Our speakers

Vikas Kakwani, CEO, Keya Foods International Pvt Ltd

Joined Marico as a Management Trainee in 1995 and contributed to fuelling the company’s growth over 8 years before moving to Coca-Cola and then with the objective of exploring the global market relocated to Dubai in 2004 and got into a totally diverse field of Real Estate. After witnessing the boom & the bust, returned to India in 2010 and joined Aircel Telecom as Circle CEO. The day IVFA/VKL bought KEYA FOODS, I was roped in to set-up the company’s operations and put in on the growth path.

I call myself a "Foundation Expert". Highly solution oriented, efficient planner and Out-of-The-Box thinker having the analytical & organizational capabilities in “creating from scratch” - including building the organisation, establishing sales & distribution infrastructure, automating and integrating business processes, spearheading high worth BPR initiatives, setting up supply chain network, designing & executing marketing strategy through effective people management and optimum utilization of resources towards achievement of set targets and overall P&L management.

Within one year, KEYA is now available in top 100 cities across the country through 1500 Modern Trade stores and 15000 General Trade stores as well as other channels like Airlines, Hotels & all major E-tailers like Amazon, Big Basket, Local Banya etc.

I am fond of reading & writing. I write blogs and have published a fiction e-book. I play squash, am a gadget freak and love traveling (25 countries by last count).

Vikas Keyal, Head Corporate, Vaish Associates Advocates

Vikas Keyal heads the Bengaluru office of Vaish Associates. He has been associated with the Firm since 2008 and was instrumental in setting up its corporate practice at Bengaluru. Primarily a transactional lawyer, he specializes in mergers & acquisitions, restructuring of business, asset & share purchase deals, takeovers, joint ventures andstrategic alliances, structuring of complex investments and general corporate advisory. He also has a wide range of experience inprivate equity, angel and venture capital round financings. His extensive business law and transactional experience includes corporate governance, exchange control regulations advisory, entity formation and maintenance, and the drafting and negotiation of a variety of commercial agreements and undertaking due diligence. In addition to his general corporate practice, he also works on Infrastructure Projects and has substantial experience in advising clients on power projects and CDM benefits in relation to for renewable energy.

He has advised Continental AG, Gestamp Group, Illinois Tool Works, Inc.,Gamesa, Vestas, Tyco Electronics Limited, TE Connectivity Ltd. and several other multinational companies in a cross section of industries. Among Indian companies, he has representedNational Stock Exchange, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.,Enercon,Religare Group, MotilalOswal, Wockhardt, Cello to name a few. Among investment funds, he has represented Oak Hill, TVS Capital, Sequoia and Intel Capital.

Vikas Khemani, CEO, Wholesale Capital Markets, Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd

A Fellow Member of the Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Chartered Financial Analyst from CFA Institute, USA. He Heads the Wholesale Capital Markets SBU at Edelweiss, looking after wide range of Capital Market businesses which includes Investment Banking, Institutional Equities, Prime Brokerage and Research. He is also member of the Edelweiss Management Committee and became the youngest member of this committee at the age of 30.

Joining Edelweiss from ICICI Securities Ltd, at a young age of 26 - he is responsible for setting building and scaling up several businesses. Vikas’ views on the Indian capital markets are eagerly sought by the business media in India and Asia Pacific region. He also regularly contributes articles on capital markets and speaks in various forums.

Vikas Kumar, Partner, Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan

Vikas is Partner, Corporate at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, Attorneys and is based in Mumbai. His practice domain includes foreign direct investments, PE, M&A and joint ventures and strategic alliances. His experience spans across sectors such as technology, e-commerce, financial services and media & entertainment.  Vikas advises clients on exchange control laws, companies act and general corporate & commercial matters.

Vikas is qualified as Solicitor, England & Wales (Non-Practicing).  Vikas graduated with a B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Vikas holds an MBA from INSEAD, France/Singapore.

Vikas Mehta, CMO | President, Group Marketing Services, Mullen Lowe Lintas Group

Vikas has worked with Mullen Lowe Group in roles based in India, Viet Nam & Singapore and managed businesses across 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. As Managing Director of Lowe Viet Nam, he led the agency into becoming the largest marketing communications company in the country.  In 2011, he took up the role of Regional Growth Officer for Asia-Pacific, based in Singapore. During this stint, he helped take Lowe among the top 10 agency networks in Asia leading new business and strategic growth initiatives.

