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Mr. Rizwan Soomar
CEO & Managing Director (Middle East, North Africa & Indian Subcontinent Region) - DP World

Rizwan Soomar is the CEO & Managing Director for DP World’s Middle East, North Africa & India Subcontinentregion. He is an accomplished industry leader with a career spanning more than two decades having led companies to rapid growth through his vision, innovative thinking, and passion for execution.

In his current role, Rizwan has achieved exemplary success in realizing the company’s transformative vision of becoming an integrated logistics player. Under his leadership, the company has made huge strides in the direction of creating one of the largest integrated logistics asset portfolios which includes Ports, Container Freight Stations, Inland Container Depots, Private Rail Freight Terminals, Cold Chain, Express Cargo and Free Trade Zones. The company also launched new world class digital products to offer integrated logistics solutions across their facilities in India and overseas.

Apart from his strong business acumen and domain expertise, he brings with him the experience of leading businesses in different geographies. Prior to joining DP World, he was commercially responsible for Asia and led the South-Asia portfolio of APM Terminals based in Singapore. His previous positions include leading Svitzer as their global COO (heading operations for more than 500 vessels across 130 locations); Managing Director of Maersk in India and earlier as Managing Director of Maersk in Egypt.

In 2010 he was featured by a prominent business magazine (Business Today) as one of the 25 top successful executives in India under the age of 40.

Rizwan currently chairs the CII National Committee on Ports & Shipping and the CII National Committee on Logistics as well as the FICCI National Committee on Logistics. He is Vice Chairman for the UAE India Business Council (India Chapter) and Co-Chair of the UAE India Business Council (UAE Chapter). In addition, he’s a Board Member at the Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Member of the Research Advisory Committee of the Centre for Transportation and Logistics of IIM Ahmedabad and Member of the Business Advisory Board of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies.

Rizwan holds a master’s degree in Business and Administration from the Chicago Booth School of Business and a Diploma from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), London. He has also participated in executive management programs at INSEAD, Fontainebleau and IMD, Lausanne.

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Mr. Faizal E. Kottikollon
Chairman – KEF Holdings

Mr. Faizal E. Kottikollon is the distinguished founder and chairman of KEF Holdings, a multinational conglomerate renowned for its innovation and impact across various sectors with presence in India, UAE & Singapore. Post the completion of his education from reputed universities in India & USA, Mr. Faizal embarked on his own entrepreneurial journey despite coming from a highly reputed industrial family from Kerala.

He started by establishing Al Ahamadi General Trading in Ajman in 1995 and within two years, he founded Emirates Techno Casting FZE (ETC) in Sharjah, which went on to become a global leader in foundry manufacturing, particularly for the oil and gas industry and was eventually sold to Tyco International in 2012.

Post this, he established KEF Infra One Industrial Park, which went on to revolutionize the construction industry through its unique end-to-end offsite manufacturing facility of 42 acres and was responsible for key projects such as Embassy 7B, Infosys, Indira Canteens, GEMS Modern Academy, KMCH Medical College & Hospital, Bosch, Lulu Mall Lucknow (the largest mall in India) to name a few out of 32 million sq. ft of overall development. In 2018 they merged with Softbank backed Katerra, where the merged company had billables of $3.7 Bn then. For his contribution towards this sector, he was appointed as a member of the Indian Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi's prestigious panel of 'Champions of Change for Infrastructure'.

KEF Holdings is now focused in the healthcare & wellness industry through Meitra Hospital, one of India's most advanced quaternary centers built with the guidance of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinics. The next marquee project in the pipeline, slated to open doors in March 2024 is Tulah, the world’s first Integrated Clinical Wellness Resort with an investment running upwards of $100 Mn, where the best of modern medicine, traditional healthcare and indulgent hospitality will be presented to the world.

Mr. Faizal's vision extends beyond business, as evidenced by the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, founded with his wife, Ms. Shabana in 2007. This philanthropic endeavor is committed to solid impact in the fields of education, healthcare and humanitarian assistance, positively impacting lives worldwide. Testimony to this is the transformation of the 120-year-old, Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls in Nadakkavu, Calicut, Kerala, which is now rated the best government school in India and the 966 other government schools that are run under this Nadakkavu model. One can also look at the Krishnagiri Development Project where a village intervention model has created sustainable development across 8 adopted villages. The next key initiative being undertaken is building India's first sustainable school for girls in Srinagar, Kashmir.

