Narendra Modi was sworn in as India’s Prime Minister for the third time on 9 June 2024, following another decisive victory in the 2024 Parliamentary elections. This victory marked his third consecutive term, further solidifying his leadership. Mr. Modi’s third term is expected to build on the foundations laid during his previous tenures, with a renewed emphasis on technological innovation, infrastructure development, and international diplomacy, further positioning India as a global powerhouse. <br>

Inspired by the motto ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, Prime Minister Modi has ushered in a paradigm shift in governance that has led to inclusive, development-oriented, and corruption-free governance.


Narendra Modi

Rt Hon Boris Johnson served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Leader of the
Conservative Party, Foreign Secretary and Mayor of London.
In 2019 he led the Conservative Party to an extraordinary election victory, winning their biggest
majority in the House of Commons since 1987 and the highest share of the vote of any party
since 1979. The result was a major realignment in British politics, with Boris Johnson’s
Conservatives winning unprecedented support in areas they had never before represented.
Delivering Brexit – the UK’s exit from the European Union – was Mr Johnson’s first major
achievement in Downing Street. His government shattered the political and parliamentary
deadlock that crippled the process since the 2016 referendum result. Under Mr Johnson’s
leadership, the UK restored sovereign control over its borders, economy and lawmaking, finally
enacting the will of the British people.
At home, he unleashed a visionary agenda of domestic policy reform, with a focus on
infrastructure, education and technology. He worked to ‘unite and level up’ the country, a major
cross-government project to address regional economic and social disparities with his ‘levelling
up’ agenda.
When Covid-19 struck, he led the UK through the darkest days of the pandemic, at one point
becoming seriously ill from the disease. He commissioned the world’s foremost scientists and
industrialists to work on a UK vaccine, resulting in the discovery of the Oxford AstraZeneca jab.
His government delivered the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe and the fastest booster rollout,
allowing the UK economy to reopen and lifting restrictions more quickly than comparable
countries. Under Mr Johnson’s leadership, the UK emerged from the global crisis as the fastest
growing economy in the G7.
In 2022 Mr Johnson emerged as the preeminent global leader in support of Ukraine’s fight
against the full-scale Russian invasion. Under his leadership the UK committed more than £2.4
billion in military assistance, huge humanitarian support and became Ukraine’s foremost
European political partner. Mr Johnson has remained a key ally of President Volodomyr
Zelenskyy and is considered by the Kremlin as enemy number one.
Under Mr Johnson’s leadership, the UK became an influential climate leader. At the UK-hosted
COP26 summit in 2021, he forged the historic Glasgow Climate Pact. He believes passionately
that technology holds the key to developing green energy and reducing harmful emissions, and
has championed the expansion of nuclear energy in the UK.

Mr Johnson first entered Parliament in 2001 as MP for Henley. He was twice elected Mayor of
London (with the biggest personal mandate ever won in British politics). As Mayor he oversaw
the London 2012 Olympic Games, commissioned the new Routemaster bus, and introduced the
now-ubiquitous “Boris Bike” cycle hire scheme.
After being returned to the House of Commons in 2015, representing Uxbridge and South
Ruislip, Mr Johnson served as Foreign Secretary, prioritising global development work on girls’
education and female empowerment. He also led the Foreign Office response to Russia’s use of a
nerve agent on the streets of the English city of Salisbury.
Mr Johnson sits on the International Leadership Council of Washington think-tank the Centre for
European Policy Analysis (CEPA), and is a member of the International Democracy Union’s
(IDU) Advisory Board.
In addition to his work in politics, Mr Johnson is an award-winning journalist, writer and editor.
He is the author of several books – most recently “Unleashed”, an account of his time in politics,
as well as the globally bestselling historical biography of Winston Churchill, The Churchill
Factor. He edited the Spectator magazine for six years and has written for dozens of major
publications including London’s Daily Telegraph. He writes a weekly column for the Daily Mail.
Mr Johnson was educated at Eton College and the University of Oxford, and married his wife,
Carrie, in May 2021.

Boris Johnson

Manny Maceda is the Chair of Bain & Company. He previously served as Worldwide Managing Partner from 2018 to 2024. He oversaw Bain’s transformation to embed digital and technology capabilities and build a deeper focus on sustainability, while maintaining the firm’s culture and ranking as one of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work and earning the #1 position on Glassdoor’s Best Led Companies list in 2024. Manny joined Bain in 1989 and, over his 30+ year career, has advised global CEOs and become a leading expert in large-scale transformations involving strategy, growth, cost reduction, performance improvement, and organizational effectiveness across a range of industries – with most depth in technology companies. During his time as a CEO, Manny also built deep expertise in generative AI, global realignment, stakeholder capitalism, and private capital. Prior to serving as Bain’s Worldwide Managing Partner, Manny's roles included Chairman of the Asia Pacific region and Global Leader of Bain’s Full Potential Transformation Group, Performance Improvement practice, and Global Recruiting. He has also been a member of Bain’s Board of Directors, Nominating Committee, and Global Operating Committee. Manny has actively been involved in the World Economic Forum as a member of the Forum’s International Business Council, the First Mover’s Coalition, and other related committees. Additionally, he sits on the Bridgespan Board of Directors, the MIT Sloan North American Advisory Board, the OneTen Advisory Board, and is a founding partner of The Asian American Foundation. Manny holds an M.S. in Management from MIT Sloan School of Management, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering (magna cum laude) from Illinois Institute of Technology, and an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from De La Salle University in the Philippines 


Manny Maceda

Sharon White (Baroness White) is Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Affairs. Based in London, she works closely with asset class managers across the organization. In her role, she represents La Caisse in various markets, as well as with partners, governments, regulators and commercial organizations.
Sharon joined La Caisse in January 2025 as Managing Director and Head of Europe. Before that, she was Executive Chair of John Lewis Partnership, the U.K.’s largest employee-owned company. From 2015 to 2019, she served as Chief Executive of Ofcom, the U.K.’s media, telecoms and postal regulator. She began her career in the U.K. Government as an economist. She held a series of roles including in the U.K. Prime Minister’s office, the Diplomatic Service and at the World Bank, based in Washington, D.C. She was Second Permanent Secretary at the U.K. Treasury, overseeing public finances between 2013 and 2015. She has held various non-Executive roles and is currently non-Executive Chair of Frontier Economics.
Sharon was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for public service and is a crossbench (non-politically aligned) Member of the House of Lords.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Cambridge University and a Master’s Degree from University College London.


Baroness Sharon White

Kevin was appointed President and CEO in August 2021. He joined
Sun Life in 2002 and held several senior roles, including Vice-President
of Investor Relations for Sun Life’s Corporate Office, and Senior
Vice-President of Sun Life’s Individual Insurance and Investments
division in Canada.
In 2012, Kevin assumed the role of President, Sun Life Asia where he
was responsible for Sun Life’s interests in Asia, including identifying
opportunities for growth in the region and managing the company’s
relationships with its partners.
In 2017, Kevin was appointed Chief Financial Officer, responsible for
Sun Life’s worldwide Finance, Taxation, Capital and Investor Relations,
Enterprise Services and Corporate Development business groups.
Kevin is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Master of Accounting
degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada. He currently sits on
the Board of Directors for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and is a
Board Member at the C.D. Howe Institute. He is also a member of the
Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council. Previously, he was on the
Board of Governors for the University of Waterloo.
In May 2025, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce named Kevin the
2025 International Business Leader of the Year.

Kevin D. Strain

His Excellency Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah is the President and CEO of Dubai Chambers,
one of the largest economic development arms in Dubai. In his current role, he oversees the
implementation of Dubai Chambers’ strategic initiatives and plans, which aim to improve the
ease of doing business in Dubai, support businesses expanding globally, attract foreign
companies and investment, and advance the digital economy.
In addition to his current role at Dubai Chambers, His Excellency serves as a member of the
Executive Board of the International Chamber of Commerce, which represents a network of 45
million companies around the world.
His Excellency also serves as a member of the board at the Dubai Free Zones Council, Dubai
Media Council, Emirati Human Resources Development Council, as well as a member of the
University of Dubai Board of Trustees and a member of the board of Union Coop.
Previously, he served as CEO of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection for
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, where he was responsible for overseeing consumer
protection, business protection, intellectual property protection, and commercial compliance.
His Excellency also held several other leadership positions at the Department of Economic
Development, namely Deputy CEO of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection
Sector, Deputy CEO of the Dubai Export Development Corporation, Executive Director of
Corporate Quality and Excellence, and Deputy Director of the Information Technology
Department at Dubai Land Department.
H.E. Lootah earned a bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering from Arizona State
University in the United States and an executive MBA in strategic management from the Higher
Colleges of Technology in Dubai. He is a graduate of the ‘Dubai Leaders Program’ at the
Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development.

H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah

Christoph Schweizer is CEO of Boston Consulting Group and a member of the firm's Executive and Operating Committees. Previously, he was BCG’s Chair for Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Since joining BCG in 1997, Christoph has supported clients across health care, private equity, and multiple other industries on major transformational programs, including AI/GenAI initiatives, growth strategies, M&A, and post-merger integrations. Under his leadership, BCG has significantly expanded its AI and broader tech capabilities, including through the launch of BCG X, the firm’s tech build and design unit.
Christoph is a member of several leading organizations, including the Business Roundtable, the Singapore Economic Development Board’s International Advisory Council, and the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council.


Christoph Schweizer

Anu Aiyengar is the Global Chair of Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan. Since joining J.P. Morgan in 1999, Anu has held senior leadership roles across the Investment Bank and has advised on more than $1 trillion worth of transactions.
Most recently, Anu served as Global Head of Advisory and Mergers & Acquisitions, where she was a member of the firm's Global Banking Operating Committee and Global Investment Banking Management team. She led a top-ranked global practice of 500+ bankers across 45 countries, spanning M&A, Corporate Advisory, and Director Advisory Services, helping clients execute transformative strategies. Her global leadership is a reflection of her nearly three decades of specialized transaction experience at J.P. Morgan, including 12 years of leading the M&A practice first in North America and then globally.
Anu's leadership and impact have been widely acknowledged, with her being named to Barron's "100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance" and American Banker's "Most Powerful Women in Finance" for the last five years. She has also received distinctions such as the 2021 "Asian American Business Award," the 2022 "Ascend A-List Honoree," the "Impact and Innovation Award" by Dress for Success, and was featured on the 2024 Forbes India W-Power list. In 2025, she was named the top U.S. M&A banker on Business Insider's Rainmakers list, becoming the first woman to hold the No. 1 position.
Beyond her professional achievements, Anu is dedicated to community service and advancing women in finance. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Smith College and the boards of the New York City Ballet, American Red Cross, and Dress for Success. She is a guest lecturer at Chicago Booth and Harvard Business School.
Anu holds a B.A. in economics from Smith College and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. She lives in New York City with her husband.


Anu Aiyengar

Shri Samrat Choudhary is the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Bihar and a senior Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) leader with extensive experience in state politics, governance, and public
administration. He assumed office as the Chief Minister of Bihar on 15 April 2026, after serving
as Deputy Chief Minister of the state. With strong grassroots connections, Shri Choudhary has held
various ministerial and organisational responsibilities during his political career including Urban
Development, Panchayati Raj, Home, Finance, Agriculture and Commercial Taxes, thereby gaining
experience across the entire spectrum of governance.
His leadership is focused on development-oriented and citizen-centric governance, with an
emphasis on strengthening law and order, improving infrastructure, generating employment,
promoting industrial growth and investment, and enhancing education and healthcare facilities. As
Chief Minister, his vision is to build a progressive, self-reliant, and developed Bihar, driven by
inclusive growth, transparent governance, women’s empowerment, youth participation, and digital
transformation.
His administration seeks to create an enabling environment for investment and innovation while

fostering sustainable economic development across the state. His characteristic firm decision-
making and swift implementation have contributed to several administrative, industrial,

investment and infrastructure reforms in the state within a short span of time. His governance
approach is centred on formulating policies and implementing reforms aimed at building a
developed Bihar, unlocking its potential, strengthening public trust, and fostering meaningful
dialogue with citizens, investors and stakeholders.

Samrat Choudhary

Girish Tanti is a founding member of Suzlon Energy Limited. He has three decades of experience in renewables and international business, and a unique understanding of technology and the sector. Over the years, he has played several key roles, including incubating the renewable energy business in 1995, establishing technology development centres in Europe and India, setting up the global supply chain, developing wind markets across India, establishing global business operations, and spearheading corporate development activities. He has also led various service functions, such as human resources, information technology, communications, and CSR and has been instrumental in Suzlon's rise to becoming the only wind energy player from a developing nation to rank among the top five worldwide. Mr. Tanti holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the United Kingdom.  

Girish Tanti

Sir Ron Kalifa is Vice Chair and Head of Financial Infrastructure investing in Brookfield’s Private Equity Group. In this role, he is responsible for Brookfield’s financial infrastructure investment strategy which focuses on identifying opportunities in digital assets and services that form the backbone of the global economy.
Prior to joining Brookfield in 2023, Sir Ron served as CEO of Worldpay for over a decade, a leading global payments platform overseeing its divestment into private equity ownership and subsequently to IPO. He also served as Chair of Network International, a leading payments operator across the Middle East and Africa that was acquired by a Brookfield-led consortium. In 2021, he led the Kalifa Review of U.K. Fintech, a government-commissioned independent review which defined a strategy and delivery model for fintech and high-growth sectors of the economy. Throughout his career, he has held senior roles in finance across the U.K., Europe, and the U.S.
Sir Ron is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He also serves as a member of the Council of Imperial College London, a Trustee of the Royal Foundation, and a Non-Executive Director for the England and Wales Cricket Board and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).



