Anitesh Dharam, Business Head, VCCircle
Family offices need a well-rounded and robust asset allocation strategy that meets both financial and non-financial objectives, securing wealth for future generations. This involves factoring in investment goals & objectives, risk tolerance, diversification, time horizon & liquidity needs, tax efficiency, estate planning and more.
Speakers:
Amol Sathe, CIO, MEPHEZALEA Asset Services LLP
Jai Rupani, Head, Dinesh Hinduja Family Office
Harsh Dhanuka, CIO, SAR Group Family Office
Gautam Sehgal, CIO, Patni Financial Advisors
Vikas Biyani, Associate Director, Multi-Act India
Moderator:
Aman Malik, Senior Editor, VCCircle
Principals behind all family offices are associated with at least one industry of their own with many having multiple business interests. Some family offices have a clear policy of not investing in sectors where they have their own business to add a sound diversified portfolio creation. How effective is this strategy and are their exceptions that one should exploit? Are there other means to play further in the same sector via a different asset class?
Speakers:
Sharan Asher, Director, Eragon Ventures
Rahul Mehta, Advisor, George Kaiser Family Office
Puneet Jain, VP & Lead - Corporate Treasury, Karan Thapar Family Office
Virendra Acharya, Head - Finance & Investments, VIMSON - Shivanand Salgaocar Group
Subhakar Rao Surapaneni, Chairman, Champion Infratech
Moderator:
Swet Sarika, Assistant Editor, VCCircle
The first objective of a family office is to preserve the principal sum at play and then look for how to gain in the future. This involves a strong risk management framework that doesn’t shake up with passing investment fads and reins in the proverbial fear-of-missing-out (FOMO). What processes need to be established right at the beginning to ensure this? How can family offices fine-tune their risk management practices over time?
Speakers:
Sidharth Kothari, Chief Investment Strategist, Om Kothari Group
Siddartha Saraf, CIO, Manyawar Family Office
Vivek Tolat, Chief Investment Officer & Head of Family Office Investments, KCT Group Trust
Ramakant Dokania, CIO, Twin and Bull Single Family Office
Moderator:
Aman Malik, Senior Editor, VCCircle
Khilen Shah, Promoter, Hubtown Ltd.
A well balanced portfolio creation is the basic function for family offices and this includes a good mix of both public and private equity, with their distinct advantages and challenges. What is the best composition of the two and how can family offices align best to sail with the asset price cycle to generate alpha in the short as well as the long run?
Speakers:
Nilang Jain, CIO, Green Gen Family Office
Sunil Dhall, CFA-Investment Management, Al Rajhi Ekhwan Group Co.
Aarti Gupta, Founder, Anikarth Ventures
TC Meenakshisundaram, Founder & Vice Chairman, Chiratae Ventures
Manish Chaturvedi, Founder & MD, Induss Strategy Financial Advisors
Moderator:
Swet Sarika, Assistant Editor, VCCircle
Speaker:
Sundararaman Ramamurthy, MD & CEO, Bombay Stock Exchange
Alternative investment either direct into startups or via VC, PE funds and exotic asset classes such as crypto, fine art and more offer family offices another diversification lever that lies outside the conventional investment buckets in the public market. These offer some insulation from global market fluctuations but come with their own loaded risk elements such as illiquidity, valuation challenges, and regulatory uncertainty. What has been the experience with such investments and what are the learnings? When is it prudent to look at such assets more closely?
Speakers:
Devashish Khanna, CIO, Capri Global
Benaifer Malandkar, CIO, RAAY Investments
Mohit Gulati, CIO, Investment trust of India
Imran Jafar, Managing Partner, Gaja Capital
Kunal Varma, Co-founder & CEO, Freo
Moderator:
Prithvi Durai, Senior Correspondent, VCCircle
Real estate has been an all-time favourite of business groups in India as a safe haven as an asset class with the ‘touch and feel’ factor. There have been some temporary setbacks in the past but broadly real estate has been an important asset class for family offices that has resulted in appreciation of wealth. How have real estate investment strategies evolved for family offices and what routes seem more favourable for the future?
Speakers:
Vishesh Narang, Head-Family Office, UKPI
Sachin Jain, Advisor, SPG Family Office
Kartekeya Myadam, Chief Investment Officer, Richmount Ventures Family Office
Rushank Shah, Promoter, Hubtown Ltd.
