Brand Advertising Research & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. (BARC) is a research-based consultancy leveraging an array of services to global brands with expertise in crafting branding solutions and analysis of brand equity, marketing campaigns, market research, product development and content marketing, with a blend of innovation for growth in various industries.
BARC Asia
Dr. Abdalla Alnajjar,
Chairman, Arab Science & Technology Foundation, UAE.
Dr. Abdalla Alnajjar is an Arab Emirati Business magnate, Entrepreneur and Innovator. He is best known for his “Arab Science & Technology Foundation” (ASTF); the first state of the art Foundation in the Arab world which has under his leadership successfully identified and supported outstanding RDI and business activities throughout the Arab Region and beyond. He shaped the way for Arab intellectuals to develop and use their resources by transforming their knowledge into business. Some of portfolio of his success establishments are Aashab Bio Industries, Arab Biotechnology Company, Rawafid for Project Managements, and AccuVis Bio. He is named as one of the “Most Influential Arabs in the World” for past three years.
Yogesh Lakhani,
CMD, Bright Outdoor Media.
Yogesh Lakhani is the CMD of Bright Outdoor Media who born in Mumbai in lower middle cast family, But his dedication, hard work, business strategies and public relation made him topper among business person in India. After completing 10th he worked in various small time job and in year 1980 he initiated Bright Outdoor Media Company. In 1987 Lakhani commenced hoarding business and in 1992 he initiated hoardings for movie business. Today it is one of the foremost Out of Home (OOH) media companies in India and is extending its footprint promptly across the country. Over 90% of Bollywood films prefer Bright Media for their promotions. When one need an advertising medium that is long lasting and cost effective, and that provides you the required reach and the frequency think of Bright Outdoor Media Pvt. Ltd.
Arundhati Roy,
Novelist & Activist.
An exemplary woman achiever best known for her 1998 ‘Man Booker Prize’ winning novel, ‘The God of Small Things’, Suzanna Arundhati Roy, a writer, essayist and activist is also the champion of human rights and environmental causes in India. She is considered the voice of the voiceless for many and an anti-patriot for some but people across the globe would agree with the fact that she is a courageous woman. All it took for her to be catapulted to international fame was her first and semi-autobiographical novel, ‘The God of Small Things’, which went on to become the largest selling novel by a non-expatriate author. The success of the novel downplayed the criticism it received. ‘The God of Small Things’ was listed as one of the New York Times Notable Books of the Year in 1997.
Crystal Lee,
Malaysian Actress.
Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian star Crystal Lee, has been active in the local entertainment industry since she was five. At the tender age of 10, she was dedicated and foreseen as an over-achieving kid. She taken on acting, hosting and singing jobs and also amassed a collection of 200 trophies along with a scholarship. The youngest to win Best Actress award at the Shanghai International Film Festival, she charmed the judges with her natural performance. She has appeared in over 50 commercials, dramas and movies. The child actress has acted alongside big names in the Asian entertainment. Crystal was officially invited as the first “Chatime Friend” of the brand Chaitime, an initiative in Malaysia to support and promote budding talents involved across all forms and categories of the arts.
Satya Nadella,
CEO, Microsoft.
Satya Nadella is appointed as CEO of Microsoft, Inc. creating a proud moment for everyone in India and Indians worldwide with the testament to his hard work. His determination and hard work was given credit along with his credit graph. He was born on 19th August 1967 at Hyderabad. He completed his primary education at Hyderabad Public School. He further pursued his degree at the prestigious “ManipalInstitue of Technology”, Karnataka. He further enrolled at the “Wisconsin – Milwaukee´at the USA to complete his post graduation Degree and then graduated from the renowned University in 1990. With his drive and determination to excel, he earned a degree in Maters of Business Administration. He joined the Silicon Valley giant Microsoft in 1992. He started climbing the corporate ladder since then.
Jaclyn Victor,
Malaysian Singer.
Jaclyn Joshua Thanaraj Victor better known by her stage name Jaclyn Victor, is a Malaysian singer and actress who won the inaugural Malaysian Idol and Ikon Malaysia. As the winner of Malaysian Idol, she won a recording contract with Sony BMG Music Entertainment. She represented Malaysia in the first Asian Idol and Ikon Asean. She has been dubbed "Asia's Divette" for her vocal prowess and a legend in Malaysia. She known for her Malay language big hits such as Gemilang, Di Pohon Asmara, Wajah. She performed at the 2017 SEA Games. In early 2018, Jaclyn Victor received the Music Icon award. As of 2019, Jaclyn has won total of 9 Anugerah Industry Muzik awards (Malaysia's equivalent of the Grammy awards) in her career.
Manny Pacquiao,
Filipino Boxer.
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiaois a Filipino professional boxer and politician, currently serving as a senator of the Philippines. Pacquiao is regarded by many boxing historians as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He is the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing, having won twelve major world titles. Pacquiao is also the first boxer in history to win major world titles in four of the eight "glamour divisions" of boxing: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight. According to Forbes, he was the second highest paid athlete in the world. Beyond boxing, Pacquiao has participated in basketball, business, TV hosting, acting, music recording and politics. In June 2016, Pacquiao was elected as a senator and will serve a six-year term until 2022.
Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan,
Lawyer.
Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and human rights advocate, and is one of the eight recipients of the US International Women of Courage Award. She was the former co-chairperson of Bersih, an NGO Coalition advocating for free and fair elections. She serves the executive committee of the Women's Aid Organisation and is involved in the Bar Council Special Committee on the indigenous persons rights. She is a director of the Securities Industry Dispute Resolution Centre. She has been involved in presenting of several issues relating to the rule of law, the judiciary, the administration of justice, religious conversion and other human rights. As former president of the Malaysian Bar, she has significantly helped establishing a panel with LAWASIA, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute.
Dr. Ken Yeang,
Architect, Hamzah and Yeang Group.
Dr. Ken Yeang, an architect, planner, ecologist and author is best known for his signature green architecture and master-planning, differentiating by his authentic ecological approach and in the distinctive green verdant aesthetic of his architecture with their performance beyond conventional green ratings. Trained at the Architectural Association, UK; and received his doctorate on ecological design and planning, his key buildings include Suasana Putrajaya (Malaysia), Solaris (Singapore), Menara Mesiniaga (Malaysia- recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture) and Spire Edge Tower (India). He has authored books and monographs on ecological design. A recipient of The Malaysian Institute of Architects Gold Medal, The Government of Malaysia’s Merdeka Award, he chairs the Distinguised Plym Professorship.
Tu Youyou,
Scientist.
Tu Youyou was born on 30 December 1930, Zhejiang Ningbo, China. She is a Chinese pharmaceutical chemist and educator. She studied at the Peking University in Beijing. Since 1965 she has worked at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where she is now Chief Scientist. She has won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for Medicine 2015. After studies of traditional herbal medicines, Youyou Tu managed to extract a substance, artemisinin, which inhibits the malaria parasite. Drugs based on artemisinin have led to the survival and improved health of millions of people. She won many awards for her discoveries concerning the novel therapy against Malaria. She is also the first female citizen of the People's Republic of China to receive a Nobel Prize in any category.
Rujuta Diwekar,
Nutrition Expert.
Winner of the 'Nutrition Award' from Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Rujuta Diwekar is India's leading sports science and nutrition expert and amongst the world's most followed nutritionists. She is also the country's foremost speaker on health and wellness. In the plethora of diet fads and fears, her voice rings loud and clear, urging everyone to use their common sense and un-complicate the act of eating. She emphasizes on a blend of traditional food wisdom and modern nutritional science for a healthy body and mind, best reflected through the mantra, “Eat local, think global.” Rujuta’s clientele includes businessmen, homemakers, students, celebrities and sportsmen. Her books have sold more than 1 million copies in 7 languages and continue to define the discourse on food and exercise across the country.
Mr. Rupert Picardo,
Director, D’frens consulting & Mystery Junkies.
The world of employee experience is one that is built around bespoke solutions and Mr. Rupert Picardo is synonymous with this very term. When the family moved back to India, he chose electronics and engineering in Bangalore and later did his post-graduation in Marketing Management in Delhi. From 1998 through 2005, he flitted between jobs and countries. With a role in international sales, he first traveled and then lived in Europe and the US. In 2005, the entrepreneurial bug bit him hard. He researched and developed experiential engagement solutions for the workplace and founded his first company based on this premise. Within 3 years the company he founded - d’frens management consulting, grew to become market leaders in Team Building and Employee Engagement - the precursors of today’s Employee Experiences.
YH Dato' Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria,
President, Badminton Association of Malaysia.