Sir Ron Kalifa

Tanay Kothari is the co-founder and CEO of Wispr, the voice-to-text AI that turns speech into clear, polished writing in every app. A four-time founder, he launched FeatherX, an AI personalization startup for online stores, while still in college. After it was acquired by Cerebra Technologies, he joined the company to lead engineering and product. Earlier, he built Convert, a music discovery platform that grew to more than 2.5 million organic monthly active users.


Tanay holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from Stanford, where he taught the university’s Deep Learning course alongside Prof. Andrew Ng and published research at the Stanford AI Lab. He also served as President of the Stanford Venture Capital Club for three years. In 2023, he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.


Tanay Kothari 

Dr. Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, is leading the State's transformation into a globally competitive investment destination through a strong focus on industrial growth, innovation, and inclusive economic development. Holding degrees in B.Sc., LL.B., MBA, M.A., and a Ph.D., he brings a multidisciplinary academic perspective to governance and policymaking.
Under his leadership, Madhya Pradesh is strengthening industrial infrastructure, attracting strategic investments, generating employment, and fostering high-growth sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy, logistics, tourism, and information technology. Committed to responsive governance, he is driving investor-centric reforms, enhancing ease of doing business, expanding world-class industrial infrastructure, and ensuring efficient project facilitation.
With a vision of balanced regional development, Dr. Yadav's leadership seeks to create lasting economic and social impact by promoting entrepreneurship, improving livelihoods, expanding opportunities across the State, and advancing sustainable, inclusive growth for the people of Madhya Pradesh.


Dr Mohan Yadav

Anthony Capuano is President and CEO of Marriott International, Inc. In his role, Mr. Capuano
presides over the world’s largest hospitality company and some of the most iconic brands in travel.
The company now has approximately 10,000 properties across 146 countries and territories and
over 30 brands. It also has the travel industry’s largest customer loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy,
which has over 280 million members.

Before his appointment as CEO in February 2021, Mr. Capuano was Group President, Global
Development, Design and Operations Services, where he led the strategic unit growth of all of
Marriott’s brands while overseeing the global design team as well as Marriott’s global operating
standards and protocols for thousands of properties around the world. Mr. Capuano was also
responsible for oversight of the EDITION Hotels, a unique concept in the luxury lifestyle hotel
space conceived by hotelier Ian Schrager and Marriott International.
Mr. Capuano joined Marriott in 1995 and was instrumental in its steady growth over the years,
which included the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in 2016. Mr. Capuano
began his Marriott career as part of the Market Planning and Feasibility team, where he helped
the company assess the overall economic viability of new and existing hotels, balancing the
company’s interests with the needs of hotel owners and developers, investors, lenders, and
Operators.

That role prepared him to lead Marriott’s development efforts in the Western United States and
Canada for its full-service hotel brands. Later, his responsibilities expanded to include North
America, the Caribbean and Latin America. In 2009, Mr. Capuano assumed global development
responsibility. He began overseeing global design in 2014 and global operations in January 2020.
Mr. Capuano earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Hotel Administration. He is
an active member of the Cornell Hotel Society, The Cornell School of Hotel Administration Dean’s
Advisory Board, as well as the Business Roundtable and the American Hotel and Lodging
Association’s IREFAC Council. Additionally, Mr. Capuano serves on the Board of Directors for
McDonald's Corporation, The Economic Club of Washington, D.C., and Save Venice, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice, Italy. He resides in Potomac,
Maryland, with his wife.


Anthony Capuano

Krish Ramineni is the Founder and CEO of Fireflies.ai, the AI meeting assistant trusted by 20 million people across 75% of the Fortune 500. Under his leadership, Fireflies has grown into one of the world’s most recognized AI brands, reaching a billion-dollar valuation.

Krish is an early investor in AI startups including OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, as well as SpaceX. He was named to Forbes 30 Under 30, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and was one of the youngest Product Managers at Microsoft. An avid cricket enthusiast, Krish is also a co-owner of the Rotterdam franchise in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). 


Krish Ramineni

Alex Mashrabov is the CEO and Co-Founder of Higgsfield, a leading generative video platform and a fast-scaling force in the AI sector. Before Higgsfield, Alex co-founded AI Factory, the startup behind Snapchat’s viral Cameos and Face Filters, which reached billions of users and was acquired by Snap in 2020. At Snap, he served as Director of Generative AI, leading teams that shaped the company’s early AI strategy. 


Alex Mashrabov

Harshit is the Founder & CEO of Zingroll, backed by Google, A16Z Speedrun, Accel, Z Fellows and others. Zingroll is an AI entertainment platform where anyone can role-play in a cinematic AI movie or show; the platform's content surged to 200M+ viewers since launch in early 2025, and is currently trending on top charts in India on iOS. He has also discovered two asteroids in the main belt, was a Thiel Fellow finalist, built Ivy League's largest anonymous chat app, and led Dartmouth's Mixed Reality for four years. Harshit graduated from Dartmouth College with a double major in CS and Sociology, and has since worked as a Tech consultant in EY, prior to starting Zingroll and raising $4.1M. 

Harshit Yadav

As President and CEO of Arctic Wolf, Nick Schneider brings more than 15 years of experience in building global, high-growth technology companies spanning both emerging and established markets. As a veteran in the security industry, Nick has developed expertise in creating best-of-breed technology platforms and world-class sales organizations, which have been the driving force behind Arctic Wolf’s explosive growth and leadership position in the security operations market.
Before being named CEO, Nick served as Arctic Wolf’s President and Chief Revenue Officer, where he helped lead the company to eight consecutive years of 100% sales growth, spearheaded the company’s international expansion, and oversaw Arctic Wolf’s transition to a 100% channel go-to-market model.
Prior to Arctic Wolf, Nick served as the Vice President of North American Sales for Code42, an industry-leading endpoint data protection company. Before Code42, Nick led high-performing sales teams at Compellent Technologies, where he helped the company grow to a successful IPO and eventual acquisition by Dell. Nick holds a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree from Duke University in public policy and economics.


Nick Schneider 

Shailendra Singh is a Managing Director at Peak XV (formerly known as Sequoia Capital India & Southeast Asia). He joined the firm in 2006 and has served as its leader since 2011. Peak XV has partnered with 450+ companies spanning technology, software, financial services and consumer sectors across the world. The portfolio has seen 37 IPOs, multiple successful M&As and currently has 50+ companies with over $100M in revenues. Shailendra has led investments in several category leaders including Pine Labs, CRED, Supabase, PostHog, GoTo, Druva and Sirion. He received an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School (HBS) and currently serves on the HBS Board of Dean’s Advisors as well as the Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). He holds an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from IIT Bombay, and is also a Kauffman Fellow.  


