Need help with finance, taxes & growth? You're at the best place.

Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the retail industry. Skilled in Negotiation, CustomerService, Coaching, Sales, and Retail. Strong business development professional with a MBA focused in Finance & Marketing fromSpears School of Business, Oklahoma State University.

Specsmakers is India's fastest growing optical chain. Started in 2007 with its first store, Specsmakers has now grown to 295 stores and is still entering new geographies. Currently Specsmakers has stores in 35 cities in the south and is now looking at expanding aggressively pan India. Specsmakers manufactures its own brand of frames and optical lenses and is a 100% single brand retailer. They work on a complete company owner, company operated module and each of their stores is sized at an average of 350 square feet. Specsmakers take pride in having created a niche for themselves in the affordable eyewear space, by providing professional eyecare services at affordable prices with exceptional customer service. Their goal is to be a 500 store entity providing 2020 vision to all our customers.

M P Vijay Kumar is a Chartered accountant, Cost accountant and Company secretary. He joined Sify in 2007 as Chief Financial Officer and also serves as Director on the Boards of Sify Technologies Singapore Pte Limited, National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and Thejo Engineering Limited.

He was recently voted in as Member, IFRS Advisory Council 2019-21 and also serves as Council Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India since 2016 and as Member on the SEBI Committee on Disclosures in Accounting.

His leadership roles include heading the Accounting Standards Board, Financial Reporting Review Board and Committee on Accounting Standards for Local Bodies as Vice Chairman and the Digital Accounting & Assurance Board and Valuation Standards Board as Chairman.

His industry associations include the CFO Forum, the National Committee on Financial Reporting and the Accounting Standards Board of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

National and International awards have come his way, among them being recognised as among the 100 most influential CFOs in India by CIMA, making the Roll of Honour of the Top 100 CFOs in India and very recently, the National Award for contribution to Financial Accounting by Capital Foundation Society.

He also dons other hats; as a speaker on the professional circuit in India and the Middle East & South East Asia on IFRS, Accounting Standards, Audit, Corporate Laws and Capital Market and as an Author of over 8 popular titles on Accounting, Accounting Standards, Audit Standards and Company Law that are in continuous reprints.

Mr.K.Vaitheeswaran has over 29 years of practice in the field of law, advising various corporates both in India and abroad as well as advising various associations. He holds additional qualifications from the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India and Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He is also the author of various books on Indirect Taxes, Cenvat and VAT. He is also the head of the Taxation Committee of the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry; member of the Tamil Nadu Branch Committee – Indo-American Chamber of Commerce; member of the Economic Policy Advisory Committee; Confederation of Indian Industry, Southern Region.

Mr. V M Rajasekharan is a certified coach for senior management and business leaders. He is also a Mentor helping entrepreneurs @ IIT Incubation Centre, Chennai and at other Institutions like TiE Chennai where he is a charter member. He is the Founder and Chief Consultant of "Business Clinique", a unique initiative that provides companies across industries quick and effective solutions for the challenges they face across multiple areas.

He worked at ITC Ltd. for 32 years, retiring as the CEO of the Matches & Agarbatti Division in 2018. Prior to ITC, he worked with M. M. Rubber's BOPP division from 1980 to 1986 after graduating with a Chemical Engineering degree in 1980.

He has been the Chief Executive of ITC’s Agarbatti (Incense Sticks) business since its inception in 2003. Additionally, he was also the Chief Executive of the Matches Business since 2010. He modeled and ran both businesses on the principles of lean management and aggressive market expansion. He was also the Managing Director of WIMCO Ltd.

He joined ITC's Packaging and Printing Division in 1986, where he handled various responsibilities in operations, domestic sales, planning and technology development, serving on the Management Committee of that Division.

His involvement in social and business forums includes being Chairman of CSR committee of Madras Chamber of Commerce for two years from 2016. He has been instrumental in promoting sustainable development projects in collaboration with several State Governments, with a focus on sustainability for SSIs and livelihood creation.

Mr. Santhosh Palavesh started as a freelancing designer/short film director before shifting focus to advertising/branding. Started his company Untitled Movie Makers(UMM Studios) in 2007, ventured into advertising/branding, technology, digital marketing and blockchain with experts taking care of the respective verticals. Currently his business has offices in 5 countries, over 120+ employees, 500+ clients including fortune 500 brands. He has worked with clients like L&T, Mercedes Benz and so on.

Mr. Palavesh is actively involved in the rapidly growing blockchain and cryptocurrency space and holds CIO position with Belfrics, currently exploring ways in which blockchain can help governments & companies function better. He is conceptualising and building products on blockchain technology for the global market.

Narasimhan has worked in the Automotive and Auto Ancillary sectors for over four decades. He was, most recently, the Executive Director and a Member of the Board of WIL Car Wheels Limited - a JV between Wheels India Limited (WIL) and Topy Industries, Japan.

He spent a decade in the United Arab Emirates where he was involved in and oversaw the production and installation of steel structures and special equipment for aluminium smelters which had applications in the Construction, Oil & Gas and Shipbuilding sectors.

