They have seen it all. They have real stories to share and inspire.
Veteran business personalities are here to engage, motivate and inspire your employees.
They have built businesses by embracing innovations and built passion driven cultures. They have built phenomenal values for employees, investors and trade. They faced all kinds of adversaries that you can imagine and won over it like warriors!
Here are a set of experts from real business background who have dealt with the situation your current organisation might be dealing with. Instead of theories, here are real humans who have been in similar situations and have dealt with them successfully. There is so much we can learn and also get inspired from them.
Your employees may need inputs on strategy and there you have Mr Ram Charan who has advised more than 1,000 leading corporations worldwide. If you are looking for innovation and disciplined execution, there is young super star PC Mustafa. If you are looking for digital transformation, we have Jaspreet Bindra, who comes with a background of organisations like Google and Mahindra to share his experiences. If you are looking for rapidly growing businesses then you have super talented Adiya Ghosh. And the list goes on!
1. PC Musthafa
About PC Musthafa
While growing up in an illiterate farmer’s family in a remote part of Kerala, PC Mustafa did not have a lot of expectations. But one ‘Aha’ moment changed his life, and today he is the Founder and CEO of ID Fresh Food, a Rs. 100 crore ready-to-cook packaged food company in Bangalore that makes idly and dosa batter.
Achievements
Inspired by traditional Indian values iD promotes authentic Indian foods which are fresh, 100% natural and preservative-free. The company, which made 10 packets of one kilogram batter a day in 2005, manufactures 75,000 packets a day now and has grown into a team of 1,300 employees who work at their units in Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad & Dubai. His dream is to grow into a 1000 crore market leader in the next few years and believes in creating a social impact through his products & campaigns that revolve around trust, tradition and community building. He is also part of Prime Minister’s ‘Champions of Change’ team with a vision to build a new India by 2022.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by PC Musthafa
Why PC Musthafa?
The success story of a Coolie’s son who went on to build a 100 cr company – ID Fresh. Inspiring journey, Leadership and Entrepreneur. Nothing is impossible.
2. Aditya Ghosh
About Aditya Ghosh
Aditya Ghosh is the former director of Indigo Airlines, Aditya Ghosh had risen from a regular corporate lawyer to a business leader everyone wanted to learn from. He had cracked the formula of offering economy-plus service at economy rates along with on-time performance and that was Indigo’s biggest achievement. Having built an industry-leading product and a team that is truly world-class, Aditya’s journey is definitely inspiring.
Achievements
His strategies made Indigo the winner of Skytrax Award eight consecutive times in the low-cost airline in Central Asia and India category. In 2012, he was featured in Fortune Magazine ’40 under 40′ Young-Achievers list for their initiatives in creating job opportunities. In 2013, Aditya was recognized with a GQ ‘Businessman of the Year’ award, followed by a nomination for the CNN-IBN ‘Indian of the Year’ award in the business category & SABRE’s ‘CEO of the Year’ award in the same year. In the aviation circle, he started to be known as the ‘Guru of Culture’, after Indigo won several awards for ‘Best Place To Work At’ between 2010 & 2016.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Aditya Ghosh
Why Aditya Ghosh?
Lack of elite education is not necessary to achieve huge success. Inspiring journey and strategic thinking. Failure is the biggest teacher.
3. Vineet Nayar
About Vineet Nayar
Vineet Nayar is an Indian business executive, author and philanthropist. He is the former Chief Executive Officer of HCL Technologies, Founder Chairman and CEO of Sampark Foundation and author of a critically acclaimed management book “Employees First, Customers Second: Turning Conventional Management Upside Down” which has sold 100,000+ copies.
Achievements
He was chosen by Fortune Magazine for its first-ever global “Executive Dream Team” 2012, which has been described as an “all-star leadership” that “could coalesce and dominate in any industry.” This is in addition to his inclusion in the elite “Thinkers 50 List? which is a list of the world’s top 50 business thinkers. He is an acknowledged management visionary and a radical thinker who architected HCLT’s transformation from 0.7 billion dollars in 2005 to a 4.7 billion dollars global technology services company with over 85,000 employees spread across 32 countries in 2013. This radical transformation led FORTUNE to recognize HCL as “the world’s most modern management” while BusinessWeek named HCLT as “one of the world’s most influential companies,” praise that has led HCL’s innovative management practices to be taught as a case study at both the Harvard Business School and London Business School.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Vineet Nayar
Why Vineet Nayar?
Motivate and guide your employees to match their vision to that of the company. Learn the philosophy of employees first and a customer second. The key to build an influential company.