Other than his business & philanthropic initiatives, Faizal is Chairman of the recently formed UAE India Business Council UAE Chapter (UIBC UC), a powerful 19-member body created under the patronage of both nation's Foreign Ministries, with an aim of achieving the CEPA objectives, i.e., increasing non-oil trade to $100 Bn and deploying $75 Bn in investments from the UAE into India. In July this year, Faizal has been appointed to the prestigious board of directors at the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SRTIP), under the leadership of H.H. Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.

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Maj. Gen. Sharafuddin Sharaf
Co-Founder - Sharaf Group

Major General (Retd.) Sharafuddin Sharaf is a former Dubai Police officer. He joined Dubai Police on 1 February 1970 and retired in January 2004 at the rank of ‘Major General’.

Gen. Sharaf has been a member of the Dubai Police Community Council.

Sharaf Group was founded in 1976 by Gen. Sharafuddin Sharaf and his brother Mr. Ibrahim Sharaf. The Group operates in over 54 countries across the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Sharaf Group is the only private UAE Company with largest network of owned offices with more than 11000 professionals employed across the globe.

Sharaf Group operates business in various fields including shipping agencies, ship ownership companies, industrial factories, financial services, real estate, retail shops, travel and tourism, logistics, information technology, etc.

Gen. Sharaf, together with nine retired police officers, founded the First Security Group on 23 June 2004. First Security Group offers a range of security and risk services like guarding, credit & risk management, facility management, home healthcare services, etc.

On 13th April 2018, Gen. Sharaf was appointed as Chairman of UAE – India Business Council (UIBC) which is the Official Joint Business Chamber set up by the Governments of UAE & India for promoting economic synergy between both the countries.

UIBC aims to create an inclusive bilateral trade environment between UAE and India by linking businesses from both the countries, and supporting long-term commercial partnerships for developing strategic relationships between businesses and government officials from both the countries.

Apart from the above Gen. Sharaf has been an integral part of many other progressive projects.

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Mr. Abdulla Naser Al Marzooqi
Head of the Russia and CIS Investment Program - Mubadala Investment Company

Abdulla Al Marzooqi is the Head of the Russia and CIS Investment Program at Mubadala Investment Company.

Abdulla has been with Mubadala for over 15 years. He first joined the Portfolio Management and Strategic Planning Unit which was responsible for conducting semi-annual valuations of the Mubadala portfolio. He then joined the Acquisitions and Investment Management team, where he participated in M&A transactions and portfolio management for several assets spanning a number of sectors including petroleum, healthcare, renewable energy, aerospace, infrastructure, and utilities.

In 2017, Abdulla joined the Sovereign Investment Partnerships team to oversee Mubadala’s investments and key relationships in Russia and the CIS.

Abdulla holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Rochester, New York, USA. He successfully passed all 3 levels of the CFA Program and is a CFA Charterholder.

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Mr. Ankur Gupta
Head – Corporate Affairs & Growth for Tata Sons – Middle East & North Africa

He is the responsible for providing policy, communications and business growth guidance and support to TATA Group companies in the region. He is also responsible for establishing and nurturing a robust collaborative network in the multi-cultural environment of this region and deploying group level initiatives in support of the ‘One Tata’ agenda. He is based in Dubai, UAE since September 2019 and now leads the TATA Sons MENA office since July 2021.

His relationships with key stakeholders in various countries have proven to be an asset in expanding complex Tata businesses in different industry sectors. Currently, he is supporting the expansion of Tata Group’s Consumer, Retail, Hospitality, and other new businesses in the region

Part of Tata Administrative Services, TATA Group’s flagship leadership cadre, he has worked across four domains – Technology, Industrial Chemicals, FMCG and Group Corporate Center – across multiple functions of Marketing & Communication, Strategy & Business Development and Operations & Project Management roles. In his previous role, he was the India Category Head for Premium Tea brands for TATA Consumer Products Ltd., heading a portfolio including the global tea brand – Tetley – as well as other Health & Wellness brands. He has also worked with Tata Chemicals, where he helped set up the chemicals trading business, and was part of the Strategy & Business Development team. He has worked with Tata Communications on the Global Wi-max auctions.

