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Happy AAPI Heritage Month from South Asian Trailblazers! đđŒ In this short soundbite, Iâm sharing exciting updates about events weâre hosting around the world(!), Season 8, and our Agency. The highlights:
Season 8 goes live this Fall! But we couldnât wait to share a sneak peek with youâŠwhich is why you can enjoy our latest LIVE recording with the esteemed Gurbir S. Grewal, the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement and former Attorney General of New Jersey. WATCH this episode on YouTube.We launched the Trailblazers Agency and Speakerâs Bureau to propel South Asian leaders in our network onto mainstages around the world. Over the last few months, weâve brought their stories and expertise to tech companies like Flatiron Health and institutions like Harvard Business School. If you want to source and host expert, diverse South Asian talent for your conference, retreat, AAPI Employee Resource Group (ERG), brand campaign, or more, email us!Upcoming Events: This Summer, weâre going global. RSVP for your city below! Washington D.C. | May 15, 2024 | Register for the Summit or RSVP Here for JUST the Happy HourLondon | June 2024 | RSVPSan Francisco | July 2024 | RSVPNew York | July 2024 | RSVP belowFor all event announcements, follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn while the pod is on hiatus. We'll also announce in our newsletter.RSVP for South Asian professionals in mediaRSVP for South Asian professionals in family businesses/ family officesUntil the Fall!
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In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi Shah hosts a LIVE podcast with Gurbir S. Grewal â the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement and former Attorney General of New Jersey â at the law offices of Morrison Foerster in New York City. WATCH this episode on YouTube.
This event was proudly hosted in partnership with global law firm, Morrison Foerster and The South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY). SABANY is an organization devoted to the needs, concerns, and interests of lawyers of South Asian heritage in the New York Metropolitan Area.
South Asian Trailblazers is a media company, community, and talent agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. To learn about future events and upcoming episodes, subscribe to our newsletter at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Our episodes are available on Apple, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.About Gurbir S. Grewal: Gurbir S. Grewal is the Director of the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission â the SEC. Before joining the Commission in 2021, he served as the Attorney General for the State of New Jersey â becoming the first-ever Sikh and second-ever South Asian American to serve as state attorney general in American history. Prior to this role, Gurbir held the role of Bergen County Prosecutor, the chief law enforcement officer for New Jerseyâs most populous county. In this capacity, he concentrated on fighting the opioid epidemic and white-collar crime.
Earlier in his career, Gurbir served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, where he was the Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit. He also spent time as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where he was assigned to the Business and Securities Fraud Unit.
Gurbir began his career in law in private practice at Howrey LLP. He holds a J.D. from the College of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Please join me in welcoming Director Gurbir S. Grewal.
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For our Season 7 Finale, we catch up with Amol Shah from OpenAI, one of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies and the creator of ChatGPT.
Amol's career spans roles at tech giants like Facebook and TikTok, and more recently, he served as the Chief Revenue Officer for blockchain startup QuickNode. Before his foray into the tech c-suite, Amol served as the Head of the US Disruptor team and Founding Sales Leader at TikTok. Between 2015 and 2019, he led platform sales at Facebook.
Amol began his career in the investment banking and principal investment divisions at Goldman Sachs and got his start in tech in 2013 at RocketFuel, an ad tech company. He entered the sector after graduating with his MBA from Harvard Business School. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. In October of 2023, preceding a period of immense controversy at the company, Amol joined OpenAI's Go-to-Market team -- driving partnerships with the company's largest customers to advance OpenAI's mission of bringing the benefits of artificial intelligence to all of humanity. Join us for a conversation about Amol's role sitting at the controversial yet cutting edge of AI, his pivot from finance to tech sales, and the impacts of his identity as a queer South Asian man in industry and beyond.
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In this episode, we meet Nishant Roy, Chief Communications and Impact Officer at Chobani.
Chobani is one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world and has been a pioneer in the natural food movement for the last decade. Nishant has an incredibly variegated career to date. He began his career with distinguished service in the United States Air Force as an airman where he served with the Security Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Upon his honorable discharge, he channeled his commitment to service into a role as a Domestic Policy Assistant at the Clinton Foundation, during which time he also completed his B.A. in Economics from St. John's University. Upon his graduation, he spent time at Goldman Sachs in their Asset Management Division.