4. Santosh Desai
About Santosh Desai
Santosh Desai is the Managing Director and CEO of Future Brands Ltd, one of the biggest retail companies in India. His desire to look at things with innocent doubt helps in the emergence of fresh perspectives and clarity of a new kind, making him an inspiring speaker.
Achievements
He is also a columnist, media critic and the author of ‘Mother Pious Lady: Making Sense of Everyday India’. His principal area of interest lies in examining the evolving nature of consumer culture in India and understanding the relationship between culture, brands and the consumer, which has led him to start his column ‘City City Bang Bang’ featured in the Times Of India. ‘City City Bang Bang’ looks at contemporary Indian society from an everyday vantage point. It covers issues big and small, tends where possible to avoid judgmental positions, and tries instead to understand what makes things the way they are.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Santosh Desai
Why Santosh Desai?
Aiming High to enhance vision. Expertise in harnessing right culture for brands and consumers. Example of Leadership and teamwork.
5. Raghav Bahl
About Raghav Bahl
Raghav started his career in media in 1985 as a Correspondent and Anchorperson for Doordarshan. With over 22 years of experience in television and journalism, today Raghav is one of the most successful businessmen, serial entrepreneur and investor. He owns several television channels, including TV18 India.
Achievements
Besides founding and scaling Network 18, India’s leading media group, Raghav has seeded moneycontrol.com, bookmyshow.com, firstpost.com, yatra.com, among many others. He then founded The Quintillion Media Pvt Ltd after his exit from Network 18. Apart from regularly writing articles for The Times of India, The Statesman and The Pioneer, he has also authored two books- Superpower: The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise, SuperEconomies: America, China, India and the Future of the World.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Raghav Bahl
Why Raghav Bahl?
Vast industry experience. Inspiring journey and leadership. Entrepreneur par excellence.
6. Vishal Gondal
About Vishal Gondal
An Entrepreneur, Gamer and an Angel Investor, Vishal Gondal is the founder and CEO of GOQii and is best known as the ‘Father of the Indian Gaming Industry’.
Achievements
At the age of 16, he found IndiaGames, which became the biggest mobile gaming company in India and was ultimately sold to Disney in 2012. Vishal was listed among the ‘top 50 executives’ in the mobile content space by the UK based ‘Mobile Entertainment’ Magazine alongside noted people like Steve Jobs. A gadget and gizmo freak, he was also the judge on two television shows ‘The Pitch’ on Bloomberg TV and ‘Your Wish is my App’ on NDTV.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Vishal Gondal
Why Vishal Gondal?
Pioneer and leader in the Indian gaming industry. Digital disruption is key in the survival of businesses today Mobile content innovation for businesses.
7. Jaspreet Bindra
About Jaspreet Bindra
A renowned expert with 22 years of experience in technology strategy, P/L management, marketing and sales, Jaspreet Bindra is the founder of “Digital Matters”, an advisory firm in the areas of Digital Transformation, Blockchain and the Future of Work.
Achievements
A thought-leader in the Blockchain space in India, Jaspreet is also a ‘Digital Advisor’ to Mahindra Group, ‘Adjunct Advisor’ to IDC and the ‘Emerging Technologies Advisor’ to Internet and Mobile Association of India. At Microsoft, he was awarded the “Retail Platinum Award” for Management Excellence and was recognized as a Global High Potential Employee.SAP and Mint crowned Jaspreet the inaugural ‘Digitalist of the Year 2017’.Being an avid quizzer, Jaspreet is the only one to have won the ‘Brand Equity Quiz’ thrice nationally.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Jaspreet Bindra
Why Jaspreet Bindra?
How digital transformation affects the business landscape. Predicting digital and technology trends and how they will impact businesses and life. Blockchain and Cryptocurrency expert.
8. Prof Anil Gupta
About Prof Anil Gupta
Professor Anil Kumar Gupta, a globally renowned scholar in the area of grassroots innovations, is the founder of the Honey Bee Network & is also a Professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
Achievements
He was awarded the Padma Shri in the year 2004, one of the highest civilian awards in India, for his contributions to management education. His interests include ensuring recognition, respect & reward for grassroots inventors & innovators at a local, national & global level, & protection of their Intellectual Property rights. Since 2011, he is an advisor on issues pertaining to innovation, environment, & sustainability to Fair Observer, an online magazine covering global issues.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Prof Anil Gupta
Why Prof Anil Gupta?
Leadership in grassroot innovation Practicing sustainability through technology.
