Category: Leaders

After a nearly two-decade long stellar career in banking, Roshni founded Myosutra in 2017 out of her unconditional love for the Indian craftsmanship. Born and brought up in a culturally inclined typical Bengali household in Kolkata, she developed a deep admiration for traditional Indian textiles and fabrics at an early age. Her exquisite handloom saris and bespoke jewellery are popular among foreigners and the Indian diaspora. With exports spanning to almost 25 countries across 5 continents, Roshni’s label is on its way to become the most prominent ‘desi’ brand in Europe. A saree connoisseur herself, she keeps exploring creative ways to redefine sarees and fashion accessories that best represent modern women. One of her unique designs, the ‘Bengal weaves’ saree is a masterpiece combining the best of traditional weaves like Baluchari from Bishnupur, Dhakai from Dhaka, Kantha from Bolpur, Batik, Tant, and Gamcha — all in one saree. Her Spring Summer Ethnic Jackets collection represents 6 different weaves from different corners of India and has been a successful attempt at adding some colours to the British high street fashion dominated by black and grey. She has something for every generation, be it contemporary designs like the London Skyline and Harry Potter themed sarees or the ‘ShohojPaath’ saree collection, an attempt to familiarise young Bengalis with ‘bornomala’ and the Bengali culture.

Her passion for fashion and the steady support and encouragement from her father, Mr. Shyamal Paul Chowdhury, have helped her fulfil her dreams of promoting the wondrous weaves and traditional textiles of India globally. She considers her creations as an ode to the Indian weavers. Thanks to her, NRIs can now easily buy their favourite local weaves from Calcutta, Banaras, or any other part of India in the UK and rest of the world. She attributes the economic success of Myosutra to her experience as a banker. It equipped her with the necessary skills to become a successful entrepreneur. Superior quality products and impeccable customer services have earned the brand 25,000 followers on Facebook and 9,000 followers on Instagram in a short span.

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Roshni has launched “Swap that Saree” campaign to bring the Indian culture to the centre stage and promote sustainable fashion. She encourages customers to choose smartly and transform their old sarees into entirely new outfits like gowns, jackets, and dresses. According to Roshni, clothes are an investment and one should reuse them creatively instead of wasting their resources on new outfits for every occasion.

One of the eco-friendly fashion practices Roshni follows is experimenting with various Indo-western outfits made out of recycled sarees. An alumnus of the British Academy of Fashion Design, she feels that as a responsible fashion leader it is her duty to innovate and create a fashion opinion that genuinely evokes a positive change. Through her association with Psyconnect as the Chief Designer, she advocates the importance of mental health and promotes how dressing well can induce a sense of positivity in life. Her lifestyle and fashion television show- ‘AshwinerSharodoShaaje’ has established her as a television fashion guru in the UK. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors of Miss India, UK. For Roshni, learning and continuously updating oneself through work and life experiences is the key to sustenance and progress.

After completing a Bachelor of Economics degree, Sourav received his certification in Economics and International Business in 2020 from the International Business Management Institute in Germany. As a result of this course, he gained a thorough understanding of market structure and strategies to design, develop, expand, generate, and invest in the global markets with the correct knowledge and economics.

Sourav began his career in 2016 as the Manager – Operations in a Fintech Start-up where he learned about fintech industry and ending up driving it. The ambitious entrepreneur also co-founded Rounderz Ventures, a travel and event company, in the same year. In 2021, he joined SPay Technology Pvt. Ltd., a growing B2B platform that offers a wide range of services, including bill payment, online fund transfers, prepaid mobile recharge, insurance, ticketing, trip bookings, and more. SPay Technology is reaching unprecedented heights under his leadership.

AN EXCELLENT STRATEGIST

Sourav is also an expansion consultant and strategist. He has aided countless startups and businesses in achieving explosive growth and new sources of revenue. As a growth consultant, he assists firms in identifying new prospects and ways to improve their existing business offerings. Simultaneously, he is a specialist in analysing current market fundamentals and recommending better ways to serve clients.

He is a thoughtful entrepreneur who understands the needs of his customers and caters to their preferences. To improve the quality of his services, he is currently working on developing an unrivalled platform that provides financial services to customers’ doorsteps or into their hands, regardless of their location. Under his supervision, SPay Technology recently launched a phygital platform to fulfil the banking needs of low-income communities in rural India. Sourav argues that while digital India has progressed, people in rural regions still lack the knowledge and resources to conduct all transactions electronically.

