Atul Kawatra

Co-Founder and Non Executive CFO, Mavyn | Head Corporate Loans - Asia Australia, Siemens Bank

Atul Kawatra is a Non-Executive Director on the board of Mavyn. Atul guides Mavyn on overall company strategy with a special focus on financing decisions, investor relations and capital allocation.

Atul comes with over 16 years of experience in finance functions at various global organizations. Mr. Kawatra is based out of Singapore. He currently heads the Corporate Loans business for Asia Australia region for Siemens Bank. He was instrumental in setting up Siemens’ finance business in the region and has been part of the organization for over ten years. Prior to Siemens, Atul has worked with Deutsche Bank, American Express and ICICI Bank.

Atul received his bachelor's degree from Sri Venkateswara College in Delhi University and holds a law degree from Mumbai University. Mr Kawatra has also completed his CAIA qualification and is a CFA (US) Charter holder. He likes to read and travel in his spare time.

Arun Arora

Director Strategy Communication

Arun Arora is a Mechanical Engineer (Major Operations Research), MBA (Marketing), Post Graduate in Journalism, with additional qualification in Hotel Management. He has rich experience of over 36 years in diverse sectors like Automobiles, Infrastructure, Airport, Steel, Power, Mining, Hospitality, Oil & Gas and CSR.

He has expertise in the area of developing Strategy, Marketing Communication Plan, Advocacy, Corporate Affairs, Reputation and Stakeholder Management, Media, Branding, Advertising, Change Management and Crisis Communications.

Arun has been associated with and contributed to the organisations featuring among top brands (Maruti Suzuki, GMR, JSPL, GVK, Cairn Oil & Gas and Vedanta) in brand reputation and market value ranking as part of senior management.

Recipient of various credible ratings and awards, Arun was adjudged the Power Brand Hall of Fame, ‘Most Dynamic Corporate Communication Professional’ (2011), Indian PR Icon (2013), inducted in PR Hall of Fame by PRCI in 2015 and ranked amongst top ten corporate communications professions in India (Reputation Today) in 2016. Listed among top 100 PR professionals in Reputation Today Listing, 2017. He was felicitated by Indira University, Pune in 2019. He is also invited as a key note speaker and jury to various forums and credible corporate awards.

Arun is a Mentor to ‘Be-arsty’, a for-profit social enterprise https://be-artsy.com/

He is on the Advisory Board of ‘Ideahive’, a cause driven media campaign start-up.http://ideahive.in/index.html

Arun is the Director (Strategy and Communications) as an Independent Director on the Board of ‘Arion Logistics’. Arion has launched ‘Mavyn’, a digital trucking platform that provide a reliable and cost-effective solution to transport goods while provide strong value preposition to all stakeholders. https://mavyn.in/

He is a dynamic leader and a team player with strong passion and positive attitude. He takes pride in being a obsessed learner and strongly believes in the adage that it is never too late to learn and develop new passions!

Sumit Khurana

Head – Portfolio Management NatWest Group

Sumit Khurana is a seasoned professional with over 16 years of experience in credit appraisals, portfolio management, investment banking, and corporate and commercial banking. Currently, he serves as the Director and Head of Portfolio Management & Structured Finance India at NatWest Group, leading a team of over 550 professionals across NCR and Mumbai. He oversees a substantial portfolio of corporate and commercial banking customers in the UK, with a focus on credit risk analysis, operational risk management, and structured finance solutions. His expertise in commercial lending, credit appraisal, and process improvement positions him as a pivotal leader in the financial services industry.’

Before his tenure at NatWest, he held leadership roles in prominent organizations such as Citibank, GE Capital Services India, and HSBC. At Citibank India, as Vice President in Risk, he managed credit risk and loans for corporate accounts. During his time at HSBC, where he rose to Vice President in the Risk Analysis Unit, he handled credit appraisals for global clients across markets like the US, UK, Hong Kong, and Dubai. His responsibilities included financial statement analysis, risk evaluation, and assigning internal credit ratings, showcasing his analytical expertise and global perspective.

His career trajectory highlights a commitment to excellence and a strong ability to navigate complex financial landscapes. With deep expertise in structured finance, trade finance, and project management, he has consistently driven business process improvements and delivered impactful results. His leadership and strategic vision have contributed significantly to the growth and efficiency of the organizations he has served.

He continues to play a significant role in shaping the future of portfolio management and structured finance in India. His contributions to the financial services industry reflect a blend of technical acumen, strategic thinking, and a global outlook, positioning him as an influential figure in his field.

Dr. Manohar Bhat

ex Director - Marketing & Sales KIA India

Dr. Manohar Bhat is a distinguished professional with over three decades of experience in the automobile industry, specializing in marketing and sales. He currently serves as a Professor at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM) in Delhi, where he imparts knowledge on consumer behavior, sales promotion, and privacy concerns. His transition from a corporate career to academia reflects his dedication to advancing education and research in his areas of expertise.

His academic credentials are noteworthy, including a Ph.D. in Management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur, a Master's in Management from IIM Bangalore, and a Bachelor's in Marine Engineering from DMET, Calcutta. This robust academic foundation has equipped him with a deep understanding of both technical and managerial domains, enabling him to bridge the gap between theory and practice effectively.

In his corporate career, he held pivotal roles, including serving as the Head of Marketing & Sales for Kia Motors India. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in establishing the company's organizational infrastructure in the country. Under his leadership, Kia Motors India successfully launched models such as the Seltos and the Carnival, achieving widespread market acceptance and setting a strong foundation for the brand in India.

His research interests center on consumer behavior, particularly personality traits, sales promotion, and privacy concerns. His academic contributions include publications like the 2021 study on the influence of personality factors on adopting advanced technology consumer durables, published in the Journal of Indian Business Research. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence in both industry and academia, leaving a lasting impact on marketing, sales, and consumer behavior.

Akash Bansal

Senior Head – Consulting, JLL

Akash Bansal is a distinguished leader in the Indian real estate sector, serving as the Senior Director and India Head of Strategic Consulting at JLL, a renowned global real estate services firm. With over two decades of experience, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry's growth and evolution. His academic foundation, built at the Fore School of Management and Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, has equipped him with a strong understanding of business management and strategic planning. His career includes notable roles, such as National Head at Liases Foras and Associate Director at JLL, where he developed expertise in real estate consulting, market analysis, and strategic advisory.

In his current role at JLL, he leads strategic consulting initiatives across India, offering clients critical insights into market trends, feasibility studies, and investment strategies. He is a staunch advocate for digitizing land titles to promote transparency and efficiency in the real estate sector. Speaking at an ASSOCHAM National Conference, he emphasized that digitization could drive faster decision-making and attract more investments nationwide, revolutionizing how the industry operates.

He also supports granting industry status to the real estate sector, arguing that it would improve access to financing for developers. He believes such recognition would lower borrowing costs for developers, enabling them to reduce construction expenses and ultimately deliver greater value to consumers. His efforts reflect a commitment to policy advocacy and sectoral reform, aiming to create a more robust and equitable real estate market in India.