked with several renowned businesses and brands with their digital content generation activities.
Prof. Kaushik Bhaduri, Founder & Head Research at M/s My Money Investments, is a seasoned professional with over 26 years of experience in Retail Banking & Financial Markets. With a background in CMA, MBA (Finance), CFGP, and NISM certifications, he brings a wealth of expertise to his advisory roles for HNI customers, banks, corporates, and schools in Wealth Management and Skill Training. Having held leadership positions at IndusInd Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank, among others, he has led retail banking operations across North India. Currently, he serves as a visiting faculty at Ramanujan College, University of Delhi, specializing in Retail Banking and Wealth Management Studies. Additionally, he conducts corporate training sessions on NRI Business and sales for Relationship Managers and branch Managers, alongside contributing as a columnist on Wealth Management and Finance Planning for newspapers.
Harish Desai boasts a distinguished career in the insurance sector, notably with LIC, where he served as an Assistant and a Development Officer for an impressive 35 years. His achievements led him to qualify for the All India Ace competition multiple times and secure All India merit recognition for premium counts. His expertise has spanned a wide spectrum, making him a valuable mentor for numerous MDRT agents, COT agents, Zonal Manager Club members, D.M. Club agents, and BM Club members. With a profound understanding of insurance, he effectively managed an average team of around 70 agents during his career.
His substantial experience in sales and marketing, along with a repertoire of over 1,000 sessions, has rendered him a sought-after speaker, trainer, and motivator nationwide. Harish also actively engages with social organizations, educational institutions, and offers online and offline courses to LIC's marketing force.
Himani Chaudhary was a Former Consultant and an Assistant Manager who’s now become an emerging Fintech Content Creator. She is on a mission to make India financially educated and to make everyone aware of the basics of Finance. She has a following of close to 700K followers on Instagram and almost 6K subscribers on YouTube As a content creator, she is working towards making people independent. She is NISM Certified as a Research Analyst. She is the Founder of Financial Vines, a site committed to making finance accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Upasana is now the leading force and face at MobiKwik. Stanford Graduate Taku launched MobiKwik in 2009, one of the country’s first fintech start-ups and a major player today and has expanded it into payment gateways, digital wallets, digital lending, instant credit, mutual funds, and peer-to-peer lending. Taku’s idea all along has been to offer financial services to the rest who are left behind or ignored by banks and NBFCs. Now, she serves 140 million registered users in India with a merchant network of over 4 million. She has been felicitated as First female Fintech founder felicitation from President of India in 2018 and was featured in Forbes Asia's 25 Power Businesswomen list in 2019 and Kotak Wealth Hurun – richest self-made women in India list.
Anand Nandkumar is an Associate Professor of Strategy and the Executive Director for SRITNE at ISB. His research delves into the factors shaping innovation and entrepreneurship at both industry and firm levels. He concentrates on high-tech sectors like pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and software, straddling the domains of industrial organization, economics of technological change, and strategy. Presently, he investigates the impact of stronger intellectual property rights (IPR) on various dimensions of innovation, such as how robust patents influence long-term incentives and the operation of Markets for Technology (MFT). In the realm of entrepreneurship, his work explores how venture capitalists impact entrepreneurial performance and the outcomes of individuals toggling between jobs and entrepreneurship. An ISB graduate with a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management, Nandkumar imparts his knowledge through courses on Competitive Strategy, AI-infused Leadership, Digital Transformation, Coporate Governance, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Growth Strategies, and Strategic Innovation Management.
Sushil Muhnot, former Chairman & Managing Director of Bank of Maharashtra, boasts 34 years of distinguished experience in finance. As Chairman & MD of SIDBI, he bolstered the institution's growth. Prior roles include Executive Director of IDBI Ltd and MD & CEO of IDBI Capital Market Services Ltd. During his tenure at Bank of Maharashtra, he upheld profitability despite challenges, implemented governance reforms, and prioritized financial inclusion, notably excelling in PM's Jan Dhan Yojana. His leadership fostered growth, expanding outreach and retail business, establishing investment banking divisions, and achieving ISO: 9000 certification for treasury and trade finance departments. Sushil Muhnot's career reflects a commitment to excellence and innovation in finance, leaving a lasting impact on the institutions he served, as well as nurturing start-ups in the financial ecosystem.