To that end, he has developed the phygital platform, which allows customers to find customer service centers near their homes. These physical locations will make it easier for low-income people to use banking services such as money transfers, Aadhaar-based withdrawals, micro ATMs, flight train bus ticketing, and so on. This laudable endeavour is a continuation of the digital India dream, opening up a plethora of opportunities in rural banking.

CREATING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Apart from meeting rural banking demands, Sourav’s phygital platform also aims to eliminate unemployment by providing employment opportunities. This is accomplished by paying commissions to network partners who work with customers and help Spay Technology achieve its goals.

By digitising banking, SPay Technology network partners have emerged as micro-entrepreneurs who have formed a connection between rural and urban India. In this way, they have advanced the significance of the government’s digital India campaign. In a short timespan, Sourav has led his company to reach a service base of 16 million customers with its 30,000 network channels, which is indeed a commendable achievement. His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to be prepared for harsh lessons, to roll with the punches, and to never give up.

Born and brought up in Kanpur, Nikhilesh set foot in Delhi to start his professional journey. He started as a Sales Manager in Suvidha Infoserve – a fintech organisation. From then on he started his journey to gain all the experience in Fintech. He also worked with Vodafone for some time. Although entrepreneurship was always on his mind, he decided to wait till the market is ready for what he was proposing. After working for around 15 years, he decided to take the plunge and started Spay India.

DREAM TURNED INTO REALITY

The journey of Spay India had to wait for the market to be digitized and online payments to become mainstream. As soon as Nikhilesh sensed that the time is right, he started building Spay India piece by piece. He and his Co-founder Mr. Sandeep Dhawan started building Spay India with only one goal – to be the best service provider in the fintech industry. Nikhilesh and his team decided to focus on empowering the migrant population and other underserved sections of the Indian economy. Spay India is a growing B2B portal that offers a range of services like online money transfer, Aadhar enabled payment system, utility bill payment, travel, bus ticket booking recharge, insurance, and other services. Nikhilesh has one rule – to offer services where the customers need them, when they need them and in whatever manner they need them. Thanks to his years of working in the field, he knows that getting the pulse of the customer is the first step, rest follows automatically. At Spay India, Nikhilesh has trained his team to speak the consumers’ language. He has built a network of agents and merchants to be present at as many locations as possible and provide a hassle-free platform for all financial services to his customers. The biggest strength of Nikhilesh is that he knows his market and his goals are set. He wants to use fintech to bring about equality. He wants everyone to enjoy digital payments and feel empowered. This is also reflected in the kind of targeted products he has in his suite – micro-ATMs, domestic money transfers, POS, and many more.

SHARP, STEADY & CONSISTENT

Nikhilesh’s immense focus and sharp vision played a major role in building this organisation from the ground up. Under his leadership, the company has been growing at a rapid pace and now has an annual revenue of INR 100 crores. He managed to build a core team and roped in some very experienced people from the industry to help him make Spay Technology a reality. Despite no background in business, no IVY league, or IIM degrees, Nikhilesh has managed to build something that many can only dream of. He was dismissed as an underdog when he started his journey, but he took it upon himself to work tirelessly to achieve his goal. Today, Spay India is slowly and steadily carving its own distinct niche in this huge Fintech industry. Nikhilesh’s message to all aspiring entrepreneurs is to be patient but stern and face competition with grounded aggression, without losing focus. As for Spay India, the journey has just begun. Nikhilesh and his team are looking at a bright and action-packed future. Nikhilesh envisions Spay India to reach every nook and corner of India’s tier-4 & 5 cities, towns, and rural areas. He wants to build a network of millions of exclusive stores – each of them operating as a mini bank for his customers. While it’s all a vision, for now, that’s how every journey begins – with a dream.

QSR Brands appointed Nehchal to its Board of Directors in March 2020. Thereafter, he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in April 2020. The Board chose him for his leadership brilliance, strategic competencies for organizational transformation, and consistent performance in previous roles. His appointment has been a pivotal step for the company, as he has extensive experience building high performing teams, leading company growth, and improving product value.

