RIZ KHAN

Advisory Board Member

Riz is an award winning international journalist, author, event moderator, and public speaker, recognized globally for his prominent flagship TV interview shows on CNN International and AJE, as well as his journalistic career at BBC. He has spoken with more world leaders, newsmakers, international celebrities, and top figures from business, sports, and the arts than any other international interviewer. Khan also began entrepreneurial work from 2017 by launching a premium-quality ethical clothing brand to support global rhino conservation. He received his BSc with Honours in Medical Physiology from the University of Wales, and took a postgraduate course in Radio Journalism at Highbury College.

RAJAT KOHLI

Advisory Board Member

Rajat has enjoyed a distinguished career in the Global Metals and Mining industry. He started in the sector in 1988 as a journalist and editor with the leading industry publication, Metal Bulletin. Rajat moved into banking and finance to work as an industry and equity analyst at MC Securities, an emerging markets merchant bank that was created out of CSFB. From MC, he migrated to Banque Paribas, enjoying a particular focus on Asia, initially as a rated analyst and thereafter in corporate finance. Rajat then moved to HSBC, where became Managing Director in the Resources & Energy Group. At HSBC, he was involved in the IPO of Vedanta Resources, the de-merger of Iscor into Iscor Steel and Kumba Resources, the merger of Rusal and Sual, the announced bid by China Minmetals for Noranda, the sale of Corus, the announced merger of Phelps Dodge, Inco and Falconbridge, and the merger of Mittal Steel and Arcelor. Total deal value in excess of $150 bn.

Rajat joined ArcelorMittal, as Co-Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, at a time the largest steel company in the world was increasing its integration backwards into raw materials. Post-ArcelorMittal, he advised selected clients, including Ken Talbot, the late Australian coal industry pioneer. Rajat re-joined banking as Global Head of Mining and Metals at Standard Bank. Whilst at Standard Bank, his brief involved a broad range of transactions across Africa for clients including global majors, Chinese SOEs, regional mid-tier and juniors, steel mills, as well as providers of equity and debt capital.

Since leaving the bank in mid 2015, Rajat has re-established his consulting business, Ptolemy Resource Capital, focused on providing strategic, financing and advisory services to sector clients. Rajat is also Senior Board Adviser to AWR Lloyd, an Asia-based strategic consulting firm, and Chair of an African focused charity, Project Harar. Rajat has a BA from the London School of Economics and an MSc from Cass Business School.

NARASIMHAN VARADHARAJAN

Chief Financial Officer

Narasimhan has a proven track record of 22 years of progressive and diverse F&A accomplishments in various industries. Having rich experience in Accounting, Costing, Budget & MIS, Audit. Deliver to the expectations of the Board under pressure.

He served KEF Holdings Group alone for more than a decade and part of core management team at the Board level. He is very instrumental for their large dis-investment of steel foundry division valued USD 1 Billion which is recognized as one of the largest private equity dis-investment in the history of UAE.

LAURA SHORTALL

General Legal Counsel

Laura has a demonstrated history of international finance, having worked in both the UK and the UAE, with both private practice and in house experience. She has an established skill set of business development, negotiation, transaction management, and demonstrates a pragmatic approach to solving complex legal issues. Laura has a strong background in development finance, project finance, acquisition finance, trade finance and private equity. She received her LLB from Durham University.

NADEEM NAVAB

Office assistant

Nadeem Navab joined the team in 2011. Nadeem assists in the office administration and PRO work.

Technology

Food & Water

Healthcare

Infrastructure

RAHUL GROVER

Project Manager

Rahul has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bristol focusing primarily on Renewable Energy Solutions.

He started his first business in MEP maintenance and civil contracting before developing his own sustainable energy solutions business, Blue Star MENA in 2012 which became one of the primary installers of Solar Water Heater Solutions in the UAE market.

Rahul initiated and completed a 100-square meter portrait of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum entirely Solar (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) in early 2016. The project is the first of its kind and will feature in the Guinness book of world records.

SHEETAL BHAMBLANI

Legal Associate

Sheetal holds a Master’s degree in Law with specialization in Intellectual Property Rights; dissertation submitted on Protection of Trade Secrets under Indian and Overseas Law before Gujarat National Law University. She is also pursuing Masters in Business Law from National Law University, Bengaluru.