Sudakshina is a seasoned Human Resources professional with extensive experience in managing people and stakeholders domestically and internationally. Specializing in Stakeholder Management, Leadership Hiring, Organization Restructuring, and Rightsizing, she also excels in HR Partnering, Organization Diagnostics, Succession Planning, Talent Management, Tech in HR, Learning Hierarchy, Campus Program Management, and Expatriate Program Management. Certified as a Professional CoActive Coach, she brings a unique blend of leadership and coaching skills to her roles. With a career spanning prestigious organizations like HDFC ERGO General Insurance and ILFS Group, Sudakshina has held significant leadership positions, including President & CHRO and Chief Human Resources Officer. Her dynamic leadership and strategic expertise have contributed to the success and growth of various organizations across different sectors, making her a valuable asset in the field of Human Resources.
Indradeep Ghosh is Executive Director of Dvara Research where he drives the research agenda and leads research priorities in coordination with the practice heads. Dvara Research is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research institution based in India. Dr. Ghosh brings an interdisciplinary orientation to understanding and solving the problems of financial inclusion and social protection in India, and an enthusiasm for co-creating solutions in a style of constructive engagement with other research organizations, academic researchers, and practitioners.
Dr. Ghosh also interfaces regularly with policymakers and regulators to advocate for sensible pro-poor financial inclusion and social protection policies. In 2020, Dr. Ghosh led the drafting team for the Social Stock Exchange report (by SEBI’s Working Group), and in 2021, Dr. Ghosh served on the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board of India’s Research Guidance Group.
Siddhartha is MD and COO of a leading Full Service Investment Bank at its Asset Management Vertical. Siddhartha is a visionary, forward looking thinker, educationist, author, mentor for startups and b school students, and a popular figure on social media on account of his Short notes and articles. With two decades of experience in Financial markets across Private sector and MNC Banks, Wealth firm, Investment bank, Siddhartha specializes in economics, Capital markets, fundraising, People management, banking and behavioural finance.
Naina Lal Kidwai has successfully broken the glass ceiling, with many firsts to her credit – from being the first Indian woman MBA from Harvard Business School to the first woman to head a private sector/foreign bank in India and the first woman to be elected as President of India’s leading national industry association, FICCI, in 86 years. She is Chairman of Advent Private Equity India Advisory board; a Non-Executive Director on the boards of LafargeHolcim, Max Financial Services and CIPLA; India Advisory Council member of the U.S. -India Business Council; and Past President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). She has led investment banking at Morgan Stanley and was Executive Director on the board of HSBC Asia-Pacific, Chairman HSBC India and CEO in India. She talks passionately about the participation of women in decision-making, encouraging women entrepreneurship and change transformation.
Rajnish Kumar, the former Chairman of India's largest bank, the State Bank of India, has been a pivotal figure in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector. His illustrious career commenced as a Probationary Officer in a small Uttar Pradesh town in 1980, where he confronted local mafias and formidable trade unions, setting the stage for his unwavering dedication.
An advocate for technological innovation, Rajnish Kumar spearheaded the ascent of SBI YONO, propelling it into the upper echelons of top fintech and lifestyle apps. His visionary leadership redefined processes, facilitating the provision of pre-approved loans through astute data analytics, while significantly enhancing the bank's digital lending portfolio.
Rajnish Kumar's indomitable spirit and technological acumen have left an enduring impact on the BFSI sector, driving its digital transformation and guiding it towards a dynamic, technology-driven future.