Shailendra Singh

David Bach is the President of IMD, a position he has held since September 2024. He is focused on broadening and deepening IMD’s global impact through learning innovation, program excellence, and applied thought leadership. As Nestlé Professor of Strategy and Political Economy, he helps leaders navigate the myriad political challenges facing business today.

David Bach

Nigel Vaz is CEO of Publicis Sapient, a global technology company providing enterprise AI platforms and services. In more than 25 years with the company, Vaz has acted as a strategic advisor on complex transformation initiatives for clients like Marriott, Goldman Sachs, Nissan and McDonald’s.  Vaz has spearheaded the development of proprietary AI tools such as Sapient Slingshot and Bodhi, which automate complex processes and help transform businesses at pace through AI-powered solutions. He is a regular commentator in broadcast and print media, including the BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal, and author of the best-selling book: Digital Business Transformation. 
Website: https://www.nigelvaz.com 


Nigel Vaz

Neha Mittal is the CEO and founder of JustAI (YC + Sequoia), the AI marketing platform behind personalization and experimentation for brands like Figma, Notion, and Coursera. Before JustAI, she ran Growth for Pinterest & Twitter (where she had the pleasure of working with Mr Musk for 9 months). She also cofounded CityStructure, and held various product & engineering roles at Goldman Sachs, Chan Zuckerberg & Sensorflow. She’s based in San Francisco and splits her roots between Singapore and India. 

Neha Mittal

Dr. Vivek Lall is an internationally recognized aerospace and security executive whose work spans unmanned aircraft, advanced sensing, fusion energy, high temperature materials, directed energy, and electromagnetic systems. He is Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation, supporting United States and allied partners on five continents. He has held senior leadership roles at Boeing and Lockheed Martin and has advised the United States government on global aviation policy and strategic technology. Dr. Lall is frequently called on by allied governments, industry, and financial institutions for guidance on defense, energy, and national security. He serves on multiple international advisory boards and is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution as well as a Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge. He holds an MS in Aerospace Engineering from Embry Riddle, an MBA, and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University. 


Dr. Vivek Lall

Youssef Salem is the CFO of ADX-listed ADNOC Drilling, the world’s largest drilling company, and Chairman of Enersol, an AI-powered energy solutions platform. 
He previously served as CFO of AIQ, a subsidiary of ADX-listed Presight, CFO of Nasdaq-listed Swvl, Executive Director at Moelis, where he executed more than $150 billion in transactions, and Adjunct Professor of Practice at the American University in Cairo. 
Youssef is a CFA Charterholder, Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, former, the youngest CFO on both Nasdaq and ADX, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and host of The Mal Show.


Youssef Salem

Deedy Das is a Partner at Menlo Ventures focused on early-stage investments in AI, infrastructure, and enterprise software. Prior to Menlo, he was on the founding team of the $7.2B AI startup Glean, where he helped build and run Glean's AI products.  He also writes frequently about tech, AI, startups and immigration on X which has received 750M+ views and been featured frequently in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch and more. He previously led engineering teams at Google and Meta before graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Computer Science. 

Deedy Das 

Nandi Vardhan Mehta is the Chief Financial Officer and an Investment Committee Member at KAAF Investments LLC, a Dubai-based single family office overseeing a globally diversified investment portfolio. He also serves on the Board of Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo (Holdings) Company BSC, one of the Middle East’s largest independent family-owned multinationals. An active angel investor with a strong interest in India’s startup ecosystem, Nandi Vardhan also serves on the Advisory Board of Elev8 Venture Partners and the Governing Board of Sapna, a non-profit focused on education, elder care, and community development. Outside the boardroom, Nandi Vardhan is a Hindi poet, reflecting a lifelong engagement with literature and the humanities that informs his perspective on leadership. 


Nandi Vardhan Mehta

Krishna is Founder and CEO of SiMa.ai™, passionate about scaling Physical AI. Previously, he was the COO of Groq, a machine learning startup. He was with Xilinx for 18 years, where he was Senior Vice President and GM of Xilinx’s overall business prior to his most recent role as Executive Vice President, Global Sales. Prior to Xilinx, he held various engineering and business roles at Altera Corporation and Cypress Semiconductor. He holds 25+ international patents. He has also served on the board of directors of public and private companies.

Krishna Rangasayee

Sudip Roy is a Co-founder and CTO of Adaption, where he leads engineering efforts to build intelligence that continuously evolves. Sudip was previously the Senior Director of Engineering at Cohere, where he led Inference, Finetuning, and Platform for the company's foundation models. During his tenure, he scaled the engineering organization tenfold while helping drive revenue growth from under $1M to $100M through industry-leading advances in system efficiency and reliability. A specialist in both systems for AI and AI for systems, Sudip spearheaded strategic technical collaborations with major partners including Nvidia, Google, Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, and Groq to optimize AI deployment at scale. Prior to Cohere, he was a researcher at Google DeepMind, where he contributed to the core ML infrastructure—such as Pathways and TensorFlow Extended—that powers training and inference thousands of models in production including Gemini. He holds multiple patents in machine learning systems and is a recognized leader in scaling foundation model infrastructure.

Sudip Roy

Madhav Kalyan is the Managing Director and Head of Payments for Asia Pacific at J.P. Morgan since November 2022. Based in Singapore, Madhav leads the firm’s efforts in delivering market leading solutions to clients across the payments space, servicing their Treasury Services, Merchant Services, Trade Finance needs through leveraging J.P. Morgan’s unique global capabilities and technology investments, including initiatives under the Kinexys by J.P. Morgan umbrella. Madhav joined J.P. Morgan in November 2009 as the CEO of J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, India and brings over 32 years of experience across banking and financial services and has held leadership responsibilities for corporate banking and transaction banking businesses and operations in India, North America, Asia and the Middle East to this role. Prior to this role, Madhav Kalyan was the Senior Country Officer for the J.P. Morgan franchise in India. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Madhav held leadership roles for many years with ICICI Bank with regional responsibilities in U.S.A., APAC and the Middle East. Madhav is a Mechanical Engineer from National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India and a Management Graduate from XLRI Xavier Institute of Management, Jamshedpur, India. He serves on the Board of Governors of XLRI Jamshedpur, his alma mater, since February 2023.

Madhav Kalyan

With an impressive career spanning almost three decades of technology sector experience, Verena Siow was named Regional President of SAP Asia Pacific in July 2026. Based in Singapore, Verena is responsible for business operations across the region, driving customer success, accelerating business transformation, and helping organizations across Asia Pacific realize the full value of their SAP solutions and become intelligent autonomous enterprises.

She has served in multiple capacities during her fifteen-year tenure at SAP, most recently as the Business Suite Leader APAC, driving cloud growth and the end-to-end customer value journey. Prior to that, she was SAP’s Southeast Asia President and Managing Director.

