As President of Microsoft Asia, Ahmed Mazhari oversees a vibrant and diverse region comprising 20 countries, some 30,000 employees, and 100,000 partners. Mazhari is fueled by his deep understanding of business process transformation and his passion for embracing change and implementing creative solutions in a fast-paced world. He is a big believer in the power of long-term partnerships with both employees and customers to achieve stronger and longer-lasting growth. He joined Microsoft Asia in February 2020, following 23 successful years at GE and Genpact (a spin off from GE in 2005) where he last served as Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer leading the company’s growth globally across all industry verticals, products, service lines and geographies. Prior to this, he held senior leadership roles at Xerox.

A serial entrepreneur, Amit has been building start-ups for almost 20 years. His most substantial successes have been in the fuel commodity supply sector, with the establishment of BioUrja Trading, LLC, and LogiBo, LLC, along with grains commodities via West Plains, LLC. 

Overall, the BioUrja Group has grown in just seven years to be a leading fuel supplier globally, achieving annual revenues over USD$5 Billion and supplying over 1 billion gallons of fuel to its customers. For these achievements, Amit was recognised as a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2013.

Amit is also an active philanthropist. He has been active in supporting the Houston community as well as charitable organisations across the United States, with a particular focus on education and children’s causes.

“When I visited a Magic Bus sporting activity in the slums of Mumbai with my wife and kids, we were struck by the tremendous joy and hope that the organisation brings to underprivileged children. Words just can’t capture what they do – it truly is magical.”

A serial entrepreneur, Amit has been building start-ups for almost 20 years. His most substantial successes have been in the fuel commodity supply sector, with the establishment of BioUrja Trading, LLC, and LogiBo, LLC, along with grains commodities via West Plains, LLC.

Overall, the BioUrja Group has grown in just seven years to be a leading fuel supplier globally, achieving annual revenues over USD$5 Billion and supplying over 1 billion gallons of fuel to its customers. For these achievements, Amit was recognised as a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2013.

Amit is also an active philanthropist. He has been active in supporting the Houston community as well as charitable organisations across the United States, with a particular focus on education and children’s causes.

“When I visited a Magic Bus sporting activity in the slums of Mumbai with my wife and kids, we were struck by the tremendous joy and hope that the organisation brings to underprivileged children. Words just can’t capture what they do – it truly is magical.”

Arpan Sheth is a senior partner at Bain & Co. and leads Bain's Asia Pacific Information Technology practice as well as Bain India's Private Equity practice. He has nearly 20 years of consulting experience in the IT industry. He has led large-scale transformation efforts in the IT organizations of leading companies across financial services, technology and telecommunications. Arpan has lead over 250 commercial due diligences into digital platform companies ranging from ride-hailing to marketplaces to collaboration software to shared accommodations to digital payments.

He is an active investor in start-up ecosystem with a portfolio of 20 investments and he serves on the boards of a few non-profit organizations.

Ashutosh (“Ash”) Somani co-leads the San Francisco office for Warburg Pincus, a global growth equity firm, where he focuses on investments in the Software and Payments sectors. He is a member of the Warburg Pincus Charitable Giving Board and helps oversee the firm’s philanthropic efforts. Prior to joining Warburg Pincus, Mr. Somani worked as an investment professional at Audax Group and as a Consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Mr. Somani received an S.B. and M.Eng. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar.

Mr. Somani lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, with his wife, Parul Somani, and their 2 daughters.

Barbara is the Head of Communications & Media at BMW Stiftung Herbert Quandt (BMW Foundation). Barbara studied sinology and economics at the University of Hamburg and the Chinese People's University in Beijing. During her studies, she worked as a freelancer for a German daily newspaper and subsequently at the Institute of Asian Studies of today's German Institute of Global and Area Studies in Hamburg. Later, Barbara Müller headed the China office of the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the German-Chinese Association. In 2002, she joined the BMW Foundation to advance the expansion of the Foundation's Asia programmes. Since September 2011, she began to build up and develop a new communications department within the BMW Foundation.