Chandra Kant Mishra, a distinguished Chartered Accountant and ICAI New Delhi member, serves as the Senior Partner at CKM & Associates. With a rich background as an Ex-Partner of D. Vaish & Associates, he extends his expertise to clients in Germany, Japan, Singapore, Austria, USA, UK, and Dubai. At CKM & Associates Chartered Accountants, a medium-sized firm, CK Mishra leads with a commitment to professional excellence in services such as Accounting, Business Tax Planning, and Business Financial Planning for clients in India and Dubai. His specialties cover international taxation, advisory services, business setup, GST, statutory audits, portfolio reviews, tax audits, and more. CK Mishra's diverse expertise, including legal, transactional, and financial due diligence, showcases his dedication to delivering excellence across a spectrum of financial and business services.
Ganesh is a Chartered Accountant and Cost Accountant with over 25 years of experience, having led KFin Technologies Pvt Ltd (formerly Karvy Fintech) as MD & CEO. Under his leadership, KFin became the largest multi-asset, multi-region platform in India and Asia, offering comprehensive solutions across asset classes. Ganesh has championed digital transformation, expanding services in Mutual Funds, Pension Funds, and more. He grew businesses from inception to achieve a 4x valuation in 10 years, managing 100 million investor accounts with $100 billion AUM and processing nearly 500,000 transactions daily. Recognized as a thought leader and strategic thinker, he excels in client engagement and talent development while driving growth and innovation in the industry.
Anil Joshi, Managing Partner at Unicorn India Ventures, leads a SEBI-approved venture fund that invests across India's incubation, accelerator, seed, start-up, early-stage, and growth-stage segments. Focusing on Social Media, Mobile, Analytics & Cloud (SMAC), IoT, and Fintech, the fund has a strategic vision. Formerly, he managed operations at Mumbai Angels and Bangalore Angels, prominent angel investment forums in India. Anil's extensive background encompasses corporate management, startup investments, project management, joint ventures, and business development. He steered Century Rayon's branch office and worked with Business Access India Pvt. Ltd. and Transasia Biomedical Ltd. With involvement in 60+ startup deals, over INR 100 crore investments, board roles, and mentorships, Anil deeply engages in the startup ecosystem. Guiding startups, advising government bodies, and contributing to incubation centers underline his dedication to fostering growth.
Sutapa Banerjee boasts over three decades of professional expertise, notably spending 24 years in esteemed financial institutions like ANZ Grindlays, ABN AMRO, and Ambit. As a visionary leader, she pioneered and led successful ventures in Wealth Management, earning global recognition as one of the 'Top 20 Global Rising Stars of Wealth Management' by Institutional Investor Group. She further cemented her leadership as CEO of Ambit Private Wealth, clinching 'Best Private Bank in India' in the 2013 AsiaMoney polls. With an illustrious career, Sutapa now serves on the boards of diverse companies, including Zomato Limited and Godrej Properties, and contributes as a visiting faculty at prestigious institutions like IIM Ahmedabad and IICA. A gold medalist in Economics from XLRI and an advocate for gender parity, she continues to influence decision-making and corporate practices globally.
Meleveetil Damodaran is a career civil servant with Indian Central and State governments and has in a career spanning over 40 years worked in roles related to regulatory bodies, investment institutions, banks, development financial institutions and with the private sector. He has held regulatory and developmental positions in the Government and in India's financial sector before demitting office as Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). His other roles include Chairman, RBI Comittee, Chairman, IDBI, and Chairman, Unit Trust of India.
Sameer has Business and Growth leadership experience of over 20 years across cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions (MandA), Private Equity, Venture Capital, Corporate Venture Portfolio management, Investment banking (both buy-side and sell-side), Strategy, and Corporate Development. He has been involved as Investment Partner to growth stage entrepreneurs and advisor to mature stage companies and management in growing business and to overseas companies to enter India. Also, act as Mentor to young portfolio companies and entrepreneurs in scaling up their businesses.
Over the past 15 years, Nishant has achieved excellence in varied functions across Corporate Strategy, Finance, Operations, Public Policy and Last-mile implementation. Currently He oversees multiple divisions at Jindal Steel and Power. He oversees the Global Businesses spread across Asia (ex India), Australia, Africa and Middle East which includes providing strategic direction to the businesses and taking strategic financial decisions like restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and divestments across these geographies.
