Our speakers

Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman and Co-founder, IAN

Saurabh Tewari, Director & Chief Technology Officer (Telecom), Dell Technologies

Saurav Banerjee, CFO, Tribhuvandas Bhimji Zaveri Group

Mr. Saurav Banerjee is a Chartered Accountant by profession and is presently the Chief Financial Officer of Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Ltd., one of India’s most trusted jewellery companies, which is presently celebrating its 150th year. It is one of the few companies that can trace back its lineage that far and one of the very few retail companies within this industry group to have this distinction.

Mr. Banerjee joined TBZ Ltd.in February, 2014. Prior to joining TBZ, he was the CFO of Rosy Blue (India) Pvt Ltd, a leading name in the Diamond industry. He has, in his career spanning 25 years, represented industry leaders like GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, The Times of India Group (as Senior Vice President, Finance) and Gati Limited (as CFO).

Sean Blagsvedt, CEO and Founder, Babajob.com

Sean Blagsvedt is the CEO of Babajob.com, which connects employers to informal sector employees in the developing world - such as delivery helpers, maids and drivers - through a combination of mobile phones, location, skill and price filtering and social connections. The site has registered over 3 million job seekers, added 2.5 million job positions and primarily uses the concept of missed calls to get the jobseekers to their database. Babajob has raised Series A funding from Vinod Khosla Impact, Gray Ghost Ventures and USAID. The New York Times hails Babajob.com as a significant innovation that "seeks to bring the social-networking revolution to the world’s poor."

Previously, Sean spent 9 years with Microsoft in the Office, Windows and Research groups. In 2004, Sean moved to Bangalore as the 3rd member of Microsoft Research India, heading the Program Management and Advanced Prototyping team, focusing on novel approaches to mobile phones and technology in emerging markets.

Prior to Microsoft, Sean worked at the White House with the Internet Policy czar, Ira Magaziner. Sean holds dual bachelor degrees in Computer Science and Public Policy from Brown University (1998). He is a TED Fellow and married to Jaaga.in founder Archana Prasad.

Sean Sovak, Partner, Lighthouse

Sean is a Partner at Lighthouse, having co-founded the business in the mid-2000s. He is responsible for all aspects of sourcing, underwriting and managing portfolio investments, as well as team and organizational development. Previously, Sean was a Managing Director at W. P. Carey & Co., a NYSE-listed finance company, where he served in various capacities since 1994, lastly as Managing Director and Chief Acquisitions Officer. Sean serves as a Director to Kama Ayurveda, one of India’s leading luxury personal care brands, as well as Fabindia, India’s leading ethnic wear retailer and purveyor of other home and personal care products which celebrate India’s uniqueness. In his personal time, Sean is an Advisory Board Member to the Muktangan Education Resource Center, which provides world-class education solutions for students of low income households; he has also served on the Board of the New York Philharmonic and The American School of Bombay in past years.

Sean earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics (summa cum laude) from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Sebastiaan van den Berg, Principal, HarbourVest Partners

Sebastiaan van den Berg joined HarbourVest's Hong Kong-based subsidiary in 2005 as a vice president and became a principal in 2009. He focuses on partnership investments in Asia Pacific and emerging markets. Sebastiaan joined the Firm from H&Q Asia Pacific where he focused on mid-market buyout transactions in Greater China, Korea, and Japan. His previous experience also includes positions with AlpInvest Partners N.V. in Amsterdam, Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. in Hong Kong, and Goldman Sachs International in London. Sebastiaan serves on the advisory boards of several international private equity partnerships, including funds managed by Brait Capital Partners, Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners (CHAMP), CVC Capital Partners Asia Pacific, MKS Consulting, Unison Capital Partners, and Unitas Capital.

Sebastiaan received a Doctorandus degree in International Financial Economics from the Universiteit van Amsterdam in 1995 and an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 1996.  He speaks Dutch and French.

Sebastian Busche, Global Lead Partner Strategy - Financial Services & Insurance, Microsoft

Seedfund Bharati Jacob, Founder, Partner

Seema Jhingan, Senior Partner, LexCounsel, Law Offices

Seema Jhingan, a Senior Partner at LexCounsel, Law Offices, has more than seventeen years of experience. She has extensively advised in areas including Mergers & Acquisition, Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment, Venture Capital & Private Equity, Education, Licensing & Franchising, Software/IT, General Corporate and Commercial. Seema has substantial expertise in representing investors, developers, VC/PE funds, international corporations, sponsors/lenders and other strategic investors involved in the establishment, development and financing of infrastructure, education, IT and satellite projects in India.

Seema is recognized for her capability of structuring innovative investment models and has considerable transactional experience in representing investors, corporations and education companies on regulatory and licensing issues, complex acquisitions and divestments, investment structuring and exits, international collaborations and debt/equity funding, tax structuring and related documentation in the education sector ranging from formal sector (K12 to higher education) to non-formal sector (vocational programs, skill development, test prep, support services, content and multimedia providers and other unregulated areas).  

Additionally, Seema has been designated as a leading lawyer in the area of IT, Telecommunications & Media, by Asia Law and Practice and is a regular speaker at global and domestic forums. Seema is an author of several papers and published articles.

Seema Kakkar, MD, Remanika Apparels Pvt Ltd

Remanika, the brand  which stands for beautiful woman is what exactly Seema Kakkar's well known fashion brand has been catering to the fashion needs of young, vibrant and energetic woman in India for the last twenty years.

A graduate  in biology and wanting to become a doctor, Seema instead chose  to follow her passion of making bold independent  and stylish clothing line for the young women of India.

While pursuing her masters in marketing, Seema translated her dream and vision  into  successful brand and business that Remanika is today, spread over 36 cities and more than 160 outlets with a customer base that has since grown manifold. Carefully blending western cuts with traditional Indian embellishments, Remanika offers its customers casual wear, club wear and accessories with a distinct style and attitude.