Bina Rampuria, is the Senior Vice President, Acalpo Pte Ltd, Singapore. She has over 15 years experienced managing the backend administration, operations and management of the company.

Bina has been associated with Magic Bus Global for more than 10 years. She also supports Beyond Social Services and Compassion Fund in Singapore, both local charities supporting kids and families in crisis.

Clive Lewis is Chairman of UK fashion business River Island and its parent company LFH International Ltd. Having qualified as a Barrister in 1979, Clive has spent his career with LFH, working across Real Estate, Finance & Investment and Retail in a number of countries. He is the Chairman of The Newlife Foundation, a UK Child health charity.

Deepak is currently Founder and Director of DSG Partners Asia Pte Ltd. Formerly he was the Founder and Managing Director of Beacon India Private Equity Fund, as well as GEM India. Deepak is an FCA (ICAEW) and qualified as a UK Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in London. He currently serves on the board of Baker's Circle, Bhayana Builders, Impresario, Indostar Capital Finance, Sula Wines, Remy Sula, Saffronart, Trak Ltd and Vatika Group and on the advisory board at Dawn Capital, a UK-focused Venture Capital Fund.

Deepak has an MBA (Distinction) from INSEAD, and an LLB (Hons) from King's College London.

Deval has provided philanthropists with intelligent investment strategies directing over INR 100 crores into the Indian social sector over the past 14 years. He incubated the Indian Philanthropy Forum mobilising over 250 members who are driving the philanthropy agenda in India. He also initiated India’s largest collaborative giving a platform, Dasra Giving Circles, which combines in-depth research, funding and managerial support enabling 15 – 30x scale. Deval has also written articles for esteemed publications such as Business India and Alliance Magazine and has been quoted in media channels like Times of India, The Economic Times, Hindustan Times, Mint, Bloomberg TV and NDTV. 

Before founding Dasra, Deval was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley, which has equipped him to develop a unique philanthropic investment model that brings rigor and discipline to the sector. Deval’s experience in the social sector enabled him to play a vital role in the inception of the Times of India Social-Impact Awards 2011. He is engaged with both philanthropists and social entrepreneurs and has spoken about this unique investment model at leading events such as the Global Philanthropy Forum, Unconvention and Maidan Summit, among others. He has been instrumental in building partnerships with top leaders from the sector such as Omidyar Network (ON), Vodafone Foundation and ICICI Foundation to name a few. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, completing his Bachelor of Business Administration with a dual Honours Degree in Business and Finance and a minor in Asian Studies.

"Magic Bus has the strongest youth development programme in India today. The children enrolled in the programme have a school attendance rate of 80%. Magic Bus has spent the past 19 years refining its model and has invested heavily in programme development and impact assessment to ensure they are consistently changing lives. With the 240 million new joiners to the job market in India over the next twenty years, Magic Bus focuses on providing those in its programme a strong foundation, not only for technical training but, more importantly, preparing them for the workforce with the necessary soft skills and motivation. Dasra directs funding into the social sector and we are proud that Magic Bus was our first funding recipient and one of our most successful to date."

Deval has provided philanthropists with intelligent investment strategies directing over INR 100 crores into the Indian social sector over the past 14 years. He incubated the Indian Philanthropy Forum mobilising over 250 members who are driving the philanthropy agenda in India. He also initiated India’s largest collaborative giving a platform, Dasra Giving Circles, which combines in-depth research, funding and managerial support enabling 15 – 30x scale. Deval has also written articles for esteemed publications such as Business India and Alliance Magazine and has been quoted in media channels like Times of India, The Economic Times, Hindustan Times, Mint, Bloomberg TV and NDTV.

Before founding Dasra, Deval was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley, which has equipped him to develop a unique philanthropic investment model that brings rigor and discipline to the sector. Deval’s experience in the social sector enabled him to play a vital role in the inception of the Times of India Social-Impact Awards 2011. He is engaged with both philanthropists and social entrepreneurs and has spoken about this unique investment model at leading events such as the Global Philanthropy Forum, Unconvention and Maidan Summit, among others. He has been instrumental in building partnerships with top leaders from the sector such as Omidyar Network (ON), Vodafone Foundation and ICICI Foundation to name a few. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, completing his Bachelor of Business Administration with a dual Honours Degree in Business and Finance and a minor in Asian Studies.

"Magic Bus has the strongest youth development programme in India today. The children enrolled in the programme have a school attendance rate of 80%. Magic Bus has spent the past 19 years refining its model and has invested heavily in programme development and impact assessment to ensure they are consistently changing lives. With the 240 million new joiners to the job market in India over the next twenty years, Magic Bus focuses on providing those in its programme a strong foundation, not only for technical training but, more importantly, preparing them for the workforce with the necessary soft skills and motivation. Dasra directs funding into the social sector and we are proud that Magic Bus was our first funding recipient and one of our most successful to date."

Gunjan Kalra is a Managing Director and Head of Corporate Sales & Solutions for Asia Pacific within Global Markets. Gunjan joined Citi’s Management Associate Program in 2002. Since then, she has held various positions based out of New York and Singapore, spearheading several notable transactions across Corporates, Financial Institutions and Public Sector. In her current role, Gunjan leads the sales teams across 16 countries in Asia Pacific to deliver the full suite of Markets execution services and solutions to Corporate and Public Sector clients in the region. In her role, she is responsible for strengthening our key relationships and our leadership position, while driving business growth under a strong and robust control environment. Gunjan has a Bachelors in Computer Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, a Masters in Computer Science from the Singapore Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a Graduate of the Asian Financial Leaders Program sponsored by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Ivan Levy is an entrepreneurial leader, well known for successfully launching and expanding The Body Shop in Switzerland. He joined The Body Shop International PLC in 1996 and continued till 1999 as Executive Global Retail Director and as Board Member. In addition, Ivan Levy has directed a number of other retail businesses and in the process has been recognized as an astute and exemplary consultant. He successfully launched California Closet, a provider of custom-made storage solutions, in Great Britain; as well as advising A.S. Watson Hong Kong and Close Brothers Venture Capital Trust regarding investments in the retail sector. He also worked as non-executive Director with Earthchild South Africa. Ivan was the Vice Chairman of Aids Hilfe Schweiz, and member of the Dean’s Global Advisory Board Council of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He also Chaired the Board of Q Garden Company in the UK and Body Basics S.R.O. in the Czech Republic.

Jai is the Partner-in-Charge of Gibson Dunn's Singapore office and the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Pathak has extensive experience in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, dispositions, privatizations, joint ventures, licensing, infrastructure development, as well as private equity, and structured finance transactions. He has significant experience in the telecommunications, IT, banking, hospitality, oil/gas, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Chambers & Partners Global and Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific 2012 editions ranked Mr. Pathak as a leading lawyer for Corporate/M&A in Singapore and in the same category in India, where he is noted as an 'expert based abroad'. Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2012 identified him as one of the most highly acclaimed legal experts in General Corporate Practice in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Pathak graduated from law school at Oxford University in 1984 (M.A., 1989) and received his LL.M from the University of Virginia in 1985. He previously earned his B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. degrees from the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

Jaideep Khanna is the CEO & Country Head of Barclays India. He is a member of Barclays’ Asia Pacific Executive Committee and has been instrumental in building Barclays India franchise over the last decade. From 1991 till 2001, Jaideep has had intensive and diverse experience in merchant banking, debt origination, and debt capital market at renowned banks such as ANZ Grindlays, ABN Amro, and Deutsche Bank. Jaideep has a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, New York.