YH Dato' Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, born in 1966, is the President of Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and also hold the post of President of Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia. Norza is currently the President of Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) which has propelled Malaysia to the world stage of badminton. Norza was also appointed by the OCM as the Chef de Mission of Malaysia for the 28th Southeast Asian Games, Singapore. Along with his passion and enthusiasm for the game of polo, Norza is also the President of the Putra Polo Club. He was conferred the award of ‘Darjah Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (SSAP)’ which carries the title ‘Dato’ Sri’ in conjunction with the birthday celebrations of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.
Siti Nordiana,
Singer.
Siti Nordianabinti Alias was born in November 22, 1984. She is better known as Nana. She is a well-known is a Malaysian female singer, originally from Felda Sendayan, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. She is popular for her Bloody Malay-Minang mix. Her name rose again after joining and winning the 2nd Vaganza Gegar. She was dubbed "The Finesse Queen of Leman" by local bloggers. Besides being a soloist, Nana is also known as a duo with singer Achik. The duo have won the hearts of listeners with two studio albums that line the best hits. Nana also published a book titled Life Goes On. This book contains the story of her awakening in the entertainment industry and her personal life. This self-published book has been a Best Seller.
Shah Rukh Khan,
Actor.
A multitalented personality who started his career in entertainment industry from stages and today he has become one of most famous actor, television actor, producer and an entrepreneur of not only Indian film audience but his demand spreads well throughout different continents. After theater he moved to the television soaps like Dil Dariya and Fauji and then shifted to Mumbai in 1991. In this manner his great Bollywood journey began as he had always wanted to become a popular actor and worked hard for it. Shah Rukh Khan is a multifaceted actor who has achieved various awards for portraying character that he played in different genres like comedy, romance as well as action and he has acted in more than 50 films.
Azim Premji,
Chairman, Wipro.
Azim Premji is a business tycoon and one of the well-known faces of the business industry. He is the chairman of Wipro and is regarded as the Czar of information technology industry in India. Wipro has witnessed diversification and growth transforming in to one of the leading companies in the segment under the leadership of Azim Premji. He was considered as one of the wealthiest people in 2005 by Forbes. He was born on 24th July 1945 to a Gujrati Muslim family from Kutch. His father a well-known businessman was referred as “The Rice King of Burma”. Azim Premji obtained a Degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. In 1966 due to the demise of his father he took over the family business.
Dr. Zyro Wong,
Founder, Zyro Wong Consulting Sdn Bhd.
Dr Zyro Wong is one of Malaysia’s most distinctive contemporary thinker, who believes in bridging the world through ideas, branding and strategic alliances. He regularly shares his knowledge and expertise to empower communities towards accelerated growth. As a marketing guru, he has pioneered international marketing projects with top brands such as Guinness Anchor Berhad, Morning Kiss, iCandy Studio and Juice D’Fruitz etc. He has won awards and accolades such as the Asia Honesty Enterprise Award, Top Business Award 2016 (Singapore), Creative Young Entrepreneur Award 2016 and the Asia Top 100 Honesty Brand Award. He has also appeared on Focus Malaysia, Top Corporate Leader magazine and Outstanding Youth Men’s Uno and even in beauty magazines Ai Beauty, recognized as a style icon by MATRADE.
Nishant Pitti,
CEO, Easy Trip Planners Pvt. Ltd. (EaseMyTrip.com)
Mr. Nishant Pitti is a dynamic entrepreneur who commenced the journey of EaseMyTrip.com in 2008 with younger brother and partner Rikant Pitti. He is the Co-founder and CEO. He has served as the honourable Secretary of The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAAFI). Mr. Nishant Pitti is a Commerce graduate from Delhi University. As a businessman, his father would travel often and the seed of the business sprouted when they saved some money booking tickets on their own instead of a travel agent. As he was 23 partnership was a major setback. He was dedicated and began with a small team of 5, he partnered with 80 agents gradually reaching 400 agents.
Sazali Samad,
Professional bodybuilder.
Sazali Samad is Malaysia’s professional bodybuilder. He is a ten-time Mr. Universe & nine-time Mr. Asia winner. He recently won gold medal at the Muscle Contest Champ Japan 2019 and was the champion too at the Fearless Academy Champ Shanghai 2019. He began training and took his first international gold award in 1995 at the World Police & Fire Games. After winning the China’s Fearless contest, Sazali has been appointed to be one of the resident coach to help on strengthen up the Fitness and Bodybuilding team. Sazali always shares his experiences to colleges, universities, corporate companies, NGOs. He is involved in charity works, endorsement of products as well as the gym launches world-wide. With his inspirable fitted muscles, Sazali is now aiming to be on the Mr. Olympia’s stage.
Dato’ Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al Masrie,
Malaysian Astronaut.
Sheikh Muszaphar was selected from 11,435 participants and was chosen to be as Malaysia’s first Angkasawan (Astronaut). The youth looks upon him as a role model who could achieve anything with a mindset. With focus and dedication he has also attained the status of National Swimmer in 1982, emerged as the top prize winner of the State Story-telling Championship in 1984 and won the Muar Tennis Championship in 1987. His humanitarian side saw him undertaking a trip for voluntary services in a war-ravaged Afghanistan of 2002, and to flood-stricken Cambodia in 2003, under the Malaysian Medical Relief Society (MERCY). By being an astronaut, he could accomplish his dream to make the world a better place focusing on the youth of all Malaysians and worldwide.
Rachel Goenka,
CEO & Founder, The Chocolate Spoon Company.
Rachel Goenka is the Founder and CEO of The Chocolate Spoon Company – the holding company for her enviable chain of chic restaurants, bars, bakeries & patisseries. TCSC dared to bring in Eclectic European cuisine to India in 2013. She was instrumental in redefining desserts with a range of innovative offerings at her restaurants. Rachel graduated with a double degree in Journalism and English from The Pennsylvania State University. Post journalism and advertising she realized her true calling and passion was in food and decided to transform her dream into reality. She set her footsteps towards her dream by attending The Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, where she trained under celebrity chef Rachel Allen and then moved to Le Cordon Bleu in London to specialize in patisserie.
Mr. Rizwan Sajan,
Founder & Chairman, Danube group.
Mr. Rizwan Sajan, a man with the ‘Midas Touch’ is the founder and chairman of Danube group. One of the region’s most successful business conglomerates. Mr. Sajan started Danube as a supplier of building materials to hundreds of projects during Dubai’s construction boom. He started his career at an early age of 12 selling books and fire crackers. After the death of his father, he joined his paternal uncle in Kuwait and assisted him in his family business. It was 1993 when he arrived to UAE and started his own business with his wife Sameera, who was his first employee. Today Danube Group provides products and service with the very best quality, performance and value, the group takes pride in not just designing and building but also nurturing long lasting relationship with their clients.
Datuk Syafinaz Selamat,
Soprano Soloist.
This celebrated voice specialist is a coloratura soprano. Her repertoire consists of areas by composers such as Mozart, Puccini, Bellini, Delibes and Verdi. She has performed solo vocal recitals in Malaysia, Germany, Spain, Monaco, Kazakhstan, Singapore and Korea. In “Puteri Saadong”, Syafinaz was cast as the main character and received an over whelming response. She is a well-respected for the international and local choral competitions. As a singer, she is well known for her versatility and capability in singing Classical, R&B, Pop and Jazz. During the President of The United States of America, first official visit to Malaysia, Syafinaz was specially chosen by the Prime Minster himself to perform for Mr. Barack Obama for the State Banquet at the King’s Palace.
Aishah Sinclair,
Radio Announcer.
Aishah Sinclair is a Malaysian radio announcer, TV host and emcee who is an avid marathon runner and fitness enthusiast. The bubbly and melodic voice can be tuned in MIX FM, she brightens up the day with her high energy and entertaining wit on her morning show – MIX Breakfast. Juggling between the roles of a mother to two beautiful daughters, wife and a celebrity, Aishah aims to strike a balance between work, play and home. She is a social media enthusiast and shares about her life to inspire people. Passionate about the environment, Aishah is constantly involved in efforts to raise awareness about the environment. Through her endeavours via Mompreneur Asia, she aims to bring mothers who are entrepreneurs, across a shared-platform that would enable them to share experiences, knowledge and business collaboration.
Saina Nehwal,
Badminton Player.
Saina Nehwal, the right-handed shuttler and the second-generation badminton player has been ranked number 1 by the Badminton World Federation. Under apt guidance and hard-core training, she has also achieved the feat of being the first Indian woman to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympics. She was born on 17th March 1990 at Hisar, Haryana. She was inclined towards Karate and was training for it but her father got transferred to Hyderabad. With language barriers and adjusting to a new city her mother began to play badminton with her and that threw light on her hidden talent for this sport. She was enrolled in an academy for professional training under the Dronacharya awardee S.M. Arif. Her glorious journey of victories commenced at the tender age of 13 when she won the Junior National Championship.
