Who’s who of the world 2022

Vineet Davis Visionary EPC Business Leader with a focus on Green Energy Facebook-f Linkedin-in Avisionary leader and pioneer, the dynamic Vineet Davis boasts three decades of unparalleled experience across Renewables, Infrastructure, Thermal, Petroleum, Fertiliser and Chemical Industry. He’s on the Boards of various Inox Group companies as well as the Head of Operations at Inox Wind, delivering large scale projects – C2C with P&L responsibility, leading procurement of resources including equipment and supplies, monitoring projects by adhering to production schedule and budget, and managing multi-unit production teams. His expertise in project management and financial management is second to none. Giving due credit to his family for instilling in him the drive to succeed, he shares, “My Career was framed by my mother (teacher) and grandmother (Princpal), who nurtured me from my early childhood and developed interest in studies and competitive sports during my school time. Right since class nine, my goal was to compete in the engineering entrance test, and by the grace of God, I succeeded and did my B.Tech in Electrical from the National Institute of Engineering in First Class with Distinction.” After working with the likes of Essar, Jindal and Reliance Industries, Vineet joined Inox Wind Ltd. in 2012 and is spearheading the Company’s operations team as Director and Head Operations today. He is solely responsible for the end-to-end delivery of projects to customers by overseeing project management, supply chain management and manufacturing of wind turbines. At work, Vineet swears by his four mantras – Leading with Vision, Leading with Drive, Leading to Deliver, and Leading through People. His innovative thinking has seen him build Inox Renewable Infrastructure from scratch to 3000MW. While his other notable achievements include: • Commissioned 1×1350 MPD of Ammonia and 2×1125 MPD of Urea Fertilizer plant in 26 months on time and cost. • Commissioned first aviation fueling station for RIL. • Commissioned a Petroleum Retail outlet of RIL in 72 hrs, a world record. • Project Development Fertilizer Projects – 2200MPD Ammonia and 3850MPD Urea. • Established India’s first Waste-to-Energy project – 16MW in Okhla. • Developed over 5000MW and commissioned around 3000MW of renewable energy projects Pan India. Vineet’s focussed business strategy makes him stand out in his field. Right optimised cost and quality product to customers to give higher returns on investment, concentration on bottomline instead of big numbers, and building a competent, performance and target oriented team, are just some of the methods Vineet adopts for smooth functioning. Speaking about the role of a company in the growth of the organisation and its employees, he opines, “Having been in EPC business for nearly two decades, I feel business should be driven by the culture of the organisation, which in our case is solution oriented, stamping the branding through continuous improvement, with process excellence, allowing us to step into their next stage of growth and better reflect their vision for tomorrow.” Vineet is well regarded for his passion about green energy and the way it will benefit the environment and society – the paradigm shift from fossil to green energy, and the tremendous growth and business opportunity the sector entails. “This is the most budding sector globally where huge investments will see the growth of the Indian and global economy,” he adds. An expert advocate of the cause, Vineet feels that by building renewable energy projects, we can bring environmental, social and economic benefits such as: • Job creation • Land owners income-upliftment of locals, their standard of living, their health and financial stability, with recurring income • Reduced energy cost • Increased property value • Energy independence-reduced dependency on fossil fuel and oil • Avoidance of climate impact – CO2 reduction, greener and cleaner climate. Vineet’s great sense of purpose and mission combined with a sense of passion and urgency to deliver for the organization makes him tremendously result oriented, problem solving, and willing to go to the core of the issue. However, no success comes without its share of challenges. Speaking about his, Vineet tells us, “The biggest challenge in professional life is to keep myself motivated and focused to do the same job day in and day out without adding skills. The biggest challenge in personal life is to give parental coaching to the kids as the new generation have their own thoughts and perceptions about life. Another big challenge in life is anxiety and I practice thinking: ‘If you are living in the past, you feel depressed; if you are anxious, you are living in the future; so let’s live in the present and be peaceful’.”