Global CEO at the Magic Bus Foundation, Jayant Rastogi has over 25+ years of experience in the corporate and social sector. Prior to joining the Magic Bus Foundation, he worked extensively with top Indian & multinational corporations; he was the CEO of Motorola Solutions, South Asia and has been in several leadership positions at an Asia Pacific level. In addition to this, Jayant has also nurtured his entrepreneurial ambitions by being at the helm of two technology-led initiatives: A social venture focused on providing affordable healthcare for the underprivileged and an aggregator platform for commercial transportation. Jayant is a mechanical engineer, with a flair for scaling up and driving large business operations. He is an avid believer in the benefits of Yoga and plays tennis and badminton.

Jens studied Law and Economics in Osnabrueck and Leiden and also holds a degree in European Telecommunications and Antitrust Law. In the past, he has worked with Deutsche Telekom AG and VIAG Interkom GmbH & Co and has extensive experience in the telecoms and converging communications industry. As part of his specialisation, he advises national and international clients in relation to communications regulation, policy, and transactions, as well as in competition and media law.

Jens is currently a Partner with CMS Hasche Sigle

Jonathan joined the Magic Bus UK Board in February 2010. He has professionally worked as a corporate in-house lawyer and company secretary. He worked for many years in senior legal and managerial roles with Reuters, the leading provider of online information. This included three years living in Hong Kong, providing legal advice and support to local management throughout the Asia Pacific region.

In 2008, he was awarded the ICSA Postgraduate Certificate in Charity Management from London South Bank University.

"Children have no choice over the conditions in which they are born and brought up, that can shape their whole lives. Millions of children in India exist in desperate poverty and deprivation; yet, if offered the right support and guidance, they can take control and radically transform their lives. I believe that we have a responsibility to give them this chance and that Magic Bus is the ideal medium to achieve this".

Kapil Mathur is Managing Partner of The Math Group at Morgan Stanley and leads a team overseeing over $1 billion for leading families throughout the United States.  Mr. Mathur is a Senior Portfolio Management Director, Branch Manager, and Co-Chair of the Firm’s 2,000+ member Multicultural Employee Networking Group.   He is perennially recognised by Forbes on their Best In State Financial Advisor List.

Mr. Mathur has extensive experience advising CEOs as an investor, investment banker, and consultant.   He previously was with McKinsey & Company, Dell Corporate Strategy, and MSD Capital.  Mr. Mathur holds a BBA in Business Honors and Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

In addition to serving as President of the Magic Bus Houston Board, Mr. Mathur is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cullinan Park Conservancy and is a Past President of the Harvard Business School Club of Houston.  

Mr. Mathur is a proud Canadian by birth and lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with his wife, Dr. Sheela Parekh, and their children Shan and Karina.  He enjoys soccer, travel, wine tasting, and philanthropy.   

In 1996, Lindsay Cooper founded Arisaig Partners, an Investment Management business, where he had investment responsibility for the Arisaig Asia Consumer Fund. In 2017 he semi-retired from the financial services industry and in 2018 founded Chic & Unique Pte Ltd, a boutique hotels and hospitality business with operations in Asia and Europe. More recently, Lindsay has founded Chi Tree Health, a preventative healthcare and longevity enterprise in Singapore. He is closely involved with two charities: as Chair of Magic Bus India’s fundraising chapter in Singapore; and as a board member of Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

In 1996, Lindsay Cooper founded Arisaig Partners, an Investment Management business, where he had investment responsibility for the Arisaig Asia Consumer Fund. In 2017 he semi-retired from the financial services industry and in 2018 founded Chic & Unique Pte Ltd, a boutique hotels and hospitality business with operations in Asia and Europe. More recently, Lindsay has founded Chi Tree Health, a preventative healthcare and longevity enterprise in Singapore. He is closely involved with two charities: as Chair of Magic Bus India’s fundraising chapter in Singapore; and as a board member of Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Formerly Chief Operating Officer of Cox and Kings and Founder of Cleartrip.com, Matthew comes with an extensive experience in senior positions in the corporate sector and an intuitive understanding of the needs of children and youth in India.

In 1999, Matthew established Magic Bus, and he has grown the organization from an informal, volunteer-led activity for disadvantaged children, into a leading organization working in the area of mentoring some of India’s poorest children and young people from education to livelihood.