He is a Board Member of UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) and an ExCom Member of Indian Business & Professionals Council (IBPC) Dubai. He is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and a trained Tata Business Excellence (TBEM) External assessor – fashioned on the Malcolm Baldrige model. He has also been an assessor for the Dubai Chamber led Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Awards.

He was awarded his master’s degree in business management, specializing in marketing & finance, from XLRI Jamshedpur and completed his bachelor’s in commerce from Narsee Monjee College, Mumbai University, India

About Tata Sons Private Limited

TATA Group, with revenues of $128+ bn globally and market capitalisation of $311+ bn, is a global business leader with presence across sectors like IT, Automotive, Steel, Consumer & Retail, Infrastructure, Travel & Financial Services. The MENA geography contributes in excess to $4 Bn to the Group revenues, through 27 companies operating in 30+ countries with 13,500+ employees. Tata Sons is the promoter and principal holding company for Tata group companies.

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Mr. Adeeb Ahamed
Managing Director – Lulu Financial Holdings

Adeeb Ahamed is a versatile entrepreneur at the helm of enterprises in financial services and hospitality. His entrepreneurial journey began with the establishment of LuLu Financial Holdings in 2009, which has since evolved into a global financial services conglomerate with 300+ branches and digital investments spanning 10 countries across the Middle East, Indian sub-continent, and APAC regions. Concurrently, Adeeb serves as the Managing Director of Twenty14 Holdings, an Abu Dhabi-based holding company with a substantial $650 million investment in luxury hospitality assets worldwide.

Adeeb's influential role extends to key positions, including membership on the Senior Advisory Board of the South Asia Regional Strategy Group (RSG) at the World Economic Forum (WEF). In 2023, he assumed the Chairmanship of the FICCI India-Middle East Regional Council. Since 2021, he has held a position as a Global Advisory Board Member at the World Tourism Forum. Adeeb is a founding member of the UAE India Business Council - UAE Chapter and has served as Vice Chairman of the Foreign Exchange and Remittance Group (FERG) since 2021.

Furthermore, he acts as an Independent Member of the Emirates Board of Directors for Overseas Investors and serves as an advisor to the board of the Al Maryah Community Bank since 2022.

Adeeb's academic background includes a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from Les Roches, Switzerland, and a Master of Business Administration in International Management from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Recognized for his outstanding leadership, Adeeb has been honored with various awards, such as Forbes Top Indian Business Leaders in the Middle East, the ABLF Outstanding Business Achiever Award, and the Leading Fintech Personality of the Year Award (GCC) at the Global Fintech Awards , among others.

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Mr. Tariq Chauhan
Group CEO and Co-Founder – EFS Facilities Services Group

Tariq Chauhan, aged 58, Group CEO and Co-Founder at EFS Facilities Services, holds a distinguished position among Forbes' Top 100 CEOs. With over three decades of professional expertise, Chauhan has been a driving force in the remarkable transformation of the EFS Group to a premium global facilities management brand. His impactful contributions have spread unparalleled excellence across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Europe.

Established in 2000, EFS Group is a global leader in integrated facilities management services, operating in 23 countries. EFS clientele portfolio of over AED 7 billion in contract backlog consists of iconic infrastructure projects such as airports, nuclear power stations and large master communities. Its clientele includes top 200 global multinationals and large governmental entities including airports, schools, universities and ministries in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. EFS managed flagship projects like Expo 2020, Emirates Nuclear Power Corporation, Dubai Mall, Abu Dhabi Airport, New York University Abu Dhabi and giga projects in Saudi Arabia like NEOM, Dariyah Gate, Jeddah Airport and Al Ula. EFS has created sustainable value for clients and communities, with a proven track record of over 95% contract retention. Home to 25,000 employees from different cultural and professional backgrounds across 30 plus offices, EFS prioritises embracing and empowering its workforce. Under Chauhan's visionary guidance since 2009, EFS has consistently achieved double-digit growth. The company's journey has been extraordinary, transitioning from AED 75 million in just 10 years to a thriving enterprise on the cusp of surpassing AED 1.5 billion in revenues in 2023.

A strong advocate for upskilling and worker welfare, Chauhan collaborates with renowned organizations like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Harvard India Conference. His initiatives, such as the Tejas program in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), have successfully provided employment to over 500 candidates. Chauhan's influence extends beyond EFS, as he holds key roles on the boards of the UAE-Indian Business Council (UIBC) and Emerge Education. Notably, Chauhan's contributions to the 2023 Coursera Emerge Education Research Report highlight the future of L&D for digitally disadvantaged workers. He also oversees EFS's partnership with Dawamee, an employment scheme by the Emirates Foundation, aimed at creating opportunities for Emirati nationals.