Tricia-Kay Williams Life Transformation Magician Globe Instagram You may not believe in fairy tales, but ask anybody who has been touched by the magic of Tricia-Kay Williams, and they will convince you that she is the Fairy Godmother reincarnate. As an experienced certified Counsellor, Tricia has touched the lives of thousands by helping them overcome trauma, anxiety, transitional/ career and relational issues, and today, she’s the CEO of Metamorphose Counselling and Consultation Ltd. Tricia’s journey inwards began when her family migrated from Jamaica to Canada. Born in the beautiful island of Jamaica, she grew up in a middle class household with her parents and two brothers. When Tricia was 19, the family relocated to Canada. She then completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from York University, followed by a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Adler University. She landed her first job as a Counsellor at the Westcoast Family Centre – as a Co-Parenting Family Law Counsellor. However, keen to start her own practice, she soon transitioned from working for others to working for herself. “It has been a wonderful journey of transformation in people who steer fear in the face and accomplish goals they were afraid to pursue. I am delighted when clients are liberated from traumatic experiences and take control of their lives again. It is a joy to see couples and families rebuild their relationships to embrace emotional connections that were stifled by the weight of uncertainty and betrayal,” Tricia tells us. Tricia established the Metamorphose Counselling and Counsultation Ltd. in 2018. Today, it boasts a team of four contractors, three interns and practicum students. She works mainly from a Bowen Family System framework and is also an active community and social services professional with some years as a residential youth worker. “The mental health services I offer help people in the working world to prioritize their mental health. As they improve in their ability to manage triggers from trauma, anxiety and grief, they are able to shift focus to being productive in their work. They become healthier contributing citizens to society. The economy is only as strong as the working people that power it,” she opines. A smart and savvy entrepreneur and content creator, Tricia uses a variety of media streams as tools to help prospective clients. She elaborates: • We post on Facebook and Instagram to reinforce our branding and share content. • We use Youtube and Buzzsprout to share visual and auditory stories of transition from real people. Clients get a glimpse of what a therapeutic experience would be like and earn tips that can help them in their transition. • LinkedIn is a place to collaborate and connect with like minded professionals who can help with sharing our content. • Our website and an e-newsletter connect us to prospective clients and help reach out to current and old clients. Tricia’s business saw a 200% growth in three months during the pandemic. Many found their mental wellness in jeopardy and sought help. Tricia fought hard against the stigma of seeking help through her Youtube channel and Podcast called Meta Transitions. She continues her work as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant in higher education till date. A consummate professional, how did Tricia face the pandemic and other challenges that come her way? She answers, “I could burn out quickly so I opt to plan rest and self-care breaks. I have vacations planned throughout the year and a self-care routine that I follow each day. Another thing I do to reduce vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue is peer and professional supervision to help talk about experiences. The last thing is the yearly evaluation of work-tasks. I say goodbye to the opportunities that no longer bring me joy so I can make space for things that will help me grow.” In the darkest of days, Tricia’s passion and strength see her through. “My passion is to positively change lives, to leave a lasting mark on each person I come across that can snowball and impact others in a positive way. My success in leadership is to create genuine relationships with my team members and identify their strengths. This enables me to delegate tasks appropriately so I can focus on tasks that play to my strengths,” she shares. Leaving us with a message, Tricia says, “If someone told me 10 years ago that I would have Global Impact, I would be in disbelief. While you are in your current moment of despair, keep hope alive for your future self. The power of possibility is immense. While I didn’t know what my life would look like, I was open to the possibility that it could be great.”

Timi Gleason Strategic thinking meets creativity Instagram Facebook-square Timi Gleason, a Top Leadership Coach in California, is one-of-a-kind. She has worked in Human Resources large corporations, is a Strategic Planner, an Organizational Development professional, and has several published books on Amazon. Her most recent book is Becoming Strategic: Leading with Focus and Inspiration. And Timi is currently co-authoring a book on Conversational Intelligence and has plans in 2023 to write a book called The Art of Business Collaboration. Timi was born and raised in San Francisco, California. Being the oldest of four children and self-sufficient from the age of 17, Timi has always been a free thinker. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Sociology, and Consumer Sciences. Rather than go to graduate school, she has many valuable certifications in coaching, strategy, systems thinking, and creative problem solving. This optimistic lady created her first professional job while finishing her classes at university. The job market was very tough at the time. She saw an opportunity that she suggested to the State of California. They agreed, and hired her and ten years later, she switched again, and became one of the first females to be hired into management in the male-dominated daily newspaper business. This job turned out to provide a huge turning point in her career as a Director of Human Resources during the many regulatory and legal changes regarding sexual harassment, drug testing, and equal opportunity employment from 1986-1991. During this time, she was also a wife and mother. She had a huge job and a family. As her career evolved, Timi moved from Human Resources to Organizational Development and then, to Leadership Coaching. Since 2011, she has been a Marshall Goldsmith certified Stakeholder Centered Coach and global team member. Timi grew in influence and reputation as her clients brought her more and more complex business problems and her opportunities to help her clients increased. Her business acumen and change management abilities developed with experience, which added to her marketability. She would stay about seven years at a company and then be recruited out to another career experience. It was easy for her to change industries. She knew her transferable skills and each new industry welcomed her eclectic background. Sometimes, her career was a bit of a roller coaster of changes, but it was always her choice. In Timi’s latest entrepreneurial venture: Soulwork Maps, you can see how her early experiences influenced her ideas today. (see Timi’s map photo) Today, “Coach Timi” (as her clients call her) helps high potential leaders who work in global corporations get ready to be promoted. They are senior executives in Legal, Information Technology, Marketing and Sales, Business Unit Management, and Engineering jobs who generally need to strengthen their business acumen, to broaden their scope of influence, and to work on their visibility and