Kunal Wadhwani, Principal-Invesments, HDFC Capital Advisors
Moderator:
Swet Sarika, Assistant Editor, VCCircle
The first generation of family offices started with group finance heads doubling as asset allocators as principals were operational leaders in their domain. But ‘formal’ family offices started with creation of professional structures around two decades ago. Now, we have omni structures as in many cases more financially literate next generation is engaged in decision making along with the professionals. How can family offices balance the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders so the final outcome is superior?
Speakers:
Anirudh A. Damani, Director, Artha India Ventures
Nitesh Agarwal, CIO, Baldota Family Office
Manish Khurana, Founder, Innovations Ventures Studio
Abhimanyu Sofat, Head Family Office & Chief Investment Officer, Vassudeva Dempo Family Private Trust
Moderator:
Prithvi Durai, Senior Correspondent, VCCircle
Philanthropy is an increasingly important aspect of family offices, serving as a way for families to align their wealth with their values and make a lasting social impact. Family offices often establish charitable foundations to facilitate their philanthropic efforts, allowing them to support causes that resonate with the family’s mission. This can include areas like education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and social justice. What is the right mode to make this happen and yet make it a more tax efficient process? How important is the role of partnerships in philanthropy activities?
Speakers
Leena Dandekar, Founder, Raintree Family Office
Ganesh KC, President, Pratithi Investments
Moderator
Prithvi Durai, Senior Correspondent, VCCircle
Family offices can start with a big bucket corpus triggered by a business sale or via a small sum dedicated from the cash flow arising from dividend earnings of the promoters. Reinvesting the proceeds of the gains is another way to inject more into the system. How often the corpus can and should be refuelled? What is the best practice used by established family offices by routing almost the entire sum to the family office or a fixed proportion every year?
Speakers:
Anoop Tulsyan, Group CFO, Ashok Goel Family Office
Gautam Gupta, VP- Private Equity, Tanas Capital
Pankaj Keswani, Founder & Chairman, Alufit (India) Pvt Ltd & 84 Investments Pvt Ltd.
Moderator:
Aman Malik, Senior Editor, VCCircle
At the heart of every resilient venture is the ability to pivot—smartly, swiftly, and strategically. Pivoting in terms of product overhauls to business model reinventions has consistently led to outsized growth, stronger market fit, and long-term value creation. The secret sauce is in spotting an opportunity in what others might see as failure.
Speaker:
Rehan Yar Khan, Managing Partner, Orios Ventures Partners
Moderator:
Anitesh Dharam, Business Head, VCCircle
Conflict resolution is crucial in family offices, especially when managing wealth across multiple generations and extended families. Family dynamics can lead to disagreements on investment strategies, governance, or the family’s philanthropic direction. Professional mediators or advisors specializing in family business or wealth management are often brought in to help resolve disputes, promote effective communication, and maintain family harmony. Establishing clear governance structures and facilitating open dialogue can prevent potential conflicts from escalating, ensuring the long-term success of the family office.
Speakers:
Yash Poddar, CIO, Vikas Poddar Family Office
Dhruv Suri,CIO, Asia Titans
Gaurav Agarwal, Head- FO & Corporate Treasury, Oswal Nahar Group
Moderator:
Aman Malik, Senior Editor, VCCircle
Siddharth is Chief Investment Strategist at Om Kothari Group. The Group has interests in Engineering Infrastructure, Automobile Dealerships, Manufacturing, and Real Estate. Their flagship company, Om Infra, is listed on the NSE and BSE.
Siddharth invests in listed and private companies across sectors and stages.
His notable startup investments include Beardo (acquired by Marico), Sirona (acquired by GoodGlamm), and Innov8 (acquired by Oyo). His growth stage investments include MobiKwik, Progcap, NSE, Waaree Energy and Nazara Tech.
Vegan since 2010, Siddharth has a special interest in plant-based ventures. He is a Partner at Ahimsa VC, India's first fund investing exclusively in sustainable alternatives to animal-based products.
Siddharth is a Partner at 2Point2 Capital PMS, a Venture Partner at Venture Catalysts, and an LP at Carpediem Capital. He is also a member at EO Gurgaon.
Siddharth is Chief Investment Strategist at Om Kothari Group. The Group has interests in Engineering Infrastructure, Automobile Dealerships, Manufacturing, and Real Estate. Their flagship company, Om Infra, is listed on the NSE and BSE.
Siddharth invests in listed and private companies across sectors and stages.