Chauhan's impact extends to societal well-being through corporate social responsibility initiatives. He established the Abhaar Worker Welfare Foundation, a commendable NGO focused on empowering frontline workers who often go unnoticed. Chauhan's dedication to philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors was recognized with an Honorary D.Litt. from the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya.

Chauhan's remarkable accomplishments have led EFS to receive prestigious awards, including the 'Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award', 'Taqdeer Award’ and recognized as one of the Middle East's Top 100 Sustainability Leaders in the October edition of Forbes Middle East. Chauhan himself has been recognized with over a dozen awards across various distinguished categories. In 2021, he was honored with a nomination for the esteemed PravasiBharatiya Samman Award by the Indian government. He also received the GCC Gov HR Award in 2023 for the People First Leader in Private Sector.

As a respected author, speaker, and columnist, he imparts valuable insights on economic trends, global FM industry and issues centered around frontline workers' well-being, employability, and business leadership development. Chauhan's insightful debut business book, "Getting to Resilient Mode," published by Forbes Books and an Amazon Best Seller, provides invaluable guidance for individuals aspiring to achieve resilience and success in their journeys.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariq-chauhan-93733463/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariq_Chauhan
Company website: efsme.com

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Mr. Nilesh Ved
Chairman – AppCorp Global

Nilesh Ved is a prominent figure in the global retail industry, celebrated not only as one of the foremost retail magnates in the Middle East but also as the visionary founder and chairperson of AppCorp Global, a multinational corporation operating in 14 countries worldwide. What began as a humble venture with a single store in Dubai has evolved into a global transactional powerhouse with a staggering $2 billion in revenue.

Born into a family of accomplished entrepreneurs and businessmen, Nilesh Ved's journey into entrepreneurship was a natural progression. After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Science and Business Administration from Boston University, he swiftly recognized the Middle East's untapped potential in the retail sector. His travels abroad had left him captivated by the fashion and retail industry of the West, inspiring him to bring this global fashion retail experience to the Middle Eastern market.

Regarded as the trailblazer of fashion retail in the Middle East, Nilesh Ved's visionary leadership propelled the Apparel Group to unprecedented success. The group embarked on its journey in 1996, inaugurating its first retail store in the UAE. Through meticulous groundwork, relentless commitment to retail, and a strategic expansion plan, led the group to acquire numerous international brands such as Aldo, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Skechers, Tim Hortons, Charles & Keith, Levi’s, Rituals and Dune London, among others. Today, what started as a single store in Dubai has transformed into a global presence spanning the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and South Africa, with plans for further expansion into new markets.

Nilesh Ved's rich experience in successfully managing international brands extended to the creation of world-class regional brands. The group introduced its own brands, including R&B, Athlete’s Co, Dollar Plus, Brand Bazaar, and 6thstreet.com. Apparel groups E-commerce destination, 6thStreet.com recently opened the GCC region’s first-ever phygital store dedicated to fashion; an innovative tech-led space where online shopping converges with a physical store. With over 2100 stores and a diverse team of over 20000 employees across four continents, the group caters to thousands of eager shoppers.

Nilesh has keen eye for potential, be it people or new markets and after expanding and growing across GCC, he was also one of the first entrepreneurs to see the potential of expanding the footprints in India. And thus, was born, Major brands in 2001, now Apparel Group India. Opening its first Store in Cross Roads, Mumbai, Apparel Group India is now one of the largest retail organizations in the country with more than 200 stores and multiple international brands like Aldo, Charles & Keith, Beverly Hills Polo Club, Bath & Body Works etc.Most recent addition to the Indian portfolio has been the much-awaited launch of Tim Hortons and Victoria’s Secret.

Nilesh's recipe for success revolves around his unwavering passion, tireless hard work, unyielding honesty, and unwavering consistency. He firmly believes that a truly successful company is one that gives back to the communities in which it operates. As such, Nilesh Ved has ingrained corporate social responsibility as a cornerstone of the organization's values. Under the APPCORP GLOBAL umbrella, the Retail Group has been a proud member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2015. Its philanthropic efforts are dedicated to supporting the education of underprivileged children and providing employment and training opportunities for individuals with determination.

