TiE Mumbai has successfully managed to migrate from digital space to physical meetings, events, and catch-ups post-pandemic. Welcoming Ranu Vohra and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Amit Mookim, Past President, TiE Mumbai said that the charter member base of TiE Mumbai has grown 2x, and its revenue base through a mix of TiEcon, Open Innovation programs, and membership has grown by 2x and is slated to grow to 3x revenue by the end of this year.

Ranu Vohra, the new President of TiE Mumbai, said, “TiE Mumbai has been the crucible for innovation and for entrepreneurs to interact, learn from one another and build more sustainable, robust businesses. Mumbai continues to offer significant advantages to the growing cohort of entrepreneurs and in offering a great start up ecosystem, which is so vital for companies to start and prosper. TiE Mumbai will be central to entrepreneurs as they go along in the journey to become more meaningful and responsible corporate citizens for the country. Besides, as the financial capital of India, Mumbai offers companies the resource they need the most as they build on their value proposition. My vision is to continue its rich legacy and bring Mumbai higher on the country’s startup map through TiE.”

Under the leadership of Amit Mookim, TiE Mumbai has achieved several feats in the past two years. TiEcon 2022 was an overwhelming success with 27 unicorns, 3600 delegates, 1500+ startups, and a fantastic mix of leaders and officials. During the height of the pandemic, TiE Mumbai pivoted to starting Open Innovation programs for corporates. It won the “Most Innovative Program” among all the other chapters at the last Rome Retreat. It has also organized several Thought Leadership Series, investor connects, and venture investing classes during this period. TiE Mumbai Special Interest Groups viz. Fintech, Healthcare, Food Network, Media, and Retail created excellent value for Start-ups.

Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, the President Elect of TiE Mumbai, said “We are witnessing a staggering growth momentum in the Startup sector in India. I am very excited about my new role at TiE Mumbai, which will help me contribute to this trajectory. I congratulate Amit Mookim on an extremely successful tenure at TiE Mumbai. I look forward to closely working with Ranu Vohra and the board to continue this momentum with a focus on structured mentoring thus adding value to the various stakeholders by fostering entrepreneurship, boosting innovation, knowledge sharing and funding.”

Harish Mehta, Author – The Maverick Effect, Co-Founder & First Elected Chairperson -NASSCOM, Chairman Past Presidents Council- TiE Mumbai, Founder and Chairman – Onward Technologies Ltd, said, “In their new roles, Ranu Vohra and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma will together charter the path of building a concrete leadership team for the Startup ecosystem with a 5-year view. Their combination works significantly well since Ranu brings with him his rich experience with late-stage startups coupled with solid investments in that space while Apoorva adds immense value as he has built a strong investment network for early to growth stage companies. Their combination covers the entire breadth of the industry effectively.”

The new leadership team will further leverage TiE Mumbai’s presence and initiatives, strengthen the startup connect with the investor, government, corporate, and trade networks, and build knowledge and agenda-driven programs to enhance Mumbai’s presence as a preferred destination for startups.

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At LenDenClub, Nirmal would be responsible for enhancing the channel partner network to help financial advisors provide alternative investment opportunities to allocate their clients’ assets. Additionally, he would also be responsible for expanding crucial partnerships across the distribution landscape to make LenDenClub’s P2P lending offerings more accessible.

Speaking on the appointment, Bhavin Patel, Co-founder & CEO, LenDenClub, said, “Peer-to-peer lending has emerged as a preferable alternate investment class for investors. With the soaring demand of high return instruments among Retail and HNI investors, we want to present investment in P2P lending as one more asset class to include in their portfolio. In the recent past, we have made certain strategic appointments, and Nirmal’s addition to the team solidifies our commitment and focus towards our intended exponential growth. Given his expertise in building a B2B channel for financial companies, Nirmal will not just help bring a fresh perspective to our core business strategies but will be a key driver in the growth of our Investments Business. I look forward to working closely with him and wish him all the best for the future.”

Nirmal has previously worked in some of India’s marquee firms, like Edelweiss, Axis Securities, and Standard Chartered Securities, across multiple geographies in Sales, Marketing & Distribution, and Channel Management. He is a B2B expert who has been instrumental for organisations in developing Channel Partners’ networks and creating business volumes. He owns a vast network ranging from manufacturers to investors through B2B channels across the industry.