Enrolled with Bar Council of Gujarat (India); Sheetal started her career as a Legal Associate for Y.J Trivedi & Company; one of the major IP Law Firms of Gujarat, India. Sheetal has closely worked on matters involving IP (Trade Marks, Copyright, and Designs) Prosecution and Litigation.

Sheetal had been appointed as Trade Marks Examiner at Trade Marks Registry, Mumbai (Ministry of Commerce & Industries, Government of India) in the year 2016 which she relinquished in the year 2017.

DR. MANIKANDA ARUNACHALAM MD

Advisory Board Member

Dr. Mani a multi-disciplinary professional with expertise in corporate strategy and planning, venture capital and private equity financing.

Dr. Mani also serves as a board member in The KEF Company, a multi-million-dollar private investment firm in Dubai, and has advised a number of provider, biotech and medical devices firms on portfolio management. Dr. Mani started his career as a cardiologist at the Apollo hospitals group in Chennai, India where he was trained in interventional cardiology. He received an M.B.A. from Wharton.

SATISH GROVER

Chief Operating Officer

Satish has an extensive track record in operating and effectively managing projects and businesses in the Oil & Gas space. At Petrochem, he headed all the relevant administrative and financial departments. He has had an illustrious career in the oil and gas business for nearly thirty-five years, having set up operations and managed the business for Atkins, a FTSE 250 company, in Sharjah, for just over two decades. He has also worked for KBR (a former subsidiary of Halliburton), where he worked on various projects, including projects for the likes of BP, in the UK and Norway. Following Petrochem, he became a shareholder MD at Litwin PEL, an engineering company he helped acquire from Lamprell, for nearly 2 years.

He is currently a shareholder CFO at Beinit DMCC, a company which acquires distressed O&G assets then deploys them to operators on a lease to own basis. He remains a mentor at Litwin PEL.

JOHN ORAM

Chief Investment Officer

12 years in oil and gas advisory and principal investment including 8 years at Kulczyk Investments (KI) in London where he led analysis of several of KI’s major external and internal transactions and managed investment banking relationships and advisors. Selected transactions include the internal financial analysis on KI’s swap of its stake in Kompania Piworwarska into $1.1bn of SABMiller shares (May 2009). He also led the analysis of the sale to VW of KI’s import trade licenses and associated infrastructure in a €200mn deal. Additionally, he was involved in the acquisition and exit of Neconde. His total transaction list to date totals $5bn.

He has strong technical skills and has served as an alternate director for various portfolio companies with an emphasis on capital structure optimization and reporting. Prior to KI, John was a consultant with clients including Shell and BP. He is a graduate of the University of Surrey, UK and completed a one-year internship at Her Majesty’s Treasury.

MANOJ NARENDER MADNANI

Chief Executive Officer

A well rounded alternative asset manager with a proven combination of business development, deal creation/deal origination, human resource optimization, marketing, operations, due diligence, legal, P&L management, conflict resolution and public speaking domain expertise. Able to operate in multi-cultural environments, and has strategic skills both on an origination level and a portfolio level which ensure efficient management of the portfolio monitoring team. Significant M&A experience with income, market and asset approaches and has experience integrating companies globally. Successful business development track record and has built strong relationships in global growth markets. Successfully been involved directly in transactions totaling US$ 5.0 billion. In addition, capital markets experience in Canada, Poland, UK and the USA. Well versed in external affairs and maintaining commercial joint-venture and government relationships. In country efforts have always been focused on adding value back to the society through sustainable philanthropy.

Manoj has a strong background in origination, corporate finance, international transactions and corporate strategy. Has led global transactions from origination to exit with a stellar record covering the automotive, energy, FMCG, infrastructure, logistics, mining and technology sectors. Prior to founding The DSA Group, he was the Managing Director for 8 years with the Kulczyk family (2007 to 2015) focusing on developing their international footprint. As a Board Member of Kulczyk Investments SA (Luxembourg) directly responsible for their investment portfolio in global growth markets which resulted in significant gains for the family globally with significant increase in the portfolio NAV during his tenure.

Energy & Natural Resources

Education