Our speakers

Sameer Prasad, CEO, Faces Cosmetics

Sameer Prasad is the CEO of FACES Cosmetics, overseeing the Canada and India operations of the business.  He has played a key role in the development of FACES as a significant player in the Colour Cosmetics industry in India.

Prior to FACES, Sameer was instrumental in the launch and early development of several international brands like The Body Shop, Kiehl’s, Accessorize, Next, Debenhams, M&S, Guess, Oshkosh B’Gosh and Nautica in India and the Far-East, a region where he has worked extensively.

An alumnus of the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and Sri Ram College of Commerce, Sameer brings with him 24 years of rich international experience in retail and distribution of some of the leading global brands in the Health & Beauty, Sporting goods, Apparel, Children’s toys and Fashion Accessories space.  He has successfully worked in several early-stage, start-up and turnaround business situations during his career.

Sameer Sain, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Everstone Capital

Sameer Sain is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Everstone Capital, an India focused Private Equity and Real Estate investor.  Everstone has over 100 employees across 5 offices (Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore and Mauritius) and manages approximately $1.6 billion. The firm follows an active and operational investing style with a focus on growth and platform transactions.

Previously, Sameer spent eleven years at Goldman Sachs where he was a Managing Director and head of the Special Investments Group (International) as well as Institutional Wealth Management (EMEA). He holds a B.Com from the University of Mumbai, a BBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an MBA from Cornell University.

Sameer Sampat, Executive Director, India School Leadership Institute

Sameer is the CEO of the India School Leadership Institute, an organization that currently support and trains with 200 urban government and budget private school heads to improve their management skills. ISLI aims to develop school leaders who drive high-performing schools that commit to academic achievement and character development of children from underserved communities. Prior to ISLI, Sameer had spent the last ten years working in various capacities in the field of education. Most recently, he worked as a Project Manager and Research Analyst with the Education Innovation Laboratory at Harvard University where he designed, implemented, and evaluated interventions to close the racial achievement gap found in the United States. He has also worked with Teach For America, Akanksha, and Adharshila Shikshan Kendra. Sameer earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA and also completed a Master’s degree in Economics and Education from Columbia University.

@SameerSampat

Sameer Shetty, EVP and Head - Digital Banking, Axis bank

Sameer Shetty joined Axis Bank in July 2019. He has over 15 years of experience in Digital and Analytics domains across geographies such as South East Asia, the Middle East & companies across India. Sameer previously worked with McKinsey as a Partner in the financial services practice in Mumbai and Leader of the Digital and Analytics practice for financial services.

Sameer holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Bangalore and a Bachelor of Technology in Aerospace Engineering from IIT-Bombay.

Sameer Shetty, President and Head - Digital Banking (Web Channel), Axis Bank Limited

Sameer leads digital for Axis Bank. In his role he works on launching and scaling new digital products, transforming select internal processes to enhance frontline experience and productivity and in running the bank’s digital channels. Before joining Axis, Sameer was a Partner with McKinsey and Co in the financial services practice. Sameer holds a B.Tech from IIT Bombay and an MBA from IIM Bangalore.

Sameer Sood, Founder, Venture Highway

In addition to being the founder, Samir has helped grow and diversify India Forge, a family-run auto parts manufacturing business. Prior to this, Samir was the Head of South Asia, Australia - M&A and Investments for Google Inc., and in that capacity, he has led Google’s investments in several first time seed-stage funds in India: Erasmic Venture Fund (Accel India), SONG (Soros, Omydiar, Google Fund), Seedfund, and Ventureast TeNet Fund II.

Additionally, Samir was part of the team that coordinated the $750 million acquisition of AdMob. Earlier Samir was part of the Corporate Business Development team at Cisco Systems, Inc. where he led wireless acquisitions and investments, which included the $450 million acquisition of Airspace. Samir executed the first venture investment in India (India Games) for Cisco Systems, Inc. among many other acquisitions and investments. Samir has an MBA from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Sameer Varma, Founding Member, Tuscan Ventures Pvt. Ltd

Sameer is part of the founding team at Tuscan. Sameer has over 10 years of experience in the shipping, logistics and transportation infrastructure space spread across Asia. Prior to his role at Tuscan, he worked at the Indian Head Office of Maersk Line – the world’s largest container shipping company – in Mumbai, responsible for the trade between India and the Americas. During 2005-2007, he was the asset flow and Procurement manager for Maersk Line’s activities in the Americas and Asia Pacific Rim based at Maersk Line’s regional head quarters in Singapore Sameer Started his career as part of A. P. Moller – Maersk’s elite Management Training Program.

Samip Barlota, Partner, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP

Samir Kamat, Co-founder & CEO, Splashgain Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd

CEO & Co-Founder of Splashgain Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd. contributing with it’s multiple award winning products  ePravesh® & Eklavvya. ePravesh® is an Online Admission Platform for PG to PG (Play  Group to Post Graduation). Eklavvya is a Knowledge Management & Assessment Engine

70+ Odd institutes including Universities, Government Undergraduate, Post Graduate Schools, Training Institutes, Event & Media companies using Splashgain products for the enrollment as well as for various test preparations, assessment of the candidates etc.

In Yr 2014-15, ePravesh® processed more than quarter million application forms  & Facilitated collection of application fees, tuition fees of around INR 35 Million
In the past, Splashgain has received “Pat on the Back”  at various events at - Top 35 ‘Best Business Idea - ET Power Of Ideas 2010, UTV - Bloomberg’s CXO award jury’s nomination, CNBC -YourStory - Hottest Indian e-commerce startup, PC Quest Magazine’s - National Award

Samir is responsible for Sales, Marketing, Strategic Alliances & Contributing to the strategic thoughts for the product as well as overall growth of the organization. Samir brings in 18+ years of experience varying from Product Engineering, large scale program &  delivery centre operations Management, Pre-sales & Sales. Samir has done his  Mechanical Engineering from Pune University,  M.S. from BITS, Pilani & PG Diploma in Finance Symbiosis.

Samir Kumar, Managing Director, Inventus India

Samir is currently the Managing Director of Inventus Advisory Services India. He has been an early-stage venture investor in India since 2001.
Prior to co-founding Inventus, Samir led the India venture investing team for Acer Technology Ventures, where he made early-stage investments in the technology space.

Prior to his VC career, Samir spent 15+ years in the IT industry in India in Sales, Marketing and Product Management roles, starting with Computer Point, moving onto a 10+ year stint with Wipro Infotech, and finally a 2½ year stint with Planetasia.

Samir is an active Charter Member of Tie Bangalore, and has been a member of the Governing Body. He is also a Member of the Board of Governors of the technology incubator at IIT Bombay, and at Dayanand Sagar University.

Samir earned his B.Tech from IIT-Bombay in 1984 and an MBA from IIM, Bangalore in 1986, where he was awarded the Best All-Round Outgoing student.