After two years at the financial institution, he was recruited back into public service in 2009. He joined the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) where he served as a special adviser during President Obama's administration. He contributed significantly to President Obama's "Feed the Future" and "Power Africa" initiatives. Today, Nishant serves in the c-suite of Chobani, a company he joined almost seven years ago (2017). He initially joined as Chief of Staff to illustrious CEO and Founder Hamdi Ulukaya. He later took on the role of Chief of Strategic Operations, before ascending to his current role spearheading communications and impact work. Nishant is an alumnus of NYU Executive MBA Program, as well as a team member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He also sits on the Board of La Colombe, the famed coffee company recently acquired by Chobani.
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In this episode, Simi welcomes our first-ever sibling founder duo: Akash and Nikita Mehta, Co-Founders of Fable & Mane. Fable & Mane is an Ayurveda-inspired hair wellness brand.
Akash is a British entrepreneur and influencer. He graduated from Imperial College London with a degree in electrical engineering. His professional journey spans roles at Burberry, Estee Lauder, and Dior, where he notably served as their youngest-ever global digital manager. Currently, Akash serves as the CEO of Fable & Mane. In addition to that, he owns a digital agency- studio, CO-ANU. Akash is also the host of the rising beauty podcast, Founded Beauty, and holds the position of an investor in Patou, making him one of the youngest board members at LVMH. Beyond his professional pursuits, Akash has amassed a significant social media following, acts as a global guardian for UNICEF, and is a co-founder of The Fable Fund, a fund dedicated to wild tiger conservation and protection.
Niki is a visionary and conscious beauty entrepreneur. She holds a degree in computer science and management from the University College of London and spent much of her building French fragrance brands. Currently, Niki serves as the Creative Director and Head of Product Innovation at Fable & Mane.
Niki recently co-executive produced the Netflix documentary film Game Changers. She is also an investor and board member of LVMH's Patou and co-founder of The Fable Fund. She is also a certified mindfulness teacher and, in 2022, completed 200 hours of meditation training.
Niki and Akash started Fable & Mane in 2020 and have since scaled it globally -- with a debut in Sephora in 2022. Together, we discuss how Akash and Niki have not only shaped Fable & Mane into a distinctive global brand, but have also successfully navigated the challenges of launching an Ayurveda-inspired brand into global markets, all while collaborating as socially-conscious siblings.
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Simi speaks with the revered RAJA KUMARI. Born Svetha Rao, Raja Kumari is a Grammy-nominated, international singer, songwriter, and rapper.
With over 43 million monthly Spotify streams, she has launched multiple hit singles and albums and collaborated with John Legend, AR Rahman, Iggy Azalea, and Fall Out Boy. Drawing from her Indian roots, she is trained in multiple styles of Indian dance and is regarded as one of India's top female rappers. She has been featured in Billboard, Vogue India, Elle India, and Harperâs Bazaar India, was the global face of MAC Cosmetics, and served as a judge on MTVâs "The Hustle." She was the first female rapper signed to artist Nas' record label in 2020. She recently founded Godmother Records, her own label, in order to have the freedom to pave her own way in music. She has toured globally, performed at Coachella, and most recently, released the debut album of her own label, The Bridge. In this episode, Raja Kumari reveals how she first fell in love with music, the obstacles she's faced along the way, and how she endeavors to set the next generation of talent up for success.
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Joining us on South Asian Trailblazers is Actor and Broadway Star, Nikhil Saboo. Most recently, Nikhil played the iconic Connor Murphy in the National Tour of Dear Evan Hansen, becoming the first South Asian to ever take on the Tony-nominated role. He also performed in the 1st National Tour of Hamilton: An American Musical and in the original Broadway cast of Mean Girls: The Musical.
Nikhil's career in the arts is extensive. In addition to appearing on Broadway, he has been featured on television as a singer for the 72nd Tony Awards and in SNLâs Season 43 Finale. He has also served as a camera operator and cinematographer for Amazon Prime.Nikhil received his Bachelorâs in Music and the Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology from NYU. From there, he immediately jumpstarted his career, doing national tours with A Christmas Story: The Musical and Junie B. Jones. Tune in to hear about how Nikhil's early inclination toward the arts was spurred by a battle with heart disease and how he's stayed resilient in the face of all kinds of adversity.
