Our speakers

Akash Sinha, Co-founder and CEO, Cashfree Payments

Akash Sinha co-founded Cashfree Payments, a leading API Banking solutions company in 2015 with his friend Reeju Datta, to solve the challenges faced by businesses in bulk payments and disbursals. Before launching Cashfree, Akash worked with e-commerce giants such as Amazon and BankBazaar where he built products as a Software Engineer.

With his experience as a programmer and product owner, Akash focuses on the intersection of technology and business opportunities. A community builder in the startup and entrepreneur space, he is passionate about cutting-edge tech that can help businesses experiment, scale and innovate faster.

A graduate of International Institute of Information Technology – Hyderabad (IIIT-H), Akash started his first company while still in college, and he takes that legacy forward by building cutting-edge payment products and solutions for businesses. His entrepreneurial journey began shortly after completing his graduation in Computer Science and Engineering from The International Institute of Information Technology where he was selected for the prestigious Google Summer of Code (GSoC), an international annual program in which Google awards stipends to students who successfully complete a free and open-source software coding project during the summer.

In early 2021, Akash was featured in the highly respected Forbes India 30 Under 30 list.

Akash Suri, Group President and National Head, Asset Reconstruction and Management, Yes Bank

Akhil Awasthi, Managing Partner, Tata Capital Growth Fund

Akhil has over 23 years of private equity experience in India, and about 32 years of experience in financial services including investing in both, listed and unlisted asset class.

Akhil is the Managing Partner of Tata Capital Growth Fund, a US$ 400+ million private equity fund promoted by Tata Capital and focussed on investing in high growth companies. He is a member of EMPEA and former member of Executive Committee of IVCA (Indian Venture Capital Association).

Prior to Tata Capital, Akhil was one of the founding members of Baring Private Equity Partners, a leading Indian private equity fund and was involved in all stages of the PE lifecycle, from creating an investment proposition, fund raising, investment and divestment. Akhil has completed over 30 transactions and 15 exits delivering attractive returns to investors. He served on the Board of Directors of various portfolio companies and was also a Member/ Chairman of Compensation / Audit Committees.

He is on the Investment Committee of TCGF 1 and TCGF II.

Akhil has done his MBA from FMS, Delhi and AMP from Harvard Business School.

Akhil Awasthi, Managing Partner, Tata Capital Growth Fund | @TataCompanies

Akhil is a consummate private equity professional having raised/managed US$1 Billion across 4 private equity funds, invested in 24 transactions with 8 exits across a span of 2 decades. He joined Tata Capital in 2009 after working with
Baring Private Equity and Kothari Pioneer’s Mutual Fund business.

Akhil is the Founding Managing Partner of Tata Capital Growth Fund (TCGF),(an India focused private equity fund providing growth capital),he conceptualized TCGF’s Investment Strategy and raised US$ 240 million from International as well as Indian LPs under adverse market conditions in 2011. Under Akhil’s leadership, TCGF embarked on a disciplined execution of its Investment Strategy which emphasizes macro, team and measured risk taking and invested in 9 businesses across inancial services, technology, consumer,pharma and manufacturing sectors.

He also provides guidance on execution of growth strategy and disciplined risk management through his position on the Board and Committees of some of the leading businesses in India viz. Star Health & Allied Insurance and Sal Life Sciences.
Akhil is a member of Senior Leadership Group of Tata Capital Limited. He is a frequent speaker at leading industry conferences in India and abroad. He is member of the Asia Council, EMPEA , an emerging market focused association.
Akhil is a mechanical engineer with an MBA from the University of Delhi. He has completed his AMP from Harvard Business School.

Akhil lives and works out of Mumbai, India and is married to Anupama who is a practising Chartered Accountant.

Akhil Gupta, Founder and Chief Tech & Product officer, NoBroker.com

Akhil Gupta, CEO, Shine

Akila Agrawal, Partner (Head M&A ) General Corporate, Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co.

Akshat Aggarwal, Chief Financial Officer, JetSetGo Aviation Pvt. Ltd.

Akshat Aggarwal joined JetSetGo Aviation in March 2017 and quickly became an integral part of the organization. His exceptional talent in finance and strategy coupled with his hard work and strong work ethic saw him rise to the position of the Chief Financial Officer, soon after. Akshat is currently heading JetSetGo's finance operations for both P2P (Procureto-Pay) and O2C (Order-to-Cash). This also includes business planning, treasury, legal & compliances, MIS, international accounts and operations, audits, and administration-related responsibilities. He is also recognized for maximizing Company performance by conceptualizing strategies across aircraft acquisition, business set-up, pricing methodologies, national and international operations, among other things. Additionally, Akshat was instrumental in purchasing ten aircrafts within the Company’s first year of operations.

With more than a decade of commercial and operational finance management experience to his credit, he is highly regarded for his leadership and specialized excellence in finance. He has exhibited operational expertise across revenue management and assurance, pricing, project management, MIS reporting and budgeting, and working capital management. Akshat is regarded as a people manager and motivator who contributes significantly to the seamless operation of cross-functional teams within the Company.

Prior to his stint with JetSetGo Aviation, Akshat worked with reputed organisations including HT Mobile Solutions Limited (Member firm HT Media Limited), S R Batliboi & Co and Ved Jain & Associates.

He is also a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and a qualified CA since 2009. He holds an MBA degree in Finance from Symbiosis Centre For Distance Learning, Pune and is a graduate in Bachelor of Commerce from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University.

His personal interests include playing cricket and exploring new destinations.

Akshat Babbar, Vice President, Chryscapital

Akshat has been with ChrysCapital since September 2011 and leads investments in IT and Business services sector. He was previously with Goldman Sachs on the equity sales desk. Akshat received an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and a Bachelor's degree in commerce from Delhi University.

Akshat Ghiya, Co-founder & Director, Karma Recycling

Akshat Ghiya is the co-founder and Director of Karma Recycling, a leading trade-in operator and re-distributor of mobile devices, and a GoI authorised manager of electronic waste.

He is also the founder and Managing Director of Glazetech Industries, a manufacturer/supplier of recyclable building materials and metal facade solutions.

Akshat spent his childhood in Italy. He was schooled in Padua and then later he boarded in Switzerland. He went to College in the US receiving a BA in Economics and International Relations from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA).