Advisors

The SICCI Panel of Advisors comprises eminent members of the business community in Singapore. Their advice, guidance and support play a vital role in enabling the Board of Directors to ensure the continued growth and success of the Chamber.

Name

Ms Indranee Rajah
Minister, Prime Minister’s Office

Name

Mr Lawrence Leow
Group Chairman & CEO, Crescendas Group

Name

Mr Inderjit Singh
CEO of Solstar International Pte Ltd

Name

Dr Shahzad Nasim
Group Executive Chairman, Meinhardt Group

Currently, SICCI has four distinguished persons serving as Advisors, with terms of office that are the same as that of the Board which appointed them.

Directors

SICCI’s Board of Directors (2020-22)

DR T. CHANDROO

Chairman

• Chairman of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Investment Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Chairman & CEO of Modern Montessori International Group

Dr T. Chandroo is the Chairman of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) and Modern Montessori International (MMI), an international group of companies with over 100 teacher-training centres and preschool centres all over the world. Additionally, Dr Chandroo also serves as the MMI Group’s CEO, which duties and responsibilities involve overseeing conception and implementation of all business strategies, policies, and processes. Dr Chandroo has grown his company from a single-unit training centre into a multi-million and multi-national education organization employing over 500 staff members in more than 15 countries. In 2005, Dr Chandroo was named the Entrepreneur of the Year by SICCI-DBS. In 2006, Dr Chandroo was one of the finalists for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Rotary-ASME. In the same year, MMI was named a Franchisor of the Year by the Franchising & Licensing Association, Singapore. In 2009, Dr Chandroo was again named Singapore’s Leading Indian Entrepreneurs for the Year (Large Enterprise) by SICCI-DBS. In October 2010, Dr Chandroo was awarded the Outstanding Entrepreneur Award for the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) 2010. In August 2013, Dr Chandroo was awarded the Alumnus of the Year for the Southern Cross Business School, Southern Cross University, Australia. In August 2013, Dr Chandroo received the “Asia Most Promising Business Leader” Award in Dubai - an award validated by KPMG India and a luminous panel of judges. Apart from his entrepreneurial strives, Dr Chandroo is also an avid philanthropist, often contributing generously to the community to aid the less fortunate. He also holds key appointments in various government, and community-based organisations as part of giving back to the community.

MR KISHORE JETHANAND DARYANANI

Vice-Chairman

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Managing Director, Ganga Jamuna Electronics Pte Ltd

Founded in 1986 with a Paid-up Capital of $2.4 million, Ganga Jamuna Electronics is one of the leading import/export business for branded consumer products. Within a span of 22 years and under the leadership of Mr Kishore, the Company has secured a strong foothold in new and emerging markets and CIS countries. Born in a family of businessmen, Mr Kishore has an eye for entrepreneurship and decades of hands-on experience. He has held key appointments in several companies which tells of his vast experience. Mr Kishore is also the Honorary Consul of the Democratic Republic of Congo

MR MANEESH TRIPATHI

Vice-Chairman

• Vice Chairman of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of International and Bilateral Trade Nations, Incubation and Start-ups and Sports Sub-Committees of SICCI
• Group CEO – Digilife Technologies Limited -SGX Listed Singapore
• Chairman and CEO – Affinity Capital & Selular Global Networks/Indonesia and Singapore Electric Vehicles Pte Ltd

Mr. Maneesh Tripathi is based out of Singapore for the last 20 years and is a Global citizen who has worked in more than 10 countries including United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Singapore, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and India, in various Multinational firms.

He has 28+ years of work experience and is currently managing approximately S$300 million dollar plus listed company in Singapore called SEVAK Limited which operates in the areas of Telecom, Information Technology/System Integration and Electric Vehicles. Maneesh has also worked with MNCs like IBM Asia Pacific and Philips and Olivetti. He was also the Asia Pacific Business head (and then COO of IBM – ISS) with IBM Global Services for nearly 10 years working out of Singapore.

Maneesh was recently elected as Vice Chairman of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) in 2020 and is appointed as the Chairman of Committees leading “Incubation and Startups” and “Bilateral and Multilateral Trade relations” for Singapore via SICCI.