Tapan Singhel has a rich experience in the insurance industry of more than 25 years and has been heading Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for 7 years. He has won numerous accolades, to name a few, Personality of the Year at the India Insurance Summit and Awards 2019, 22nd Asia Insurance Industry Awards 2018 and Indian Insurance Summit 2017. He has been featured as a LinkedIn Top Voice in India consecutively for the past two years. He has also been recognized as the Most Promising Business Leaders of Asia at The Economic Times Global Business Summit 2018.
Mohit Sachdeva, a Chartered Accountant with over 19 years of experience, excels in risk-based internal and operational audits, forensic reviews, and enterprise risk management. Currently heading the Internal Audit and forensic investigation at Sony India Pvt. Ltd., he collaborates with esteemed Co Auditors like Deloitte, EY, and GT. Mohit plays a pivotal role in developing and executing the annual Internal Audit plan, driving risk management activities, and serving as an independent advisor to the Managing Director. His expertise extends to designing risk management policies, conducting compliance training, and implementing data analytics tools. Mohit is known for his proficiency in negotiation, relationship management, and ensuring transparency in forensic investigations, making him a valuable asset in the financial sector.
An associate at Harvard Kennedy School, Dr. Thillai Rajan is a revered professor at Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He co-founded YNOS Venture Engine, where they offer a suite of products and programs for early-stage entrepreneurs, innovators, research centres and investors. He also co-founded GeoNomics Research & Technologies, an infrastructure analytics & consulting firm focused on infrastructure governance. In February 2020, he conceptualized the setting up of Innovation, Venturing, and Entrepreneurship in India (IVEIN) Network, a unique partnership between leading institutions, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore and IIM Kozhikode. He is the recipient of the Chevening Gurukul Fellowship at the London School of Economics, Endeavour Executive Award at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and the Fulbright Nehru Senior Research Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Nilaya Verma, an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, co-founded Primus Partners, embodying optimism, passion, and shared values. He specializes in guiding clients through India's complex business landscape. Formerly at KPMG India, Nilaya led sales, business development, and communications, driving strategic initiatives like the Platinum Account Programme. His expertise spans national priority programs for the Indian government, including Swachh Bharat Mission and Smart Cities, alongside international engagements in South Asia, Europe, and Africa. Nilaya's collaborative approach extends to partnerships with global institutions like the IMF and World Bank. With a track record of driving transformative change and fostering cross-functional collaboration, he is recognized as a leader in business and government advisory, embodying a commitment to integrity and impactful entrepreneurship.
Deepak is a 38 year veteran of the Financial services industry. Having spoken at leading industry event like the Mutual Fund Round Table, IFA Galaxy, IPFA, ICAA, and Arthamitra Gurukulam. His articles have been published in leading financial magazines. He is a 2 times speaker at the Tedx Gateway Unplugged in Mumbai. A life member of the prestigiuos Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT-USA), and life member of the Chairman"s Club (LIC of India). His Certifications include the Advanced Financial Goal Planner form AAFM(USA) and Award in Financial Planning from CII(UK) His YouTube channel has 500+ byte sized 2 minute videos on every possible topic on Personal Finance.
Amitesh Sinha, a seasoned finance professional with over a decade of global experience, leads the Corporate Venture Capital & Vedanta Spark program at Vedanta Resources Limited. With a background in finance, accounting, and corporate strategy, he drives innovation partnerships with startups leveraging transformative technologies. Amitesh, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (ACA), and Company Secretary (ACS), also serves on the Regional Advisory Board for the Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge, evaluating innovations across South and Southeast Asia. As an active angel investor in startups and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship, he fosters innovation ecosystems. Amitesh's expertise extends to guest lecturing at prestigious institutions like IIM, MDI, IIFT, and NMIMS, where he shares insights on finance, innovation, and entrepreneurship, enriching the next generation of business leaders.
Tamal Bandyopadhyay is a Consulting Editor at Business Standard and also serves as a Senior Advisor at Jana Small Finance Bank. He has also served as an Advisor to Bandhan Bank. He is an Indian business journalist, known for his weekly column on banking and finance. Mr. Bandhyopadhyay is a recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism in the Commentary and Interpretive Writing Category for 2017. He has authored five books on finance, all of them have been non-fiction best sellers.