His notable startup investments include Beardo (acquired by Marico), Sirona (acquired by GoodGlamm), and Innov8 (acquired by Oyo). His growth stage investments include MobiKwik, Progcap, NSE, Waaree Energy and Nazara Tech.
Vegan since 2010, Siddharth has a special interest in plant-based ventures. He is a Partner at Ahimsa VC, India's first fund investing exclusively in sustainable alternatives to animal-based products.
Siddharth is a Partner at 2Point2 Capital PMS, a Venture Partner at Venture Catalysts, and an LP at Carpediem Capital. He is also a member at EO Gurgaon.
Siddharth is Chief Investment Strategist at Om Kothari Group. The Group has interests in Engineering Infrastructure, Automobile Dealerships, Manufacturing, and Real Estate. Their flagship company, Om Infra, is listed on the NSE and BSE.
Siddharth invests in listed and private companies across sectors and stages.
His notable startup investments include Beardo (acquired by Marico), Sirona (acquired by GoodGlamm), and Innov8 (acquired by Oyo). His growth stage investments include MobiKwik, Progcap, NSE, Waaree Energy and Nazara Tech.
Vegan since 2010, Siddharth has a special interest in plant-based ventures. He is a Partner at Ahimsa VC, India's first fund investing exclusively in sustainable alternatives to animal-based products.
Siddharth is a Partner at 2Point2 Capital PMS, a Venture Partner at Venture Catalysts, and an LP at Carpediem Capital. He is also a member at EO Gurgaon.
Siddharth is Chief Investment Strategist at Om Kothari Group. The Group has interests in Engineering Infrastructure, Automobile Dealerships, Manufacturing, and Real Estate. Their flagship company, Om Infra, is listed on the NSE and BSE.
Siddharth invests in listed and private companies across sectors and stages.
His notable startup investments include Beardo (acquired by Marico), Sirona (acquired by GoodGlamm), and Innov8 (acquired by Oyo). His growth stage investments include MobiKwik, Progcap, NSE, Waaree Energy and Nazara Tech.
Vegan since 2010, Siddharth has a special interest in plant-based ventures. He is a Partner at Ahimsa VC, India's first fund investing exclusively in sustainable alternatives to animal-based products.
Siddharth is a Partner at 2Point2 Capital PMS, a Venture Partner at Venture Catalysts, and an LP at Carpediem Capital. He is also a member at EO Gurgaon.
Nitesh Aggarwal is the Chief Investment Officer at Baldota Family Office fund with a deployable corpus of $130mn. The investment focus in to largely invest in the unlisted space into start-ups and VC/PE funds. They have already deployed ~40mn across 35 funds and 25 start-ups across India/US and Israel.
An alumnus of Indian Institute of Management - Bangalore, he has over 17 years of experience investing in the PE/VC asset class.
Nitesh was earlier associated with funds like Q Investments, New Enterprise Associates, and Edelweiss, among others.
Devashish has been in the Family Office Investing space for the last 18 years and has led 4 Family Offices in India. He has spent time across asset classes with passion to invest in Private Markets. Current portfolio has more than 15 LP positions and 40 direct investments.
Mr Sundararaman Ramamurthy joined BSE in Jan 2023 and been instrumental in the turnaround story for the exchange. His period in office has been characterised by significant accomplishments including brand repurposing, product diversification, improved market share, technological upgrades, enhanced employee morale and investor/ shareholder confidence. The leadership and entrepreneurial spirit infused by him into BSE, has been pivotal for the exchange’s transformation-led success journey.
TC Meenakshisundaram is the Founder and Vice Chairman of Chiratae Ventures. He has over 38 years of industry experience, including 18+ years of venture experience. He serves on the Boards of Lenskart, AgroStar, Vayana, Kristal.ai, Metadome, HUVIAiR, and Pando amongst others.
With two decades of experience in the Indian VC/PE ecosystem TCM has led many initiatives to success in investments, exits, firm building, fundraising, finance and legal, amongst others. He has led several portfolio companies to scale, Unicorn, and IPO.
Earlier, as part of Walden International’s team, he was involved with investments in Mindtree, Venture Infotek and Jobstreet. Before Chiratae Ventures, TCM served as Chief Financial Officer and President – Corporate Services at Venture Infotek, India's leading payment processing company. He also spent 14 years at Wipro, where he last served as General Manager of the eCommerce Division.