9. Ritesh Agarwal
About Ritesh Agarwal
Agarwal was born in Bissam Cuttack, Odisha state, India and brought up in Rayagada. At the age of 13, he started selling SIM cards. Agarwal graduated from St. Johns Senior Secondary School and moved to Delhi in 2011 for college. At the age of 18, he founded Oyo Rooms making him one of the youngest millionaires in the country.
Achievements
From a college dropout to a dollar millionaire, he is a textbook example of a lack of formal education being no prerequisite for big success. He was also the recipient of “Business World Young Entrepreneur Award” by BW Businessworld in 2017. OYO has a network of 2,200 hotels operating in 154 cities across India, with monthly revenues of $3.5 million & 1,500 employees as of 2018. And the company claims to have a 150-point standardization checklist & a 30-point audit checklist. Ritesh usually talks on various subjects including Leadership, Turn-Around Marketing, Finding Talent & Product Business.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Ritesh Agarwal
Why Ritesh Agarwal?
Persistence is key to success. Courage and undying spirit to change dreams to reality. Inspiring journey from from a college dropout to a millionaire.
10. Sohrab Sitaram
About Sohrab Sitaram
Sohrab Sitaram is a Delhi-based Food and Beverage tycoon. He is the founder of several popular restaurants and bars. He is famously known for being the co-founder of the extremely popular Keventers milkshake brand.
Achievements
For a company that began its journey in 1899, Keventers has really come of age only recently after Sohrab made a huge re-branding effort that saw Keventers establish itself as an aspirational brand that appealed to the younger generation. An industry veteran with a career spanning over 18 years, Sohrab has first-handedly witnessed the Food and Beverage industry’s growth trajectory in India from the eyes of an employee, an investor and a consultant. He has set up many iconic award-winning restaurants and bars across India such as Tabula Rasa, Chi Kitchen and Bar, No Escape, Shalom Goa, Smoke Signals Trevi, Laid Back Waters, Shalom and Italic to name a few.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Sohrab Sitaram
Why Sohrab Sitaram?
How to build an iconic brand from scratch. Understanding the consumer pulse. Pathbreaking ideations for value creation.
11. Saket Modi
About Saket Modi
Saket Modi is an entrepreneur and an ethical hacker often referred to as the “Indian Firewall”. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lucideus Tech, an online Cyber Security company that is involved in securing government and enterprise digital setups.
Achievements
He has been awarded the title of “Indian Ambassador of Cyber Security in Education” at the National Education Awards 2013. He was a part of Government of India’s committee constituted in 2014 for preparation of vocational course for the new sector ‘Cyber Security’ for National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) under AICTE. He and his team were responsible for the end-to-end security assessment of the ‘BHIM Application’ developed by the National Payments Corporation of India and launched by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in 2016.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Saket Modi
Why Saket Modi?
Tips to harness team synergy. Exemplary entrepreneur. Known as the “Indian Firewall” for his work on Cyber Security.
12. Harish Bijoor
About Harish Bijoor
Harish Bijoor is a Brand-thinker and practitioner operating out of Bengaluru, India. He runs a unique boutique consulting company branded “Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.”, a brand name that has a consulting presence across the markets of Hong Kong, Seattle, London, Istanbul, Dubai, and the Indian sub-continent.
Achievements
Harish has spent his career across the aggressive realms of FMCG, Telecom and Consumer Durables. He is considered a marketing practitioner and thinker who is ahead of the consumer thinking curve, year on year. Harish has recently published a book titled, “Marketing Trends!” He is currently involved in his second book on core branding. Harish is actively involved in research relating to rural consumer behavior, rural retail networks and trade mechanisms at play. The current research exercise he is involved in spans a 6-year period covering 84,850 consumers across India.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Harish Bijoor
Why Harish Bijoor?
Brand and Marketing Guru. Thought leadership on key industry trends. Brand strategy practices for a better understanding of consumers.
13. Santhosh Babu
About Santhosh Babu
Santhosh Babu, the Managing Director of ODA (Organisation Development Alternatives Consultants Pvt Ltd), is the author of India’s first book on coaching. An engaging and inspiring speaker, he is regularly invited to deliver key-note addresses at business and strategy conferences around the globe.
Achievements
He works with organizations and leaders to shift limiting beliefs and bring about lasting positive change. He has been identified as a CEO Coach and works with leadership teams of Airtel, Max group, MSD, Novartis, Vodafone, GSK & NIIT, to name a few. He is also a visiting faculty at ISB, Hyderabad. He delivers sessions on culture change, large system transformation, leadership development for Senior Management and team building at a senior leadership level.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Santhosh Babu
Why Santhosh Babu?