Mr. Colm McLoughlin
Vice Chairman and CEO, Dubai Duty Free.
Mr. Colm McLoughlin was a member of the consultancy team from Aer Rianta, the Irish Airport Authority, which was contracted by the Dubai Government to launch the new duty free operation in 1983. He remained in Dubai as General Manager of the new operation, later becoming Managing Director. In July 2011, Mr. Colm was named Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Duty Free and its subsidiary businesses, which include The Irish Village, The Century Village, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. Under his leadership, Dubai Duty Free has grown dramatically over the past 34 years during which the business grew from US$20 million (1984) to US$1.93 billion in 2017.
Preity Zinta,
Actress, Producer, Writer, Entrepreneur.
Preity Zinta is a popular evergreen Indian film actress, also an accomplished personality of the film fraternity. Growing up in a family of military culture she is proud of her transforming journey to make a skilful and proficient career. A firm business woman and with a lion heart she carves out a niche for herself beyond Bollywood. She recalls herself to be a tomboy as her she grew up with two brothers and her father was in the army at Rohru, Shimla. She completed her graduation in English Literature and post graduation in Criminal Psychology. Whilst study the dimpled cheeked actress featured in an ad for Lyril soap and Perks Chocolates. She decided to explore her acting skills further and was a part of Dil Se for a 20 minute role.
Mary Kom,
Boxer.
Famously known as “Magnificent Mary”, Mary Kom is also famed as a five-time World Boxing Champion and the only boxer to win a medal in all the six championships held. She is the first Indian woman boxer to qualify and win in 51 kg flyweight category of boxing in the 2012 Olympics. She is ranked number 4 in flyweight category of AIBA World’s Women Ranking. This north-east Indian boxer has her roots in Kangathei, Manipur. She completed her schooling in NOIS, Imphal and completed her graduation from Churachandpur. She was athletic in her childhood. She participated in different sports. Dingko Singh, a Manipuri boxer inspired her and made her realize that boxing was her true calling. Her father despised her interest as he was a peasant who toiled in farms.
Dibyendu Roy,
COO, Dey’s Medical.
Dibyendu Roy is management graduate and a hardcore marketing professional with 22 years of experience in FMCG companies like P&G, Henkel, and Retail Industries like Future Group and Aditya Birla. Dibyendu Roy holds a key position in consumer product division of Dey’s Medical. As COO, he is leading the initiatives of transforming the Keo Karpin brand and reconfirms its position as a top player in a majorly competitive category. His innovative brand-building model, marketing and advertising strategies and media planning for the last two years has given Keo Karpin a new momentum. Since inception, Dibyendu has been instrumental in pulling up the Brand Image and bringing back the lost glory resulting in faster growth.
Rishi Srivastava,
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Tata AIA Life.
Rishi started his professional journey in the year 1997 with Dabur India. Rishi joined the Tata AIA Life in April 2016 as Chief of Proprietary Channels. He shortly after took charge of Product, Marketing & Corporate Communication as well with his beneficial hindsight. He has been instrumental in setting up and driving Tata AIA Life’s Agency workforce and successfully building the unique Premier Agency model in India that is aimed at providing enhanced customer experience to all. He has been focused on simplified offerings and addressing multiple needs of the customer highly valuing the customer satisfaction. Under his leadership there was product innovation. There has been carved a differential marketing strategy to the high performing organization. He graduated from Lucknow in Economic.
Jiang Zemin,
Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China.
Jiang Zemin born on 17 August 1926, is a retired Chinese politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from, as Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China from and as President of the People's Republic of China from. Jiang has been described as the "core of the third generation" of Communist Party leaders. Jiang consolidated his hold on power and became the "paramount leader" of the party and the country in the 1990s. Jiang's legacy is subject to the debate of historians and biographers and the policies of his successors. He has addressed these imbalances and had sole focus on economic growth and development which incorporates non-economic factors such as health and the environment.
Mrs. Padmaja Gangireddy,
Founder and Managing Director, Spandana.
Mrs. Padmaja Reddy is the Founder and Managing Director of Spandana, one of the largest and seasoned MFIs in Asia. She is a first generation entrepreneur and hails from a village called Prathipadu in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. She comes from farming house-hold and understands the dynamics of rural household economics. Mrs. Padmaja Reddy is regarded as one of the pioneers in micro-finance space in India. Under her leadership, Spandana has set many benchmarks in the microfinance industry in the last 20 years and this included bursting some myths in this space. She has been innovative and entrepreneurial in her approach since start of her work life.
Rajat Sharma,
Journalist & TV Anchor.
Rajat Sharma is famously known Indian journalist and TV anchor known for his show Aap Ki Adalat. He is prominently known for his calm and composed nature which makes him unique for organizing the show. He is considered as a strong force in entrepreneurial news line media. He was born on 18th February 1957 in Delhi to a family of 6 brothers and 1 sister. He faced many hardships including the lack of electricity. While completing his schooling he realized he had to push his limits. He diligently would walk to Sabzi Mandi and study under a lamppost at night. With his past he aimed to change his lifestyle only with education and perseverance. While he was completing his college he found his inclination towards debating.
Mr. Yogesh Mehta,
CEO, Petrochem Middle East.
Mr. Yogesh Mehta established Petrochem Middle East in 1995 with friend and business partner David Lubbock driven by passion and a need to succeed. He is serving as the Chief Executive Officer: Petrochem Middle East FZE, Dubai, UAE. Mr. Yogesh graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from National College in Mumbai, India, and his first job was at his father’s chemical manufacturing factory in western India, where he honed his innate leadership skills and gained valuable hands-on business experience. Within five years, he managed to establish a business by opening a state-of-the-art storage terminal for bulk and drum chemicals. Petrochem Middle East has since grown from strength-to-strength to become one of the largest independent petrochemical distributors in the Middle East.
Mukesh Ambani,
Chairman & Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).
Mukesh Ambani is an Indian Business Moghul who is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) the leading company in energy and materials conglomerate Reliance Group. He holds 44.7% share in India’s largest private sector company, RIL. Mukesh Ambani was born on 19th April 1957 at Aden, Yemen. Due to the highly unstable political climate, the family moved to Mumbai in a chawl system. His father Dhirubai Ambani began the RIL business in the same year. Mukesh Ambani graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from the University in Mumbai and went to USA to pursue his masters in Business administration. He dropped out in his first year to help his father with their business.
Uday Kotak,
MD, Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Uday Kotak born on 15 March 1959 is an Indian billionaire banker, and the executive vice chairman and managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank. He diversified his business into various areas of financial services, establishing a prominent presence in bills discounting, stockbroking, investment banking, car finance, life insurance and mutual funds. On 22 March 2003, Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd. became the first company in India’s corporate history to receive a banking license from Reserve Bank of India. He is a member of the Government of India's High-Level Committee on Financing Infrastructure, the Primary Market Advisory Committee of the Securities & Exchange Board of India. He is also Governing Member of the Mahindra United World College of India. Forbes estimated his wealth to be $10.6 billion in 2018.
Anil Nair,
CEO & Managing Partner, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi.
He has been the Managing Partner of L&K Saatchi & Saatchi since 2014. He is one of the co-founders of Law & Kenneth Communications. He is a firm believer of sustainable business growth. With innovation in thoughts he crusades integrated business solutions. With continued mandate for excellence he serves domestic and international clients as well. He was a journalist and in 1993 realized advertising was his true calling. His father was the General Manager in a newspaper down south near Kerela where he had his origins and roots. Watching his father work made him reckon that he had to follow his father’s footsteps. The industry was a fascination for him and his creativity made it his default choice of life. His first client was Reliance and he was working for Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani.
Li Ka-shing,
Investor.
ASir Ka-shing Li is a Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Nicknamed Superman, Li Ka-shing is revered as one of the most influential businessmen in Asia. Li retired as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings in May 2018 but remains Senior Advisor. His son Victor now heads the conglomerate, which has more than 320,000 employees and operates in more than 50 nations. Li started Cheung Kong plastics, named after the Yangtze River, in 1950 at age 21 with $6,500 in savings and loans from relatives. His Li Ka Shing Foundation has donated more than $2.6 billion; over 80% has gone to Greater China. He is the world's leading port investor, developer, and operator of the largest health and beauty retailer in Asia and Europe.
Julian Yee,
National Figure Skating Athlete.