As Group CMO, he leads the company’s growth strategy and leadership agenda in thought and action. As President - Group Marketing Services, Vikas runs seven operating divisions of the group across its integrated capabilities including GolinOpinion (PR), LinEngage (Activation), dCell (Design), LinTeractive (digital), LinHealth (Healthcare Marketing), LinConsult (Brand Consulting) and LinProductions (Moving Picture).

A regular speaker/ panelist at major industry forums, he’s been on numerous international award juries and has won over 50 awards for Effectiveness at Effie, Campaign Asia, WARC Asia and 4A’s Jay Chiat Awards. Vikas has worked for advertising agencies such as Publicis and Leo Burnett before joining Lowe. Besides work, he is an amateur photographer, a formula 1 enthusiast and a lazy blogger.

Vikas Sawhney, Vice President & GM (Engineering and Robotics), Bajaj Auto

Vikas Sawhney is a mechanical engineering graduate & MBA with over 30 years of dynamic career in Automotive sector with extensive exposure in greenfield projects, rich experience in Manufacturing engineering, Project management, Operations and Robotics.

Currently working as Vice President -Engineering with Bajaj Auto Limited, heading the Robotics and Automations there along with other departments. Holds a rich experience in all facets of 2 wheeler industry with in-depth technical knowledge in most of the automotive processes like metal cutting, fabrication, welding, engine & vehicle assembly, painting and Robotic applications.

He has been recognised as a visionary in the field of robotics, being the forerunner in deploying collaborative robots in India, and holds many worldwide patents in field of robotic applications and other automotive related processes.

Vikas Wadhawan, CFO, PropTiger.com

Vikas is a Chartered Accountant and CPA (USA) with extensive experience in Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Partnering, Fundraise, Capital Structuring & Investor Relations. He is an innovative results driven leader in the digital industry and has a sharp strategic vision and simultaneously embraces the financial and commercial elements of running a business.

Joined PropTiger.com as part of the founding team in 2011, Vikas has 17+ years of experience in financial management. He has been instrumental in the organic and inorganic growth of Elara Group. He has extensive exposure in fostering robust growth and transforming brands through strategic thinking and restructuring. In the Last 11 years he has been associated with the tech start-ups and participated in scaling the business from the early stage.

Vikram Adige, Director Business Development, AIMIA India

Close to 20 years of global experience covering business development, loyalty management, IT consulting and knowledge services. Currently heads India Business Development for Aimia, the world’s leading data-driven marketing company. Previously was India Country Manager at Welcome Real-Time, a leading POS-marketing firm. Prior to that was Senior Manager at Capgemini, where he managed numerous ecommerce, ERP and other IT consulting projects for 10 years, and also co-founded an IT transformation offering. Started his career designing enterprise data warehouses at US Robotics (3Com). Vikram holds an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a BSc in Physics & Computer Science from Gettysburg College in the US. He has been based in Mumbai the past 8 years.

@VikramAdige

Vikram Bhaskar, Managing Director, Credit Suisse

Vikram is a Managing Director in the Customized Fund Investment Group, where he is involved in relationship management, deal sourcing and conducting due diligence on private equity investments. Previously, he was an Investment Banking Associate at DLJ and CS. Prior to joining DLJ, Vikram was a Relationship Manager with Deutsche Bank from 1993 to 1997.

Vikram was also an Audit professional for a KPMG affiliate in India from 1989 to 1992.Vikram is a Managing Director of CFIG, where he leads the group’s infrastructure investment team. Vikram is involved in relationship management, deal sourcing and conducting due diligence on infrastructure investments. Vikram has extensive emerging markets investment experience throughout Asia and is the portfolio manager responsible for several of CFIG’s fund-of-funds products focused on the emerging markets, including a ~$170 million program focused on fund investments in Asia, a ~$129 million program focused on fund investments in India and a ~$50 million separate account program focused on real estate and infrastructure fund investments and co-investments located in the emerging markets.

Previously, Vikram was at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette ("DLJ") and Credit Suisse from 1997-2000. Prior to joining DLJ, Vikram was a Relationship Manager with Deutsche Bank from 1993 to 1997, where he financed toll roads, a public-private railroad company, a water treatment plant and two wireless infrastructure rollouts located in the emerging markets.

In addition, Vikram began his career as an Audit professional for a KPMG affiliate in India from 1989 to 1992. Vikram received his MBA in Finance from the University of Michigan and received a Bachelor of Commerce degree with honors from the University of Delhi. Vikram is also a qualified chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Vikram Bhatt, Founder & Director, Enrich Hair & Skin Solutions Pvt. Ltd