Her career incorporates extensive experience in sales, business development, and startup ventures in the technology sector, working across Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. Her journey has included pivotal roles in nurturing and growing businesses from the ground up, particularly within the startup ecosystem.

Verena's commitment extends beyond her professional achievements. She is a passionate advocate for fostering diversity and inclusion within the technology sector. Her belief in the power of different perspectives to enhance business outcomes is evident in her leadership approach and the initiatives she champions


Verena Siow

Anil Goel is the Global Chief Technology Officer of Nielsen, where he leads the company's global engineering and technology organization in close partnership with its product teams to drive innovation and the adoption of advanced technology. Based in Bengaluru and reporting to Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao, Anil joined the company in 2024 and has since driven the accelerated adoption of automation and AI across Nielsen's measurement business, with a focus on strengthening products, and advancing Nielsen's role as the currency for audience measurement across CTV and streaming.
Anil has close to three decades of experience in technology leadership with a focus on global consumer and enterprise space. Before joining Nielsen, he served as President of Technology at Byju's Group; he has also worked as Chief Technology and Product Officer at OYO Hotels & Homes, where he scaled the engineering organization and advanced its AI-driven capabilities. He spent close to two decades at Amazon, including as Chief Technology Officer for its global Customer Returns business, and has also held technology leadership positions at RealNetworks, and HyperQuality.
In the industry, Anil is widely regarded as an entrepreneurial, results-oriented technology executive who pairs deep technical expertise and knowledge of how AI is reshaping media and consumer behaviour. He is a frequently sought-after speaker at industry forums on topics spanning artificial intelligence, engineering leadership, and the evolving media and advertising ecosystem.

Anil Goel

Karan Bajwa is the President of Google Cloud in APAC. He leads all go-to-market operations for Google Cloud in the region, including field sales, partner teams and customer engineering. He first joined Google Cloud in March 2020 as Managing Director for India. 
Karan is a senior leader with over three decades of leadership experience, and previously served as Managing Director for India and South Asia at IBM. Before IBM, he worked at Microsoft for nine years, with his last role being Managing Director for the company’s operations in India. He has also worked at Cisco Systems in India and Singapore.
Karan holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Guru Nanak Engineering College, Punjab


Karan Bajwa

Sir Martin Sorrell is widely regarded as one of the architects of modern marketing and one of the most influential business leaders of the digital era.
Having founded and transformed WPP into the world's largest advertising and marketing services company, with a market capitalisation exceeding £16 billion, he has spent more than four decades shaping the global communications industry and advising many of the world's most influential companies on growth, transformation and competitive advantage.
As Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital Monks, Sir Martin continues to lead the industry's evolution at the intersection of technology, creativity, data and artificial intelligence, building a digital-first enterprise designed for the demands of a new era. His perspective on AI, digital disruption and the changing economics of marketing has made him one of the world's most sought-after commentators on the future of business.
Known for his relentless focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and value creation, Sir Martin has consistently challenged conventional thinking, helping organisations navigate profound shifts in consumer behaviour, media, technology and global markets.
Educated at University of Cambridge and Harvard Business School, TIME has recognised him as one of the world's greatest CEOs, reflecting a career defined by entrepreneurial vision, sustained innovation and an enduring influence on global business.


Sir Martin Sorrell 

John O'Loghlen is the Coinbase Country Director, Australia. Prior to joining Coinbase, John led the expansion of Alibaba Group and Ant Group in Australia and New Zealand as well as overseeing the World First cross border payments business. Before relocating to Sydney in 2014, John spent the previous 11 years in China building businesses in the food delivery space following on from a career in investment banking with Goldman Sachs in London, New York, and Beijing. 


John O'Loghlen

 As CEO and Co-founder of Sorcero, the leading AI platform for medical analytics in life sciences, she is an award-winning technology entrepreneur and Edmund Hillary Fellow. She built Sorcero on the conviction that turning scientific evidence into insight faster gets breakthrough therapies to patients sooner — a platform now used by 40% of the top 30 global life sciences companies. Sorcero has been named Google Partner of the Year for Healthcare & Life Sciences and one of Fortune's America's Most Innovative Companies. In 2026, Dipanwita was named to the 100 Women in AI, recognized as one of only three life sciences founders. She earlier built the digital platform behind the world's largest public health policy initiative, impacting over one billion lives, and holds degrees from the University of Sussex, and St. Stephen's College. 


Dipanwita Das

Ekta Tolani is the Chief Investment Officer of KBW Ventures – the investment arm for HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal. She has deployed over +$1B worldwide into direct deals during her career. Over her 15 years of experience, Ekta has driven investment strategy and process for sourcing, selecting, and winning direct Private Equity ($100M+) and Venture Capital ($1M – $5M) style deals across a variety of high-growth sectors. She has also allocated $100M+ to hedge funds, private credit, fixed income and PE/VC funds.

She has been instrumental in the setup of large family office from drafting the charter to executing the multi-asset diversified investment strategy. She crafted legacy planning and wealth preservation themes for her principals.

Ekta has cultivated a solid network of both family offices and institutional investors across the Middle East, North America, and Asia. She currently manages a broad network of such active relationships; a global network of LPs, Family Offices, and GPs recording top quartile returns. She brings in a plethora of great opportunities and co-investors with her.

She holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is the ambassador for the school’s MBA program and Booth Women. She is a member of the Private Equity Women Investor Network, and an ardent champion for women empowerment.



Ekta Tolani

Nader Albastaki is the Managing Director of Dubai Future District Fund
(DFDF), Dubai’s venture capital fund of funds and investment platform
operating under the Dubai Future Foundation and DIFC. He oversees the
strategic and operational direction of DFDF’s investment activities, with an
emphasis on connecting global capital to the founders and fund managers
shaping the region’s innovation landscape. His focus is on delivering
long-term value through an investment approach that is both globally
benchmarked and locally contextualized.
Nader plays a pivotal role with DFDF in ecosystem building, fostering
collaboration between founders, fund managers, policymakers, and global
investors to elevate Dubai’s position as a global innovation hub. Beyond
capital allocation, he engages with government stakeholders and
policymakers to shape an enabling regulatory environment that supports
innovation and venture activity. His leadership is anchored in a mission to
connect global capital with regional innovation and to empower the next
generation of transformative technologies and business models.
Prior to joining DFDF, Nader led strategy at the Dubai Future Foundation,
where he contributed to a range of initiatives and strategies aimed at
driving social, technological, economic, and environmental impact for the
Emirate of Dubai. Nader was also at Dubai Tourism, where he helped
establish the Strategic Partnerships department and launched an Advanced
Analytics team, delivering both strategic collaborations and operating
leverage, exemplifying his ability to drive collaborative value creation across
public and private sector entities.
In addition to his various roles across the Dubai government, Nader was
also an entrepreneur that co-founded several ventures in the early-stages,
bringing a founder’s perspective to venture investing.
Earlier in his career, Nader spent seven years at HSBC Middle East, where
he managed the non-bank financial institutions portfolio and worked across
corporate and SME clients - nearly doubling the bank’s business in those
areas, bringing dealmaking capacity amongst multiple stakeholders. Nader
has also held roles at Standard Chartered Bank and served in the UAE
Armed Forces.
He holds an MBA from INSEAD, an MSc in Business Analytics & AI from
NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a BA in Economics from the
University of Waterloo, Canada.