Matthew has been elected an Ashoka Fellow, a TED Fellow and more recently an ACSEP Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (ACSEP) Fellow. In 2007, he was awarded an MBE for services to children in the Commonwealth.

Mr. Rajiv Dube is an Indian industry veteran with nearly 36 years of multi-sector experience, having served at the highest echelons of two Indian conglomerates - Tata and Aditya Birla. He began his career on the shop floor of Tata Motors and rose to be President of its car business before joining the group board of the Aditya Birla group as an executive director, on which he remained for nearly nine years. He has served on several other Indian and foreign boards in various capacities over 21 years and brings deep insights in corporate governance, management and transformation of businesses. An avid sustainability champion, he was an alternate Council Member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Geneva and has been active on several industry bodies. Currently, Mr. Dube is an advisory board member and professor of practice at the Deakin Business School, Melbourne and a senior advisor to firms in India and Australia.

A technology industry insider for over 25 years, Ram has worked in companies large and small from Netscape to Amazon. He is a Board Member for Google and started Sherpalo Venture Capital in 2000 with the goal of applying his wealth of operating and company building experience to promising early stage ventures.

Ram's knowledge of and advice on issues ranging from raising venture capital, key management hiring, making the right product choices and defining and adapting the business model to changing market conditions can help you to secure early customer wins, build momentum from a standing start, and generate international growth. Ram also sits on the board of Naukri.com, a leading Indian job-seeker website.

"Magic Bus with its passionate volunteers and mentors have changed the trajectory and lives of countless young children growing up in poverty by providing them with livelihoods and a sense of purpose."

Ruby is an experienced business advisor to the private company market. She has worked in professional services firms for over 30 years, the last 20 at PwC where she was a partner whose roles included heading up the Private Business practice, leading on the PwC sponsored Private Business Awards and latterly as leader of the Milton Keynes office.

Having retired as a PwC partner at the end of June 2019, she now wears many hats supporting the private, public and charitable sectors. She also continues to mentor individuals and supports organisations with their Diversity and Inclusion agenda.

Her other roles include: Chair of TOTM (an organic and sustainable feminine hygiene products business), Director of Twenty3 (a MK based sports intelligence business), Non Exec Director of Wells and Co (a local Family Business in the brewing and Pub sector), Board Governor of Milton Keynes College and Trustee and Vice Chair of Women Leaders UK (a MK based Charity). When not engaging in business, education and opening up and sharing networks, Ruby is a British Red Cross Volunteer and works at the MK Winter Night Shelter. She enjoys walking the dog, keeping fit, and growing vegetables.

Samantha is the Managing Director of Nayar Global. She has been involved with numerous charities in the US and Australia primarily working with differently-abled children and AIDS. Samantha has worked in advertising and marketing, with many of the major global agencies in Account Management, for 16 years. She has worked with a varied range of high-profile brands including Coca-Cola, Nestle, Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Goodyear, United Distillers, Ferrari, Guerlain, De Beers, and Gillette, across the globe.

In her former position as Executive Vice President and Worldwide Account Director for BBDO in New York, she was running $250 million of business in 70 markets.

Samantha is Managing Director of Nayar Global. She has been involved with numerous charities in the US and Australia primarily working with differently-abled children and AIDS. Samantha has worked in advertising and marketing, with many of the major global agencies in Account Management, for 16 years. She has worked with a varied range of high-profile brands including Coca-Cola, Nestle, Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Goodyear, United Distillers, Ferrari, Guerlain, De Beers and Gillette, across the globe.

In her former position as Executive Vice President and Worldwide Account Director for BBDO in New York, she was running $250 million of business in 70 markets.