Julian Yee is a 22 years old Malaysian National Figure Skating Athlete. He was the First Malaysian to qualify and compete at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang 2018. He has also been the South East Asian Games Gold Medallist in the Men's Figure Skating Event. With a skating career and passion of more than 19 years he is currently the 7 time National Champion. With a driving force for competence and focus to achieve more, he is dedicated towards his practise and yet at the same time has recently launched his own Ice Skating Academy known as Julian Yee Skating Academy. He is the Tourism Ambassador of Gangwon Province, South Korea. He had his defining moment when he was the Torch Bearer at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
WINNERS OF
MOST ADMIRED LEADERS ASIA 2017-18
Zoey Rahman,
CEO, Mikaseries.
Mohd Hairey Azhar Bin Abd Rahman, professionally Zoey Rahman, after building a successful career in the entertainment industry decided to join the business industry. He launched the first online unisex beauty and cosmetic brand in Malaysia. With his approach which promotes an open and creative atmosphere, Mikaseries earns its reputation as a unisex beauty trailblazer with expertise, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Mikaseries focuses on cosmetic product that can be used by men and women. He fosters a culture full of energy proposing new ideas and encouraging experiments rather than replicating past successes. He was accredited as 100 Top Young CEO 2019 by IKON Magazine that was presented by Y.B. Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, Minister of Entrepreneur of Malaysia.
Mr. Hamid Kerayechian,
CEO & Founding Partner, Ayana Holding.
Mr. Hamid Kerayechian graduated from University of South California with a Masters in Engineering is the CEO & Founding Partner of Ayana Holding, prominently recognized organization with market leading businesses and investments that provide services across diverse industries including real estate investment and development, architectural design and master planning, interior design, furnishing, marketing, sales strategy, IT security and infrastructure, hospitality management, asset management, and starts-ups. Mr. Hamid has full responsibility for executing the strategic direction and ongoing operations for Ayana Holding’s wide-ranging portfolio of companies which include ALT Technology, Aquila Hospitality, Brand Capital, Detay Living, Houm, Nioum, Opaal Interiors, Performaa, Retail Boutique, VX Studio & Wrkbay.
Hrithik Roshan,
Actor, Entrepreneur.
Hrithik Roshan is a known for his distinct journey in the Film industry. This actor with hazel green eyes was born on 10th January 1974 in Mumbai. He earned his first salary at the age of 6 of Rs 100 and bought himself a set of Hotwheels car. This versatile actor always kept pushing his limits to give out the best performance and has set benchmarks in his career. Hrithik Roshan has completed his education at Bombay Scottish School and he further graduated at the prestigious Sydenham College. Director – Producer J. Om Prakash introduced him as a child artist on the sets of Aasha in 1980. He commenced his journey and toiled while assisting Rakesh Roshan for films like Koyla and Karan Arjun. He made his debut in Kahona Pyaar Hai with Ameesha Patel and achieved overnight success for it.
Farah Ann binti Abdul Hadi,
Artistic Gymnast.
She began gymnastics at a tender age of 3. She had a lot of energy as a child. At a very young age itself she dreamed of competing at an International level. Farah made her first appearance at the 2010 Games in New Delhi, scoring 12.050 points (floor exercise), 10.500 (beam) and 10.250 (uneven bars) as Malaysia finished fourth in the team event. Farah became the first Malaysian gymnast to win a medal at the World Cup Level. Aside from competing Farah has been the face for a few brands and campaigns and was featured in Malaysia’s homegrown band Paperplane Pursuit’s music video Who’s Gonna Stop Me? A true believer in the unifying power of sports, Farah aspires to utilisesports as a medium to inspire the younger generation.
WINNERS OF
MOST ADMIRED LEADERS ASIA 2018-19
Mr. Mohammed Sultan Al Qadi,
Managing Director, RAK Properties.
Mr. Mohammed Sultan Al Qadi is an Emirati national. He graduated from The British Royal University, UK with a Bachelor Degree in Posts and Telecommunications. He has thirty-five years of experience and currently serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RAK Properties, Ras Al Khaimah, Managing Director of Investment & Development Office (IDO) - Government of Ras Al Khaimah, Chairman of Commercial Bank International (CBI), UAE and Chairman of the Emirates Post. Mr. Mohammed Sultan Al Qadi has a distinguished educational background and a wealth of experiences in diverse senior positions.
Mr. Siddharthaa Sawansukha,
MD, Sawansukha Jewellers Pvt Ltd.
Mr. Siddharthaa Sawansukha is known to be a Leader with a Vision. He has been a visionary pioneer and a leader in the field of gems and jewellery in Eastern India. A graduate from Gemology Institute of America (California) (2002) he has been creating waves in the jewellery market. He joined the family empire in the year 2003 and has since then as a MD has been responsible for spearheading the growth and success of Sawansukha Jewellers. Adding to his credibility, he is also a founder of the Sawansukha Institute of Gemology & Jewellery Design (SIG). He is an entrepreneur with a vision which incorporates state of the art education with modern technology to produce industry ready professionals. An eternal optimist & the strength behind Sawansukha, he initiated the marketing unit to reiterate the brand identity of its own.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw,
Chairman & Managing Director, Biocon Ltd.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an entrepreneur in India and has founded Biocon Ltd., a large biotechnology company at Bangalore. She is the Managing Director and Chairman of the company. She is also the Chairman at IIM-Bangalore. She is pronounced as the wealthiest woman in India. Along with her elite ranks her firm is also India’s biggest biopharmaceutical companies. She was born on 23rd March 1953 and completed her schooling in Bangalore. She further pursed a Degree in Zoology at the Bangalore University. She moved to Ballard University at Melbourne, Australia and became India’s first woman Brewmaster. To gain experience in the field she worked as a trainee brewer at Carton & United beverages and further explored various positions at Kolkata and Vadodra.
Mohamed Al Assam,
Founder, Dewan Architects.
Iraqi architect Mohamed Al Assam founded his architecture firm more than 30 years ago and it has grown to be a key global firm across the Middle East. Al Assam has participated in setting the strategic direction of the firm. With his sound awareness in business development, he has achieved several international awards and nominations. Al Assam has worked and continues to work, on a number of projects across Iraq, including urban masterplans for Najaf, Karbala and Basra; cultural buildings, such as the Basra Cultural Centre; and education projects including Samara University. His recent projects include The Fountain Views, the Marriott Courtyard Khobar, the German School in Cairo and many more. Al Assam is also a member of various initiatives like the Tamayouz Excellence Award.
Milind Soman,
Actor, Producer, Fitness promoter.
Milind Soman the Ironman turned Ultraman of India is an actor, supermodel, producer and a fitness promoter. He is the first Indian to complete the Ironman Triathlon in 15 hours 19 minutes held at Zurich. This famous barefoot runner sets a mark in the Limca Book of Records for running 1,500 km in 30 days from Delhi to Mumbai. This versatile actor received his first award for a Marathi movie Nagrik. He was born in an educated Marathi family at Glasgow, Scotland. With grandparents as doctors, father as a scientist and mother as a biochemist, he tried his career in engineering but ended up in modelling. He aspired to be an athlete and was the National Championship winner for swimming at the tender age of 10.
Amitabh Bachchan,
Actor.
“The Shehanshah”, “The star of the Millenium” or “The Megastar” are all addressed to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan the most recognized legend of Bollywood. He is the most evergreen and versatile actor. He has a deep baritone voice used for background narration and commentary. He is known for his tall brooding persona and intense eyes. He was born on October 11, 1942 at Allahbad, India. He lived with his family and younger brother. He attended a boarding school and completed his Degree in Arts at New Delhi University. He turned into a freight broker at Calcutta. He decided to change his career path and set foot in Mumbai to take a chance in Bollywood Cinema. In two weeks of arrival he made his debut in Saat Hisdustani. His performance hit the bull’s eye and was noticed and appreciated by many directors.
Pawan Munjal,
Chairman, Managing Director, CEO, Hero Moto Corp Ltd.
Pawan Munjal is the celebrated Chairman, CEO and the Managing Director of Hero Moto Corp Ltd. He also is the chairman of Hero Fin Corp Ltd. Mr. Munjal is also Member of Board of Trade of the Government of India, Member of Development Council for Automobiles & Allied Industries, Member-Governing Council at All India Management Association and Member of Forum Mondial de L'Economie and on the board of 9 other companies. He is the quintessential behind-the-scenes operator. He is 57 years old man who is known to be shy and an introvert. To chivvy up Honda’s technological capabilities he is deeply involved in the project. Munjal has created a team for this mission. The Research and Development team has beefed up with more than 250 engineers.
Eleena Sui,
Actress and Model.