Suresh has been a catalyst of change for over thirty-five years in corporate India. He has orchestrated multi-talented and diverse teams to execute future-ready strategies with passion and precision. He has worked in leadership positions across the BFSI and FMCG sectors, as MD and CEO of TATA AIA, Member Group Management Council at WGC, General Manager HDFC Life and Business Head at ITC Ltd. Suresh is also a Certified Leadership Coach, guiding and supporting a cross-section of senior business leaders - CEO and CXO, across multiple enterprises. He is also a keynote speaker on multiple platforms. Suresh has an eye for converting data into actionable insights for the growth of companies.
Dr. Rajdeep Manwani, an exceptional academician, life coach, and motivational speaker, currently coordinates the Commerce Department at Jain University. Despite losing 65% of his vision due to macular degeneration at age 13, Rajdeep triumphed over adversity. Holding triple postgraduate degrees—M.Com, MBA, M.Phil—and a Ph.D. in commerce, is a gold medalist in M.Com and M.Phil. A notable orator, Rajdeep excelled in debates, winning the best speaker title at the 2008 International Tape Speech competition by Toastmasters International. Rajdeep's accolades include the Distinguished Toastmaster and a National Award as a role model for empowering persons with disabilities, bestowed by the President of India in December 2013. Despite vision challenges, Rajdeep, continues to inspire as a lecturer, motivational speaker, life coach, and quizmaster, with notable appearances at a TEDx conference and the India Leadership Conclave alongside luminaries like adman Prahlad Kakkar and Sri Sri Ravishankar.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia is an Indian economist and civil servant who was the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, a position which carried the rank of a Cabinet Minister. He is currently a Visiting Professor at the New York Stern School of Business. Prior to taking up his position at the IMF, Mr. Ahluwalia was a Member of the Planning Commission as well as a Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. A key figure in India’s economic reforms from the early 1980s onwards, he has held several important positions including Special Secretary to the Indian Prime Minister (1988–90); Commerce Secretary (1990–91); Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance (1991–93); and Finance Secretary, Ministry of Finance (1993–98). Former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India until 2014. His extraordinary contributions to public service and economic policy earned him the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2011, India's second-highest civilian honor.
Ankur Warikoo's diverse journey, from studying astronomy to founding ecommerce startups, showcases his entrepreneurial prowess. As an entrepreneur, content creator, author, and public speaker, he's renowned for his insightful career coaching on mindful habits and personal finance. With 1.7 million Instagram followers, Warikoo's compelling storytelling resonates deeply. As the former CEO of nearbuy.com and a passionate public speaker, he shares wisdom on motivation, leadership, and entrepreneurial mindset at various platforms. Additionally, Warikoo actively invests in early-stage tech startups, offering mentorship on critical areas like Product-Market-Fit and talent retention. His multifaceted career underscores his dedication to innovation and empowering others to excel in their endeavors.
Dr. Anil Lamba, a bestselling author, financial literacy advocate, and international corporate trainer, is a practicing Chartered Accountant with degrees in Commerce, Law, and a Doctorate in Taxation. Conducting training programs globally for over 2000 large and medium-sized corporations, spanning India, USA, Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle-East, and the Far-East, he is renowned for conceptualizing the 'Financially Intelligent Organization' certification and 'Financial Literacy for All' movement, aiming to foster financial intelligence across India. With two decades of finance training, Dr. Lamba pioneered training videos like 'Figure Out the World of Figures' and 'Anil Lamba on Finance,' contributing significantly to distance education and e-learning. His impactful books, including 'Romancing the Balance Sheet' and 'Flirting with Stocks,' underline his commitment to financial education.
