Our speakers

Vyapak Desai, Senior Attorney | Arbitrator | Lead - International Disputes & Investigations, Nishith Desai Associates

Walid Saad, Chief Financial Officer, Saif Belhasa Holding

Wallace Guo, Managing Partner, Taihecap (TH Capital)

Wallace Guo is a Managing Partner at Taihecap (TH Capital), focusing on technology, automotive, logistics and enterprise services sectors. He is also in charge of emerging market business, focusing on consumption, logistics and finance sectors. He is responsible for the deal closing in Guazi.com (largest used-car platform), with a total of over US$3 billion in financing since 2016.

As a well-recognized investment banker, Mr.Guo has led top deals including Pinduoduo (NASDAQ:PDD, pioneer of new e-commerce), G7 (Leading intelligent IOT company mainly serving logistics industry), Manbang (Largest freight service provider to maximize the power of big data to improve logistics efficiency), Renrendai (Pioneer of personal financial platform)? ShareChat (India’s largest regional social network), Kuaidi Dache (One of the top two taxihailing apps, merged with Didi in 2015), Aihuishou (Largest platform for recycling and selling second-hand electronic items), Horizon Robotics (Pioneer in AI edge computing for smart mobility), Lixiang Automotive (Leading new energy intelligent vehicle manufacturer), and Xiaozhu.com (Leading short-term rental and home sharing platform)?which are all top leading players in new economy.

Prior to this, he worked in KPMG's Financial Advisory, participating in the investment and M&A transactions of international funds and large foreign-funded enterprises in China. He also served in Accenture, providing Fortune 500 companies with business and strategic advisory
services.

Mr.Guo was honored “Fortune's 2018 40 Under 40” in China, an annual selection of the most influential young people in business. He became the only investment banker on the list.

Waqar Azmi, Founder & CEO, SutraHR

Waqar Azmi is the Founder & CEO of SutraHR, one of Asia's top exec search firms specializing in startup recruitment. Working with 1000+ new age startups in India, SutraHR is known to place a candidate every 12 hours. With the growing demand for HR solutions, Waqar went on to partner with Jay Thakker and co-founded sumHR, a cloud-based HR & Payroll software. Providing HR & Payroll solutions to 360+ customers across India. Waqar leads a team of over 170 professionals, exercising in a holistic HR Management Solutions. One of his recent ventures includes Mumbai Coworking, a unique and quirky coworking space in Andheri West. This shared workspace is created and designed by Waqar himself.

His entrepreneurial strike got him to start his journey into the business world at an adolescent age of 11, and there was no stopping after. He's been featured for his thought leadership in the HR domain by BBC, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC, ET NOW, Hindustan Times, Bloomberg, News Asia, Economic Times, YourStory, Inc magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine. Also, been a facilitator and guest lecturer in India's Top B Schools.

Most people recognise him as a successful entrepreneur, undaunted bootstrapper, nonstop hustler, an adventurous traveller, food junkie and passionate dreamer.

Weibo Xiong, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Advisors

Weibo Xiong is a Senior Vice President of Portfolio Advisors. Weibo joined Portfolio Advisors in 2013 and primarily supports Portfolio Advisors’ primary and secondary investment activities in Asia. Previously, he was a Manager in the UOB Investment Management Division’s alternative investment fund-of-funds advisory business where he had worked with Portfolio Advisors since 2010 through a joint-venture, Asia Select Management, Ltd. He graduated from Singapore Management University with a double degree in Economics and Business Management and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Will Poole, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Unitus Seed Fund

Will Poole is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor, focused on improving ecosystems that bring social and economic opportunity to low-income populations. In 2012, he co-founded Unitus Seed Fund, now the leading venture seed fund supporting startups innovating for the masses in India. In 2015, Will co-founded Capria Accelerator, the first global accelerator for impact VCs. Unitus Seed Fund is an affiliate of Unitus Group, a premier financial services group operating in India and other emerging markets since 2000.

Will co-founded Bangalore-based Vidyanext, whose mission is to change the way India learns. He is active in Social Venture Partners Seattle’s initiatives around social entrepreneurship including founding SVP Fast Pitch, and he co-founded SVP Bangalore. He serves on the investment committee of the W-Fund and on the board of Village Reach. Will was previously Chairman of NComputing, a leader in low-cost, low-energy computing, and a corporate vice president at Microsoft where he led several global businesses, including Windows. His career started by founding two startups at the dawn of the PC era, working in the early days at Sun Microsystems, and pioneering e-commerce at eShop which was acquired by Microsoft in 1996. Will is passionate about education from early learning to higher ed, where he advises Western Governors University and Brown University on technology and is a Trustee of Pinchot (formerly Bainbridge Graduate Institute). Will received a degree in Computer Science from Brown University.