He is an active member of various organizations and is in the Executive Committee of SGTech, a member of Singapore Institute of Directors (SID), Singapore Computer Society (SCS), Singapore Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (SVCA), Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) and an advisor at FundedHere the first Crowd Funding platform in Singapore. He is also a Hon Governing Board member of Global aSchools Foundation at Singapore.

Maneesh Tripathi is an Engineering Graduate by qualification with a Degree in Electronics and Telecom and has a PGCGM/Management graduate from (IIM) India Institute of Management, Calcutta, India. Maneesh Tripathi is an ardent State level cricket player from India and has a Certificate in Film Production & Planning from Singapore Media Academy.

MR GEORGE ABRAHAM

Honorary Treasurer

• Treasurer of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Administration Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Chairman of Finance Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Chairman, The GA Group Pte Ltd

George Abraham is an alumnus of Raffles Institution, Singapore. He has Postgraduate Degrees in Political Science (M.A., Aligarh), Social Science ( M.Soc.Science, University of Singapore) and Human Resource Development (M.A., George Washington University, USA). He has attended Advanced Management Programmes at INSEAD, the Australian Administrative Staff College, International Trade Centre (UNCTAD / WTO) and Asian Productivity Organisation.

He has, for over 30 years, worked extensively in the region in various capacities as Executive Director of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), Hon. Secretary General of the Singapore Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Secretary General of the ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and Industry, articulating the views of the private sector, forging links and enhancing business prospects of companies and representing these organizations at international fora. He is also a consultant to various UN Agencies (ILO, ESCAP, UNDP and World Bank’s MIGA) in SME development and private sector capacity building in the Asia Pacific, SAARC, Africa and Eastern European countries.

Mr. Abraham is Chairman of the SME Development Council of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry (CACCI). He was the Regional Representative (ASEAN) of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). He has served on various private and public-sector boards and was Chairman of the Feedback Group on Economic Development, of Singapore’s Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) from 2000-2007 and on the Resource Panel of the Government Parliamentary Council for Trade & Industry till 2009.

Mr. Abraham was awarded the Outstanding Young Person of Singapore in 1987 by the Singapore Jaycees. For his services to the business communities abroad, he has received Awards from the Government of the Philippines and Government of Kerala State, India. For his services to the Indian diaspora, he was awarded the Pravasi Community Service Award 2007 by the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) at their annual conference in 2007 held in New Delhi.

Mr. Abraham is Chairman of The GA Group Pte Ltd comprising Global Indian Business Network Pte Ltd (GIBN), George Abraham & Associates Pte Ltd & Asia - Pacific Business Pte Ltd. It primarily functions as An international business consultancy facilitating business linkages; An organisation promoting cross border trade and investments in APAC region through its business missions abroad, global business summits and co-supporting initiatives spearheaded by state investment companies from countries such as China, India and ASEAN member states; and A company with a niche focus in organising high-level global diaspora business summits & conferences in the emerging economies of the Asia Pacific region.

GIBN was awarded the LEAP Partner Award in 2005 by Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), SPRING Singapore and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, in appreciation of its efforts to accelerate the growth of enterprises and industries in Singapore.

MR KHORSHED ALAM CHOWDHURY

Co-opt Director

• Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Managing Director, Panmark Impex Pte Ltd Singapore

Mr. Korshed Alam Chowdhury is a visionary with experience and expertise in trading, Mr. Chowdhury is keen on furthering his outreach by engaging in manufacturing of locally made products in Bangladesh. His background with Panmark Impex Pte Ltd, general trader for various world-renowned brands, allowed him to embark on successful projects to set up marketing and manufacturing entities in Bangladesh. He maintains strong partnerships and is resilient to the ever-changing market. Mr. Chowdhury, together with his team, aspires to diversify their global footprint by furthering business relations through business activities in Bangladesh.

MR MURALIKRISHNAN RANGAN

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Digitalization Sub-Committee of SICCI
• CEO, Print Lab Pte Ltd

Print Lab is the first, largest and only print agency in Singapore- with over 50 machines, occupying over 50,000sqft and employing over 130 staff. Print Lab has grown at an astonishing pace to become the youngest and largest Print Agency in Singapore offering a large variety of services. Print Lab has transited towards a greener supply chain with over 70 per cent of the total materials used are collected and recycled. This commitment to driving sustainability was also recognised by Unilever's yearly audit for environmental friendliness. Mr Murali is a highly spiritual man who is growing his company for reasons beyond himself; he actively partakes in charitable and social causes and intends to serve more people as he builds more resources.