Embarking on his new beginning, Nirmal K. Rewaria, CBO – Investments, said, “With LenDenClub’s cutting-edge product offerings, the company is well-positioned to capitalise on the momentum of new-age asset classes and accelerate the adoption of digital financial products. I’m happy to make a significant contribution to this journey and to support the organisation’s expansion goals. In the future, I want to contribute towards the country’s digital economy by leveraging my skills to provide a viable alternative investment and financing choice for Indians.”

With record disbursements, customer additions, top-line growth, profitability, and distinctive product offerings, LenDenClub has had outstanding operational performance in FY 22–23. The business has also developed a multi-pronged plan to speed up its growth by being the go-to platform for Peer-to-Peer lending for underserved investors and borrowers in the nation and helping them with their diverse financial goals.

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A seasoned media and entertainment professional, Rao has a wide-ranging experience of two decades in television, film, and digital platforms. His appointment has been effective 1^st June 2022. He will be operating from ABP Network’s Mumbai office.

Rao is a well-regarded senior Indian media and entertainment industry professional with strong expertise in the conceptualization, development, and execution of original content. He has formerly worked at YouTube, STAR India, Discovery Communications, Vinod Chopra Films, and UTV Motion Pictures in managerial and leadership roles.

Rao holds a PGDBM from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

In the recent past, ABP Studios, a content production house of ABP Creations, has shown tremendous potential with its co-produced and critically acclaimed Marathi feature film, Karkhanisanchi Waari (Ashes on a Road Trip) which has been streaming exclusively on SonyLiv. The film was nominated into eight categories for the prestigious Marathi Filmfare Awards of which it won three Filmfare Awards including awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor Female. It also had eight nominations for the Maharashtra Times Sanman Awards (MATA) and three wins. Karkhanisanchi was selected for Cannes content market as well, as one of the films that the government used to showcase as an exemplary work in the Marathi cinema.

“Say Yes to the Dress”, another ABP Studios produced class act, streaming on Discovery Plus, has also been a hit among the audience. The series is an Indian adaptation of the American reality TV series by the same name that gives the audience an exceptional chance to experience the glitz and glamour of it all, as celebrated stylists try to get the brides say ‘yes’ to the elusive dress, whilst making it an intimate, poignant, and memorable experience for the audiences. ABP Studios was hand-picked by Discovery International to produce this runaway hit format for the Indian subcontinent.

Within a year ABP Studios has bagged an impressive line-up of clients which includes Facebook, Google, Universal, SonyLiv, Hoichoi, Star Pravah, Discovery Plus and National Geographic. In 2022, ABP Studios is excited about developing and presenting content from its recent acquisitions in adventure, horror, and crime drama genres.

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Mahadev brings over 25 years of experience to the role with companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Gap and Zeta Suite. In his last role at Zeta, he served as the Senior Director of Engineering where he led the center and built the team from scratch. He has worked within diverse domains including ecommerce, retail, supply chain and fintech, which will help in ShipBob’s continued focus on innovation in the global supply chain and logistics technology sector.

Commenting on getting on board, Mahadev Malyala, Vice President of Engineering, ShipBob says “I strongly believe in the India growth strategy set out by our global team.  I am delighted to be joining a team of people who are zealous about using technology to provide a world-class fulfilment experience for our global ecommerce companies. The teams play a critical role in fostering world-class innovation by introducing services internationally and we are all amped up to grow our team in the country.”

Shipbob recently launched their Technology Innovation Hub in India that is centered around building the most innovative products with the help of finest talent based out of India in engineering, product management, platforms, data science, customer success and analytics. ShipBob will continue to bring its remote-first philosophy to the market in India, as the company believes that flexibility enables all people to perform their best both at work and at home.

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At LenDenClub, Mudit will be responsible for identification, development and execution of new business segments within existing business lines to drive efficiencies. He will also explore new business opportunities to build the Alternate Investment Portfolio for investors with a combination of fixed and variable income product alternatives which aim to provide flexibility and liquidity.

With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Mudit brings a comprehensive experience from the finance ecosystem, where he excelled with New-Age Private Banks, various NBFCs and Fintechs from India and across the globe. He has spent his last seven years in leadership positions with prominent brands such as Capital Float, Tata Capital, and Kobo360, driving profitability with his contribution. In addition, he has managed various functions in the lending space, both on the Business and the Credit Risk side. His core functional competencies include Credit & Risk Control, Receivables Management, EWS, Credit Policy, Appraisal & Underwriting, Finalising Control Measures, and Process Re-engineering in the Banking, Financial and Logistics sectors. In his last stint with Kobo360, which is an Uber for trucks in Africa, he was heading their finance vertical.