Xavier Kurian, Director Solutions and Alliances, India, Dell Technologies

Xavier is the owner for key growth verticals including Bid-Data, Cloud, HPC and VDI among others. He is also responsible for ISV & Strategic Alliances and evangelizing the broad Dell EMC Portfolio of products and solutions

”Xavier has over 16 years of experience in the IT industry, with skills spanning across enterprise architecture, data center design and optimization, consulting, and building Technologist teams, he also has in-depth knowledge with respect to the Indian enterprise Market and trends across the Industry.

His experience spans working with customers in multiple regions and in various market segments including RISC Platforms and Security. He carries multiple industry certifications with regard to administration, process, and design of enterprise infrastructure.

Currently as Director of Enterprise Solution and Alliances he is the owner for key growth verticals including Bid-Data, Cloud, HPC and VDI among others. He is also responsible for Strategic Alliances and evangelizing Dell’s solutions and portfolio across the broad Dell EMC Portfolio of products and solutions.

Xavier is also an avid Scuba diver exploring sunken wrecks and underwater cave systems.

Y V Rajasekhar, Co-Founder & MD, People Combine Education Initiatives Ltd

“Nothing is more creative... or destructive... than a brilliant mind with a purpose”.  Mr. Rajasekhar Babu Yarlagadda is that brilliant visionary, whose path of progress is self-architected.

Mr. Rajasekar Babu is a true business personality with dynamism. He is one of the key visionaries behind various successful educational ventures like Oakridge, Vikas and Oi Play Schools and the key inceptor of People Combine Group.

Being the Managing Director of the company, Mr Babu has worked hard to provide the People Combine Group altogether a new identity in the business world. He has an insatiable desire to strive for excellence with a steadfastness to achieve.  

Holding a graduate degree in civil engineering and a Post Graduate in management from ISB ( Indian School of Business, Hyderabad ) , Mr. Babu manages the Business Expansion, Fund Raising, Finance and Budgeting, Brand Management, Mergers and Acquisitions of the company.

He is highly creative, design focused and an excellent organiser.

Relation building is his forte and he is an opt solution finder. He has raised the turnover of the company manifold with a relentless quest for accomplishment.

Mr. Rajasekhar has also been recognised for his exemplary contribution towards the organisation. Not only that, he has also been awarded with Business Wizard of Andhra Pradesh by a leading News magazine- India Today Group.

On the life front, Mr. Rajasekhar is considered the most amiable and energetic soul to be with by his family and friends. He is also an avid book lover and loves to explore new places of the world.

Yadavendra Tyagi, Director - Business Development, Citrus Pay | @CitrusPay

Yadvendra Tyagi captains the business development department at Citrus Payments Solutions. Presently, Director Business Development Yadvendra has over 15 glorious years of experience in the hospitality and sales sectors. He is the jack of all trades and the king, when it comes to exploring new market segments, standardizing sales operations and initiating network expansions. He has held office at various esteemed organisations including the National Payments Corporation of India, Global Blue and HDFC.

At NCPI, Yadvendra was an integral cog in the machinery that ensured the successful launch of RuPay cards on PoS machines. His leadership qualities helped him pilot development activities for Global Blue in both India and the Middle East. Yadvendra took on several roles in his time at HDFC Bank as well; from managing teams at the regional level to management of pivotal National Accounts, he has been involved in a plethora of key processes. At Citrus and has been instrumental in roping in and managing category leading clients such as Jet Airways, Go Air and GoIbibo, etc. Right from merchant acquisition to corporate accounts and now business development Yadvendra is a seasoned veteran in the banking and payments sphere.

Yash Ashar, Partner, Amarchand Mangaldas

Yash J. Ashar is a partner in Amarchand Mangaldas Mumbai office. He focuses largely on capital markets work.

An experienced practitioner in Indian securities law, Yash has been associated with a number of capital markets transactions including initial public offerings, follow on offerings, QIPs, rights offerings, ADRs, GDRs and FCCBs. He has advised on several pioneering capital markets transactions involving India’s leading corporate. He also has experience in privatisation, joint ventures, private equity investments and general corporate law.

Yash is part of the faculty of the Securities Law Course at the Government Law College, University of Mumbai on topics relating to Indian securities markets and also conducts the securities law related modules related to the IPOs and continuous listing obligations at the Bombay Stock Exchange Training Institute. He was also nominated by the firm on the GRIP Committee established by SEBI for review of IPO processes.

Yash is ranked as a leading individual in Capital Markets by Chambers Asia and by Asia Pacific Legal 500. He is “commended by numerous sources, and is frequently called upon to advise on the most innovative and cutting - edge transactions” (Chamber Asia 2010).

Yash joined the firm in 2001. He became Partner in April, 2008.