The visionary leader stood up to the expectations of the Board by delivering outstanding financial performance. He continues to take QSR Brands and its subsidiary businesses to new heights with his experience, determination, and zeal. He has shown extraordinary courage during the global health crisis posed by COVID-19.

Since his appointment, the company has embarked on a transformation journey while growing shareholder value. Keeping in mind QSR Brands’ values and vision, he continues to build upon them to ensure that the company remains competitive in the market.

AN IMPRESSIVE CAREER GRAPH

Nehchal is a qualified lawyer. He pursued Bachelor of Law (LLB) from King’s College in London. Throughout his career, the well versed leader has held leadership roles at leading investment banks.

Prior to joining QSR Brands, he worked as a Corporate Advisor to Johor Corporation, a state-owned investment company established by the government of Johor State (Malaysia). Between 2010-2016, he served as MD of Morgan Stanley’s Singapore office. Before joining it, he worked for Deutsche Bank as the MD, overseeing investment banking operations in Malaysia and Indonesia.

ASIAN DEAL MAKER

An industry veteran with significant experience in Investment Banking, Nehchal has orchestrated some of the largest IPOs in Asia, including Petronas Chemicals’ USD 4.8 billion IPO and Felda Global Ventures’ USD 3.3 billion IPO (each as Global Coordinator)., Nehchal originated several capital market mandates, including Khazanah Nasional, Axiata, Sime Darby, and other notable companies within Southeast Asia. He has also advised numerous multi-billion dollar corporate clients across the Southeast Asian region regarding transactions of mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets. These remarkable achievements make him uniquely qualified to drive any business forward.

A TRUE VISIONARY

Nehchal is a proactive leader brimming with relentless energy. His passion about his vision is a testament to how much he loves his work and the people in the organization. Under his stellar leadership, QSR Brands have been witnessing remarkable growth year on year. With his relentless efforts and strategic planning, he is helping the brand further strengthen its position in the market as the leading food chain brand loved and trusted by everyone in the region.

Nehchal’s new vision for the company is to provide future-proof dining experiences using technology and data and become ASEAN’s leading food technology company. In the coming years, he aims to mold QSR Brand’s Mission to proactively prioritize product innovation and providing high quality food to new segments of consumers. His strategic approach during the COVID-19 pandemic has already helped the brand transform into a technology-based omnichannel food service company. When thousands of thriving businesses struggled to stay afloat due to the coronavirus pandemic, Nehchal, instead of giving up, rolled up his sleeves and implemented an overnight transformation to upgrade the business model. Firstly, he placed a high priority on keeping people safe and providing food that is hygienic and safe for consumption.

Secondly, he initiated the transformation of the brands business models into e-commerce and digital to enable “channel switching” – to continue sales through online delivery when Dine-in was closed. He ensured customers would seamlessly place orders and receive them smoothly via brand’s own website, apps and 3rd party aggregators like FoodPanda, Grab food and others despite the ongoing pandemic and the restricted movement control and lockdowns. All these initiatives were done following the government set guidelines and the abiding by the company’s stringent SOPs. As a result, business growth and profitability increased significantly during such a highly challenging period. It was an instant transformational change to shift from a traditional business strategy to a digitally-driven dynamic and agile business model, which helped QSR Brands and its subsidiaries to thrive during the pandemic period. As a result, digital sales for KFC and PH increased 600% and 300%, respectively. Through radical changes, Nehchal took every possible measure to transform QSR Brands and its subsidiaries into a data-driven, digital-driven group. He also ensured that all QSR Brands employees received training on the new COVID-19 prevention practices.

LEADING BY HEART

At QSR Brands, pregnant women who are at their 28th week of pregnancy can work from home. This scheme launched in 2020 is applicable to women working at KFC and Pizza Hut Stores as well. Nehchal is a compassionate individual who believes in leading from the heart. People and their wellbeing have always been a top priority for him. Consequently, the benevolent leader has implemented numerous welfare initiatives for their benefit. For instance, QSR Brands launched a private vaccination assistance campaign under his direction in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, PIKAS (Program Imunisasi Industri COVID19 Kerjasama Awam-Swasta), and KPJ Hospitals. He has steered QSR Brands towards making meaningful CSR programs an integral part of the firm’s commitment to giving back to the society. It has launched several CSR initiatives under his guidance.