Nilesh Ved is not just a successful entrepreneur, but a visionary leader committed to making a positive impact on both the business world and the communities he serves.

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Mr. Bhavish Aggarwal
CEO & Co-founder - OLA Cabs

Mr. Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO of Ola Cabs founder of Ola Electric and the founder of OlaKrutrim a Large language model, an Artificial intelligence (AI) company which became India’s first AI unicorn at a $1 billion valuation.

Aggarwal was included in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018. He began his career with Microsoft, where he worked for two years, filed two patents and published three papers in international journals. [7] In January 2011 he co-founded Ola Cabs with Ankit Bhati in Bengaluru.

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Mr. Dhanraj Nathwani
Group President – Reliance Industries Limited

Mr. Dhanraj Nathwani is a Director in Reliance New Energy Limited which has embarked upon setting up one of the largest integrated renewable manufacturing facility - Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex at Jamnagar and also has a plan to set up 100 GWp renewable energy power generation across Saurashtra & Kutch region.

Dhanraj also holds the post of Group President at Reliance Industries Limited, a Fortune 500 company and the largest private sector corporation in India. RIL has evolved from being a textiles and polyester company to an integrated player across energy, materials, retail, entertainment and digital services. Reliance’s products and services portfolio touches almost all Indians on a daily basis, across economic and social spectrums. RIL is now focused on building platforms that will herald the Fourth Industrial Revolution and will create opportunities and avenues for India and all its citizens to realise their true potential. RIL’s financial performance for the FY 2022-23: Turnover Rs.9,74,864 crore (US$ 118.64 Billion) and net profit Rs 73,670 crore (US$ 8.96 Billion).

Dhanraj oversees the Jamnagar Manufacturing Division and Vadodara Manufacturing Division of Reliance Industries Ltd and Reliance Jio business in Gujarat. He looks after all non-technical matters including Finance & Accounts, Procurement and Contracts, Human Resource, Information Technology, Security, Corporate Affairs and CSR activities of both the Manufacturing Divisions of the Company. He also oversees specific additional responsibilities related to Delhi & Maharashtra states.

Other positions held:

Vice-Chairman Dwarkadhish Temple Administrative Committee, Dwarka
President, Jamnagar District Football Association
Member, Gujarat State Board for Wildlife
Member, Nathdwara Temple Board
Vice President, United Nations Association, Gujarat
Member, Governing Board of GLS University, Ahmedabad
Member, Board of Governors, Gujarat Ecological Education & Research (GEER) Foundation
Vice-Chairman, Sudama Setu Seva Society, Dwarka
Member, High Power Committee of GOG, Gujarat Professional Technical Educational Colleges or Institutions (Procedure for Declaration of Centre of Excellence).
Board Member, Vadodara Marathon, Vadodara
Member, Executive committee, Gujarat State Lion Conservation Society
Member, Governing council of JayshukhlalVadhar Institute of Management Studies.
Trustee, Shri Shardapeeth Vidya Sabha, Dwarka

Education:

Dhanraj studied International Business from Regent’s Business School London (UK),completed his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with specialisation in Corporate Law and Public Relations Management from National Institute of Management.

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Mr. Neeraj Makin
Senior EVP, Group Head – Strategy, Analytics & Venture Capital Emirates – Emirates NBD

Neeraj Makin is the Senior Executive Vice President, Group Head - Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital and a member of the Group Executive Committee at Emirates NBD. He also is a Non-executive Board member at Emirates NBD Egypt SAE. He has been with Emirates NBD since September 2008.

As Head of Group Strategy, Neeraj supports the Group CEO/ Board on strategy development across the Group and to help develop and execute the strategic vision and aspirations for Emirates NBD and its entities/businesses along with managing its strategic acquisitions and international growth plans. He leads the Advanced Analytics Centre of Excellence (AACoE) for Emirates NBD which drives Group-wide efforts to leverage data and analytics. He also heads the newly set up Corporate Venture Capital Fund for Emirates NBD to invest in FinTechs and Tech companies to drive innovation for the Bank.

Previously, Neeraj also led the International Business for the Group with overall business management responsibility for International Subsidiaries and Branches of EmiratesNBD from 2019 till 2022. Over the years Neeraj has played a pivotal role in leading Emirates NBD’s international expansion which includes the successful acquisition of BNP Paribas Egypt and DenizBank in Turkey, as well as the branch licenses in India and KSA. Between 2016 and 2019 he also served as an Advisory Board member for Network International.