He served as the COO and later CEO of a manufacturer in tools and dies, sheet metal dies and parts for industries ranging from automobiles, auto ancillaries and consumer appliances to electricals, electronics and aerospace.

He has worked in positions which demanded Strategic Decision making , Greenfield Project management and Technology-assisted Manufacturing, Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement.

Narasimhan is also a Chartered Engineer and a Certified Valuer. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University, Chennai.

On the personal front, Narasimhan is an amateur singer and has had public appearances as well as recorded albums. He has written, composed and sung anthems on Safety, Quality and Environment in Tamil, which are still being used in the manufacturing plants of WIL.

He is also a speaker at Colleges and Institutions where he delivers lectures and talks both as a subject-matter expert and as a motivator. He now advises startups and companies in the production and manufacturing space on Industry 4.0.

He is engaged with Thors e-learning solutions as a Subject Matter Expert in developing courses.

Course on Wheel Basics was launched in Mid January 2021.

Chandran has over 35 years’ experience in IT/ITES, Financial Services, Investment Advisory, Automotive, Aerospace & Defence, Other Industrial Sectors and Startup Ecosystem.

He has headed profit centres overseeing operations across India, Americas, UK, Europe and ANZ. He has also led many cross-border and domestic M&A transactions. Besides, he has managed Corporate Strategy, New Business Development, Marketing, Sourcing, IT and HR functions.

Organizations that he has worked for include The Chennai Angels, HCL Technologies, CK Birla Group, Rane Group, Ashok Leyland Finance, Reliance Life Insurance and Elgi Equipments.

Chandran is a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai and holds Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.

His last assignment was as CEO of The Chennai Angels. He is currently the CEO of SSN Incubation Foundation, part of SSN Institutions founded by Dr Shiv Nadar.

S. Dorai Rajan is an acknowledged authority in Lean Management and an experienced Cost & Management Expert. He is Associate Member of Institute of Cost Accountants of India and a Certified Practicing Accountant.

He has over 22 years of industrial experience at various levels, in different industries viz., Coal, Steel, Paper, Tea and Light engineering. During his career he handled many functions like Treasury, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Commercial and finally was the Profit center head for a Steel-making unit.

He has a global consulting experience with organizations operating in India, Middle East, South East Asia and servicing a few Clients in Europe, Africa and Australia across various industries like Startup, Retail, Manufacturing, FMCG, Logistics, Hospitality, NGOs, Construction, Plantation & Agriculture among others.

He is a trained Family Business Advisor and supports many Indian family managed organizations in many ways – including being a member of the Advisory Board.

He has authored two key handbooks –both published by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, the statutory body in India for promoting the cost management education in India.

• Hand book on Activity Based Costing - 1997
• Process, Productivity & Quality for SMEs – 2018

Mr. Parameswaran (Param) has equal measures of management consulting and industry experience in transforming businesses both through senior management roles in industry and as a trusted advisor for CxOs.

In 30+ years of his corporate career, he has worked with Pfizer, Hindustan Unilever, PwC-PRTM, Cognizant, TAFE with the final full-time role as Chief Strategy Officer of Coromandel International.

Param continues his passion for coaching & consulting. He offers services across the entire value chain to large, medium and small enterprises in IT Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Academics.

His knowledge base spans several industries that includes pharmaceuticals, consumer goods (food and beverage, personal care), medical devices, medical diagnostics, biotech, automotive, agriculture. During his industry stints, he has held functional roles in manufacturing, supply chain, R&D, marketing, and sales while helping clients across the same functional areas during his management consulting stints.

Param is currently the Co-Chair for the CII Chief Strategy Officers (CSO) Forum. He has over ten peer reviewed publications across management, biotechnology and chemical engineering and has spoken at a number of international conferences. He is a qualified Six Sigma black belt and a Food Processing Authority certified by the FDA. He contributes to various social causes through many organizations.

Param holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the University of Iowa. Additionally, Param holds a B. Tech (Chemical Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur in India.

Mr. Ashok Kumar has 38 Yrs. of experience in the Corporate Sector, in Automotive and Engineering & Alternate Energy Industries– BOSCH India, TVS group, RANE group, Schwing Stetter India , Ganges International & Greaves Cotton Ltd.

Trained in Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) by Yamaguchi San & Kawashima San of JIPM ( Japanese Institute of Plant Maintenance ) and Total Quality Management (TQM) / Deming Prize by Prof. Washio, Tokyo University, Japan.

He is also a Certified Lean Assessor - from Frost & Sullivan. Part of ACMA panel of Manufacturing Excellence Assessors for MSMEs and a former member of CII - Manufacturing Excellence Committee.

He has headed several consulting engagements in Manufacturing Excellence, Process improvements using Core Tools and Kaizen Methodology in Client Companies in the FMCG, (BELL group, USA), Automotive Components Industry (BOSCH India), Solar Power Industry ( GANGES International ) and other engineering Industries.

His work in New Product / Project Management ( NPM ), using Core Tools - APQP,PPAP, PFMEA,SPC and MSA has reduced Time - to- Market significantly in Auto Components Industry, ensuring Right Quality at Right time.