Born and raised in a middle-class family in Chandigarh, India, he lived most of his life in Africa. During the late 1980s, the 18-year-old Mr. Hari made an unimaginable journey away from his hometown, leaving behind the comforts of his home in India for the rugged terrains of a far-away place. His belief in himself and the mentorship of his elder brother, who worked in Liberia (a country in West Africa), enabled him to withstand the storms his joint family went through in the years that followed.

Thus, he set off for Liberia, driven by the desire to succeed. Since it was too early for him to settle on a career path, doing whatever came his way seemed the best option. Therefore, with the support of his elder brother and sister-in-law, he first got into the entertainment industry. He started with a video library and later expanded to include a movie theatre, a discotheque, a casino, and a fast-food outlet. Unfortunately, Lady Luck did not favour him; consequently, he and his family were forced to leave everything behind during the Liberian civil war of the early 1990s and return to India.

AN INDOMITABLE SPIRIT

An epitome of perseverance, passion, determination, and fearlessness, Mr. Hari is known for his indefatigable spirit. The traumatic experience of becoming financially unstable after several years of hard work did not shatter him. Instead, he faced the situation fearlessly. After returning to India, he spent the next two years learning new skills, from mending electronic devices to mastering software programming at a time when the IT industry was still in its infancy.

While undergoing long periods of unemployment and uncertainty, one thing that remained constant was his faith in the Almighty that his mother had nurtured in him from early childhood. This faith led to a vision of the West African map with Ghana standing out to him early one morning. In 1992, Mr. Hari moved to Ghana with his elder brother and set up an IT company called IPMC. Despite being one of the first countries in the world to abolish customs duties on computers and to declare tax holidays for IT businesses, the acceptance of automation by enterprises in Ghana was still a long way off. In the early days, Mr. Hari tried convincing customers door-to-door to buy the PCs he assembled personally. During this time, he also developed the first accounting software called ‘Account Manager’ exclusively for Ghanaian businesses, which remained the best seller for several years.

PROMOTING IT SKILLS

In addition to making IT gadgets and software freely available in Ghana, IPMC’s initiative to promote IT skills among Ghanaians and people from neighbouring countries led the company to become a household name in the West African region. Mr. Hari is one of those entrepreneurs who recognised the potential of this region and its people long before others.

Due to his unwavering efforts, IPMC has evolved into one of Africa’s largest IT companies specialising in data centre consulting, business analytics, IT service management, and more. The company is a major distributor of IT products for multinational corporations such as HP, IBM, DELL, EMC, MICROSOFT, and CISCO. Presently, it has over 25 offices in five West African countries, viz., Ghana, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and employs over 750 IT specialists. Mr. Hari asserts, “Both private and public education institutions must seek out ways to expand the IT sector, and the skills required to do so. The country lacks IT training centres, but even more so than quantity, we need quality IT education institutions today.” To that end, he has established IPMC’s College of Technology and IT Learning centres to offer computer science engineering and IT skills development programmes through the STEM initiative. With its franchise program, plus more than 27 IT learning centres and the college of technology, IPMC offers IT training to over 20,000 students a year. Over the past three decades, IPMC’s College of Technology has trained over 2 million people creating a technologically skilled and digitally empowered labour force across West Africa, especially in Ghana.

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

Mr. Hari staunchly follows the Sikh faith with solid principles of service to humanity. Born into a family devoted to service before self, the Ghana-based Punjabi entrepreneur pursues a humble but vital role in the larger scheme of things for building a better world for all. Whether it’s organising cultural events, adopting an orphanage, starting programmes for women’s empowerment in far-flung locales, creating response strategies for outbreaks like Ebola or COVID-19, or raising money for cancer genomics research in Canada, Mr. Hari and his entire family are constantly at the forefront of community outreach initiatives.

Despite having a flourishing business overseas, he is deeply connected to his roots. Recently, he addressed the gathering of all office bearers of Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Ludhiana, calling on them to promote Punjabi, their mother tongue. According to him, it is a moral duty that needs to be carried out by Punjabis themselves, including those living abroad.

GARNERING ACCOLADES

IPMC has been honoured with numerous prestigious accolades globally, including various national awards from the President of Ghana. His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Asantehene, the King of the Ashanti people of Ghana, recently bestowed the renowned Millennium Excellence award upon him, illustrating the gravity of his contributions.

He is an accomplished writer and singer and loves to play different musical instruments. He is also a dedicated art event host and has hosted various live performances.

In 2021, following the drastic second surge of Covid-19 cases in India and shortage of oxygen, he rallied Ghanaians for a brotherly gesture to India and organized shipping of 150 medical grade oxygen concentrators which was shared among 30 health facilities in rural areas across 14 states.

POSSESSING A FAR-REACHING VISION

Prof. Sasmita has undertaken several initiatives and business innovations in congruence with her belief that ‘Leadership is the responsibility to contribute for the success of others.’ She launched the ‘Education for All’ programme that supported one million students to participate in higher education. Recognising the psychological impact of socio-economic disadvantages, she organised the ‘Lead For Life’ confidence-building exercise for underprivileged children. She strives to maintain a student centric ambiance in the campus. Her vision is to create an ecosystem that supports researches for finding effective solutions to social issues. She is working dedicatedly towards making KIIT rank amongst the top 100 universities in the world. She is gearing up to introduce online certification courses to expand the horizon of KIIT.

UPHOLDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

She has been vehemently advocating social welfare through education. A voracious public speaker, Prof. Sasmita has participated in various conferences, and even organised an international webinar on National Education Policy 2020. It was presided by Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank,’ the former Minister of Education, and had more than 25000 participants globally. Under her counsel, KIIT has been taking active part in outreach activities. They conduct programmes for holistic development, provide free medical services, hold awareness camps and occupational safety and health workshops for agricultural and construction workers at Kandhamal and other rural areas. Moreover, they facilitate Rural Capacity Building by conducting skill set training programmes on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology, the Government of India.

EFFICIENTLY BATTLING THE PANDEMIC

Under her guidance, KIIT managed its academic calendar without any disruption by conducting virtual lessons and COVID-19 awareness programs on TV and other mass media channels to reach remote parts of the state. They aided the healthcare infrastructure by distributing 50,000 PPE kits amongst healthcare workers and, setting up 4 specialized COVID-19 hospitals in Bhubaneswar, and in the districts of Balangir, Mayurbhanj and Kandhamal. Along with 1250 hospital beds in total, they have also built quarantine centres, isolation and post COVID care facilities. Under her leadership, KIIT distributed dry and essential food items, groceries, sanitizers, masks and sanitary napkins to 3 lakh + people, and set up a tele-counseling cell to provide support for stress management and emotional wellness during the pandemic. Their tele-medicine facility also made online healthcare consultancy available to the public. KIIT has also started the initiative to provide free education to children who lost their guardians to COVID-19 in Odisha. For all their contribution, KIIT was awarded the Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award-2020 by the AICTE, Ministry of Human Resource Development, for post COVID-19 redevelopment and rehabilitation plan and ‘Leadership and Management Team of the Year’ by THE Awards Asia 2021.

A DYNAMIC CAREER

She is the ambassador of UGC Paramarsh Scheme, KIIT-DU, which helps many institutes to get NAAC accreditation and good ranking nationally. She is the Assessor and Committee Member, NAAC. She is the Founder-President of World Leadership Academy, which serves as a platform for global leaders to address issues from diverse domains. She has immensely contributed to professional bodies such as the Indian Science Congress, Indian Academy of Social Sciences, Indian Commerce Association, Odisha Commerce Association, and others.

MAKING WAVES

Under Sandeep’s leadership as Chief Executive Officer, e’Clat has emerged as the market leader in aesthetic skincare products. With his relentless efforts, he has brought about a revolution in India’s skincare market by developing a wholesome skincare range. His products are known for addressing various skin problems such as acne, hyper-pigmentation, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.

Sandeep hails from a typical middle-class family in Jaipur. After completing graduation in Biotechnology, he pursued a MBA program post which he started his own pharma company in 2001. He founded e’Clat in 2015. Since then, there has been no looking back. Under his stellar leadership, e’Clat is making waves in the global facial serum market. Because of his relentless efforts, the e’Clat has been consistently setting new benchmarks of success. Presently, e’Clat is trusted not only by skin-conscious women but also recommended by renowned dermatologists in India.

PRIORITIZING QUALITY

Sandeep ensures his products are effective and yet affordable to the consumers. He takes all possible measures for maintaining consistent product quality at all levels. He, along with his team ensures the delivery of quality skincare solutions to customers all the time. Research and Development (R&D) forms an essential aspect of e’Clat Superior. Sandeep leads an efficient R&D team that puts special emphasis on manufacturing high-quality skincare products that are effective as well as skin-friendly. The R&D team also ensures the use of the best ingredients for formulating the final product.

What’s more, Sandeep has pioneered several innovative and results-driven skincare ingredients, including Glutathione.

BACKED BY A TEAM OF DEDICATED EMPLOYEES

Sandeep has a team of competent and passionate employees consisting of pharmacists, researchers, dermatologists, and skincare bloggers. He ensures the promotion and integration of the best practices in his business to keep his team motivated and bring goodwill to his organization. With such broad horizons and strong core values of honesty, integrity, and team spirit, his success is rightfully deserved.

EXPANDING GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

Sandeep has built a truly expansive customer base. He proudly caters to a global clientele and is expanding his global footprint steadily. All the products from the house of e’Clat are adorned with a ‘Made in India’ tag. He strongly believes in exceeding customer expectations to keep up with the global competition.

Sandeep is currently focusing on launching a skincare range of products for men. He aims at grabbing the major market share in the men’s grooming segment. At the same time, the ambitious leader is planning to set up multi-brand offline stores soon.

ADOPTING CUSTOMER-CENTRIC APPROACH

Sandeep values his customers’ opinions, feedback, and suggestions. He believes that businesses that listen to their customers grow faster. He considers customer feedback as a powerful tool for enhancing customer satisfaction and gaining crucial insights. He takes all possible measures to his customers’ needs for developing holistic skincare products.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Sandeep is a compassionate leader who believes in giving back to society. He regularly participates in campaigns and programs designed for the welfare of aged people as well as specially abled people.

He contributes a portion of his income to the noble causes of eradicating hunger and aiding the blind. He also actively participates in green campaigns to save the planet.

With over 14 years of stellar professional experience in the Oil & Gas, Construction industry behind him, Mr. Mahesh Patil joined the Horizon International Group of Industries in 2017 as the Managing Director. The role was challenging and different from what he had done before but he took the challenge head-on. He worked tirelessly to put his expertise to good use and transform the conglomerate’s journey. With his hard work and dedication, he won new stakeholders for the business while maintaining a strong association with all existing ones. He utilized every opportunity that came his way fully and enabled a transformation in the way business was conducted at the Horizon Group. He maximized efficiency and pushed innovation to achieve the desired results. He delivered on his mandate and brought the Horizon Group to an all-new level.

A DEMOCRATIC LEADER

Courageous and unfazed by challenges, Mr. Patil has a proven track record of forming lasting strategic alliances and changing the course of growth wherever he has worked. He maintains the pace of his unrelenting work by getting his own hands dirty. He works like a team member and not a boss. Another too that has helped him maintain a robust work culture is clear and open communication. He firmly believes that communication is one of his greatest strengths. He leads his team by facilitating open communication and tries to bring out the best in every team member. A true leader, Mr. Patil becomes one with his team to get results. In his team, every opinion is heard and respected, and that is one of his key mantras to keep the teams moving towards the larger goals.

TRANSLATING VISION INTO RESULTS

Mr. Patil had the expertise and the vision but to translate those ideas into tangible results was no easy feat. Through effectively crafted business plans and a result-oriented approach, Mr. Patil not only achieved his targets but exceeded them. He ensured that the company is operating as cost-effectively as possible so that it can withstand the economic pressures. It was his mission to make the Horizon Group a frontrunner in the industry with exemplary service to all the clients, and he achieved it with his determination and carefully crafted business strategies. It was his relentless work that has helped the Horizon Group grow 25-30 % year on year and from manpower strength of 150 in 2016 to a current number of 1150 and growing. Mr. Patil also led the diversification of the business into multiple other sectors like oil and gas, international recruitment, eco-friendly products, trading, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Marketing, Information Technologies and Immigration Services.