communication styles. Timi also just recently finished a five-year coaching contract, during which she worked with civilian and military leaders throughout the world (South Korea, Japan, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States) to explore their leadership abilities and hone their leadership styles. During the five years, some of these people were promoted and came through the program twice. They might get Timi again. Her clients really liked the topics she was discussing with them, and the two assessments she was offering. They pushed her to do MORE! This challenge had the effect of pushing Timi’s resourcefulness and creating some unplanned decisions during the pandemic. With the help of the global pandemic, Timi’s legacy work became clear in a time of crisis. As a hobby, Timi had been studying Western Numerology since 1985. Largely, she was only creating charts for family and friends. But during the Pandemic, she saw a remarkable synergy between the popular Gallup’s Clifton Strengthsfinder assessment and another popular assessment called the How to Fascinate test. The clients LOVED these two assessments. Then by popular demand, she added Strategic Numerology. Over and over, these three assessments were changing lives and offering hope during the Pandemic. Timi is also a regular contributor of answers on Quora.com, a global question and answer forum. During the first six months of the Pandemic in 2020, the sorrow and bewilderment on Quora was loud and clear. Timi felt terrible. Young people were unsure why they were alive? Middle aged people were wondering how they would survive or provide for their families? Some people were sick and stuck in bed, not dying but not working.  Many people wondered if it was over for them. Her clients were asking for more, the Quora seekers were desperate, and generally the uncertainty of the future triggered Timi’s compassion and creativity to create another job for herself. Timi saw what was missing and she knew what she could do. She told us, “Even if you couldn’t work or didn’t enjoy your job during the pandemic, you could still work your plan if you knew your purpose in life, your life path, and more about your legacy. You could be ‘on your path’ from bed if you had to be.” Timi knew how to add focus, action steps and purpose to peoples’ lives. She created a one-page road map and corresponding legend that plots out the direction of your life. She named it a Soulwork Map. Timi believes that all the work you do has a spiritual purpose, so she lays out your individualized legacy and lessons for you. A Soulwork Map takes the emphasis off your job title and puts it on your transferable skills and experiences. Then the two Strengths and Fascination assessments tell you which skills are your most masterful and how to become ready to do your legacy work in the future. Your name is your Legacy; your Life Path action steps are defined by your birthdate. A Soulwork Map is about you. Timi then figured out how to look at your life from your first day you are born to your 99th year. She has taken three third-dimensional assessments and turned them into an unusual fourth-dimensional solution that clients recognize immediately. Timi’s goal over the next few years is to collaborate with other languages

Steven Nathenson FBI Special Agent turned Leadership Coach Globe Linkedin-in For someone who ‘did not know what to do for a living’, the enigmatic Steven Nathenson has certainly come a long way. As an Award- winning FBI Special Agent turned Top Leadership and Executive Coach, his impact across the globe is hard to miss. Born as one of triplets to a teacher mother, Steven learned early on how to accept others, do right by them, and value equality. When he lost her to cancer as a teen, these values became his guiding principles. “While they told me how to live, they did not tell me what to do for a living. Something I struggled with at college, as an engineer, and even as an FBI Special Agent. Not until founding my own business did I embody these principles while also living what I was truly meant to do,” he shares. Growing up, Steven often thought there had to be something more to life than just ‘going through the motions’. Over the years, he realized this was a deep-seated need to have an impact on this world, which led him to become an FBI Special Agent. After an accomplished and decorated career, he realized becoming a coach would allow him to continue to create this impact on a wider scale, which is how the concept of ‘Strive For More’ came to be. As the Founder and CEO of Strive For More, Steven helps leaders master their mindset to increase their focus, confidence, and performance, while motivating others to do the same. His proven training and coaching programs help leaders and their teams thrive through challenges while achieving ambitious results. “Disengaged employees cost their organization an estimated 34% of their annual salary while the cost of losing an employee is an estimated 33% of that employee’s annual salary. As a Coach, my work directly increases employee engagement and reduces employee turnover within organizations. Both of these metrics make organizations stronger which, in turn, makes the economy stronger,” says Steven. He goes on to add, “To do this, I leverage my cognitive behavioral coaching approach of G.R.I.T. – Give, Recognize, Implement, Time; my communication style of The Art of Subtle Suggestion; and a proprietary 360-degree assessment instrument which measures G.R.I.T., the impact harnessing G.R.I.T. has – increasing empathy, self-awareness, leadership, and much more – and key skills such as emotional intelligence, trust, what unites teams, etc.” At the heart of Steven’s passion is one word – impact. Impact for him, others, and the world around us. A close second to this is creating the clear, easy, and powerful means which bring about this impact: “Everything I do is aimed at fostering a world in which we treat each other respectfully, inspire each other to be great, and follow our hearts. I often imagine what our world would look like if we focused on what makes us the same – sharing in the human experience – instead of focusing on what makes us different.” When the pandemic hit, Steven utilized the time to create tools and offerings which addressed the very core of what people across the world needed – the ability to master their mindset to survive and achieve the balance and success they sought. This led to key differentiators that drive the success of his business today. This precision and effect explain Steven’s long list of laurels. In addition to two United States patents for his work as an engineer and five awards for investigative work as an FBI Special Agent, he has been a bestselling co-author, a nationally ranked triathlete in the United States, an Ironman All World Athlete, and recognized for his academic achievements on multiple occasions. Speaking about the strengths that have been most beneficial to his success (and reduction of stress), he states: “1. Planning ahead 2. Being detail oriented and 3. Being able to boil down large amounts of information into clear concise points. On the flip side, I had to learn over the years how to respond instead of react. An important lesson that has restrained impulses and lessened undesirable results through better self-regulation and self-management.” A sought-after leader in the field of Coaching, we can’t let Steven leave without a message for our readers. Quick to oblige, he reveals, “Our mentality holds the key to our success. If we never unlock and overcome our mental hurdles, we’ll never take the actions that lead us to where we want to go as we’ve already defeated ourselves.”

Stefano De Togni Architect of a better world Facebook-f Linkedin-in With a number of Patents and Start-ups to his credit, Stefano De Togni is a leading entrepreneur from Verona, Italy. Yet among the first things he tells you is, “I have no appetite for business if the business is oriented to wealth. I’m happy only when I see somebody smiling at me, grateful for the help they received by me.” This attitude is what defines Stefano, the man who’s out to make a difference. Born in Legnago, in a wealthy family with an older brother, Stefano was always recognized as a charismatic leader of friends, curious about everything, and open to anybody. He loved to play football, tennis, guitar and sing songs with friends. After Classics studies (Latin, Greek, Philosophy, History) in high school, he studied Economics at Bocconi University, the most prestigious Business and Economics University in Italy. He even spent six months at HEC, the most prestigious Business University in France, as an exchange student. Yet his great interest was always Religion and Philosophy. Stefano never liked a neoliberal and classic economy. And while he disliked the traditional economic theory and business methods, he pursued it for 30 unhappy years. With no real interest in business, he soon put all his strength and passion in innovation. Firstly with a Start-up, HSHS, then in AtosORigin, a multinational ICT consultant company. There was never a strategy behind his choices, only a sense of confusion towards anything ‘useless’. “I felt I should have been born into the XIX century, when a handshake was more worthy than a written contract,” opines Stefano. After studying Knowledge Management in 1993 and having failed with his first Start-up, he returned to work in an ICT company. He found great admiration in his colleagues and managers, who trusted him and gave him a lot of freedom to work in his unique way. Even though he received regular promotions up the company hierarchy, he remained unsatisfied. In 2004, he started four other innovative Start-ups, one of which was the very successful ‘Jump High Solutions’. Jump High was into Business Development and Account Management with Banks, Local and National Transport operators, and prototyping and development of mobile/web platforms integrated with proximity technologies (Barcode and NFC) in various fields as ticketing, payment, voting, check-in for Internet, etc. After that, there was no looking back as Stefano fast gained acclaim as a Start-up mentor and business developer. Today, he is a High-end strategic advisor to Diplomats, opinion leaders, artists, Royal families, and UHNM networking for Peace and Development of Culture and Economy in five continents. He continues to be an experienced ICT Start-up owner with a demonstrated history of working in Innovation Development and Digital Transformation. Yet, Stefano still dreamed of deep refocused humanity goals worldwide. Thus he founded ‘Paradise 360’, an ethical marketplace similar to a social cooperative but directly controlled by him. This is his effort to follow the right path to change the world, from neoliberal capitalism founded on maximization of profit to an ethical, inclusive and supportive capitalism, where the first goal is to help and support the poorest and most fragile people. “My unique passion is Peace and Love. My second passion is the will and confidence to change the world and be one of the main architects of this change which will require strong and resolute leadership. I’m finding many enemies along this steep road, but just as great friends,” reveals Stefano. One of his biggest heartbreaks came when he fell in love with a beautiful girl five years younger to him, the only love of his life. But the love affair did not last, wounding his heart for decades. Eventually, his strengths pulled him through. He’s honest, humble, loyal, and respectful. He’s a dreamer with his head in the sky and feet on the ground. Most importantly, he always thinks of others, especially the poor and fragile, and directs his attention to the less fortunate. Living a life of such accomplishment, Stefano has been bestowed with many honours. However, he doesn’t consider them his biggest achievements: “I finished Bocconi University on time with full marks. But the most intelligent people are not those with great theoretical knowledge, but those who build something new and concrete in their lives, especially if this innovation is for the common good. So I am proud to have known Mother Teresa of Calcutta more than my 110/110 at Bocconi University. I’m more proud of Paradise 360 which started five months ago, than 10 years of great career in my first multinational ICT consulting company. From a personal point of view, I’m mostly proud of my daughter and my girlfriend.”

Ssarita Siingh Transforming education for a better India Linkedin-in Multi-talented Ssarita Siingh could have easily excelled in a bevy of professions. However, after dabbling in a few successful jobs, she found her calling in grassroot education. Managing Trustee of Priyadarshini School, Pune, Ssarita is an entrepreneur, teacher, and mother. Yet her biggest passion today is a school in the heart of Alandi, a small town in Maharashtra, that she endeavours to transform. “This project is a passion project; it has no monetary compensation. Today when everything is a business, education is the biggest business. But our brand is already developed, we have been in the market for 30-40 years, and thus there is no pressure to do anything for its commercial appeal,” Ssarita tells us. Ssarita was running the Indian operation of Macmillan Publications when her work took her to schools in smaller cities such as Gwalior, Raipur, Indore, etc. To her dismay, Ssarita found a lot of these schools in dilapidated condition. These were budget schools with a high student strength of 2000-3000 as parents in those places had no other option for affordable schooling. Even so, in the absence of digital exposure, Ssarita found the students nice, naive and focused. “Years later, when I got the opportunity to take over a school in Alandi, I jumped at the chance. These are schools that have seen no upgrade in the past 20-30 years. First up, I decided to overhaul  the infrastructure completely – give them better grounds, better labs, get them out of this place, and expose them to the world,” says Ssarita. She worked to make the school a bright, fun place, and introduced new subjects like Life Skills and Happiness Code. Speaking about how the advent of international education is a bane for India’s talent, she shares, “More and more IB schools are pushing more and more students abroad. What is left is ‘mediocre’. I say mediocre because the state of the schools in the interiors is inadequate. These are the students who will run the country. What skills will they have?” Ssarita wants to show all her naysayers that it is possible to uplift students through education. “If this pilot project works, I will take on more projects and create better schools, and subsequently, better citizens,” she says, adding that in Maharashtra itself, there are close to 4000 schools in the interiors, just waiting for a change to happen. The naysayers weren’t the only challenge in Ssarita’s journey. She lost both her parents in quick succession just around the time the pandemic started, and was left with no support. “My father, Late Shri Indraman Sahadeo Singh, was my inspiration. Losing both my parents was a big blow,” she reveals. A single mother of two, Ssarita learned that gender bias and clichés aren’t limited to any one industry. She has worked in the fields of media, counseling and investment banking. Presently, she serves as an Advisor to the Board at Unified Vision Capital Pvt Ltd. “If a man leads a meeting, the meeting is totally different and totally focussed on numbers and ratios. With a woman, it often ends with a dinner invitation, which is such a put off. I hope more men learn not to disrespect and underestimate a woman,” suggests Ssarita frankly. A self-made woman, Ssarita has been acknowledged with innumerous awards like Woman Icon in Education Sector, Outstanding Women Leadership Award, and Inspirational Leaders of India Award. Recently, she was conferred the esteemed ‘Champions of Change Award’ by Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra. She has also been featured in prestigious magazines like Forbes and other news media for being a women’s leader as well as her success story. This year saw her being honoured with two esteemed awards – ‘National Award for Woman Leadership’ and ‘Emirates Award of Excellence 2022’. Ssarita was presented the Emirates award by the United Nations Global Peace Council in the UAE, along with an Honorary Doctorate in ‘Humanity and Education’ for her sincere and outstanding contributions in the field of rural education, raising the social stature and standards of education, and her Humanitarian Services in rural areas of Maharashtra. A woman of substance, there are many lessons one can learn from Ssarita: “No matter what issues you’re facing – personal, professional, or financial – talk! Find that one person who you can share everything with. There is no shame in sharing. Also, value loyalty. It is not easy to get loyalty in business, but if you are loyal to your people, take care of them, and treat them as assets instead of employees, they become your family,” she says with wisdom.