Jai is a man who wears many hats. As the Head of the Dinesh Hinduja Family Office (DHFO), he oversees investments across all asset classes for the group: real estate, equities, bonds, structured products, private equity, and venture capital. Mr. Rupani led the real estate development efforts at Gokaldas Lifestyle, a group company of DHFO, for several years before taking the helm at the family office.
Before joining the Gokaldas Group, Mr. Rupani was part of the investment team at True North (erstwhile India Value Fund), a USD 2.2 billion private equity fund in Mumbai. During his tenure at True North, Jai led the investments into Merucabs (one of India’s first taxi-aggregation companies) and ACT Broadband (a leading IPTV and broadband service provider). Prior to True North, Mr. Rupani was an investment banker with The Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets Group in their San Francisco office for several years. At RBC Capital Markets, Jai was integral to the technology investment banking team managing IPOs, private placements, and M&A deals. He has completed his formal education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (BBA) and the University of Texas at Austin (MBA) in the United States. In his free time, he enjoys mentoring start-ups, playing golf, and spending time with his family.
Rehan Yar Khan is the Managing Partner of Orios Venture Partners, which is ranked amongst India's top performing VC funds and manages over ?3000cr. Orios’ portfolio includes Country Delight, PharmEasy, Zupee, Now Purchase, Battey Smart, NxtWave, Vedantu, Mobikwik, Nazaara and Ixigo. Rehan previously led 1st round investments in Ola & Druva.
Rehan has been a founder since 1992 building 3 companies, 2 of them in tech; and was also closely involved in the establishment of Indian Angel Network's Mumbai Chapter. He is an active supporter of entrepreneurship development in India as a TiE Charter and policy development as past Chair of IVCA's VC Council.
He is the co-author of Make Your Own Luck, an Amazon bestseller, that encourages people with startups, careers and life.
He studied Political Science and Economics at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and has done his MBA from Columbia Business School, New York.
Rehan lives with his family in Mumbai. Together they enjoy cooking, hiking, running, swimming, friends & family gatherings and arts & culture.
Vikas leads the Client Advisory team at Multi-Act, bringing over two decades of experience in equity research, capital markets, and portfolio advisory. He works closely with high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional clients.
Over the past decade, Vikas has played a key role in shaping Multi-Act’s advisory desk, building a comprehensive review repository of over 1,000 securities, spanning equities, mutual funds, PMS-AIFs, private and global investments, and precious metals.
He currently leads a team of eight professionals, including CAs, CFAs, and MBAs, delivering independent, high-integrity advisory and capital market consulting services.
Vikas’ investment style reflects a preference for high-quality securities, strong corporate governance, and a margin of safety. His approach is guided by Multi-Act’s proprietary RA/RI framework, with advisory mandates designed to generate superior risk-adjusted returns across Indian and global markets while maintaining a sharp focus on capital preservation.
He has been with Multi-Act since 2003, the same year he qualified as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
Manish Khurana, Deploying strategies & innovations to scale startups & SMBs | Venture Studio | Startup Funding & Growth New Delhi, Delhi, India
An Ex-Banker. I am a Co-founder & Director at Innovations Venture Studio & LMD2 Capadvisors- a group of angels.
My recent addition is "Innovations - A Venture Studio". With a motto focused on ethics, we help deserving startups flourish while we act as a support system!
With a family background in Educational ventures, I work as a trustee for our educational trusts and society, thus contributing my bit to the social welfare.
My key areas of accountabilities are Deal Origination, driving coinvestments with other VC funds, Family Offices & Angel Investors. I also overlook the Portfolio Life-cycle investments & Exits.
I hold the strong belief in designing customer centric organizations for Value Innovation that have the potential to eliminate Value - Cost trade offs.
Passion & diligence are two traits that I believe reflect me as an individual and I firmly believe that these are the keys to success in any endeavour that one sets their mind to.
I enjoy embracing the lessons learned from failure, stand up and continue to grow
A seasoned financial markets professional, Benaifer Malandkar is the Chief Investment Officer at RAAY Global Investments- the family office of the Amit Patni Group of Patni Computers. The promoter family divested their stake in May 2011 to I-Gate Corporation at USD 1.5 bn. She is responsible for investment management of the group including identification, evaluation, deal execution, and monitoring every investment across a gamut of diverse asset classes including public markets.
Additionally, she has served as a Director on the Board of Bombay Shirt Company and an advisor to the Board of Waterfield Advisors, a fast growing Multi Family Office firm. She has also served as a Director on the Board of Nirvana Venture Advisors, a Digital & Internet Venture Fund and currently is a Board Director at AD Ventures, a music content and live events company as well as a Board Director at Web Talkies Pvt Ltd, a regional content creating company.
Benaifer’s forte lies in end-to-end setting up of new businesses and following that up with a robust performance. She has a demonstrated track record in identifying early stage and unlisted company investments, succession planning, and estate management. She has raised funds for early stage and mid stage companies, and been instrumental in the leading the business strategy for a few ventures to achieve sustainable profitability. A well networked professional, she is recognized for business and market intelligence, a critical skill in the investments field.
Across the multiple organisations that she has worked in, including Citibank, ICICI Prudential AMC, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and SMIFS securities, she has consciously chosen new roles, thereby wide-basing her exposure and proficiency. With experience of over 22 years in various corporates she has gathered considerable understanding and comprehension of portfolio management, equity and debt markets, asset management, and retail & private banking industries.
She is often invited to speak at national and international industry events of repute and often writes opinion pieces in various publications. Benaifer received her post graduation degree in Masters in Business Administration from JDBIMS, Mumbai.
Mr. Rushank Shah is a dynamic and results-driven business leader who has played a pivotal role in driving the growth and success of the Hubtown Group. With a proven track record in business development, sales, and project execution, he has been instrumental in achieving sales exceeding US $750 million over three years across diverse real estate portfolios, including high-end residential, low- and mid-income residential, and office projects. His strategic acumen and commitment to excellence have solidified Hubtown’s reputation as a trusted name in the real estate sector.
Education and Expertise
Mr. Rushank Shah’s academic background reflects his multidisciplinary expertise and global perspective. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Business from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2009. He further pursued his passion for law, obtaining a Bachelor of General Law (BGL) from K.C. College, Mumbai University in 2011. To deepen his knowledge of real estate, he completed his Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University in 2014, equipping him with the skills to navigate complex development projects and market dynamics.
Leadership and Vision
As a key driver of Hubtown’s business strategy, Mr. Shah has consistently demonstrated his ability to identify opportunities, foster innovation, and deliver exceptional results. His leadership extends beyond financial success, as he actively champions projects that address critical housing needs and improve the quality of life for underserved communities.
Mr. Rushank Shah’s blend of business acumen, legal insight, and real estate expertise positions him as a forward-thinking leader in the industry. His vision for sustainable development and his unwavering commitment to social impact continue to inspire and drive Hubtown’s mission to create spaces that enrich lives.
Mr. Anoop Tulsyan has a wealth of experience spanning more than 20 years in the financial services industry. He is thorough professional with a diverse background in the areas of Accounts & Finance. Prior to joining Ashok Goel Family Office as the Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr.Tulsyan has held positions at AION Capital Partners, a private equity funds managed jointly by ICICI Venture and Apollo USA, and at Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited. He has made significant contributions to the growth of these organizations during his tenure, and has gain extensive experience in portfolio monitoring, financial advisory, equity research, financial analysis and taxation. He has also worked in the private equity fund industry for over 10 years.
Imran is a Managing Partner at Gaja Capital (www.gajacapital.com), an India-focused growth & buyout firm based in Mumbai.
Founded in 2004, Gaja Capital is a leading player in India’s private equity market with an exceptional track record of investments and an AUM of over $1Bn. Gaja Capital strategically invest across a diverse array of high-growth sectors, such as financial services, consumer goods, technology, healthcare, and education. Gaja Capital’s innovative and disciplined approach has resulted in landmark investments and long-term partnerships, driving sustainable growth and sectoral leadership.
Imran has 26 years of experience in Private Equity, Pharmaceuticals and Technology services. Prior to Gaja Capital, Imran worked in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility at Dr Reddy’s and Wipro Technologies.
At Gaja Capital, Imran leads investments in the Education, Software and Consumer clusters. He has been closely involved with Gaja Capital’s investments in Amber Student (Global marketplace for student accommodation), Signzy (SaaS platform for BFSI), LeadSquared (Sales automation SaaS platform), Ei (B2B Learning Software), Sportz Village (Youth Sports), Lighthouse Learning (Pre-K and K-12), John Distilleries (AlcoBev) and CL Educate (Supplemental Education).
Imran has post graduate degrees in software engineering from BITS-Pilani and an MBA from IIM-Bangalore.
Dhruv Suri is an Entrepreneurial Family Office Investment executive with 17 years experience in the VC, Private Equity, Real Estate & other Alternative assets.