MR PARTHIBAN MURUGAIYAN

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Aspiring Entrepreneur Network Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Managing Director, Ishtara and Luvenus Jewellery

Mr Partiban took over his family’s gold jewellery business at the age of 22 and transformed it into one of the leading jewellery merchants in the industry. With extensive experience gained over the years along with good foresight, Mr Parthiban set up Luvenus Jewellery to realise his global vision. In 2012, its first outlet opened in Changi Airport. It made its impression on the global scene with the opening of its first international outlet in Hong Kong Airport. He also became the first local Indian entrepreneur from the retail industry to be bestowed the winner of the Rotary Singapore ASME New Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

MR M.S MANIAM

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Founder & CEO, Seagull Pte Ltd

Founded in 2003, Seagull Pte Ltd is a Singapore registered ISO 9001 certified company that specialises in marine, offshore and subsea engineering. With his sheer passion and zest for turning a vision into reality, Mr Maniam, the Founder and CEO of Seagull Pte Ltd catapulted the SME into a leading company with over 400 clients worldwide. Mr Maniam is a true engineer at heart who personifies the three P’s of success - Planning, Professionalism and Precision.

MR YAHIYA KHAN

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Business Development and Branding Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Founder, Big Foot Logistic Pte Ltd

Mr Yahiya Khan founded Big Foot Logistic Pte Ltd in 1992. He started as an employee at the Port of Singapore Authority and entered business at the age of 21. Through hard work the company has now established itself as a specialist in a wide range of Logistics and Seaport Operations and services. Mr Yahiya had diversified the company by venturing into Medicare, Waste Management, Cleaning and Drinking Water sectors. Big Foot has built a strong reputation in Singapore, enjoying long-standing relationships with NTUC, PSA, ABR Holding, Swensen, SIAEC, and so forth.

MR RAJAN BAGARIA

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Founder & President, Marwari Mitra Mandal
• Founder, Singapore Pulses Federation Ltd
Mr Rajan Bagaria, a well-known businessman, was on the SICCI Board of Directors from 2010 to 2014. He was the founder and President of the Marwari Mitra Mandal (Singapore) which represents the Marwari community in Singapore. He was also the founder of The Singapore Pulses Federation Ltd, which was set up to assist all pulses traders of Singapore. He founded Arvee International Pte. Ltd. in 1990. The company's line of business includes the wholesale distribution of groceries and related products.

MS PURNIMA KAMATH

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Founder & CEO, De Ideaz Pte Ltd

Ms Purnima started her own company capitalising on her past experiences in marketing communications by setting her foot in the education, events, cultural and arts ecology space. She graduated from the Nanyang Technological University with an MBA degree in International Business and brings with her more than 25 years of varied experience in Business Development, Marketing, PR, and IT. Today, De Ideaz is one of the leading event management companies in Singapore and the Asia Pacific known for managing and executing Indian diaspora events.

MS SHOBHA TSERING BHALLA

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of SHE@SICCI, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Relations Sub-Committees of SICCI
• Managing Director, India Se Media

Shobha is a well-known Singaporean journalist who has extensive experience as a print and online journalist and media entrepreneur. She made a name as an award-winning journalist in The Straits Times and TODAY with her incisive cutting-edge opinion columns and ground-breaking stories. Shobha was also the first Managing Editor of the online portal Lycos-Asia, in charge of content in 9 countries. Holding a master’s degree in English Literature and Political Science, Shobha founded India Se Media in 2007, the first media company serving the Indian diaspora in Southeast Asia. She began her working life as a Management Trainee in India’s largest bank, the State Bank of India. Before starting her own media company, Shobha was also the Editor of the Equities Dept of OCBC Bank. She was then head-hunted by ING-Barings as Regional Research Editor of their Equities Division.