However, the most innovative initiative led by Mr. Patil has been HiresGulf. An online job portal, HiresGulf is one of his most praiseworthy innovations. With the use of artificial intelligence-based technologies that offer a one-stop solution for both employers as well as job seekers, HiresGulf has become a game-changer for the industry. HiresGulf is one of the most user-friendly web Application and Mobile Applications is available to download in English & Arabic from iOS, Android & App Gallery. It has databases from Asia, the Middle East, European, and the African region. It was started with a vision to be the leading online job portal that covers all of these geographies. Another impactful initiative, led by Mr. Patil is the new arm where Horizon started manufacturing masks, bags, etc. during the pandemic. Mr. Patil realized the huge gap between the demand and supply of masks during the Covid pandemic and decided to step in. He led the formation of a new unit at Horizon that started manufacturing Eco-Friendly products such as Masks, shopping Bags, etc that were made from recycling waste products.

NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC

The pandemic brought with it a set of unique challenges for each and every one. For an enterprise like Horizon Group, it was a very difficult time. To sustain in an unprecedented time when most of the projects were stalled and the workforce was idle, it was crucial to survive and come out of it without sinking. Once again, Mr. Patil and his team stepped in and salvaged the situation with a strategic approach. Through this well-thought plan, Mr. Patil was able to recover 85% of the company’s sales revenue.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Mr. Patil has been recognized time and again for his vision and his entrepreneurial streak. He brings to his work a go-getter attitude and attention to detail which has made him the recipient of appreciation from all quarters. In 2020, he was named the Best Entrepreneur for the successful launching of HiresGulf, an Online Job Portal. This award was given to him awarded by Horizon International Group. The previous year he was also awarded for Outstanding Performance and Leadership by Horizon International Group. In his previous assignments as well, he has been a recipient of various awards. In the year 2016, he was awarded in appreciation of Global Visionary Guidance & Exceptional Leadership by Delta Recruitment. At Smou Group, he was the Excellent Performer in 2014 and Employee of the Year in 2013.

MARCHING TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE

Mr. Patil is now looking to lead Horizon’s growth into many other geographies including the UK, Canada, and the Philippines. He is looking to add new lines that will serve wider areas of industrial prospects and will give Horizon the leverage to cover additional markets. Under his leadership and guidance, Horizon International Group is also looking to launch its Chartered Accountancy Firm in the UAE. This new arm will provide professional financial services like auditing, taxation, accounting, financial analysis, risk management, and consultancy services on financial structures to varied businesses.

CREATING THE RIGHT BALANCE

He is also a strong advocate of robust CSR policies. He feels CSR is incredibly important to create a stronger brand image and recognition in the industry. He also implemented best practices and policies for sound corporate governance by executing good ethical practices, innovative strategies, and fair and transparent work culture. He is inspired by his grandfather who wanted him to stay strong in difficult situations. Lately, he has been featured in Khaleej Times and The Energy Year.

VERSATILE LEADERSHIP

Mr. Samuel’s optimism and visionary capacity set him apart from his peers. He is a versatile leader who can quickly adapt to different roles and responsibilities. The multi-talented individual is also a manufacturing engineer, serial entrepreneur, venture idea generator, inventor, and innovator. Born in 1947 in Tamil Nadu, India, Samuel was the youngest of his parents’ eight children. He was named after Prince Phillip, who married Queen Elizabeth the same year. His primary education was at a small Montessori school in Chennai, followed by high school at Madras Christian College High School. He then enrolled in Vivekananda College, followed by College of Engineering, Guindy, to pursue the BE (Mechanical) course.

Having worked for the government and private corporations in manufacturing, projects, development of new venture ideas, and foreign collaborations for 12 years, Mr. Samuel established a consultancy named Transprojects for identifying and setting up new venture ideas and foreign associations. He holds several US patents. Solar air conditioning (Australia), high vacuum technology (Liechtenstein; USA), coal beneficiation (USA), and optical lenses (USA) are some of the innovative ideas he generated for clients. He was also appointed by Unilever as an entrepreneur to handle a project which involved creating fresh flower essences with a small French company. Consequently, he founded Indfrag Ltd. in 1989 to extract the fragrance of flowers like jasmine and tuberose.