Speaking on the appointment, Bhavin Patel, Co-founder & CEO, LenDenClub, said, “This financial year, we aspire to achieve exponential growth. $1 Billion in Loan disbursals is what we are targeting, and my firm belief is that we need a strong leadership team to achieve this and set up a base for the next 10X growth. I am delighted to have Mudit on our leadership team. He has demonstrated a strong track record of scaling fast-growing companies to become industry leaders. He shares a deep passion for our mission, and I feel that he is the right fit to make an impact in aiding LenDenClub’s growth trajectory and achieving immediate and future growth targets. I wish Mudit all the very best in his endeavour to establish new lines of business and a long, fruitful and mutually beneficial stint with us.”

LenDenClub is a uniquely well-positioned organisation that seeks to meet needs that other financial institutions have failed to provide.

Speaking on his appointment, Mudit Agarwal said, “LenDenClub is a profitable and well-positioned organisation, which strives to fulfil the demands that have been left unmet by other financial companies. It has a strong business model, and I look forward to using my expertise to accelerate growth by expanding its current business lines and increasing profitability. The company is focused on growing aggressively, and I am keen to fuel LenDenClub and its ambitious growth plans. Ultimately, I want to contribute towards digital India by using my experience in building a sustainable alternate investment and finance option for the people of India.”

LenDenClub’s operational success has been stellar in FY 21-22, with record disbursements, customer acquisitions, top-line growth, profitability, and differentiated product offerings. In addition, the company has crafted a multi-pronged strategy to accelerate its growth by becoming the preferred Peer-to-Peer lending platform for the country’s underserved investors and borrowers and assisting them with their diverse financial needs. This appointment is in addition to other critical strategic appointments made by LenDenClub in the recent past where it appointed Atal Agarwal as its Head of Initiatives and New Strategy in March ‘22. The company has a very well thought-out and astute people strategy; it believes in having a strong leadership team which will be essential in driving the company’s growth objectives.

The company recently raised $10 million in a Series A round co-led by a consortium of investors, including Tuscan Ventures, Ohm Stock Brokers, and Artha Venture Fund.

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~ Mr. Singh’s books ‘Value Chain Finance: Beyond Microfinance for Rural Entrepreneurs’ and ‘Gender of Value Chains reflect his expertise and understanding of the required solutions for the sector

Ayekart, a fintech company that strengthens traditional businesses and agricultural value chain financially, appoints Mr. Amit Singh as President – Advocacy and Entrepreneurship Development. Being India’s first integrated fintech platform, Ayekart caters to the food and Agri-value chain as a connected MSME supply chain ecosystem through focused mobile applications. At Ayekart, Mr. Singh will be steering the advocacy and entrepreneurship development team who empower the traditional businesses.

Elaborating on his role, Mr. Amit Singh, President – Advocacy and Entrepreneurship Development, Ayekart said, “My vision of building and developing business by encouraging the adoption of advanced technology in this surging digital wave aligns with that of Ayekart. I feel ecstatic to have this opportunity and leverage my experience to empower the small businesses, retailers and farmer producer organizations to optimize their businesses and take them to a larger scale. My focus will be to enhance the experience of stakeholders across segments and analyze the supply chains to revamp the traditional businesses technologically and financially for better outcomes.”

Mr. Singh is a proficient leader who has been utilizing his skills of value chain analysis, sectoral needs assessment, stakeholders’ analysis, cluster/ sector development plans and institutional strengthening with proven conceptualization, presentation & negotiation. The source of these skills are his learnings and training from organizations like the University of Maastricht (Netherlands), Aide et Action, CIAE-MCTC, Haifa, National Dairy Research Institute, India and Banaras Hindu University, India.