Spearheaded mapping US$ 5 Billion deal pipeline in the Asian market across both Fund & Direct (startup) investment strategies.
Leading as a Family Office Principal & engagements with global Institutions he has mobilized Investment Strategy, Fund raising and Business operations.
Globally connected having established enduring relationships across Asia focused Institutional Investors, Family Offices, Investment Funds & Corporations.
Mr. Khilen Shah is a dynamic and accomplished leader at Hubtown Limited, where he serves as the Vice President, spearheading Project Planning and Investor Relations for the group’s flagship project, 25 South. With over 13 years of experience in the real estate sector, Mr. Shah has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth through his expertise in strategic planning, financial management, and business development.
A Proven Track Record in Financial Leadership
Mr. Khilen Shah has played a pivotal role in raising over ?1,000 crore (USD 125 million) in equity capital for Hubtown and its group companies since 2020. His ability to secure financial closures exceeding USD 300 million for various projects through partnerships with foreign and domestic funds, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and family offices underscores his exceptional skills in investor relations and financial strategy. His contributions have been critical in ensuring the successful execution of Hubtown’s ambitious projects.
Academic Excellence and Global Perspective
Mr. Shah’s academic background reflects his strong foundation in finance and management. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (with honors) in Finance and Management from the prestigious Stern School of Business at New York University in 2011. He further honed his expertise by earning an MBA from the London Business School, one of the world’s leading business institutions. His global education has equipped him with a unique perspective and the ability to navigate complex business environments.
Early Career and Industry Contributions
Before pursuing his MBA, Mr. Khilen Shah gained valuable experience in the real estate development industry in Mumbai, focusing on strategy, business development, sales, and marketing. He has worked on several high-profile government projects, including Public-Private Partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects with the Governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat. His early career laid the groundwork for his deep understanding of the real estate sector and his ability to deliver impactful results.
Mr. Khilen Shah’s leadership at Hubtown Limited is characterized by his strategic vision, financial acumen, and dedication to excellence. His ability to balance operational efficiency with long-term growth strategies has been instrumental in positioning Hubtown as a leader in the real estate industry. Whether it’s securing investments, driving project planning, or building strong investor relationships, Mr. Shah continues to play a key role in shaping the future of Hubtown and the communities it serves.
Harsh Kr Dhanuka is the Chief Investment Office at SAR Group Family Office (Single Family Office of founders of Luminous, Livpure, Livguard, Lectrix). An accomplished financial Services professional with deep expertise and leadership experience in Family Office environment and the Investment management space. He leads the Investment Strategy and is responsible for setting up and managing the people, processes, policies, succession and estate planning for the Single-Family Office.
His investment expertise spans a broad array of asset classes and markets (domestic and global), giving him years of rich experience and an extensive network. He has more than a decade of experience of cross-functional leadership across Foreign Private Bank, Corporate treasury team of a large Indian MNC and an Institutional Single-Family Office. Harsh has worked closely with Ultra High Net worth Families, Corporate Treasuries, and highly placed professionals and entrepreneurs.
Harsh holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from St Xavier’s College, Kolkata & is a qualified Chartered Accountant & Company Secretary.
Harsh’s interests and expertise lie in dealing with complex structural issues (working on designing and implementing solutions for global wealth preservation and transmission) and also in implementing portfolio risk-reward optimization techniques (in theory as well as in practice).
Yash Poddar is a next-generation investor and strategic leader who is thoughtfully contributing to the evolution of his family office, Viansh Ventures, by combining traditional business values with a modern, research-led approach to investing.
Raised in Bangalore, Yash’s early exposure to finance came through his family's pipe manufacturing business (Aashirvaad Pipes).He went on to pursue a BBM in Finance from St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, balancing academics with active roles in marketing and business development at the family plant. He then went on toBabson College, Boston, USA and completed MSC. Entrepreneurship in 2017.
After returning to India, he gained diverse experience through his finance-focused roles at DSP Mutual Fund, ASK Wealth Advisors, and 100x.VC, where his passion for investing took shape during this period.
Since 2018, Yash has led the professionalization of the family office, establishing investment committees, formalizing asset structures like Shivansh LLP and Viansh Ventures, and creating a robust buy-side research and asset allocation strategy. His investment focus spans private equity in D2C and fintech, and public equities in defense, specialty chemicals, and consumer sectors.