He switched to plant extracts for Health and Nutrition when producing floral components was no longer profitable. Following that, the business flourished, and he once again diversified it into cosmetic plant extracts. Under his able leadership, Indfrag has expanded exponentially over the years, offering a variety of plant extracts for the health and beauty industries. Mr. Samuel divided up his company into two parts in 2016. He sold the major part of the company for a high price, compensating all stockholders 126 times compared to 9.6 X for Sensex Index.

DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Samuel has had a long-standing fascination for generating original business concepts. He wants to provide these suggestions for free to youngsters looking for business ideas. To that end, he has developed a website called Idearampage. His message to youngsters is that experiences in life can teach us valuable lessons, and we can always find a workaround for any circumstance.

A COMPASSIONATE LEADER

Mr. Samuel aims to assist underserved communities. He is a fervent supporter of women’s equality. His company has a girl power team with a long list of accomplishments to their credit. In 2017, he gave up his successful career as an entrepreneur to focus on giving back to society. His only son, Fabian, is currently in charge of the business, which has been doing even better due to his strong commitment to sustainability. Mr. Samuel still guides his business, but in his spare time, he works on charitable causes such as offering interest-free loans to small street vendors who are struggling due to high-interest rates, or converting used hotel soap into new ones and distributing it to the poor. Innovations and ideas never fail to motivate him, and he is always willing to provide his knowledge, expertise, and resources to people, businesses, and industries.

His relentless commitment has earned Indfrag numerous awards, including the Best EOU (MSME) for Food & Agro products for 2008-09’ and ‘Export Excellence Award 2003-04’ by MEPZ and “Best vendor of the year” bestowed by a sizeable American customer three years in a row.

Founding Partner & CEO at AJMS Global Consulting, Dr. Abhishek is a well-known name among many fintech enthusiasts. He is the founder of AJMS Global, a boutique consulting firm incepted in 2018. Under his leadership, a mere 4-year-old firm AJMS Global Consulting has become a Superbrand in the Middle East. Within a short span, he has expanded the operations of the firm in many countries across the Central and South Asia and the Middle East. Along with this flagship firm, he has founded and managed many sizeable firms such as AInsurtech (IT Services and IT Consulting company)and RemitEx Technologies or “DIGI” (a Regtech solutions company). Dr. Abhishek’s unique contributions to the financial world separate him from many others in this industry. On one hand, he is making real-life changes by establishing and working with many fintech and banking companies and on the other, he is spearheading innovation in finance with his thought leadership.

A VERSATILE PROFESSIONAL

He has honed several skills. His journey of building expertise started with his degrees in finance. He has a doctorate in FinTech Innovation from Ecole Superieure Robert De Sorbon, an MBA from the Xavier Institute of Management, MS (Finance), and also earned the ACAMS certification. Certifications in Blockchain, Python, and other emerging financial technology help him keep up with the latest trends in the FinTech world. Thanks to the strong knowledge base and his passion for continuous learning, Dr. Abhishek has gained expertise in comprehensive frameworks of risk management related to market, operations, regulation, internal control, auditing, and much more. He has also worked with a large number of banks and other financial institutions in various capacities. The clients that have benefited from Dr. Abhishek’s work include major MNC banks, insurance companies, finance houses, exchange companies and many more.

RECOGNIZED BY MARKETS & INSTITUTIONS

His work is recognized by both markets and institutions, which appreciate his work by collaborating with his firms. The client retention rate at AJMS and DIGI is around 95% – a rarity in the industry. Institutions recognize Dr. Abhishek’s work by awarding him and the firms founded and managed by him with jobs of critical importance. Leading media organizations of various countries have reported RemitEx as one of the fastest growing FinTech unicorns in the Middle East, and AJMS as the fastest growing and dominant GRC powerhouse. For its unique services, AJMS has been felicitated by Dubai Economy. AJMS’ novel product Actuarial Disclosures & Profitability Tool (ADPT) grabbed the award for the best actuarial and IFRS 17 solution for 2022 at the InsureTech Conference held in Dubai.

LONG ROAD AHEAD

Dr. Abhishek feels that he has to work even harder to boost FinTech innovation. This is exactly why he is promoting many companies that are running at the forefront of the payments technology sector. Many fintech companies are now providing financial services to customers who were earlier unbanked and, many startups are focusing on millennials to help them learn financial management for a more secure life. He strongly believes that financial technology can help in solving a lot of challenges faced by society and intends to work in this direction.