Prior to Emirates NBD, Neeraj was a Senior Manager with Ernst & Young’s Transaction Advisory services looking at Buy Side advisory, Valuations, PPAs, private placement of equity and debt, feasibility studies etc. covering a diverse range of industries. Before joining Ernst & Young, Neeraj worked at global strategy firm McKinsey and Co. from 2000 till Dec 2004 working on various client projects in the Telecom industry vertical.

He has an MBA in Finance from International Management Institute in India and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Mathematics.

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Mr. Pranav Vora
CEO, Shipping - Adani Group

A BSc from California State University, USA, Mr Pranav Vora has more than 18 years of experience in the field of shipping, particularly in the commercial dry bulk sector.

Mr Vora joined Adani Group in 1993 and was responsible for cargo handling at ports, chartering of handysizes to handymaxes for transporting agro products, polymers, metallurgical coke and steam coal. Currently he is leading the shipping business of the Group and is based in Dubai, UAE.

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Mr. Rikant Pitti
Co-Founder - EaseMyTrip

Rikant Pitti is the CEO & Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip. He is an expert of ecommercewhere technology plays an important part of his pursuits additional to his business acumen. Rikant’s deep enthralled knowledge in the field came solely from hisrich experience of building a company from its scratch.

Started at the age of 16, Rikant commenced the technical development for EaseMyTrip, realising the potential of the travel portals back then for the years to come and translated it into the company that today is the second-largest online travel platform; the man behind EaseMyTrip in true sense. His sheer knowledge coupled with analytical skills and a solid problem-solving attitude makes him a visionary and the leader of the future. Rikant knows how to accelerate mere domains into a fruitful extension of the business.

His entrepreneurial grit and spirit to keep learning has led to the professionalstrides in building EaseMyTrip into a successful brand and a unicorn of marketcapitalisation of USD 1.3 billion.

Amongst his many achievements and accolades, Rikant has been featured under the coveted list of 40 under 40 by Fortune India. His work has also been recognised by prestigious institutions and is awarded the esteemed ‘Entrepreneur of the year in service business (Travel)’ by Entrepreneur India, ‘Best Travel Planner of the Year’ and ‘Bootstrapped Entrepreneur of the year’ by Hurun India. He has also been felicitated by Harish Salve ji, an Indian Senior Advocate, Supreme High Court. Rikant has recently been recognized and acclaimed as one of India's Top 200 Self-made Entrepreneurs of the Millennium 2023, a prestigious accolade conferred by IDFC FIRST Private in collaboration with Hurun India. This distinguished recognition reflects Rikant's outstanding achievements as an entrepreneur.

Notably, Mr. Rikant Pittie is also the Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Delhi State for the 2025-26. Among his recent achievements, Rikant has been named among IDFC FIRST Private & Hurun India's Top 200 Self-Made Entrepreneurs of the Millennium 2024, a testament to his relentless drive and entrepreneurial excellence. He was also honored with the ET Inspiring Leaders Award North 2024 for his exemplary leadership and innovation.

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Mr. Siddharth Balachandan
Managing Director - Buimerc Corp

Siddharth Balachandran is a NRI Businessman, Investor and Philanthropist based in Dubai. He is the Executive Chairman and CEO of Buimerc Corporation Ltd, an investment holding company, having its headquarters in DIFC, Dubai. A Management Professional with 20 years of experience, he develops strategies to promote the mission of the organization and build a strong team of leaders.

Siddharth Balachandran has been conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA, 2023) by the President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at a grand function in Indore on the 10th of January 2023. He is the only awardee from the GCC region this year and is one of the youngest to ever receive this award. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Honour/ Award) is the highest Indian Award for Non- Resident Indians and overseas citizens of India or an organisation or institution established and run by Non- Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin, constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non- Resident Indian day), to honour exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession.

Siddharth, in his individual capacity, has been an active and successful investor for over twenty years and adheres to an investment model that incorporates the value investing method based on in-depth financial analysis. He has acquired a reputation as an astute investor in the Indian financial markets and has enjoyed significant success in building stakes in fundamentally strong and growing companies.

Apart from the investments and the operating holding companies in India and Dubai, the investments of Buimerc Corporation Ltd cover strategic equity investments, fixed investment, real estate assets and specific world currencies.