Nader Albastaki

Preeti Lobana is the VP and Country Manager of Google India. Her present assignment follows an eight year stint at Google, where she held multiple roles at the India, APAC and global levels, supporting partners and customers to grow with Google.

Before Google, Preeti has held various leadership roles spanning sales, product, finance and operations, driving change and transformation in the banking and financial services industry for over twenty five years. Her banking career is distributed across institutions like ANZ bank, Standard Chartered Bank, American Express and the Natwest group.

She is deeply passionate about mentoring young girls and women to chart ambitious careers and create impact and a big believer in the potential of technologies like AI to drive
transformation at strategic nerve centres of industry and the economy.

She is an alum of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. In her leisure time she likes to spend time with her family, listening to music and meditating and resides in Delhi, India.


Preeti Lobana

Suresh Sethi is Senior Vice President and Group Country
Manager for India and South Asia at Visa. In this role,
Suresh leads Visa’s strategy and operations across India,
Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. He is
responsible for driving business growth, strengthening
client and ecosystem partnerships, and advancing Visa’s
mission across one of the company’s most dynamic and
diverse regions. Suresh brings deep ecosystem and policy
experience, having worked extensively with regulators,
policymakers, banks, fintechs, and technology partners
across B2G, B2B, and ecosystem-led growth models.

Suresh Sethi

Arun Mn is the Founder and Managing Director of Casagrand, one of South India’s leading real estate developers. A first-generation entrepreneur with a BE in Electronics & Communications and an MBA in Marketing, he transitioned from IT to real estate by developing a 12-apartment project in Chennai, laying the foundation for Casagrand. Today, under his leadership, the company is developing large-scale integrated communities spanning 30–40 acres, redefining modern urban living.
Under Arun’s leadership, Casagrand has built a portfolio of over 180 projects and 88 million sq. ft. of residential developments across Chennai, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Dubai. Guided by two core pillars—customers and people—he has created an organization known for innovation, progressive HR practices, employee empowerment, and a relentless focus on customer satisfaction.
Casagrand is renowned for its modern designs, expansive green spaces, world-class amenities, superior construction quality, reliable post-handover service, and on-time delivery. His vision of delivering unbeatable value through larger homes, premium specifications, and exceptional lifestyle offerings at competitive prices has made Casagrand one of India’s fastest-growing real estate companies and a trusted choice for homebuyers.


Arun Mn

 Abdulla Ziad Galadari is a Senior Partner at Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants and a prominent UAE legal and business adviser to private enterprises, investors, family-led businesses, public-sector organisations and senior stakeholders.
 A key influencer across the UAE, Abdulla supports a diverse range of businesses and senior dignitaries in navigating the country’s legal, regulatory and commercial landscape. His work is closely aligned with the UAE’s role as a global platform for investment, trade, innovation and long-term regional growth.
 Abdulla advises on strategic growth, market entry, corporate structuring, high-value commercial matters and complex cross-border considerations. He is also a driving force behind Galadari’s progressive approach to innovation in the legal profession, combining legal insight with technology, market intelligence and a strong focus on business outcomes.
 Recognised as a regional “Leading Individual” by The Legal 500 UAE, Abdulla brings a senior UAE perspective to conversations on global business, investment, leadership and the evolving role of the Middle East in shaping international growth.


Abdulla Ziad Galadari

Cheryl Lim is a partner in McKinsey’s Kuala Lumpur office with over 18 years of experience advising public- and private-sector organizations on people, organizational, and cultural transformations. As a global leader of McKinsey’s People & Organization Performance work, she supports CEOs, CHROs, and executive teams on leadership development, strategic workforce planning, HR operating model transformation, and cultural change.
Cheryl also serves on the leadership team of the McKinsey Center for CEO Excellence (MCCE), where she helps design and deliver flagship leadership programs for senior executives throughout Asia.
Cheryl’s work is grounded in a deep understanding of how organizations translate strategy into sustained performance through leadership, culture, and integrated talent systems. She brings a practical, data-driven approach to enabling change, informed by extensive cross-sector experience in financial services, energy, utilities, and the public sector in Southeast Asia and beyond.


Cheryl Lim

Akis Evangelidis is a marketing and technology leader with over a decade of experience in the consumer tech industry. As Co-founder and India President of Nothing, he plays a crucial role in driving the brand’s vision, market expansion, and strategic direction.

In his role as India President, Akis leads Nothing’s operations in one of the world’s most competitive smartphone markets, overseeing business strategy, marketing initiatives, and key partnerships. He has been instrumental in strengthening Nothing’s position in India - a critical and highly strategic market for the company’s future growth, both locally and globally. Under his leadership, the brand became the fastest-growing smartphone brand for seven of the last eight quarters - the only smartphone brand in India to achieve this milestone in the past decade.

Furthermore, he oversaw the strategic move to initiate the transition of CMF headquarters to India, recently registering the company locally and reinforcing the brand’s long-term commitment to the region. This aligns with the vision of “Make it in India, for the world.”

Before co-founding Nothing, he held senior leadership roles at OnePlus and Sony Mobile, where he drove sales, marketing, and brand growth across key global markets.

Originally from France and Greece, Akis brings a global perspective to his role, leveraging his expertise in scaling brands, executing innovative marketing strategies, and leading high-performance teams.


Akis Evangelidis

Rahul Jain is the India system lead for Boston Consulting Group as well as a core member of the firm's Industrial Goods (IG) practice. He is a past leader of the IG practice for the Asia Pacific region, covering China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Korea. His expertise in conglomerates and family-owned businesses has enabled him to drive complex business transformations at scale for client organizations, including restructuring their operations, sales, and marketing, and delivering a step change in overall business performance—both profitability and growth.
Rahul has expertise in process industries including cement, steel, power, chemicals, and other building materials. He has significant experience in the automotive, engineering, and infrastructure industries, and is passionate about the energy transition, including renewable energy, decarbonization, and electric vehicles.
Rahul is a thought leader on self-reliance and advancing the manufacturing competitiveness agenda. He firmly believes that the Indian manufacturing and clean tech industries will be the driving force behind sustainable socioeconomic transformation in India. He actively participates in industry and government forums, particularly those that aim to strengthen India’s efforts to become self-reliant and globally competitive through national flagship policy initiatives such as the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Digital India Mission, and programs such as the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan.


Rahul Jain

Karan Dinesh Singh Rawat is Partner and CEO of Spec Finance India, an IFSC-licensed NBFC operating out of GIFT City under IFSCA Finance Company regulations, where he leads legal, compliance, and governance for the firm's cross-border operations. He is also a Partner at Dinesh Singh Law Associates, spearheading a finance-focused law firm within GIFT City, and serves as a Trustee at the Association for Judicial Reforms India. An alumnus of Harvard University (Finance) with an LLB and an LLM in Sustainability Studies from TERI School of Advanced Studies, he is driven by a vision to position GIFT City as a global epicenter for finance, capital innovation, and cross-border deal-making.


Karan Dinesh Singh Rawat

Dr. Prateek Sharma is an internationally recognized physician, scientist, and innovator who has transformed global healthcare by integrating artificial intelligence, digital health, wellness and gut health into scalable, evidence-based solutions. As Professor of Medicine and Elaine Blaylock Endowed Professor at the University of Kansas, he also serves as President of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and chairs the Artificial Intelligence Institute for Gastroenterology. With over 550 publications, including the Prague classification system, and groundbreaking work in endoscopic cancer treatments, he has shaped modern health care globally. A Padma Shri recipient and a member of the UN Internet Governance Forum's Coalition on Digital Health, his leadership bridges clinical excellence, policy, and technology to foster equitable, sustainable healthcare worldwide.


Dr Prateek Sharma

Yuvraj Narayan is Group Chief Executive Officer of DP World, leading its long-term strategy, portfolio expansion, and digital transformation. He is driving the company’s evolution into a fully integrated global trade enabler, delivering end-to-end supply chain solutions that support over 10% of global trade while keeping customers at the core.
A hallmark of his leadership is a disciplined mergers and acquisitions programme that has expanded DP World beyond ports into inland logistics, freight forwarding, contract logistics, and digital platforms - positioning it as a comprehensive logistics partner across the global supply chain.
Since joining in 2004, he has played a key role in the company’s growth, strengthening its global footprint, operational resilience, and sustainable performance. He was appointed CFO in 2005, later serving as Group Deputy CEO and CFO in 2021, before becoming CEO in 2026. Prior to DP World, he held senior roles at ANZ Group and was CFO of Salalah Port Services in Oman.
A Chartered Accountant, he brings deep institutional knowledge and global leadership experience. He also serves on the boards of HDFC International Life, Re Company Limited and Dubai Financial Market.

Yuvraj Narayan

Alexander Panov is an Entrepreneur, Founder and Co-Owner of more than 8 businesses in the fields of deep tech, marketing, information security, and others. Founder and CEO of Neiry, one of the world's largest groups of companies with its own R&D center for brain research. More than 100 neuroproducts are exported to 30 countries worldwide. Co-President of the Neuro-net Industry Union, Founder of a philosophy club dedicated to neurotechnology. Founder of charitable educational and outreach projects. Ambassador of deep-tech entrepreneurship.
At the age of 25, he completed a winter motorcycle journey from Moscow to Goa.


Alexander Panov

Hans Christian Dall Nygård is an experienced finance professional serving as Head – Private Equity at SPEC Finance, an IFSC-licensed NBFC in GIFT City, Gujarat, focused on cross-border financing and investments in emerging markets and BRICS nations. He is also Executive Director of WhiteLight Private Limited, an FME company. His career includes roles as managing partner of several CEE-focused private equity funds and membership in the management group of Helsinki-listed CapMan plc, with €5 billion under management, during which he served as board member or chairman of numerous SMEs across countries and sectors. He was also Chairman of the Norwegian East Chamber of Commerce and Industry, promoting trade between Norway and the Black Sea region, CEE, and Central Asia. Hans holds an M.Sc. in Economics, an Executive MBA, and a CEFA Diploma, and is driven by a vision to position GIFT City as a global hub for finance and cross-border deal-making.


Hans Christian Dall Nygård

Santosh Iyer is the Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India. He has been associated
with Mercedes-Benz India since 2009 in various leadership roles. Santosh has over two
decades of diverse experience in the Indian automobile industry, spreading across sales,
marketing, retail, customer service and corporate affairs.
Prior to being elevated as the MD & CEO, Santosh had been the Vice President, Sales &
Marketing. He successfully led Mercedes-Benz’s digital transformation of the business,
retaining the market leadership and establishing online sales. He demonstrated remarkable
leadership in managing the business and steering it to a profitable growth during the
pandemic. Santosh was pivotal in conceptualizing and implementing ‘Retail of the Future’
business model, which is now an industry benchmark.
Santosh earlier headed the Customer Services, Corporate Affairs & CSR functions (Jan-2016
to June 2019) at Mercedes-Benz India. He played an important role in the turnaround of the
Customer Services business with the successful setting up of new initiatives like MB Tyres,
Parts Trading and the Mercedes-Benz Academy. He also drove ‘service differentiator’ as the
key parameter towards achieving service excellence and customer loyalty.
Santosh started his career with Avery India Ltd. Later his entrepreneurial ambitions took
him to Nepal for distribution & servicing of capital equipment while also supporting the
automotive business. Setting up a successful business there, he decided to move back to
India, staying with the automotive segment, as he joined Yamaha Motors India. He
subsequently had various management stints across Indian subsidiaries of automotive
MNCs like Toyota and Ford, before joining Mercedes-Benz India.

A Graduate in Commerce from Mumbai University, Santosh holds a MBA from University of
Indianapolis and a Masters in Corporate Governance and Compliance from the University of
Lake Konstanz, Germany.

Santosh Iyer

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla is the Chairman of the venerable Indian
multinational, Aditya Birla Group, which operates in 41 countries across six
continents. He is a chartered accountant and holds an MBA degree from the
London Business School.
Mr. Birla chairs the Boards of all major Group companies in India and
globally. In the 30 + years that he has been at the helm of the Group, he has
accelerated growth, built meritocracy, and enhanced stakeholder value. In
the process he has raised the Group’s turnover by over 30 times. The
combined market cap of the Group’s listed entities is around $120 bn.
Under his stewardship, the Group enjoys a position of leadership in all the
major sectors in which it operates, from cement to chemicals, metals to
textiles, fashion to financial services and real estate to renewables. Over the
years, Mr. Birla has built a highly successful meritocratic organisation,
anchored by an extraordinary force of over 2,25,000 employees.
Outside the Group, Mr. Birla has held several key positions on various
regulatory and professional Boards. He was a Director on the Central Board
of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India and also helped frame the first-ever
governance code for Corporate India as the Chairman of a taskforce
constituted by the Indian Stock Market Regulator, SEBI.
Over the years, Mr. Birla has been conferred several prestigious awards. In
2023, he was conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan, among India’s
highest civilian honours.
Mr. Birla is deeply engaged with Educational Institutions. He is the
Chancellor of the Birla Institute of Technology & Science with campuses in
Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, Dubai and Mumbai. He has also been the Chairman
of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of
Technology, Delhi.
On the global arena, Mr. Birla serves on the board of the London Business
School. In 2025, he was conferred a doctoral degree by the University of
London - an honour that was presented by HRH Princess Anne. A firm
practitioner of the trusteeship concept, Mr. Birla has institutionalised the
concept of caring and giving at the Group.

