Our speakers

Hemant Contractor, MD & Group Executive, State Bank of India

Mr. Hemant Contractor, 59 years, B.A (Economics) and an Associate of Chartered Institute of Bankers, London joined State Bank of India as a Probationary Officer in 1974. He took over as the Managing Director & Group Executive (International Banking), State Bank of India in April 2011.

Prior to his present assignment, he had a brief stint as the Dy. Managing Director & Chief Financial Officer of State Bank of India, before which he was the Dy. Managing Director & Group Executive (Corporate Banking) for 3 years.

During his illustrious career spanning 38 years in State Bank of India, he held several other important positions viz:

Chief General Manager (Wholesale Banking), Mumbai
Chief General Manager, Chandigarh Circle
General Manager, Mid Corporate, Chennai
General Manager (Commercial Banking), Chennai
Dy. General Manager, Treasury, Mumbai
Asst. General Manager, IFB, Baroda
Manager (Syndication & Mktg.), Bahrain 

Hemant Daga, CEO, Edelweiss Asset Management

Hemant Daga has close to one and half decades of investment experience and is the CEO for Edelweiss Asset Management. As the head of the Asset Management business, he oversees the investments and distribution of funds across multiple platforms- mutual funds and alternatives and has been instrumental in the scale up of the business, making it one of the leading alternatives asset manager in India.

He joined Edelweiss in 2005 and has been instrumental in scaling the Global Markets business across sectors, asset classes and geographies. Additionally, he was also responsible for managing the treasury at Edelweiss and overseeing all investment decisions for the organization.

He has been part of the core team in designing and structuring the Edelweiss Leadership Programme, a key leadership and talent development forum for senior and mid-level Edelweiss employees. Prior to joining Edelweiss, Hemant worked with ICICI Bank in the Global Markets division gaining investment expertise across local and global markets.

Hemant has done his Post Graduation from IIM, Bangalore and is an avid runner.

Hemant G. Contractor, Chairman, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)

Shri. Hemant G. Contractor is the first Chairman to head the statutory Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) after notification of PFRDA Act in 2014. He joined PFRDA on 7th October 2014.

Prior to joining PFRDA he was a career banker, joining State Bank of India (SBI) as Probationary Officer in 1974. During his illustrious career spanning 40 years in SBI, he served in several important positions including Group Executive of International Banking, Group Executive of Corporate Banking, and Chief Financial Officer and rising to be the Managing Director of State Bank of India.

He has also served on the Board of several organisations such as State Bank of India, National Security Depository Limited (NSDL), Nuclear Power Corporation of India. He is a qualified Chartered Banker (ACIB) from Chartered Institute of Bankers, London.

Hemant Gala, Director - Payments, Flipkart

Hemant Gala is the Director for Payment Business Development at Flipkart. He has been in the Payments space for more then a decade with leading roles in companies like Visa, ICICI Bank & HSBC. With experience across Banks, Payment network & E-commerce he brings multidimensional view on payments.

@h_gala

Hemant M. Shah, Chairman & Co-founder, Hubtown Limited | Visionary Entrepreneur | Real Estate Pioneer

Mr. Hemant M. Shah is a distinguished business leader and the Chairman and Co-founder of Hubtown Limited (formerly known as Ackruti City Limited), one of India’s most respected and premier real estate development companies. With a career spanning decades, Mr. Shah has established himself as a living legend in the real estate sector, renowned for his unwavering commitment to honesty, transparency, and moral integrity. His journey is a testament to the fact that ethical business practices and success are not mutually exclusive but can coexist to create lasting impact.

Under Mr. Shah’s visionary leadership, Hubtown Limited has delivered over five million square feet of constructed area, setting benchmarks for quality, innovation, and sustainability in the real estate industry. His ability to foresee market trends and adapt to evolving industry dynamics has positioned Hubtown as a trusted name in residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments.

A Global Ambassador for Indian Real Estate
Mr. Hemant Shah’s influence extends beyond national borders. He has been a regular spokesperson for the Indian construction industry, representing the country on numerous international platforms. As a respected thought leader, he has been invited to join Government of India trade delegations, serving as an ambassador of goodwill in countries across the globe. His contributions have not only elevated India’s real estate sector but have also fostered international collaborations and partnerships.

A Legacy of Integrity and Excellence
Mr. Shah’s leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that integrity and transparency are the cornerstones of sustainable business success. His long-reaching vision and dedication to ethical practices have earned him immense respect among peers, stakeholders, and industry experts. He continues to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs by demonstrating that success can be achieved while upholding the highest moral standards.

A Thought Leader and Industry Icon
Mr. Hemant Shah’s contributions to the real estate sector go beyond business achievements. He is a thought leader who actively engages in shaping the future of the industry. His insights and expertise are sought after by policymakers, industry bodies, and aspiring professionals alike. Through his work, he has not only transformed skylines but also enriched lives by creating spaces that resonate with quality, trust, and innovation.