Sridhar Pinnapureddy Dashing and Daring Data Expert Linkedin-in With more than 200 innovations to his name, Sridhar Pinnapureddy is a veritable pioneer in the information and communications industry. He is the Founder and CEO of Cloud4C, the world’s leading Cloud Managed Services Provider serving Fortune 500 clients, and CtrlS, the World’s largest Rated 4 Data Centre. Under Sridhar’s leadership, Cloud4C has been named a Visionary in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Public Cloud IT Transformation Services. As a first-generation entrepreneur, Sridhar has founded several companies to date. “My first stint in entrepreneurship was with software development. One of those products is still being used in the railways,” he shares. Sridhar believes in constantly innovating new ideas and building solutions from scratch for the common good. As a young boy, he used to observe vendors, restaurateurs and store owners to learn the nitty gritties of business. Later, he took up B.Tech to explore the nuances of technology. This was the time of the internet boom in India. Ecommerce and internet companies were beginning to sprout. As an engineering student, Sridhar was curious to explore the trend and catch up on largescale digital adoption in the early 2000s. In 2008, he started CtrlS Data Centers to help businesses manage the humongous data generated. Today, they are the largest Rated 4 Data Center in Asia. Then came Cloud4C Services – to meet the cloud modernisation demands. Cloud4C is an automation-driven, application-focused Cloud Managed Services Provider (MSP), supporting over 4000 customers across 25 countries. Resilient with an exemplary drive to build, Sridhar states, “For me, value is beyond monetary benefits. Tech for the public good is my primary focus. All our missions are aligned to sustainable goals.” Sridhar has always believed that people’s welfare comes first. As the pandemic affected countless lives, he initiated COVID-19 incentives for all employees and fully compensated full-time workers in data centers, provided comprehensive employee insurance, offered financial support, and set up a COVID-19 helpline. At the peak of India’s COVID-19 crisis in May 2021, he also donated 400 oxygen concentrators to different institutions. Sridhar is actively involved in various social responsibility initiatives. He championed developing a multi-acre solar farm for data center energy needs to reduce the carbon footprint of data centers with a vision of 100% renewable energy powered data centers by 2025* and zero carbon footprint by 2030. Last year, he was appointed the Chapter President of TiE Hyderabad, the largest global entrepreneurship organisation with initiatives benefiting over 600 start-ups and 6000 students. During his term, TiE Hyderabad hosted the TiE Global Summit 2020 for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, one of the world’s largest industry gatherings with over 20,000 entrepreneurs, 200 investors and 10 world leaders attending. He is also passionate about youth development in the tech industry, which is why Cloud4C partnered with the local government and major IT universities to launch Cloud4C Academy in South Korea. Sridhar is often invited for international webinars and interviews by organisations and media, where he shares his knowledge and insights on cloud, data and digital transformation. He is also passionate about sports development and regularly supports young sporting talents, such as the 10m air pistol champion Esha Singh, as well as other track cyclothon championships to further develop other talents in India. Sridhar is credited with launching several industry firsts, including DR as a Service (DRaaS) and the world’s 1st Community Cloud for Banks. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Pioneer Group of companies which has interests in Internet, IT services and IT Infrastructure. He credits his achievements to his curiosity to learn and innovate. The few times he did face the ups and downs in his journey, Sridhar was fortunate to have the support of his family and friends. “For me, being successful means achieving success in all aspects of life, whether it’s nabbing a big client or simply being there for the people most important to you,” he says. An envious combination of intellect and appeal, Sridhar is a believer of the healthy and disciplined lifestyle. He is an avid fitness enthusiast and engages in sporting activities such as cycling, biking, swimming, skiing and trekking. Blessed with a winsome personality, Sridhar has been the recipient of such prestigious awards as E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year (Finalist), Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani by Global Economic Council (GEC), Business Transformer of the Year Award, TV5 Business Leader Award, Outstanding Entrepreneur of the year (APEA), Karamveer Puraskar, among others. He is also a formidable thought leader and distinguished speaker at NASSCOM, CII and various industry bodies. Ask him about future trends, and he reveals, “India will need about 25,000 edge data centers (large, small and micro) soon. CtrlS plans to roll out 1,000+ centers in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. We are also expanding our DC footprints by 2024 which will double the overall industry capacity in the country.”