Kumar Mangalam Birla

Vishnu deo Sai is a hardworking, visionary and public oriented leader who has a strong and prestigious background in public life. His leadership not only reflects administrative efficiency but also unwavering commitment to the all-round development of the state.
Vishnu Deo Sai has served from the Panchayat to the Parliament with dedication. From being an MLA in the undivided Madhya Pradesh to serving as an MP and Union Minister of State, he has always prioritized public service.
On December 13, 2023, he took oath as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and has been dedicated to state's new era of development.
His administration is committed to transparency, efficiency and good governance. By effectively implementing public welfare schemes he is driving the state toward progress. Prioritizing the needs of the people, he has infused new energy into Chhattisgarh’s development journey.


Vishnu Deo Sai

Devendra Fadnavis currently serves as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, having taken the oath of office on December 5, 2024, to lead the Mahayuti Government. Prior to this, he held the position of Deputy Chief Minister from 2022 to 2024. Fadnavis has become the Chief Minister for the third time. Under his visionary leadership, Maharashtra, the 3rd largest state of India in terms of area and 2nd largest in terms of population, became the most economically advanced state with the highest industrial output (nearly 25% of the country’s output).
Shri. Fadnavis strongly believes that ‘Politics is an instrument for socio-economic change’ and his political career of over 30 years continues to reflect the same. His capacity to work tirelessly and relentlessly comes from his mantra of ‘People First’. At every step of his socio-political journey, he has been pertinacious in seeing equitable progress for all. Recently, he introduced the slogan "Maharashtra Aata Thambnar Nahi" (Maharashtra will not stop now), a powerful reflection of his vision and determination to propel the state toward unprecedented growth in the years ahead.
Shri Fadnavis hails from a middle-class progressive family in Nagpur. His diverse educational background includes a Graduate Degree in Law, a Post Graduate Degree in Business Management and a Diploma in Project Management from D.S.E. Berlin.
His political career began at a very young age, in 1992. He was elected as a Councillor at Nagpur Municipal Corporation and served two consecutive terms. He has the distinction of being the second youngest Mayor in India. He has been the youngest Mayor of Nagpur and has been the only person to be re-elected to the position of ‘Mayor in Council’. He was also the Mayor of Nagpur twice. Thereafter, he was elected as the MLA - Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for 5 consecutive terms. He has earned recognition as a leader of the masses.
His ability to assume multiple leadership roles is indisputable. He has ably done justice to leadership roles within the party, as a member of the legislature and as an elected representative of the people of Nagpur.
On the organisational front in the Bharatiya Janata Party, he rose strongly and steadily from the rank of Ward Convenor to President of BJP, Maharashtra. The most recent organisational responsibilities were In-charge (Prabhari) of Kerala State and the Election In-charge of Bihar State Assembly Elections 2020



Devendra Fadnavis

Mr. Rajendra Chodankar is the Promoter of the RRP Group and a technologist with over 40
years of experience in precision engineering, advanced manufacturing, electro-optics, and
semiconductor technologies. He has dedicated his career to developing indigenous
technologies and strengthening India's capabilities in strategically important sectors.
He began his entrepreneurial journey in 1990 and established India's first Nano-Machining
facility in 2002, laying the foundation for advanced precision manufacturing in India. Guided
by the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, he has built the RRP Group into a diversified
technology enterprise spanning defence, electro-optics, drones, and semiconductors.
Under his leadership, RRP S4E Innovation Ltd. was established in 2018 as the Group's
R&D and manufacturing arm for advanced electro-optical systems. This was followed by the
establishment of RRP Drones Innovation Ltd. to develop indigenous unmanned systems. In
2024, he led the launch of RRP Electronics Ltd., which is developing India's semiconductor
ecosystem through OSAT and semiconductor manufacturing initiatives. He also established
RRP Defense Ltd., the Group's listed defence company, under which RRP S4E Innovation
Ltd. and RRP Drones Innovation Ltd. operate.
Throughout his career, Mr. Chodankar has contributed extensively to analytical
instrumentation, technical upgradation, electronic systems, spectrometry, metallurgical
applications, precision engineering, and indigenous technology development. He continues to
lead the RRP Group with a focus on innovation, advanced manufacturing, and building
globally competitive technologies that contribute to India's technological self-reliance.

Rajendra Chodankar

Pushkar Singh Dhami has emerged as one of the most prominent and widely recognised political leaders of Uttarakhand, known for his grassroots connect, organisational experience and decisive approach to governance. Born on 16 September 1975 in Pithoragarh, Dhami’s early political journey was shaped by student and youth organisations, where he developed a strong understanding of grassroots mobilisation and public issues. He later served as political secretary to the Chief Minister and was elected to the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly from Khatima, before subsequently representing Champawat.


Dhami became Chief Minister in July 2021 and, following the 2022 Assembly elections, returned for a second consecutive term. His political leadership has increasingly been defined by a combination of continuity, decisive reforms and a development-oriented vision, strengthening his position as a widely accepted leader across the state.


Under his leadership, Uttarakhand has pursued an ambitious transformation agenda spanning infrastructure, investment, tourism, employment, women empowerment and sustainable development. Landmark initiatives such as the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, stricter land laws, measures for transparent recruitment, and 30% horizontal reservation for women reflect his emphasis on policy reform and social empowerment.


At the same time, major projects including Infra development  are aimed at improving accessibility and economic opportunity. Initiatives such as the Global Investors Summit, and House of Himalayas further reflect his focus on investment and community-led growth.
Dhami’s broader political vision is centred on building a prosperous, connected, self-reliant and sustainable Uttarakhand—one that combines economic development with its Himalayan ecology, cultural heritage and aspirations of its people




Pushkar Singh Dhami

Mukund Jha is the Co-founder and CEO of Emergent, an AI-native software creation platform that enables founders and business owners to build full-stack applications using natural language. Founded in 2025, Emergent has quickly become one of the fastest-growing AI companies globally, attracting millions of users across more than 190 countries and raising over $230 million from leading global investors. Before Emergent, Mukund co-founded Dunzo, one of India’s leading hyperlocal commerce platforms where he served as Chief Technology Officer and helped scale its technology infrastructure through rapid growth. He began his career at Google, working on Search Quality systems serving billions of users worldwide. Mukund holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology and a master’s degree from Columbia Engineering.



Leaders At The World Leaders Forum 2026