Leadership coach and author. How to shift limiting beliefs and bring about lasting positive change. Transformation and Leadership development.
14. Prahlad Kakkar
About Prahlad Kakkar
Prahlad Kakkar, a leading Indian ad film director, is best known for his work on the famous Pepsi TV commercial with Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar. “To tell a story in 30 secs in the most engaging way possible” remains his reason for being passionate about ad filmmaking even after spending twenty-five years in the ad industry. He is renowned for his candid and outspoken nature. Despite of being dyslexic, his creativity and intellectual is highly inspiring.
Achievements
He is the Founder and Director of Genesis Film Productions, one of India’s leading production houses, established in 1977. In 2000 he received the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from IAAFA for his contribution to Advertising and Film Art. He was one of the few Indian Directors to direct international commercials for clients like Unilever and PepsiCo in Burma, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Asia Pacific Region. An avid scuba diver, in 1995 he set up Lacadives, a scuba-diving school, at Kadmat Island, in collaboration with the Govt. of Lakshadweep. He also runs Casa Amore, a wine bar and restaurant, set up in Mumbai in 2001.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Prahlad Kakkar
Why Prahlad Kakkar?
Visionary Creator. To achieve success beyond all odds. Avid storyteller.
15. Sairee Chahal
About Sairee Chahal
Sairee Chahal is the Founder, CEO of SHEROES – an online career destination for women. It engages with businesses to help them connect with female talent in the form of employees, partners, customers and business owners.
Achievements
She is India’s foremost women at work evangelist and earlier co-founded Fleximoms. She is also the Convener, The SHEROES Summit, and has been instrumental in bringing businesses and women professionals on a common platform. She has been nominated for the Editor’s choice for L’oreal Femina Women’s Award, the Cartier Women’s Award Initiative for 2012 and Business Today, Most Powerful Women in Indian Business, 2012. She is a noted TED Speaker and has been featured on shows like Young Turks, Pioneering Spirit and What Women Want.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Sairee Chahal
Why Sairee Chahal?
The Real superwoman. Example of women empowerment. Leadership, Inspiration for women entrepreneurs.
16. Gurucharan Das
About Gurucharan Das
Gurcharan Das is an author, commentator and public intellectual, most well known for being the CEO of Procter and Gamble India and later Managing Director, Procter and Gamble Worldwide. He is the author of The Difficulty of Being Good, a book which elaborates on the subtle art of dharma while analyzing the epic, Mahabharata. His other literary works include a novel, A Fine Family, a book of essays, The Elephant Paradigm and the anthology, Three English Plays.
Achievements
His international best-seller, India Unbound, is a narrative account of India from independence to the ‘global information age’ and has been published in many languages and also filmed by BBC. He is a regular columnist for six Indian newspapers in English, Hindi, Telugu & Marathi. He writes periodic pieces for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs and Newsweek. He is an alumni of Harvard Business School (AMP), where he is featured in 3 case studies.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Gurucharan Das
Why Gurucharan Das?
Making a life vs Making a living. Learn the subtle art of dharma. Importance of action and determination.
17. Piyush Pandey
About Piyush Pandey
Piyush Pandey was named the ‘Most Influential Man in Indian Advertising’ for 8 consecutive years by The Economic Times. In 2000, the Ad Club of Mumbai voted his commercial for Fevikwik the ‘Commercial of the Century’ and his work for Cadbury the ‘Campaign of the Century’. He is the only Indian to win double gold at Cannes for his anti-smoking campaign for Cancer Patients Association & a triple grand prize at the London International Awards. He is undoubtedly one of the most creative persons in the country, making him truly respectable and inspiring to hear.
Achievements
Piyush Pandey was named the ‘Most Influential Man in Indian Advertising’ for 8 consecutive years by The Economic Times. The Ad Club of Mumbai voted his commercial for Fevikwik the ‘Commercial of the Century’ and his work for Cadbury the ‘Campaign of the Century’ and was invited to be a jury member on the Clio Awards 2000 and at the Cannes Film Festival 2002. He was voted ‘Asia’s Creative Person of the Year’ at the Media Asia Awards in 2002. He was the first Asian jury member at the 2004 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. He has also been a judge at the 2007 Asia Pacific Advertising Festival Awards.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Piyush Pandey
Why Piyush Pandey?
Can inspire with his unique storytelling techniques. To find inspiration and perspectives in everyday life to grow.