Sandeep Murthy is a Partner at Lightbox and as an early investor in InMobi and InfoEdge, two of India's billion-dollar technology unicorns, Sandeep Murthy is one of the builders of India's Internet economy. And he hasn't just seen the highs and lows play out as an investor but has actually roughed it out in operational roles including one as the CEO of Cleartrip in 2006 for two years. Today he's a co-founder and partner at Lightbox, a venture capital firm based in Mumbai that works closely with entrepreneurs from across India to build world class teams and consumer technology products.

Sandeep did his undergrad in both business and engineering from the University of Pennsylvania as well as an MBA from Wharton.

“By applying business principles and metrics, Magic Bus is tackling the challenge of creating opportunity and changing behaviour in the less privileged corners of our country on a massive scale. I am proud to support this effort and believe that it is only through these type of innovative and scalable efforts will we be able to make a tangible impact on poverty.”

Sanjay is the Chief Financial Officer at Kooth plc, the UK's leading digital mental health platform. Kooth employs over 200 counsellors and is commissioned by more than 90% of the NHS providing support to more than 7 million young people and adults. Sanjay previously held senior finance positions at a combination of public and private equity backed technology and services businesses including QualiTest, Barclays and FTI Consulting. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant and was an audit manager at Price Waterhouse.

Shaneen Parikh is a Partner with the law Firm of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, one of India's foremost law firms. Her main areas of practice are alternate dispute resolution and corporate and commercial litigation and general advisory work. She has acted for several multinational and domestic companies in arbitrations, regulatory forums, and courts across the country.

"Having been a keen sportswoman (a competitive equestrienne and dancer), I recognise the value of sport in personal development and discipline and believe entirely in the value of the Magic Bus programmes and mission."

Shaneen Parikh is a Partner with the law Firm of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, one of India's foremost law firms. Her main areas of practice are alternate dispute resolution and corporate and commercial litigation and general advisory work. She has acted for several multinational and domestic companies in arbitrations, regulatory forums, and courts across the country.

"Having been a keen sportswoman (a competitive equestrienne and dancer), I recognise the value of sport in personal development and discipline and believe entirely in the value of the Magic Bus programmes and mission."

Stephen Hunt, is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Aglaia Family Office. He has over 30 years experienced in global financial markets.

Founded in 2006, the Aglaia Family Office advises a collection of 35 single families, trusts and foundations across the globe, on the structuring of their wealth and their investments .

Aglaia Families invest in both public and private markets. This includes individual businesses, venture capital, private credit, private equity, real estate, commodities, equities and fixed income.

Vik Uppal is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Terra Capital Partners, a real estate credit focused investment firm. He joined the firm as part of Axar Capital Management’s strategic investment in Terra. At Axar, Mr. Uppal was a Partner and Head of Real Estate. Prior to Axar, Mr. Uppal was a Managing Director on the Investment Team at Fortress Investment Group’s Credit and Real Estate Funds and Co-Head of North American Real Estate Investments at Mount Kellett Capital Management, a private investment organization with $8 billion of assets under management.

Mr. Uppal is a member of the President’s Council of The Real Estate Roundtable, a non-profit public policy organization that helps ensure a more cohesive industry voice is heard by government officials and the public about real estate and its important role in the global economy. Mr. Uppal is an active member and serves as a board member of Magic Bus.

Mr. Uppal holds a BS from the University of St. Thomas and a MS from Columbia University.

Vivek Salgaocar is a Director at the Vimson Group, a family-owned conglomerate with interests in mineral resources, real estate and financial services. The group is also actively involved in philanthropic initiatives, particularly in healthcare and sports. He is also Co-Founder of Prospect Mining Studio, which supports start-ups and innovators as they build, pilot and scale frontier technologies to address the biggest challenges facing the natural resource and mining industries in a sustainable and socially responsible way.

Vivek earned his MBA from Columbia Business School, and his BA summa cum laude, from Emory University. He was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader in 2020 and is part of the Young Leadership Circle (YLC) at the Milken Institute. Vivek is a member of the Advisory Board of the Family Business Program at Columbia Business School, and is a member of the Singapore Chapters of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), and Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).
Vivek is from Goa, India and currently resides in Singapore.