He has achieved significant Cost Reduction benefits in Supply Chain Management thro' Manufacturing Excellence Practices in Construction Equipment Manufacturing Industry supplier base, working as Task Force Leader along with M/s. A.T. Kearney, one of the Top 3 Global Management Consultants.

He steered a team of HODs at Greaves Cotton Ltd. to achieve GOLD Medal in India Manufacturing Excellence Award (IMEA).

Balaseshan Rajaram is an experienced operational professional with an ambition to develop leaders for future. His professional career spanning nearly 40 years has been in the automotive component manufacturing – with Wheels India Limited, a TVS group company and Gestamp Automation a European MNC.

Rajaram’s experience covers all functions that are key for the success of organizations – Operational excellence, Shop-floor management with special focus on Safety, Quality and Cost, Product and Process development and Business Development.

Rajaram strongly believes that “Organizations make or lose money in the shop-floor” and focus on operational improvement is essential for the wellbeing of the organization. Rajaram is also a “Business, Leadership and Life Coach” – obtained ACC certification from International Coaching Federation.

Rajaram’s professional expertise in the manufacturing industry has helped companies implement flexible manufacturing system in robotic welding cells utilized for different components with quick change fixturing – 40% Capex reduction.

His implementation capabilities in the manufacturing units have increased the efficiency and reduced storage and spaces significantly by modifying the line layouts, integrating child parts manufacturing and WIP stages.

Lead the team which won the Technology Innovation award from ACMA for the new process for manufacture of discs.

Ramesh Krishnan is a seasoned business leader with over 35 years of extensive experience in end-to-end supply chain management. He possesses a proven track record in driving productivity improvement, cost optimization, capacity unlocking, and waste reduction within organizations. Ramesh strongly believes in the power of passionate people to make a significant impact on an organization's success. Throughout his career, he has worked across various cultures, both within and outside India, and has excelled in identifying and mentoring highly engaged, capable, and motivated teams. Ramesh holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bangalore.

As an independent management consultant, Ramesh has handled assignments such as restructuring the supply chain and manufacturing operations of a long-established Alco-Bev business in Nepal, overseeing their manufacturing operations in East Africa, consulting for supply chain management at Satyam Computer Services Ltd, plant management, franchise operations, and manufacturing.

Prior to his consultancy role, Ramesh has served the positions of,
Chief Executive Officer at Nyanza Bottling Co Ltd in Tanzania
VP Operations and Executive Director (Technical) at Carlsberg India Pvt. Ltd.
Supply Director for Diageo India in Mumbai
Supply Director at Serengeti Breweries Ltd, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, Tanzania
General Manager Manufacturing at Pepsi Foods Limited, New Delhi

During his tenure leading various organisations and functions in the above companies, Ramesh has achieved remarkable results like assisting the company to double market share in 3 years, reduce manufacturing costs, rolling out an embedded S&OP processes resulting in a changed sales planning and forecast successfully delivering innovation projects. Optimized the Manufacturing footprint of the three breweries with an installed capacity of 1.6 MHL across Tanzania and ensured all plants work at the designed levels of productivity and efficiency. Erection and commissioning of the Greenfield brewery at Moshi within the budgeted expenditure and the agreed timelines.

Mr. Venkatanarayanan R serves as the distinguished President and Executive Leader of the esteemed Rane Group, bringing forth a remarkable career spanning over four decades. With profound industry expertise, he has emerged as a luminary in HR, IR, learning & organization development, and change management domains. Throughout his illustrious journey, Mr. Venkatanarayanan has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of major corporations, including SAIL and Mascon Global.

Beyond corporate corridors, his influence has extended to industry forums. As a notable member of the CII National Council on HR & IR and former President of the Chennai Chapter of the National HRD Network (2017-19), he has significantly shaped industry standards. Additionally, his leadership as the Chairman of EFSI (2019 -22), TN, underscores his commitment to advancing the business ecosystem.

Mr. Venkatanarayanan's academic journey is equally impressive, marked by accomplishments at distinguished institutions such as the Royal Institute of Public Administration, London, IIM Calcutta, University of Madras, and Calcutta University. His accolades include the coveted Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), USA

Dr. Vetrivel Arumugam is an expert in Spinning Mills costing and textile technology who has helped many spinning mills revive with better financial improvement. He has been recognized as One of the Top 10 COOs in India Award – Year 2020 besides Best Citizen Gold Medal Award 2020.

He has developed many skills and helps business thrive in operations through:

• Target Costing and Time driven Activity Based Costing
• Kai-Zen - Continuous Improvement System
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma - Zero defect Management
• Market Development and Profit Management

A Diploma holder in Textile Technology, he did his graduation in AMIE Textile Engineering from Institution of Engineers, Went on to Complete his MBA in Marketing Management from Annamalai University, took up his M.Phil in Finance Management from Vinayaga Mission- Salem and finally completed his PhD in Finance Management from Karpagam University Coimbatore.

Dr. Vetrivel is also a visiting faculty for many colleges in and around Coimbatore enriching the future knowledge in textile sector.