18. Nitin Saluja
About Nitin Saluja
Nitin Saluja, an IITB Graduate realized very early on, the role that Chai played in his life. His passion for Chai led him to start Chaayos, India’s leading Chai Cafe
Achievements
Today Chaayos has more than 40 cafes in Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, and Chandigarh and is expanding further. As opposed to its competitors, it has scaled up very fast. Chaayos launched its first cafe in November 2012; since then, the chain has been adding outlets at a rapid pace, with more than 100% growth year-on-year since inception Before Chaayos, he had co-founded a Robotics education company (Think Labs) at IIT-Bombay, which is today valued over $10mn.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Nitin Saluja
Why Nitin Saluja?
Turn passion into career How supply chain management affects business strategy Art of innovation for achieving goals
19. Sunil Alagh
About Sunil Alagh
Sunil Alagh, former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Britannia Industries.
Achievements
He is credited with Britannia’s rise to being India’s largest biscuit company. After his exit from Britannia, he founded a consulting firm, SKA Advisors, which advises clients on marketing strategies. He was appointed as the President of the All India Management Association (AIMA) in 2004.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Sunil Alagh
Why Sunil Alagh?
Credited for taking his company Britannia Industries to new heights. Strategy and Success Coach. Leadership and Teamwork is a pathway to success.
20. Vinita Bali
About Vinita Bali
Vinita Bali is a global business leader with extensive experience in leading large companies, both in India and overseas. She has worked with eminent multinationals like The Coca-Cola Company and Cadbury Schweppes PLC, in addition to Britannia Industries Ltd. Her major topics of expertise include Management and Leadership, Brands and Marketing, Business and Personal Leadership, Corporate Responsibility, Innovation, and Consumer and economic landscapes and their implications for business.
Achievements
Vinita is among 27 global leaders appointed by the UN to help improve maternal and child health as part of its SUN (Scaling up Nutrition) initiative. A speaker at several industries and academic forums in India and overseas, Vinita has spoken at global events like Chocovision and Agrovision in Europe; at several UN events in the US and Europe and at industry events in India, Singapore, Europe, and the USA.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Vinita Bali
Why Vinita Bali?
A Versatile Personality with around the globe experience. Leadership, Innovation & Management. Brands, Marketing and Consumer.
21. Alok Kejriwal
About Alok Kejriwal
Alok Kejriwal, a speaker, CEO, and co-founder of ‘Games2win’, is a successful digital serial entrepreneur who sold his last startup ‘Mobile2win’ to Walt Disney. He was invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to speak on ‘Entrepreneurship’ in the company of the President of India. He is also frequently invited by Indian business channels to share his opinion or debate on a current topic related to startups or technology.
Achievements
His company ‘Games2win’ is a global mobile games business that entertains over 20 million users a month. He created ‘contests2win.com’ in 1998, India’s first online contesting site that spearheaded the creation of digital promotions in the world. He has spoken at over one hundred conferences including venues such as the Wharton and Harvard Business Schools, many of the IIMs and IITs in India, The Chopra Foundation’s ‘Sages and Scientists’, India Today Conclave and many more. He has spoken for numerous corporate and industry events for esteemed organizations like AIMA, Religare, Deloitte, Bajaj Finserve, Kotak Securities and many more.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Alok Kejriwal
Why Alok Kejriwal?
Powerful and inspiring Speaker. Frugal innovation in the business ecosystem. Channelising creativity in business. Out-of-the-box thinking & business creativity.
22. Prukalpa Sankar
About Prukalpa Sankar
Prukalpa Sankar is the co-founder of SocialCops, a data intelligence company. Her aim is to show how companies can mine gold from data, build fast, scalable, and intuitive solutions to complex problems like those in India, and the developing world.
Achievements
SocialCops brings the power of data intelligence to emerging markets. Today, their platform empowers leaders in government and businesses with granular, real-time data to make targeted decisions. As of 2017, they had partnered with over 170 organizations across 7+ countries to confront the world’s most critical problems with data. Some of the organizations they have partnered with include the Gates Foundation, Tata Trusts, Government of India, Unilever, Frost & Sullivan, UNICEF, and Oxfam India. In 2016, she was featured in the ‘Forbes Asia 30 under 30’ list, & simultaneously was also featured in ‘Top 10 CNBC Young Business Women’.
Video: Check out the talk delivered by Prukalpa Sankar
Why Prukalpa Sankar?
How to mine gold from data. The secret to decoding complex problem/Reimagine world with data. Targeted decision-making through data crunching