Sonica Aron A Visionary Leader and An Enthusiast Globe Linkedin-in Sonica Aron is a qualified coach and an experienced HR professional who is enthusiastic and passionate about diversity and inclusion. Sonica held corporate and operational leadership positions prior to launching her HR consultancy Marching Sheep. Sonica, an XLRI Jamshedpur alumna, was named one of the Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs in India in 2020 by Forbes India. Coming from a medical family, Sonica Aron is the youngest of three siblings, and no one in her family has studied or practiced business management. Sonica has entered an entirely new world. From having medical talks at the dinner table as a youngster to now, when she and her family address social justice, gender expression, disability awareness, and inclusiveness. Sonica, an HR veteran who has worked with organizations such as Pepsico, Roche Diagnostics, Vodafone started Marching Sheep in 2013. In 2012, she was the HR director for Philips Consumer Lifestyle. She took a year off before launching Marching Sheep, with the goal of providing genuine and effective HR interventions that benefit both businesses and employees. A journey that started as a one-woman army running out of a single city, Marching Sheep now delivers interventions and projects not only across India but also globally, has a healthy roster of clients across sectors, a solid team of HR professionals who are passionate about the work they do, and their work and opinions are frequently quoted and published in leading publications. As a  Human Resources and D&I professional, she has created one of India’s most advanced ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ frameworks, with unique programs such as Women@Work, and Diversity@Work! Her views on anxiety and burnout, motherhood penalty, unpaid work, generational diversity, and LGBT inclusion have been featured in notable newspapers such as Hindu, TOI, Business World, The Statesman, DNA, Tribune, and others. She is on the board of the ‘Gender at Work India Trust,’ an organization that actively serves society. Sonica’s company is based on the notion of ethics. They only take projects that are within their area of expertise and work closely with the client team to set project scope, deliverables, and milestones. Sonica’s corporate experience was built on developing policies and procedures that were both sustainable and scalable, propelling enterprises to the next level of success. She began her career with Pepsi as a Management Trainee, traveling in a truck through the streets of Calcutta and learning the ins and outs of retail sales. In Karimnagar, she introduced Pepsi 200 ml. She next oversaw human resources at a bottling factory in Bazpur, a small upcountry location, where she learned the ins and outs of labor relations. Sonica overcame several hurdles in establishing Marching Sheep. Understanding the legislative requirements that are involved in setting up a firm was one of the challenges. Some considerations had to be made, such as whether it should be an LLP, LLC, a company, or a sole proprietorship. Being bootstrapped, she created her website from scratch. She was trapped in a vicious cycle of needing to employ a team or generate income in order to attain a specific level. Sonica was responsible for everything from business development to delivery, invoicing, client engagement, and even paying her own taxes. Business Development did not come naturally to her. She was hesitant about singing her own praises as a consultant, but it was necessary. She took her time learning this skill. Then there was the problem of managing cash flows. She gradually and steadily learned, hired, and expanded. Soon after, the client base increased, and income stabilized. However, issues including demonetization, GST implementation, and the pandemic destabilized the business. But each time the firm adapted and evolved. Sonica says, “It’s critical to be passionate about what you do and to continue learning and evolving.” It necessitates stepping outside of your comfort zone and pushing yourself, but the benefits are exhilarating.” Her skills that have aided her path so far include endurance, the ability to build trusting relationships with clients and partners based on trustworthiness, flexibility to changing circumstances, and a desire to always learn and improve. Sonica says she has an excellent team, which she considers to be her best asset. She has discovered the power of humility, approachability, and being available to people whenever feasible. ‘The goodwill you gain is more valuable than any reward,’ she says. She passionately believes in the power of inclusiveness and the ability of people from different backgrounds to prosper in the world. Every client she gets and works with represents a chance to make a difference, which motivates her and her team.

Prateek Chaudhry Globally renowned Designer/Founder of The First Ferry Globe Linkedin-in It would have taken many by surprise had Prateek Chaudhry not turned out to display a creative flair. The Globally renowned Interior Designer today was born into an artistic, free-thinking family. His grandfather published a popular Marathi newspaper and regularly hosted thinkers, poets, artists, and political leaders of the time. His mother, whose art has been featured in various magazines, always supported Prateek’s creative passion. When at the age of 12 he wanted to wear earrings, she designed his first piece of jewellery! “My mother has undoubtedly been my strongest influence. But the creative spark and the business acumen you see now is also due to the family and upbringing I’ve had,” shares Prateek. Growing up in the midst of stellar personalities influenced Prateek’s own non-conformist thought process. Ever since his childhood, he has never done things the conventional way. A happy MBA drop-out, Prateek started his career in advertising as a part of a film-making team. But the fleeting nature of the medium left him unsatisfied and he longed to create something permanent. “Once while making an advertising pitch to a bank, I was randomly asked if I would design the interiors for a house. Without hesitation, I said ‘Yes’,” recalls Prateek. That marked the beginning of The First Ferry – The Luxury Interior Design Studio headquartered in Dubai. Their first project was a two-bedroom apartment in the Burj Khalifa. Since then, The First Ferry has flourished and has designed several iconic projects, including the UAE embassy in Singapore, the A&L Hotel in Kenya, and several homes at the best location in UAE, UK, and India. “My raison d’être is to create. I want us to be the go-to name when it comes to design. No effort is too much, nothing is impossible, because to be creative is to make things possible. This attitude is a rarity in our industry. Most architects aim to do just enough. We go out of our way to create unique features that blend practicality and exude style. That attitude is what defines leaders and visionaries in any field, and I believe we are on the right path to our ultimate goal,” shares Prateek. Prateek understands that sometimes, skill alone is not enough, but the brand name speaks volumes too. And thus, he’s obsessed with building the brand. Many do not credit the importance of marketing but Prateek knew its significance and made it sure from day one that the in-house branding, PR and social media team have everything in place. “We aim to contribute to the future of architecture and interior design industry. My most fervent prayer is to find an ideal fit-out partner who will be equally excited to try creative approaches, materials, and methods. We will certainly build our Taj Mahal one day. In the meanwhile, I am waiting to meet the contractor who will work with my vision and breathe life into it,” reveals Prateek adding that he goes out of his way to hold onto talented resources, sincere suppliers, and fair clients. So immersed is Prateek in his creative vision, that for him, work is life. Prateek is committed to his work; his life force, and legacy are entwined with The First Ferry. Considering his business as a family Prateek explains, “Honestly, balance in business is a myth. I love what I do, it invigorates and enhances my life – I am empowered by my passion,” When the pandemic struck, Prateek used the momentary lull to expand his horizons. “We have had the pleasure of crafting, creating, and curating some of the best home cinemas and gyms in the last few months. Some of our clients have called us in to complete long-pending renovations. Homes have become a hub of all activity and work. We have helped others by creating bespoke spaces – like a boutique, a restaurant – so that they could follow their passion,” says Prateek. Elucidating his idea of recognition and rewards, Prateek sums up, “An accolade for me is when I see a client’s face light up when we deliver their dream. Or when I help an underprivileged person succeed. I carried the Olympic Torch for New Zealand, which is a reward for me. I am an MBA dropout, but many institutions have asked me to teach architecture students, inspire them, and talk about real-life situations. I am also an honorary professor at Sri Sri University. Those are my accolades.”

Paul Roux Financially empowering people in recovery Globe Instagram There are Financial Coaches… And then there is Paul Roux. The fact that Paul has chosen to help people in ‘Recovery’ in lieu of a more lucrative option, has seen him emerge as a sought-after Global Pioneer in the field. “My decade plus experience of being in the financial services industry has provided me with a particular set of skills. This together with my own experience of recovery has strengthened my credibility,” says Paul, who went through the road of recovery himself. Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, Paul struggled with what he wanted to do in life and who he wanted to become, often feeling disconnected from others and the world. He ended up getting his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Witwatersrand and relocated to Toronto shortly after. However, he moved back home to South Africa after just 3 years, as his battle with addiction had taken root and his life became unmanageable. But by the Grace of God, in 2011 he got clean and sober after spending 18 months on a farm working a recovery program. He then got a job and studied part time to further his career in financial advisory. “My dream is to empower others financially and bring new life to their money stories. By doing this, it can set my clients up not only for financial success but to go after their dreams. If there are more people with strong financial foundations living their life on purpose, the broader economy will benefit and endless possibilities await,” says Paul. Since coming into recovery, Paul found a new passion for helping others. With his experience in financial advisory, his dream has been to empower the recovery community around building strong financial foundations. “Life is filled with uncertainties so it’s important that those in recovery have financial measures in place to protect themselves and more importantly, their recovery,” he opines. Paul argues that not much attention has been given to personal finances in the recovery community. We know that money affects us emotionally, mentally and even spiritually. This can create stress and anxiety in our lives, affecting us in a myriad of ways including our relationships. People in early recovery are especially vulnerable, feels Paul. Speaking about how he connects to such individuals, he states, “The spirit of play is fundamental to my coaching style. As adults, we often forget the importance of play and its role in our lives. Studies show that play improves brain functionality, releases endorphins, and stimulates creativity.” Paul enjoys working with groups and doing individual sessions and is in the process of creating exciting online courses around managing money that will be both fun and engaging. Talking about the passion that drives him, Paul tells us, “Life is a gift and I am lucky to be given another chance. This truth has opened my eyes and given me the strength to be brave enough to do what I never thought I could. One of the biggest joys in life is to witness the fire in someone’s eyes when they share their BIG dream.” Working in recovery can’t always be easy. How does he face the challenges? “Several years ago, I was diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease bringing a host of unforeseen challenges, including the inability to work for months at a time. Practicing gratitude and seeking God’s perspective really helped me. Overcoming life’s challenges brings experience, and experience brings wisdom, empathy and resilience. I always start the day with prayer and meditation followed by some exercise. In addition, recovery meetings, being of service to others, and seeking objective counsel from people I trust, help me bring balance and perspective.” Eminent and enigmatic, Paul was honoured to have his own story of battling addiction and coming into recovery published in 2020. This anthology is titled ‘The Addiction Diaries: Stories of Darkness, Hope and all that falls in between’, and is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others. In 2021, he was recognised by the NYC Journal as one of the ‘Top 30 Coaches to look out for’! Ask him for a piece of advise, and he says, “The darkest days of my life have brought the biggest lessons. The pressures of life can leave us feeling crushed and powerless, but so long as there is air in our lungs, there is always hope for a better future. We can start with our own finances and make the decision to live on less than we earn and give ourselves financial breathing room. This in itself reduces stress and anxiety and gives us permission to focus on what really makes us happy.”