Eleena Sui was first discovered when entering Female Cover Model Search in 2016. Coming out as the winner of the competition, she started her entertainment business as a model the same year. Eleena’s ability to speak in several languages such as Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mandarin has been recognised by many television producers and landed her a contract as a television host in one of the most prominent entertainment show in Malaysia, HLive! Being more of a model and television host than she is a film actress, she is named as one of the Top 20 Nuyou Trendsetter Stylish People of 2019. She was also featured in a few amazingly memorable drama series.
Nayla Al Khaja,
CEO, Nayla Al Khaja Films.
Nayla Al Khaja is the first female film Director/Producer in the United Arab Emirates. CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films – previously D-Seven Motion Pictures – she is also founder of The Scene, Dubai’s first film club. Over the years, her dedication to develop the UAE’s film industry, and her advocacy for Women in Cinema helped her reputation of trustworthy professional grow. Nayla wrote and directed several films, all presented and awarded in many international film festivals. She works closely with the Dubai Film and TV Commission to promote Dubai as the fastest growing filming hub in the region. Actively supporting and mentoring local talents, she is today a reference in the Middle East when it comes to Cinema Promotion and Women Empowerment.
Shiv Nadar,
Founder And Chairman, HCL.
Shiv Nadar is an Indian industrialist and philanthropist born in 1945 in Moolaipozhi Village in Tamil Nadu, India. He started from a small garage 38 years ago and today his enterprises are worth $11.3 billion. He is founder and chairman of Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) which presides over an IT empire that is now one of the largest hardware and software corporations in India. In 1976, a discussion over lunch that arose from discontent at work among a group of six engineers at Delhi Cloth Mills headed to the formation of a small company that would produce personal computers. That company today has extended into the HCL Group of companies. His passion and support from his coworkers made the journey possible.
Sufian Suhaimi,
Singer.
Sufian Suhaimi is a Malaysian singer known for his singles, Terakhir, Di Matamu and Mencuba. His singles were shortlisted for the Anugerah Juara Lagu. Both songs were composed by him and two of his friends. Sufian hails from Mersing, Johor. Sufian was an English teacher based in Johor Bahru before venturing into singing professionally. The single "Di Matamu" became a commercial success, gaining more than 20 million views on YouTube within two months and in January 2019. In April 2019, Sufian released the single, "Mencuba” which gained 1 million views in three days as well as trending at number two on the video-sharing website. Sufian also announced his plans to released a poetry book, written since his days as a student in UniSZA. The book will be published by Universiti Utara Malaysia.
Sachin Tendulkar,
Cricketer.
The legendary “Little Master” or “Master Blaster” as he is famously titled, Sachin Tendulkar was born on 24th April 1973. He is a former cricketer and captain of the Indian Cricket team. He is considered as the God of Cricket as he scored maximum runs compared to all cricketers and he stands out in the league by scoring more than 30,000 runs in the game. He is named after his family favourite music director Sachin Dev Burman. He was always a standout athlete and was gifted his first bat at the age of 11. At the early age of 14 he scored a 326 out of 664 in a school match. He trained under his coach Ramkant Acharekar who used to gift him a coin if he did not dismiss a ball in his net practises. Sachin earned 13 such coins.
Mr. Shreyansh Baid,
CEO and Founder, Shreyansh Innovations.
Mr. Shreyansh Baid began his journey when he was just 14. Braving through a time when the family business fell through, going straight from school to client presentations. Years later, that grit, flair and deep joy in building the nation’s most iconic brands, has neither dulled nor wavered. Whatever came in the journey Mr. Shreyansh treated each piece like a lifetime opportunity. He holds the degree of MBA from S.P Jain Institute of Management and Research plus Executive Program in Digital Marketing from Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. His each project lead to another, garnering faith and applauding passion that was evident in his work. More recognitions flowed in, some that were a first in Kolkata. He got The Young Achiever’s Award from the President of India and many more.
Larissa Ping Liew,
Miss World Malaysia.
Larissa Ping Liew, 19, is currently holding the title of Miss World Malaysia for 2018-2019. For Miss World, she is advocating for access rights to quality education to the indigenous tribe in the interiors of Sarawak. She was exposed to the culture of the indigenous tribes and participated in the local pageants like the Keligit Orang Ulu, learning the language and also playing the Sape. Larissa has given motivational talks in schools on the importance of cultures. She is very invested in traditional dances like the Datun Julud. Larissa is also involved with charitable works like she also taught the Myanmar refugees, joined HELP giving care packs to family members. Among her collaborations with NGOs she is providing new computers for the schools and solar energy lights in areas without access to electricity.
Vishen Lakhiani,
Founder & CEO, Mindvalley.
Vishen Lakhiani is the Malaysian founder & CEO of Mindvalley, the company building the school for humanity. Mindvalley combines media, filmmaking, tech and real-world events to build its education empire with over 5 million students. It's app "Mindvalley Quests" has reinvented online learning while "Mindvalley University", which recently took place in Pula, Croatia is an attempt to redesign college for the future. Vishen is also the author of "The Code of The Extraordinary Mind" which has been translated to 30 languages and reached #1 on Amazon. Vishen is now working to expand Mindvalley’s presence globally with the aim to bring it’s teachers, tech and programs into 100 national schooling systems and every company in the Fortune 500 within the next few years.
Tapan Singhel,
MD & CEO, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd.
Tapan Singhel, is a leader with over 25 years of rich experience in the insurance industry and is an inspiring trendsetter, leading the company’s overall growth strategy from its Pune headquarters. A prominent industry leader and an illustrious personality, Mr. Tapan began his career working as a direct officer in 1991 with New India Assurance Company and became associated with Bajaj Allianz in 2001. He took over as Bajaj Allianz General Insurance’s MD and CEO in 2012. In last 6 years, under his aegis, the company has emerged as the most profitable private general insurer ensuring growth, profitability & customer centricity. Known for his ‘Communicative Leadership’ style, he speaks to one’s aspirations and ensures that strategies in the organization are championed.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni,
Cricketer.
A flamboyant cricketer known as the “finisher” in modern cricket team, M. S. Dhoni is the most famous cricketer of the Indian Cricket team. Famously known for his leadership skills he served as the captain of the Indian Cricket National team. His wicket-keeping skills have proved to be a savior in India’s crucial matches. He was born on 7th July 1981 in Ranchi, Jharkhand in a family of parents, a sister and a brother. While schooling in Ranchi he found himself drifting towards sports. He played tennis and was a goalkeeper in football. His coach sent him to play cricket and there he found himself talented at wicket keeping. It did not take him much time to realize cricket was his true calling. He earned a regular wicket-keeping position at the Commando Cricket Club.
A.D. Padmasingh Isaac,
Chairman & Managing Director, Aachi Group Of Companies.
Since 1995, Aachi Group of Companies is a renowned name in the masala segment for its spicy imprint. Mr. A.D. Padmasingh Isaac is Founder and Chairman of the company and his path-breaking and visionary contributions to womanhood lessen the burden of cooking and generate new employment opportunities transitioning Aachi as a socially responsible company. Though he made a humble start with single product, today it’s stands tall stature with 250 products and its 750 SKU’s. Mr. A.D. Padmasingh Isaac hails from a middle class family in Tirunelveli district and always looked up his mother as his role model for infusing inspiration and correction. Later he realised that the magic of his mother’s hand grounded masalas using blended spices surpassed the respect for his mother’s delicious recipes, would become his identity criteria in his entrepreneurial venture.
Nurul Elfira Loy,
Entrepreneur, Twinkle by Elfira.
Nurul Elfira Loy is a renowned actress and a serial entrepreneur based in Malaysia. Having started her acting career at 12, Ms. Elfira has worked with prestigious brands either as their spoke-person, ambassador, or as their special guest. To name a few, the brands are Dior, Omega, Maybelline New York, Turkish Airlines, Air Asia, Honda, Oppo, Adidas and Western Australia Tourism. She became the youngest personality to have been the face of Maybelline New York and attend the New York Fashion Week. She founded her own merchandizing and accessories business called “Twinkle by Elfira”, her very own fusion café called “Love Me Seven Days Café”. Ms. Elfira even organized Malaysia’s first ever beachmarket, “Beach Market by Elfira”. She was named as the Young Women’s Icon, an award presented by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Bernard Chandran,
Fashion Designer.
Bernard Chandran was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Attributing to his growing up in multicultural country and of Indian and Chinese heritage, he was exposed to a rich understanding of cultures. Determined to spin his own game in his home country first, He decided to start his own destiny in fashion and “be the Chanel of Malaysian”. Bernard Chandran is an inspiration to many young designers. He was honoured with the highest state title ‘Dato’ Sri by the Sultan of Pahang. Chandran was selected to represent the country Malaysia at the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange Event that was held at the Buckingham Palace. He was awarded the Fashion Icon of the Year. He was awarded the Harper’s Bazaar Power 15 Award for the Fashion Designer category.