While wealth creation has been a part of the business growth strategy, Siddharth has been applauded and appreciated for his benevolent philanthropy. He has been supporting a range of causes in the UAE and India - Child and Elder welfare, Environment, Women’s empowerment, Health care, Animal welfare, Art, Culture and Heritage.

Siddharth is a member of the board of governors of PIOCCI, GCC and a member of the governing board of the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) in Dubai.

In 2006 Siddharth became the Vice Chairman of India Club, Dubai and its Chairman of in 2010, making him the youngest Chairman in India Club’s history. He is the currently the Chairman of the India Club, in his second term and the Patron Governor of the Indian Social & Cultural Centre, Abu Dhabi. He also serves as the Director of Chinmaya International Residential School (CIRS) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

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Shaikh Majid Al Mualla
Divisional Senior Vice President, International Affairs - Emirates

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Mr. Amit Jain
Group CEO - Emaar

With an extensive experience in leadership, retail and management, Amit Jain is responsible for leading all of Emaar Group's Property strategies and overall operations.

The former management consultant from India has a wealth of experience across real estate and banking industries.

Following a four-year stint as head of finance for Dubai Bank, Amit began his career at Emaar as the group's finance leader in 2006.

Reporting to Emaar's Board of Directors, Amit leverages his deep industry knowledge to develop high quality business strategies that align with the company's short-term and long-term objectives. The most cherished part of his role is adjusting to the ever-changing regional business environment and ensuring Emaar remains the market leader.

He continually works to advance employee engagement and fosters high productivity within his talented team. When he isn't making high-calibre investment decisions to advance the business, ensuring company adherence to legal guidelines, or building trust relations with key stakeholders, you'll find him discovering new ways to enrich his way of life.

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Mr. Zubin Karkaria
- Founder & Chief Executive Officer - VFS Global Group

Zubin Karkaria is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of VFS Global Group, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. Headquartered in Zurich and Dubai, the company is majority owned by Blackstone, along with minority shareholding by The Kuoni & Hugentobler Foundation, Temasek, and Dubai Holdings.

A pioneer of the outsourced visa services industry, Zubin conceptualized and launched VFS Global in 2001 with a single government client and three centres in India. Under his leadership, today it is the global leader in its sector, serving 71 governments across 168 countries with over 4,000 centres, having processed more than 517 million applications (as of April 2026).

In parallel, Zubin also served as Group CEO of Kuoni Travel Management Ltd., the 115-year-old Switzerland-headquartered and listed company, from 2015 to 2017, when the Kuoni Group was split into individual stand-alone businesses following its privatization. He was the first Indian and Asian to head the Kuoni Group, steering its transformation into three stand-alone businesses.

Zubin's career in travel and tourism spans over 30 years, marked by an entrepreneurial drive and a proven ability to build global businesses. He played a pivotal leadership role in growing Kuoni India significantly, establishing it as India's largest travel company through strategic innovation, technology adoption, and customer-centricity.

His exceptional contribution to shaping the travel and tourism ecosystem globally has been recognized worldwide. In 2016, he was appointed "Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite" (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by the President of France, François Hollande, for promoting tourism to France. He has received numerous other awards and recognitions and has served on the boards of several industry associations. Currently, he is also a member of the Executive Committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and a member of the National Tourism Advisory Council of the Government of India.

Zubin is not only a visionary leader but also deeply aligned with the evolving technological landscape. He is a strong believer in the importance of emerging technologies and has actively championed the integration of these advancements into the strategic fabric of VFS Global, building it into a responsible, technology-driven industry leader that continuously enhances its market leadership position and creates exceptional value for all its stakeholders.

UIBC-UC Members

UIBC-UC Chairs

Mr. Nilesh Ved

Mr. Adeeb Ahamed

Maj. Gen. Sharafuddin Sharaf

Board Members

Mr. Faizal E. Kottikollon

Mr. Rizwan Soomar

Mr. Abdulla Naser Al Marzooqi

Mr. Ankur Gupta

Mr. Tariq Chauhan

Other Founding Members

Mr. Siddharth Balachandran

Mr. Amit Jain

Mr. Pranav Vora

Mr. Dhanraj Nathwani

Mr. Bhavish Aggarwal

Mr. Rikant Pitti

Mr. Neeraj Makin

Mr. Zubin Karkaria

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