Hemant Vora, GM, ICICI Bank Ltd

Hemant heads M&A Advisory practice at ICICI Bank.Hemant has over fifteen years of experience in the Investment Banking field with KPMG Corporate Finance and Lazard.

He has advised domestic and multi-national corporations on a variety of domestic and crossborder transactions and has also been involved in divestments, acquisitions, mergers, debt syndications and corporate and debt restructurings.

During his tenure, ICICI Bank catapulted to one of the leading players in the M&A advisory practice, with leadership position in mid-market space.

Hemant has an MMS degree from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai and is an engineering graduate from one of Mumbai's leading engineering colleges.

Hemendra Mathur, Venture Partner, Bharat Innovation Fund

Hemendra has over 23 years of experience in venture capital, private equity, management consulting and investment banking.

Hemendra in his career has invested in several early stage agritech and mid-sized companies in the agricultural supply chain. He is a mentor, investor and board member in many food and ag-tech start- ups working on innovations in agri-inputs, market linkages, mechanization, food nutrition and farmer financing.

He is working as Venture Partner with Bharat Innovation Fund –investing in deep-tech start-ups across sectors. Hemendra is also co-founder of ThinkAg – a platform for accelerating the adoption of innovations in agriculture space.

In his previous assignments; he has worked with SEAF, Yes Bank, Rabobank, KSA Technopak and ORG- MARG.

He has authored many papers on the subject and speaks regularly at conferences pertaining to food and agribusiness sector as well as start-up ecosystem. He is a management graduate from IIM (Ahmedabad) and Agricultural Engineer from Rajasthan Agricultural University.

Hemendra Mathur, Venture Partner, Bharat Innovations Fund | @bharat_fund

Hemendra has over 20 years of experience in private equity, management consulting and investment banking. Hemendra has significant experience of investing in Indian agribusiness in sectors such as food ingredients, animal feed, fertilisers, seeds, organic foods, spices, wheat milling, restaurants and catering. He is on the board of many early-stage companies in the food and agri sector. He is also associated with many incubator and mentoring networks for advising start-ups in the agri domain.

Prior to his VC stint, he has worked as management consultant to many Indian and multinational companies, government and multilateral organizations in the sectors pertaining to food processing, agribusiness, consumer goods and retail. He has extensive experience of working in India, South Asia, Europe and USA.

Hemendra in his career has worked with SEAF, Yes Bank, Rabobank, KSA Technopak, and ORG MARG (Nielsen). He is a management graduate from IIM (Ahmedabad) and Agricultural Engineer from Rajasthan Agricultural University.

@hemendramathur

Hemendra Mathur, MD, SEAF India Investment Advisors

Hemendra Mathur work as Managing Director for SEAF India Investment Advisors. Hemendra has about 19 years of experience in private equity, management consulting and investment banking.

For last five years, Hemendra is an active investor in the food and agribusiness sector. He has invested in eight companies so far from the existing fund in sectors such as food ingredients, animal feed, fertilisers, seeds, organic foods, spices, wheat milling and restaurants. Hemendra is also associated with many mentoring and incubator networks advising start-ups across a range of sectors.

Prior to that, he has worked extensively in providing strategic investment advice to Indian companies, international enterprises and government and multilateral organizations in the sectors pertaining to food, agribusiness, consumer goods and retail. He has extensive experience working in India, USA, Europe and South Asia.

Prior to working for SEAF, Hemendra has worked with Yes Bank, Rabo India Finance, KSA Technopak, and ORG MARG (now Nielsen).

Hemendra has studied management at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Rajasthan Agricultural University, India.

Hemu Ramaiah, MD, Shop 4 Solutions Pvt Ltd

Hemu Ramaiah is the founder and ex-CEO of the Landmark chain of book / leisure stores. Hemu Ramaiah started this exciting brand in 1987 and created a chain of eighteen stores across the country. Landmark is known for its well designed stores, a wide range of international products and legendary customer service which changed the way people buy in India.

Hemu was instrumental in getting Landmark the ISO certification which was a first in retail in the country.Landmark has a track record of continuous growth in sales and profits over the last 20 years.She also set up the one of the biggest e-commerce sites in books in India called landmarkonthenet.com.

She founded a distribution/import/publishing company called Westland Books to establish the supply chain. Hemu has always been a trend-setter whether in design, technology, concept or product.

She now uses her wealth of experience in the retail space in Shop 4 Solutions her new consulting business. She is a venture partner with TVS Capital funds, a private equity fund specialising in the retail consumer space. She is the founder of an innovative design & interior firm called Ifrieze Design Solutions.