Kalyan Bhose,
MD & CEO, Doodlers.
Kalyan Bhose is the Managing Director and the CEO of Doodlers which has placed Bengal in the style map of kids wear industry after its launch on 20th May 2017. He reckons Kolkata to be the fastest growing hub of apparel manufacturing and envisions the brand to offer a product range which is designed against the mundane and makes the tweens stand out. The ambitious Kalyan Bhose completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya and further completed his graduation in Zoology from the Regional School of Education, Bhubaneshwar. With relentless drive to be successful he began his journey to gain expertise in business development, franchise sourcing and management, channel management, customer service management and sales & marketing.
Mr. Sameer Yogishwar,
CEO, HDFC Dubai.
In 1998, Mr. Sameer Yogishwar started his professional career with India’s largest mortgage finance company, HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation) Limited as a Management Trainee and has traversed critical junctures in the last 19 years to become the first CEO of HDFC International Life and Re Company Limited a global life reinsurer based in DIFC Dubai in January 2016. Mr. Sameer oversees strategic planning, operational excellence and implementation of effective operating models, aimed at delivering sustainable performance over a period. He holds a Bachelor degree in Economics and a Masters in Management Studies (Finance), both from Mumbai University and is an elected member of the DIFC Insurance Association Board.
Tulsi Tanti,
Chairman & MD, Suzlon Group.
Tulsi Tanti is a revolutionary man who made power generation a greener mechanism, which made sustainability the platitude of present times and gave hope to the lost. Some vision and dreams are too big to be perceived by an average human mind. To tackle such ambitions, one requires being a lot more than just a dreamer. One has to be a visionary to finds solace in accomplishments and one such man is Tulsi Tanti. He is a commerce graduate and holds diploma in mechanical engineering, Tulsi Tanti is originally from Gujarat and is based in Pune, Maharashtra presently. He was earlier into textiles but in year 1990 he invested in two windmills and apprehended its huge potential. Finally in 1995, he commenced Suzlon and gradually quit textiles.
Palanisamy Sathasivam,
Governor of Kerela.
Palanisamy Sathasivam is the current Governor of Kerela since 2014. He served as the prestigious 40th Chief Justice of India. He is the 2nd judge of Tamil Nadu to serve the Chief Justice of the nation. He was also the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to be appointed as the Governor of State. He was born on 29th April 1949 at Kaddappanallur in Erode district. He completed his BA degree at Arya Nadar Janaki Ammal College and further pursued law at Government Law College, Chennai. He enrolled as an advocate at Chennai. With his passion to climb up higher on the ladder of success he was appointed to the post of Additional Government Pleader followed by Special Government Pleader at the High Court. With a transfer to Punjab and Haryana his post was elevated to the judge of the Supreme Court.
Peter Hugh Davis,
Athlete.
Peter is a UK Cage Fighting Welterweight Champion. He holds a 1stDan in WujiSanshou and teaches mixed martial arts (MMA) in Malaysia. In 2012 with a refreshed interest in MMA cage fighting, Peter was signed by OneChampionship, Asia’s largest MMA promotion. Since then, he has competed at the highest levels of professional MMA, gaining a rapturous fan base worldwide and numerous sponsorship deals. Fighting out of Monarchy MMA, Peter is the most well-known martial artist in Malaysia. He is adventurous and is thrilled by downhill mountain biking and cardio heavy road cycling. Peter also loves all kinds of adrenalin pumping, tire burning motorsports including drifting. Peter Is one of GoPro’s local in conjunction with International Costal Cleanup Day. He was on the front cover of Cycling Malaysia and Influence Asia.
Rohit Bansal,
Co-Founder & COO, Snapdeal.
A well-known businessman and Indian entrepreneur, Rohit Bansal is one of the co-founders of India’s leading E-commerce platform Snapdeal selling over 30 millions of products. He co-founded the online store in February 2010 alongside his school friend Kunal Bahl and currently serves as the COO. Rohit Bansal was born in Malaut, Punjab to a grain merchant family. He completed his schooling in Delhi Public School and graduated with an engineering degree from reputed institution of IIT. He launched a daily deals couponing business with his school friend in 2008 while he was working. As e-commerce platform was still an infant in India they revamped in 2010 and progressed with expansion to be one of the leading platforms dealing with a wide range of electronics, fashion products, accessories and a lot more.
Anshul Singhal,
CEO, Embassy Industrial Parks.
Anshul Singhal is the CEO of Embassy Industrial Parks, a joint venture between Warburg Pincus and Embassy Group. The joint venture is envisioned to become a leading provider of industrial and warehousing space. Anshul is spearheading the development of modern industrial and logistics warehousing spaces in proximity to leading consumer and industrial centres across India. He completed his schooling at Jamnabai Naree School and further graduated from the reputed Sydenham College. He earned his Bachelor Degree in Economics from Georgia College at USA and earned his MBA Degree from the prestigious Harvard Business School.
Rina Neoh,
Founder, EduTech Asia Group of Companies.
Rina Neoh has more than 20 years of experience in both the corporate and entrepreneurial world. With a solid foundation and a keen business sense, Rina has delivered multi-million dollar returns from small business enterprises and developing companies across Asia Pacific. Rina is the Founder/Investor of EduTech Asia Group of Companies that focuses on educators across Asia for future of learning. She currently is the Senator Representing Malaysia for the World Business Angels Investment Forum. She co-founded Mercatus Capital Pte Ltd which provided seed capital to more than 60 start-ups in Singapore, Malaysia, India. She holds strategic management roles, directorships and equities in Mind Champs International PreSchool Philippines, Ficus Venture Capital & Fintech Lab.
Masya Masyitah,
Singer.
The famous singer with a melodious voice is known for songs like "Halimunan","Mawar Terbiar" and "Teruskan Mencuba". Her real name is Siti Nur Masyitah bt. Yusoff. She first became known when she won the children's reality show Ceria Popstar when she was 14. She started her singing career in 2011 when she won runner-up in the RTM Mini Stars show. This Malaysian lass not only sings Malay songs but is also great at rendering Chinese numbers. This malay teenage girl has become an Internet sensation following her Chinese rendition of Si Le Dou Yao Ai (Still Love Even After Death). She is still innocent, untouched by the dust of the industry. She participated in the Hong Kong International Music Festival singing competition and took second place. She aspires to make Malaysia proud.
Vikas Khanna,
Chef.
James Beard Award Nominee and Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna is an internationally acclaimed Indian chef, award-winning author, poet and filmmaker. He is the recipient of Access to Freedom Award, Eleanor Roosevelt’s Shining Star Award and was featured as “10 Global Legendary Chefs who revolutionized eating habits" by Deutsche Welle. He is host of MasterChef India and National Geographic’s Mega Kitchens. Gordon Ramsay featured him as “Top Indian Chef in New York City” on Kitchen Nightmares. He was recently awarded “Best TV Chef” by Indian Telly Awards. Khanna developed workshops, “Vision of Palate”, to create awareness of flavors and aromas for the visually impaired. His project at Manipal, Museum of Culinary Arts, showcases the rich Indian heritage, history and diversity through kitchen equipment.
Ustad Amjad Khan,
Music Composer - Classical Musician.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan was born in Gwalior; Madhya Pradesh on October 9, 1945. His father Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan was a musician in the court of the royal family of Gwalior. Ustad Amjad began getting training at a very young age from the progenies of Miyan Tansen, who was one of the greatest musicians of all times. At the age of 6, he gave his foremost solo performance. Carrying the bequest of music in the sixth generation, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is an eminent sarod player and is widely known as the ‘Sarod Samrat’. Belonging to the Bangash ancestry, originating from Senia Bangash School of Music, the Ustad’s descendants have been attributed for modifying the sarod as an Indian classical instrument. The present day sarod has been derived by altering the ancient folk instrument of Iran known as ‘Rabab’.
Shinya Yamanaka,
Japanese Researcher.
Shinya Yamanaka was born in September 4, 1962. He is a Japanese Nobel Prize-winning stem cell researcher. He serves as the director of Center for iPS Cell (induced Pluripotent Stem Cell) Research and Application and a professor at the Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences at Kyoto University; as a senior investigator at the UCSF-affiliated J. David Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco, California; and as a professor of anatomy at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Yamanaka is also a past president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for the discovery that mature cells can be converted to stem cells. He was awarded $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his work.
Viswanathan Anand,
Grandmaster - World Chess Champion.
