Board Members & Core Team

Sushil Jiwarajka is a prominent industrialist and Honorary Consul General of Greece in Western India. He is Chairman and Managing Director of Essjay Ericsson Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture with LM Ericsson of Sweden.

The Artheon Group has diversified interests in telecom, renewable energy, industrial batteries, and e-commerce, and he co-founded OMC Power Company Pvt. Ltd., which provides clean energy to telecom sites and rural communities through renewable sources, winning prestigious awards including the Economic Times Telecom Award and World Economic Forum Global Technology Pioneer Award.

Padmaja Ruparel is nationally recognized as a key player in the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem and has helped co-found many relevant institutions like TiE, IVCA, and IAN incubator while being an active angel investor herself.

She co-founded IAN, the world's largest angel investor group with over 450 investors from around the globe, with 135+ investments across 7 countries achieving 32% IRR. As Founding Partner of the IAN Fund, she continues to shape the future of entrepreneurship in India and beyond.

Over the last two decades, Tomi has spearheaded angel investing across the African continent and has worked with and supported hundreds of entrepreneurs who have created millions of dollars in economic value for the region.

He is Chairman of TextNigeria (Telecoms) and Non-Executive Director at MBO Capital (Private Equity) and Big Cabal Media, while also sitting on the board of Laptops4Learning Nigeria and the World Business Angels Investment Forum.

Satya Narayanan R. is an Indian entrepreneur and teacher who received the Karmaveer Puraskaar from iCONGO and the most promising entrepreneur award at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards in 2009.

He graduated from St. Stephen's College with a B.Sc. in Computer Science and completed his MBA from IIM Bangalore in 1993, building CL Educate into a publicly listed company with products spanning test prep, vocational training, content development, and K-12 schools.

Zach spent seven years as an investment banker on Wall Street with Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital before founding Cactus Advisors, a specialist venture capital and business advisory firm based in Cape Town, South Africa.

He is a Mechanical Engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology and a member of MENSA, having lived and worked in the Middle East, California, New York, India, South Africa, and Kenya.

Baljinder Sharma graduated in 1989 with a degree in electrical, electronics and communication engineering from the National Institute of Technology, India, and has been involved in building entrepreneurial ventures in education, technology, investment banking and telecommunications for the last 25 years.

He is presently an investor in four companies and Board Member of two global private equity funds, based in Mauritius, having extensively worked in the India-Africa corridor over the last twenty years.

Vuyisa Qabaka is a Tech and Small Business Advisor. He holds a directorship at venture builder, Entrepreneur Traction, and non-executive director seat at the South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum (SABEF).

Past projects have included setting up creative business strategies and innovation spaces, as well as consulting at executive committee level, with a focus bringing disruptive market positioning, offbeat social impact initiative and ecosystem development. Being involved with numerous companies and projects over the years, Vuyisa has build up extensive experience in corporate communications, business innovation, business development and marketing.

Vuyisa completed a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) Degree and a Postgraduate Certificate in Property Analysis at the University of Cape Town. His journey into entrepreneurship already started as a 2nd-year student when he was involved with launching a student magazine and selling life insurance on campus. This is also where he developed a love for media.

His column in the Business Times paper is weekly a massive hit. He also writes a blog on the township economy called Kasi Economics and mentors start-ups in various townships for the Kasi2Kasi initiative. But his media talents extend further than just writing. He is the television host/presenter of Business Beat on Cape Town TV (DStv Channel 263).

Ramesh Awtaney a dynamic entrepreneur, an Indo-African business magnate, investor, and philanthropist has deep business interests across Africa and the Middle East. He carries more than 28 years of rich experience in global technology, market development and business process outsourcing across Telecom Providers and other Verticals.

Under his leadership, iSON has become one of the leading centers of IT and ITes excellence and has acquired a pan-African footprint with presence in over 25 African countries. Staffed with over 12,500 employees across Africa and the Middle East in 29 countries, iSON has secured various people awards including the Great Place To Work (GPTW) organization's award, under the Bright Spot category for 'Best Practices' and exceptional 'CSR'. In addition, Ramesh was conferred with the "Entrepreneur of the Year" Champion in Biz Awards during the 2016 ASSOCHAM India Africa Trade and Investment Forum.

Awtaney is the best-known entrepreneurs of the "Digital Africa" revolution and has invested in African startup Oliza in Kenya and is anchoring Mondo Ride's expansion plan in East Africa. An entrepreneurial advocation to the budding startups in Mobile apps and the Internet of Things (IoT) areas such as Athena, u2opia, and Ventus. Ericsson, and ABB in ASEAN and APAC regions, where he initiated several high-value business models.

Rahul Sharma, a prominent media, policy, corporate communications and public affairs expert, is managing director of India, U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC). He has nearly four decades of experience in multiple sectors across India, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UAE.

Prior to joining USIBC, Mr. Sharma was Managing Director of APCO Worldwide India and held a variety of leadership roles across the communications, business and policy sectors. He most recently served as deputy secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, president of Rediffusion Communications and president of Genesis Burson-Marsteller's public affairs practice in India and South Asia.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Rajasthan, masters' degrees in International Trade and Economy from Flinders University and a post-graduate diploma in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication in New Delhi.

Anirudh A Damani, the Managing Partner at Artha Venture Fund, has an impressive background in venture capital and entrepreneurship. He previously led the alternative investment division of Artha India Ventures, where he focused on investing in renewable energy projects and promising early-stage startups.

Anirudh's investments included notable startups such as OYO Rooms, Purplle, Tala, NowFloats, Coutloot, Mobilewalla, Rapido, and more, all of which have made significant contributions to their respective industries. Prior to his venture capital career, Anirudh was involved in the energy sector in the United States, collaborating with major global energy companies like Suez Energy, Direct Energy, and Constellation.

Shashank Reddy is the Managing Partner of Evam Law & Policy, a New Delhi-based consulting firm specializing in technology policy, regulation of emerging technologies, government relations, and international relations.

He holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (2018-2020), where he focused on international relations and technology policy, and a B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (2010-2015).

Prior to founding Evam Law & Policy, he served as a Research Analyst at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in New Delhi, where his research focused on the implications of emerging technologies and their governance for international and Indian security, with particular expertise in autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence in warfare.

He is a member of the International Panel on Regulation of Autonomous Weapons based in Berlin, Germany, and has served on a Ministry of Defence task force charged with laying out a roadmap for greater integration of AI in Indian armed services and closer collaboration between Indian startups and the military.

Emmanuel Okorwoit is a Kenyan national who recently graduated from the African Leadership University in Mauritius studying Computer Science under the prestigious Patoranking scholarship.

Passionate about data analysis and digital technology, he founded Innovatopedia, a hub enhancing traditional African education by introducing students to modern technology and digital literacy. His initiative aims to impact over 10,000 young students in Kenya, bridging the gap between traditional schooling and the technological world.

He has also worked with The Room (African Leadership Group) and Regeneration Mauritius on expansion strategies and food security initiatives, connecting diverse young Africans to drive positive continental change.

Nirmala Sankaran (Nimmi) serves as Co-Convenor of the India-Africa Entrepreneurship Forum, bringing extensive experience in fostering business connections between India and Africa.

As a strategic advisor, she plays a pivotal role in facilitating cross-border investments, partnerships, and entrepreneurial initiatives that strengthen the economic corridor between the two regions.

Her leadership and insights have been instrumental in organizing successful summit events and building lasting relationships among investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders across both continents.