A strong believer in institutional thinking and trust-based advisory. Yash combines disciplined research with entrepreneurial agility, aiming to build a lasting institution that supports both internal capital growth and emerging family offices in the future.
Leena Dandekar is the Founder of Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation. She and her family have dedicated their capital, networks, and skills to driving impact in climate action, circularity and sustainability.
Raintree Foundation is the outcome of the family’s deep-seated passion and commitment to climate action. Their aim is to build climate resilience in living landscapes. Leena oversees as a strategist and drives the vision of “Dignity and Wellbeing for Planet and People.”
Raintree Family Office was established with the objective of investing the family-owned funds towards various impact and ESG asset classes. Leena has been one of the few leading the way in impact investing in India. Investments promoting innovation in climate solutions, circularity, and responsible consumption are focus areas.
Before starting the Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation, Leena served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Camlin Group, where she helmed various strategic and operational initiatives.
Subhakar Rao Surapaneni stands as the visionary Chairman and Chief Coach of Champions Group, a dynamic multinational conglomerate with a diverse portfolio that includes B2B and data marketing intelligence, real estate and infrastructure, logistics, finance, e-commerce, online marketing, automotive, leisure and tourism, health and fitness, fashion and lifestyle, media, aviation, and much more. He has distinguished himself as a Serial Entrepreneur, Growth Strategist, Motivational and Managerial Speaker, Philanthropist, Social Influencer, and Marketing Guru, exerting a profound influence across various sectors with his innovative and forward-thinking leadership.Holding an MS from Wayne State University and being a computer science graduate from BITS Pilani, Mr. Rao is celebrated for founding Champions Group in 2003, offering services globally with locations in the USA, UK, Singapore, Dubai, and India. In the Real Estate arena, Mr. Rao has been a formidable force for over a decade, spearheading Champion Infratech to unprecedented heights.
Manish Chaturvedi is a distinguished leader in global capital markets, with over two decades of experience spanning investment banking, corporate finance, asset, and wealth management. He has been featured among The Economic Times Young Entrepreneurs Under 50 (2025), Powerful Business Leaders to Watch by The Leaders Group (2024), recipient of the Excellence Award by APAC Insider (2024), and recognized among India’s Fastest Growing CEOs by The CEO Magazine (2018). He was honoured as a young business leader from Asia at Royal Westminster Hall in London in 2018 and was featured among Innovative Leaders to Watch by Silicon India Consultants in 2017. As one of the pioneer members of the Economic Times India Leadership Council, he is widely regarded as a trusted voice and knowledge partner across industry platforms in India and globally.
Over the years, Manish has built Indus Strategy into a globally recognized investment-cum-advisory platform, seamlessly combining local insight with international expertise. Headquartered in India with a strategic footprint across Southeast Asia, MENA, the UK, and the USA, Indus brings together proprietary capital and managed mandates to deliver high-impact, cross-border financial solutions across asset classes, sectors, and business lifecycles.
To date, Indus has advised on transactions collectively worth close to USD 5 billion. Apart from conventional corporate finance and investment solutions, Indus’ deal pipeline includes marquee mandates such as the structuring of listed bonds on the Singapore Exchange, financing SPACs listed on the NYSE, secondary placements in global decacorns, and complex cross-border M&A. While sector-agnostic, the firm has developed deep domain strength in IT, BFSI, infrastructure, food & beverage, e-commerce, digital-first companies, education, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, and EPC.
Manish’s advisory relationships span corporates, sovereign wealth funds, institutions, family offices, global funds, and ultra-HNIs—enabling Indus to deliver bespoke capital and investment strategies tailored to diverse mandates. He currently serves as Strategic Advisor to a Mauritius- and Cayman-based multi-billion-dollar hedge fund, leading an India-focused quant strategy, and continues to advise Caribbean nations on capital mobilization for critical national development projects. His recent domestic investments in unlisted markets have yielded over 4x returns.
Backed by a Board of Advisors with over 150 years of global C-suite experience, Indus embodies a rare convergence of innovation, strategic depth, and a truly global outlook rooted in Indian origin.
Mr. Ramakant Dokania is the Chief Investment Officer of the Family Office of Quest Global Group. He is responsible for portfolio management, asset allocation, deal sourcing, and investment evaluation. His expertise in capital allocation, estate planning, and wealth management is essential to the success of the family office. He aims to create a cash-generative portfolio that is well-diversified and high-impact. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with two decades of corporate experience across India, the U.S., and Europe. Ramakant is from Kolkata and currently lives in Bangalore, India. In his spare time, he enjoys trekking, traveling, and reading.