One of the most versatile champions, the strongest rapid chess player of his generation and the undisputed world champion from 2007 to 2013, India’s first Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand has earned his place amongst the greatest chess players in the history of the game. Five time winner of the World Chess Championship, Indian chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand dominated the world of chess for six years from 2007 to 2013. The former World Chess Champion is among the only two persons to have won the Classical, Rapid, and Blitz world championships and the only one to have won the world championship playing in Match, Tournament and Knockout formats. Anand was first introduced to chess by his mother who was a big chess aficionado. She was a good player but was never associated with any club.
Vishal Rajgarhia,
Director & CEO, Finecure Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Finecure Pharmaceuticals Limited is one of the fastest emerging Pharmaceutical companies which manufactures, develops and markets pharmaceutical formulations and nutraceuticals in India. Mr. Vishal Rajgarhia is one of the founding directors of the company. The company is certified for CRISIL 1A rated towards "Highest Performance Capability" and "High Financial Strength", WHO GMP, ISO 9001, ISO 22001, and ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 quality systems towards the high product quality assurance, environment management system, occupational health and safety. Mr. Vishal Rajgarhia is a proficient professional with over 10 years of experience and a proven track record that has made Finecure Group a leading manufacturer and marketer of Pharmaceutical formulations and Nutraceuticals.
Yogesh Chandar Deveshwar,
Chairman, ITC.
Yogesh Chandar Deveshwar led a multi business corporation ITC with deep insights. He expanded the business if ITC and increased its visibility making its presence felt in the hospitality sector with help of senior officials under the scrutiny of investigating agencies. He led the company in to new forays like agricultural businesses, retail and distribution of FMCG products for growth. He was famously known for the strategic management, general management and business leadership skills. Y. C. Deveshwar was born on 4th February 1947. In 1968 he obtained his Degree in Mechanical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology at New Delhi. He also attended Harvard Business school and received a diploma AMP Hoteliering from the Cornell University at the United States. He also pursued advance training in the field of services.
Sarimah Ibrahim,
Founder, Thrill Cosmetics.
Che Puan Sarimahbinti Ibrahim is a Malaysian-Irish television host, actress, singer and radio announcer. She is of Irish-Malay-Banjar descent. She received her early education in Malaysia, Ireland, Abu Dhabi and at the Emirates International School, Dubai. Sarimah is able to converse in Malay and English. Sarimah is a first dan black belt holder in Karate. She has been practising Pilates for 12 years. She was the host for the first season of The Biggest Loser Asia on Hallmark Channel Asia, and the Kuala Lumpur correspondent for CNN to go. She was also a former announcer for radio station Mix FM as a host for its flagship breakfast programme. She has emceed over 500 events and Annual Dinners in the last 21 years. She is the founder of Thrill Cosmetics.
Amer Jaleel
CCO & Chairman, Mullenlowe Lintas Group.
He built Mullen Lintas to be vibrant and exciting. He differentiates the company from the Mullenlintas Group by building a brand image which is punchy and ambitious with a full throttle creative. He has created and delivered nothing but eye popping work. With the position of chairman and Chief Creative officer he aims to foster an environment sparking creative chemistry. He has handled brands like Essar, Minolta and ITC. His iconic “Positive Attitude Campaign” has been significantly appreciated. When he moved into Mudra advertising he worked on brands like Mc. Donalds, Kinetic Auto and Indian Oil. He faced challenges in the market as after a year they weren’t visible and known. They decided to have an enormous launch party and got covered almost everywhere. He believes he works with the rocketest team in the business.
WINNERS OF
MOST ADMIRED LEADERS INDIA 2016-17
Alif Satar,
Malaysian Singer.
Muhammad Alif bin Mohd Satar born on September 19, 1990 is a Malaysian singer, actor and television host. Alif started his singing career after winning third place, at the age of 16, in 8TV’s reality singing competition, One In a Million (OIAM). He was the youngest contestant on the show. He has performed Peter Pan – The Musical, in Genting Highlands. Alif Satar was featured in Ricky Martin's 2014 FIFA World Cup's song. He has released three albums - Nakal (2009), Lelaki Seperti Aku (2011) and Definisi (2013). In 2019, he was appointed as the ambassador of the Harman Studio in Sunway Geo Avenue. Alif was also a participant in Ironman race for the first time at Pantai Cenang on Langkawi Island.
Niranjan Hiranandani,
Managing Director, Hiranandani Group.
Born in 1950, Niranjan Hiranandani is the Managing Director and founder of the Hiranandani Group of Companies and is better known as the Real Estate Czar: what he has achieved is nothing short of a miracle. Displaying extraordinary qualities as a builder, as also a perfectionist in terms of quality, brilliance, and untiring zest for excellence, he has lead the Group Companies in changing the skyline of Mumbai, Thane – with Panvel, Pune, Chennai and Ahmedabad set to follow. His extensive experience and understanding of this industry has provided a strong base for the group to expand beyond real estate. Hiranandani Group has today ventured into various sectors like education, horticulture, hospitality, entertainment and retail as well.
Fali Nariman,
Lawyer.
Fali Sam Nariman is one of the top lawyers in the country. He has a positive attitude towards life which keeps him fit and fabulous. He quotes “Our sense of humour as become zero today. Let alone our sense of fun. Nobody appreciates anything”. He points out that things said in fun are interpreted in a different way and nobody takes jokes lightly and the fun in the world is lost. He doesn’t believe in publicizing everything on social media. He reveals this is the recipe of his peaceful life. Fali Nariman was born on 10th January 1929 at Rangoon. He completed his schooling in Rangoon and Shimla. He further completed his graduation at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai in History and Economics.
Saud Alsanousi,
Novelist & Journalist.
Saud Alsanousi born in 1981, is a Kuwaiti novelist and journalist. His debut novel is The Prisoner of Mirrors. His novel The Bamboo Stalk, written from the perspective of a boy of mixed Kuwaiti-Filipino parentage about his struggle to find a place in either country, won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. He lives in Kuwait and writes for the Al-Qabas newspaper. He claims he is inspired by everything and it would spark an idea for a story. For example, Pigeons of the House, was inspired by a pigeon that would sit at the window of his house for months on end. Mama Hessa’s Mice was loosely inspired by events from his past. He is interested in politics, religion, and identity making his work based on it.
Shiv Nadar,
Founder & Chairman, Hindustan Computer Limited. (HCL).
Peter is a UK Cage Fighting Welterweight Champion. He holds a 1st Dan in Wuji Sanshou and teaches mixed martial arts (MMA) in Malaysia. In 2012 with a refreshed interest in MMA cage fighting, Peter was signed by OneChampionship, Asia’s largest MMA promotion. Since then, he has competed at the highest levels of professional MMA, gaining a rapturous fan base worldwide and numerous sponsorship deals. Fighting out of Monarchy MMA, Peter is the most well-known martial artist in Malaysia. He is adventurous and is thrilled by downhill mountain biking and cardio heavy road cycling. Peter also loves all kinds of adrenalin pumping, tire burning motorsports including drifting. Peter Is one of GoPro’s local in conjunction with International Costal Cleanup Day. He was on the front cover of Cycling Malaysia and Influence Asia.
Her Excellency Mariam Mohamed Al Rumaithi,
Chairperson, Abu Dhabi Business Women Council.
For more than 33 years of hard work and perseverance, Her Excellency Mariam Mohamed Al Rumaithi, Chairwomen of Abu Dhabi Business Women Council occupied a number of leading positions, through which she contributed to development projects and gained a lot of experience in different fields including leadership, human resources, finance, strategic planning and research and development as well as entrepreneurship, economic empowerment and social fields. H.E. Al Rumaithi contributed to the execution of many initiatives and strategic projects in the economic and social sectors. She also played a role in bolstering social and family cohesion and founding an active community that plays a key role in the development process.
Mukesh Ambani,
Chairman, Reliance Industries Limited.
Mukesh Ambani is an Indian businessman, engineer, the chairman, managing director, and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries Limited, India's most valuable company by its market value. Ambani ranked fifth among India's philanthropists. He was appointed as a Director of Bank of America and became the first non-American to be on its board. He also owns the Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians and is the founder of Indian Super League, a football league in India. Forbes named him one of the richest sports owners in the world. He resides at the Antilia Building, one of the world's most expensive private residences with its value $1 billion. According to Forbes magazine, he is the richest man in Asia and the 13th richest person in the world.
Sachin Tendulkar,
Indian Cricketer.
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is a former Indian international cricketer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsman in the history of cricket. Tendulkar took up cricket at the age of eleven and represented India internationally for 24 years. He is the only player to have scored 100 international centuries and the record-holder for most runs in both Test and ODI. He is colloquially known as Little Master or Master Blaster. Tendulkar received the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awards. He is the youngest recipient and the first ever sportsperson to receive the award. He was included as one of the "Most Influential People in the World.” In 2019, Tendulkar was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
Ryan Fernando,
Sports Nutrionist.