Elated on Mr. Singh’s appointment, Mr. Debarshi Dutta, Co-founder & CEO, Ayekart said, “Given Amit’s expertise in establishing and strengthening businesses, I am extremely happy to welcome him on board as the President of Advocacy and Entrepreneurship Development. His proficiency in value chain analysis, research approach in rural marketing and strategy development will help Ayekart uplift the supply chains of the customers and make them sustainable. Besides, his background in agricultural sciences and economies, small business development, entrepreneurship and applying PRA tools, enhance his understanding of Ayekart’s mission. I am certain that Amit is an asset to not just Ayekart but all the small businesses, retailers, kirana stores and all the stakeholders of the agri-value chain who possess the potential of making India a source of innovation rather than disruption.”

Further to having an excellent record in managing the global brand transitions, Mr. Singh has also co-authored an international book on ‘Value Chain Finance: Beyond Microfinance for Rural Entrepreneurs’. Moreover, he has also contributed in a globally recognized book that highlights the nuances of ‘Gender in Value Chains’.

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LenDenClub intends to broaden its brand portfolio and range of services, and Atal will spearhead this strategic drive.

Atal brings over three decades of experience in Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, and Credit Ratings to the board. For over 13 years as an Investment Banker, he held leadership positions with prominent brands such as DSP Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, and Jardine Fleming, among others. Atal has managed various disinvestment, capital raising, and advising activities, both debt and equity, in domestic and overseas markets for a diverse range of clients. He also held a senior management position at Crisil, taking a lead on sales and business development initiatives at a pan India level. Atal stems from a distinguished academic background, having earned an MBA from the prestigious IIM Calcutta and a B.Tech-Electronics Engg (Gold Medallist) from IIT Varanasi.

Speaking on the leadership appointment, Bhavin Patel, co-founder & CEO, LenDenClub, said, “LenDenClub aims to fill the gap and bring demographics together not covered by traditional credit-providing institutions. It will help create an ecosystem for people to meet their financial goals. The company is now in a position to make a better life for everyone by expanding its financial products to cover its customers’ entire gamut of needs. Atal is a dynamic professional capable of taking on a leadership role by using his extensive client connections and market expertise. With Atal’s addition, we will propel LenDenClub into the financial platform of choice.”

Speaking on his appointment, Atal Agarwal said, “I am honoured to join LenDenClub, an incredibly well-positioned company that strives to fulfill the demands that have been left unattended by others. Today it is the fastest-growing P2P lending platform in the country. Although Peer-to-Peer Lending is still relatively new in India, recently, there has been an accelerated traction from borrowers and investors. It is now the established alternative asset class that provides high risk-adjusted returns compared to traditional fixed income instruments for investors. It is a simple and convenient way for borrowers to get short-term loans. The P2P lending industry is expected to achieve a CAGR of over 20% during the next five years, reaching a size of over $10 billion. I am excited to make a meaningful contribution to the company’s exponential growth journey.”

During his 12 year tenancy with Financial Institutions Group (FIG) and Corporate Banking with Citibank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and DCB Bank, he was deeply involved in equity/debt capital markets, syndicated loans, club deals, and Banking transactions for a wide range of reputable clientele across domestic corporates, MNCs, PSUs, and banks/FIs. Including five magnificent years as India Head-Business Development, Ratings, at Crisil, India’s leading credit rating agency.

LenDenClub’s operational success has been stellar in FY 21-22, with record disbursements, customer acquisitions, top-line growth, profitability, and differentiated product offerings. The company has crafted a multi-pronged strategy to accelerate its growth by becoming the preferred Peer-to-Peer Lending platform for the country’s underserved investors and borrowers and assisting them with their diverse everyday financial needs. This critical strategic appointment will be essential in driving the company’s growth objectives.

The company recently completed a successful fundraise of USD 10 million in a Series A round co-led by a consortium of investors, including Tuscan Ventures, Ohm Stock Brokers, and Artha Venture Fund.

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Previously, as the President of PayPoint, he had been instrumental in developing PayPoint’s growth strategies and guiding the team to achieve its targets through strategic planning and monitoring. Besides the nationwide expansion of the distribution channel, which made the organization grow rapidly and profitably, Mr. Lal also instilled a sense of purpose focused on Financial Inclusion, using modern technology and management techniques.

Mr. Lal excels across various areas, including strategy and leadership, team management, financial inclusion, stressed assets management, and large networks. He has proven competence in scaling up these businesses sustainably while meticulously nurturing top-line and bottom-line growth. Especially in the field of financial inclusion and payments, he has played a pivotal role in guiding these initiatives from the nascent stage to maturity.