Nishant has led product and tech teams with budgets of more than $10 million, with demonstrated skills in identifying new markets,new product development (0 to 1), product life cycle management, and sprint planning. He specializes in system design, product management, data analytics, product design and risk monitoring. Prior to Paytm, he was at Novopay, building wide range of B2B and B2B2C products. He built a complete product roadmap to kill the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) frauds and brought down the chargebacks from INR 38.8 million to zero, built efficient anti-fraudulent modules for remittances, cash management systems and virtual accounts transfers and also led the offline payment integration of OTT platform powered by Microsoft. At Novopay, Nishant has implemented ONDC Buyer App. At PhonePe, Nishant built a detail blueprint along with implementable use cases for a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) w.r.t 'Devotional Category' in PhonePe 'Stores' platform.
Leading e2e IT engineering projects and experience over past 2 decades. An enthusiastic and continous learner with Data Engineering professional certification from GCP. Sharing knowledge with fellow learners around IT, Banking, Credit Risk and cloud. At a personal level building long term investment strategies around Wealth/Financial and Retirement Planning.
As a Chartered Accountant with a passion for teaching, Rachana has always enjoyed sharing her knowledge with others. Starting with teaching finance-related subjects, she discovered her passion in imparting financial education to those around her. Her YouTube journey began in 2019 when she uploaded her 1st stock market video on YouTube. In just a few weeks, it quickly gained traction and became viral. Seeing people benefit from learning online gave her the confidence to start creating more videos on finance and stock market. Creating content on YouTube has allowed me to keep her love for teaching alive. Her ultimate goal with her YouTube channel is to help increase financial literacy across India, making it simpler and more accessible for everyone to understand finance. Through her content, she hopes to empower people with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their finances and secure their financial future.
Ajeet Khurana was the CEO of Zebpay and is fondly recognised as an experienced CEO with a demonstrated history of working in the fintech industry. He is especially skilled in building teams, ensuring performance, scaling, digital strategy, planning, and negotiation. He is also an angel investor and mentor. Ajeet is bound to work best in international, growth-oriented, entrepreneurial settings. Before working with Zebpay, he was the head of the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Committee in the Internet and Mobile Association of India.
CA Dhara Gandhi is a practicing Chartered Accountant and a popular resource person for ICAI workshops, seminars, and webinars. She has been a Tally Evangelist and the proprietor of Dhara Gandhi & Associates since February 2018. With over seven years of experience as a Taxation Manager, she has a strong presence in Mumbai's financial sector. Dhara's career also includes a stint as a Chartered Accountant at BSE. She holds a CA qualification from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and has also studied at The Institute of Company Secretaries of India. Dhara is known for her expertise in accounting and taxation, making significant contributions to the professional community through her knowledge and experience.
The expert is a Senior Risk Management and Audit Professional at Metro Brands which is an expanding retail chain. He has improved the internal audit department by aligning it more closely with professional standards and management expectations. He has also improved business processes by raising control awareness at the lowest levels, aligning the approval matrix to speed up decision-making, identifying fraud and unethical practices and improving information governance and security.
Vishal is a passionate healthcare enthusiast with nearly a decade of experience in the field. His journey in public speaking began at the age of 15, when he addressed an audience that included the former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Throughout his undergraduate years, Vishal spoke at national medical conferences and played a leading role in several of them. In 2018, he delivered a TEDx talk alongside distinguished bureaucrats. His work has been featured in media outlets like HT and TOI. Vishal's interests include healthcare marketing, consulting, public speaking, and career mentorship in healthcare.
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Pranjal Kamra, a visionary long-term investor and entrepreneur, founded Finology Ventures, a fintech platform that helps individuals create wealth. His journey of empowering investors which started without a basic recording kit back in 2017, now extends to a YouTube subscriber base of over 6 Mn in 2024. His accolades include India's Top 100 Digital Stars (in 2022 and 2023) by Forbes, Rise of the Finfluencers (2021) by Business Today, and Biz-Worthy Finance Creator of the Year at Creators United 2023. Mr. Kamra has authored 2 books: Investonomy and Mint Your Money. Above all of this, he takes great pride that his bootstrapped venture, Finology, has impacted the lives of more than 1 Mn people worldwide. He built another flagship product, Ticker, to simplify stock analysis for everyone. Initially created to replace time-consuming Excel analysis, Ticker now helps over 5 lakh users daily pick great stocks effortlessly.