MR JK SARAVANA

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Digital Marketing Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Chairman & Founder, Tantra Inc - Group of Companies

In 2002, JK Saravana at the age of 21, founded Tantra Inc - Group of Companies. In 2007, he was thrust into the International arena as the Youngest Tamil Film Producer of Kollywood. He produced one of the Top 5 films of 2007, ‘Chennai 600028’ and years later 'Chennai 600028 - II Innings'. His television production wing, Tantra Television is most sought after for its highly rated series. He has produced numerous television series commissioned by Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and MediaCorp Channels. In the last 18 years, JK Saravana has been honoured with many 'Pradhana Vizha Awards' (Tamil Television Awards) and has also been nominated for the prestigious 'Asian Television Awards'. In 2009, JK Saravana was named Singapore’s Young Entrepreneur for the Year by SICCI-DBS. In 2010, JK Saravana was awarded the Spirit of Enterprise Award. In the last decade, JK Saravana has expanded his media empire into new global markets and established it into an International Media Powerhouse. In July 2020, JK Saravana launched his own International OTT Video Streaming Platform, Flixdaa.com. JK Saravana has led his trusted global team into the New Age of Media. Apart from his entrepreneurial endeavours, JK Saravana along with like-minded friends leads a Self-Help Charity organisation, Wish A Smile Foundation. JK Saravana continues to contribute to the Singaporean Society through his commitment to many other community-based organisations.

MR MURALLI RAJA RAJARAM

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Partner, K&L Gates Straits Law

Mr Muralli Raja Rajaram is involved in commercial litigation and disputes, international arbitration, restructuring & insolvency, and internal investigations. He has appeared in several levels of Courts in Singapore and has considerable experience dealing with high-value litigation cases. On the International Arbitration front, Muralli has broad experience dealing with ad hoc and institutional arbitrations as well as seeking redress and intervention from the Courts in relation to such arbitrations. Muralli is ranked in IFLR 1000’s 2020 edition as a Highly Regarded Practitioner in the Restructuring and Insolvency practice area. He is also identified as one of nine “Future Leaders” in Singapore by Who’s Who Legal 2020 in Litigation practice. Muralli sits on the Council of the Singapore Red Cross. In 2020, Muralli was appointed as an Assessor under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 and sits on the Lease/Licence of Non-Residential Immovable Property panel.

MR RAJKUMAR PERUMAL

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Chairman of Membership Sub-Committee of SICCI
• Managing Director, International Paradise Connexions Tours & Travels Pte Ltd

Mr Rajkumar owns a 24-year-old travel agency specializing in educational and corporate tours to all parts of the world. For educational tours, they have been contracted by MOE Singapore to organise students learning journeys and team building sessions. All their programs are built on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Envision 2030. Currently, they have ground presence in India, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Bhutan, Morocco, Mongolia, and Dubai. Over the years they have grown from strength to strength to establish themselves as a household name in the education and corporate travel segment. Mr Rajkumar has won numerous awards and accolades such as the finalist of SICCI AWARD 2012, MOM Exemplary Employer Award winner and WDA PATA Innovation award winner.

MR TUSHAR PRITAMLAL DOSHI

Director

• Board Director of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Independent Director, SEVAK Limited

In 1996, Mr. Tushar Doshi embarked on his entrepreneurial venture under the name of Tushiv International Pte Ltd. Under this company Mr. Doshi began his trading business in agricultural commodities and chemicals, computer peripherals and amongst the first to introduce virtual advertising. In 2003, Mr. Doshi focused on developing a unique and patented art formed called 3 Dimensional Holographic Sculptures. He created a global market for these artworks. In 2016, Mr. Doshi sold this part of the business to his local Indonesian director. Since mid-2016, Mr. Doshi has been an Independent Director on the Board of Directors at Sevak Ltd, a SGX Listed company. He is Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee in the company. Mid-2017, Mr. Doshi became a Global Independent Distributor for an American manufacturer in Stem Cell Lift technology, DNA Reparation and Anti-Aging and Longevity space of the Health and Wellness industry. He is also working in the Professional and Personal Development areas to assist individual and corporate clients to discover and improve their strengths for better success. Mr. Doshi is involved in the trading of physical Crude Oil and various downstream products. In Oct 2019, Mr. Doshi serves as an Advisor to Darwin Travel Tech Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai, India based Travel Technology start-up which is enabling service providers and travel agents to offer real time travel packages to travellers for their personal and business trips. He is also a Consultant to iTechGenics Global Pte Ltd, a Singapore based Big Data start-up which is developing an AI powered project risk and workforce adviser for distributed agile teams.