“PayPoint India will benefit immensely with Mr. Lal on its board from his vision, expertise, and leadership skills. His professional integrity and personal humility is the role model for our generation. I look forward to his new perspectives and valuable insights as our new board member, adding further value to the company business and consumers,” the Managing Director of PayPoint India, Mr. Ketan Doshi, said on Mr. Lal’s appointment.

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Nirmal has got a degree in Production Engineer from NIT Calicut and an MBA from Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. He started his career with diversified experiences across different companies like Ashok Leyland and E.I. DuPont after which he launched OYO rooms in Kerala.

Greg Moran, CEO and cofounder of Zoomcar, said “Nirmal’s diverse skill sets and seasoned leadership will play an instrumental role in continuing to scale the India business. I am confident that in his new role he will help excellently position the company as we scale our marketplace pan-India.”  Also added he believes that Nirmal’s position in the company will be answerable for all components of growth, operations, and customer experience for the company in India, the statement added.

Zoomcar India’s new CEO, Nirmal NR added “I am very excited to be leading Zoomcar’s India business at this important stage of its growth. At Zoomcar, we’re currently sitting on the cusp of a dramatic transformation within personal mobility, and I look forward to working closely with Greg and the broader Zoomcar team to help the company reach new heights.”

In 2020, Zoomcar launched revolutionary Zoomcar Mobility Services (ZMS), its enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based mobility resolution for automobile producers and insurance coverage corporations, which is a joint digital channel that allows customers to plan, book, and pay for a several types of mobility services. The idea describes a change from personal transportation and in the direction of mobility furnished as a service.

Zoomcar, is one of the largest self-drive car rental company. The founders David Back & Greg Moran, met at the same time as analysing on the University of Pennsylvania, in which each graduated in 2007. After graduating, Back studied at Harvard Law School and Moran laboured on electricity financing projects. The pair additionally attended enterprise faculty; Moran on the University of Southern California and Back on the Judge Business School at Cambridge University.

 Back and Moran each dropped out of enterprise faculty to transport to India and pursue an undertaking in vehicle rentals. In May 2015, Back resigned from the self-force vehicle condominium company, and determined to transport lower back to America bringing up non-public reasons.

 Zoom formally released operations in Bangalore in February 2013 the use of JustShareIt platform. Zoom began out with $215,000 in capital and a fleet of 7 cars. Currently there are over 300 employees in 50 different cities and 4 countries i.e., Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Egypt (2021).

Last December the company launched a vehicle host program which helps individuals list their private cars on Zoomcar and earn a sales share on every rental booking. The company has been trailing a pilot of its program for the last 9-10 months and claims to have onboarded over 5,000 vehicles throughout 8 cities. These 8 cities consist of Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata, and Pune. Zoomcar is aiming to scale this to over 50,000 cars and 100 cities within the end of 2022.

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As the CEO, Anuj has a vision to transform the company with modernized digital services, differentiated delivery models and explore new markets to enhance stakeholder value.

Throughout his career, Anuj has helped enterprises thrive in dynamic markets by executing impeccably and delivering transformative foundational changes. As an effective team builder, he has a unique ability to create motivated and successful teams.  

Anuj’s appointment positions CMS IT Services to take advantage of the exponential growth in the digital transformation space. He understands the organisation, customers, and the overall ecosystem intimately. He has a track record of building innovative technology offerings, delivering great outcomes and exceptional customer experiences. 

He has already overseen the building of differentiated digital platforms around Automation, Cloud Management, Analytics, BOTs, and SecOps. He is committed to making CMS IT Services synonymous with flexible customer-first engagement models and world-class delivery.

Most recently, Anuj was Executive Director and Board Member at CMS IT Services, where he launched the Defensible Cybersecurity Framework to tackle pandemic-era cyberthreats. He also piloted India’s First AI-Driven Automation Shared Delivery Model – the ‘Remote Automation Centre for Enterprises’ (R.A.C.E). His considerable strength in harnessing modern technology such as Cloud, BOTs, AI/ML and IoT to deliver exceptional results and obsession with customer success will remain key to CMS IT Services’ continued achievements.

“Our market insights, commitment, flexibility, and deep capabilities are strategic advantages for our customers. We are committed to delivering modern digital services that scale as our customers build their future. Our approach will continue to lead us into new technologies, new markets, and new ways of creating value for our customers”, says Anuj. 

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