Ryan Fernando is one of the best celebrity Sports Nutritionist to a host of Athletes. Ryan’s clients include 2 Guinness world record Holders in feats of Human Endurance, 2 Olympic Medals with Wrestler Sushil Kumar, Cricketers Robin Uthappa, Shikar Dhawan, Golfing Diva Sharmila Nicollet and a host of film stars and CEOs. Ryan is the Co- founder of Qua Nutrition Clinics and is a lecturer for International Society of Sports Association. A life Member with the Nutrition Society of India and A Commonwealth Scholar with Masters Degrees in Food Biotechnology and Clinical Biochemistry. He is also a certified Performance Nutrition Expert. Ryan is responsible for the state of the Art software to deliver customized nutrition plans. Ryan is also an alumnus of the prestigious IIM-A.
Virat Kohli,
Cricketer - Captain.
Virat Kohli is an Indian international cricketer who currently captains the Indian team. A right-handed batsman often regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world, Kohli was ranked eighth in ESPN's list of world's most famous athletes in 2016. A typical modern-day cricketer, Virat Kohli plays his game aggressively, bares his emotions loudly in public, yet retains the element of maturity that forms an integral part of every good and great player. He plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and has been the team's captain since 2013. Today he is recognized for his growing maturity, and, more importantly, for his superb skills with bat in hand. Even in the presence, or absence, of his other prolific partners, Kohli has become one of the most dependable batsmen in the Indian middle order.
Dr. Murtaza Khorakiwala,
Managing Director, Wockhardt Ltd.
Dr. Murtaza Khorakiwala is a man with the unique blend of scientific knowledge and business acumen, a graduate in Medicine from GS Medical College, Mumbai, India and Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Illinois, USA. Dr. Murtaza Khorakiwala’s professional career over more than 20 years has been an enriching journey encompassing – being a medical practitioner, founder of IT Start- up company, business leadership in Wockhardt UK unit and Managing Director of Wockhardt Ltd. He has also been elected as the President of Bombay Management Association (BMA) this year. He firmly believes that the key driver for success in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare business is research and development which helps to invent innovative solutions to fulfill unmet medical needs of the society.
Nawwar Shukriah Ali,
Multidisciplinary Artist, Bono Stellar Studio.
The artist Bono makes art out of iridescent films and plexiglass, but her true materials are light and space. Nawwar Shukriah Ali, is a Malaysian multidisciplinary artist. In her body of work, installations, and photography, Bono merges art history, experience, and reflections of her past, present and future. Her goal is to create work which appeals to the imagination and the senses, abandoning fidelity to the visible world in favour of exploring abstractions. She articulates her personal struggles with the contemporary Malay woman identity, a complex mix of toughness and vulnerability through references to local customs, re-imagined with interactive technology. Bono’s multi-disciplinary studio Stellar Design has worked with a wide range of clients, including Better Cities, BMW and L’OFFICIEL, Mini Cooper and Zalora.
Wak Doyok,
Entrpreneur, The Garment.
Wak Doyok is an entrepreneur, TV personality and fashion Icon from Malaysia. He is well known for his fashionable moustache and beard styles. He is known to bring a different style in his appearance in the Malaysia fashion culture. In 2012, he started a fashion label,the Garment with his 2 local partners which created a trend for his sense of styling and the spark for local designers. With more that 1.8 million followers he also is a great celebrity stylist. His styles are always in demand with the socialites and artists all over Asia. He won the The 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs, Asia Top Influencer Asia award. He is very famous in Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore markets. He is also a producer of his own WD cigar blends.
A. R. Rahman,
Music Composer.
Allah Rakha Rahman often known as A. R. Rahman is a Global tunesmith from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is not an accomplished instrumentalist or gifted vocalist like other music composers but moreover like an alchemist of voices and sounds, melting and mixing them in a concoction that becomes a something pleasing to the ears and the soul. His name itself stands for the quality, melody and energy. In other ways we can say that a sound both universal and personal, demolishing older practices and converting them into something gorgeously innovative. A. R. Rahman was born on January 6, 1966, in Madras (now Chennai), India as Dileep Kumar to a musically inclined family. He started to learn playing the piano when he was 4 years old and lost his father at the age of 9.
WINNERS OF
MOST ADMIRED LEADERS INDIA 2018-19
Dato' Fazley Yaakob,
Chef & Founder, SukaSucre.
Awarded “Most Distinguished Alumni” by Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, Most Popular Chef, Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs Award and winning numerous awards at Malaysian International Gastronomy Festival 2016 and 2018 for SukaSucre Bistro especially the Golden Chef Award for the executive chef and founder, Dato’ Fazley is also motivational speaker and writer. After winning the title of MasterChef Selebriti Malaysia, he continued to pursue his dreams to obtain his Diplôme de Pâtisserie. He opened his own bistro and kitchen studio – SukaSucré Bistro in Kuala Lumpur. His “My Sucre Story”, a Malaysia-French fusion cookbook won the first Prize of the TV Outside Europe at the Gourmand World Cookbook. He is a recipient of Special Talent Entrepreneur Award awarded by Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Rohinton Mistry,
Writer.
Rohinton Mistry was born in Mumbai, India in 1952. Mistry wrote his first short story, 'One Sunday', in 1983, winning First Prize in the Canadian Hart House Literary Contest (an award he also won the following year for his short story 'Auspicious Occasion'). His early stories were published in a number of Canadian magazines; Tales from Firozsha Baag, was first published in Canada in 1987. He is the author of three novels: Such a Long Journey, which won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, A Fine Balance (1996), set during the State of Emergency in India in the 1970s, and Family Matters (2002), which tells the story of an elderly Parsi widower living in Bombay with his step-children. He won the Neustadt International Prize for Literature.
A.R. Rahman,
Music Composer & Singer.
Allah Rakha Rahman a man often known as A. R. Rahman is a Global tunesmith from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is an alchemist of voices melting and mixing in a concoction that is pleasing to the ears and the soul. His name signifies quality, melody and energy. AR Rahman was born on January 6, 1960 to a musically inclined family. He began playing the piano when he was 4 years old and lost his father at the age of 9. He shouldered his family responsibilities joining a troupe of legendary composer Ilayaraja’s as keyboard player only at the tender age of 11. As a result he dropped out of school and travelled with various orchestras globally. Rahman has been awarded with the 'Padma Shri' and 'Padma Bhushan'.
A. Samad Said,
Novelist.
A. Samad Said is renowned for his poetry, novels, short stories, essays and plays. His major works include Salina, Hujan Pagi, Cinta Fansuri and Lantai T. Pinkie. He has performed his works all over the globe. Most recently, he made a visit to Aceh to research on the arts scene & community there. Many of his works have been translated including into English, German, Chinese and French. He received the Southeast Asia Write Award in 1979 and in 1986 was accorded the Anugerah Sasterawan Negara, Malaysia’s leading literary national award. He also received the title of Datuk. He became the co-chairperson and he wrote 200 poems that document Bersih. He gives talks & performs his works solo. During his trip to Korea, Samad drew new paintings and wrote new poetry.
Dr. Uppiliappan Gopalan,
COO, KALS Group.
Dr Uppiliappan Gopalan is an astute strategist with impeccable business acumen, also an MBA from IIM-Bangalore with Finance & Operations Specialization. Adding feather in his cap, he holds a Doctorate Degree in Supply Chain & Finance Integration from Indian School of Business & Management. Prestigious awardee of Peter Drucker Award for the year 2016 for the outstanding performance in Finance & Business Process Improvement in strengthening & turning around business operations. Visionary Executive with close to 17 years of corporate exposure in FMCG/Retail/EPC/ Automotive/Trading of Fortune 500 Companies, Dr. Gopalan is a strategic think-tank cum implementer with recognized proficiency in spearheading operations/business with an aim to accomplish corporate plans and goals successfully.
Mr. Bala Krishen,
CEO, Century Financial Brokers LLC.
Mr. Bala Krishen is a highly accomplished and visionary CEO of the Dubai-based Century Financial Brokers LLC. He began his capital market and investment professional journey at Century in 1999 as a Dealer. He’s valuable contribution and determination enabled him to rise through the ranks and eventually occupy the corner office as Century’s CEO. A dynamic leader, Mr. Bala Krishen works with a team of highly qualified, experienced and dedicated finance and investment professionals. His meteoric rise in the organization has now made him a perfect role model for aspiring capital market and investment professionals and employees.