Kunal Varma, the Co-Founder and CEO of Freo, is a seasoned entrepreneur with a rich background in technology and business development. Before Freo, he successfully founded and led Tapstart, a job discovery platform, and Aspirare in the learning and assessments space.
His career also includes significant experience in engineering management at Texas Instruments, where he worked on next-generation semiconductor products. Kunal holds a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Roorkee and an MBA in Marketing & Strategy from ISB Hyderabad.
He is known for his dynamic leadership, deep involvement in all aspects of business growth, and passion for fitness and food.
Amol is the CIO of the Single Family Office of the Aga & Pudumjee Family of Thermax Ltd, which he joined in 2012.
Amol’s responsibilities towards this global portfolio include Strategic Asset Allocation, Geographical Allocation, Tactical rebalancing, Opportunistic Investing and MIS.
Amol has been instrumental in the Family Office’s move overseas. This involved Conceptualization, Overseas Trust Structuring, Obtaining regulatory Approvals, Cross Border Asset Transfers and Overseas Investments.
Amol has more than 16 years’ collective experience in Family Office Investments and Financial Research. He also holds a Global qualification in International Trust Management, conferred by STEP and the University of Manchester.
Kunal Wadhwani is a Principal at HDFC Capital, the real estate private equity platform of HDFC Group, where he is responsible for Investments and plays a central role in driving the investments function. Kunal was part of the initial core team that established HDFC Capital in 2016 and is a member of the Internal Investment Committee at HDFC Capital.
With over 20 years of experience and more than USD 5 billion in cumulative real estate investments, Kunal brings extensive experience across debt and equity investments, with expertise in deal sourcing, underwriting, structuring, development oversight, portfolio management, and special situations, with a focus on affordable and mid-income housing.
Prior to HDFC Capital, he was part of the investment team at HDFC Asset Management Company, managing the Real Estate PMS platform, which received multiple awards including “Best Real Estate Fund” (2013–2015) and “Real Estate Fund of the Decade” (2016) by CNBC-Awaaz.
Kunal holds a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Master’s in Management Studies, and a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai.
Rahul has over twenty-five years of experience in the financial services industry across the United States and India. He has invested capital across all asset classes including venture, private equity and platform deals.
Rahul was Director and Country Head for George Kaiser Family Foundation (Argonaut) for over ten years. He continues to be an advisor. While at GKFF, he invested capital in public markets primarily in the financial services sectors. He has also held positions at ChrysCapital, Greenhill & Co in New York and Merrill Lynch in its investment banking division.
Rahul graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A in Mathematics and Economics from Cornell University and holds an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, USA. He is currently part of the Visiting Faculty of Entrepreneurship at Ashoka University.
Pankaj Keswani is the Founder and Chairman of Alufit International, India’s leading curtain walling and façade solutions company. A first gen Entrepreneur, Mr Keswani built Alufit over the last 4 decades into an iconic enterprise known for delivering landmark commercial and hospitality projects across the country.
Following a partial exit in 2021 and a full exit from the operating business in 2024, Mr. Keswani established 84 Investments Pvt Ltd, the Keswani family’s single family office. Set up with a professional CIO, the office follows a disciplined, multi-asset investment strategy across public and private markets in India and globally with long-term focus on capital preservation and growth.
Virendra completed his BE Computers from Goa Engineering College in 1993 followed by Post Graduation in Management from GIM in 1995.
Virendra is a BE Computers, with PGDM with a wide experience in the world of Finance and Investing. He has worked across a mix of Indian and Foreign banks such as GTB, ICICI Bank, one of India’s largest private banks and Credit Agricole CIB, a leading French Corporate and Investment Bank. In 2018, he joined the Goa based VIMSON Shivanand Salgaocar group to Head their Treasury and expand the Family Office. This role involves handling Corporate Finance, Forex Management, Trade Finance, as well managing the Family Office Investment portfolio (public and private markets incl. startups) for the group.
Virendra has 30 years’ experience across Financial Services, Corporate Banking, Trade Finance, Credit Risk, Forex Management, Investment Banking and Portfolio management. He is well versed with investing in the listed/unlisted space in equity as well as debt as well as Alternates.
Abhimanyu Sofat is head of Dempo family office... Previous President Treasury and head of family office at NR Agarwal Industries. Earlier headed investment research and product teams at SBI Wealth and IIFL Sec.
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