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For our mid-season finale, Simi is joined by Priya Singh â Chief Strategy Officer, Senior Associate Dean, & Vice President of Stanford Medicine.
Stanford Medicine encompasses a $13 billion preeminent academic health center comprised of the Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, and Stanford Medicine Childrenâs Health. Priya first began her career at Stanford in 2002, when she joined Stanfordâs Graduate School of Business as the Director of Marketing for their Executive Education program. By 2006, she had become an Assistant Dean at the Business School. After a decade, in 2013, she transitioned to Stanford Universityâs School of Medicine, where she would serve as Senior Associate Dean, before transitioning to the broader Stanford Healthcare enterprise.Prior to her time at Stanford, Priya led marketing management in senior roles at Oracle, a startup called Respond.com, and iconic apparel company, Levi Strauss & Co. She is a writer who has written extensively about the Great Pretend â the code-switching, concealing, and compromising that women often partake in and are subjected to in the workplace. For her extensive work at Stanford and beyond, Priya was named one of the 100 Outstanding Silicon Valley Professionals in the 2020 Class of Women of Influence. Priya is originally from India and earned her Bachelorâs & Masterâs degrees in Business Management at the University of Bombay, India.
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Simi is joined by Nora Ali, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mason Media, a full-service production company and brand studio, which she co-founded alongside MLB all-star Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) and tech billionaire Marc Lore.
With a degree in Statistics and Quantitative Finance from Harvard, Nora began her career by building a foundation in capital markets as an Asian Equities Associate on the trading floor at Goldman Sachs. She then helped build and launch e-commerce company Jet.com as an early member of the product and marketing teams, seeing the company through its $3.3 billion acquisition by Walmart. She took her finance, retail, and startup expertise to Cheddar, where she joined as an on-air anchor covering tech, business, and entertainment news from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. At Cheddar, Nora also created, produced, and hosted several specialty series, with a special interest in elevating historically overlooked voices. Nora recently hosted Morning Brewâs flagship podcast âBusiness Casual,â a Top 10 business podcast on Apple upon her debut as its new host.
Nora is a child of Bangladeshi immigrants, and a proud Minnesotan now living in New York City. She is also an award-winning violinist and pianist, having frequently performed the national anthem at MLB games, appearing as a soloist with several professional orchestras, and making her Carnegie Hall debut in May 2023. In this episode, we explore Nora's incredible pivots from finance to broadcast journalism to entrepreneurship, along with the triumphs and tribulations she's faced along the way.
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In a first for South Asian Trailblazers, we welcome Global Influencer and Entrepreneur Diipa BuÌller-Khosla. Diipa is not only one of the first Indian influencers to have gained international renown, but is also breaking barriers as a founder, model, public speaker, and activist.
At age 18, Diipa moved from India to Amsterdam and eventually London to study international human rights law. She interned at the United Nationsâ International Criminal Court and IMA Influencer Agency, one of the biggest influencer agencies in Europe. The experience inspired her to take the leap into digital media celebrity.
Today, Diipa has been featured on seven international magazine covers including Vogue, walked at the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals, and been an ambassador for brands like EstĂ©e Lauder, Pandora, and KĂ©rastase by L'OrĂ©al. In 2018, Diipa was India's very first global influencer to walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2023, she became a first among Cannes hosts via her new company, indÄ wild â a debut that broke the internet (hear all about it in this episode!).A serial founder and passionate activist, Diipa previously founded non-profit, Post for Change, to rally influencers to harness the power of social media by actively addressing social and global issues, like colorism. Her newest entrepreneurial endeavor is inspired by her motherâs work as an Ayurvedic doctor and her own personal battle with skincare. Sheâs transforming the industry with her brand, indÄ wild, by combining Ayurvedic rituals with revolutionary science-backed chemistry into its products. In juggling her many hats, Diipa lives between Amsterdam and India with her husband, Oleg, and their daughter, Dua. Dive in with Simi as she explores Diipa's conviction in her ability to scale herself into a multi-faceted, international brand and the wisdom she has gained through her journey.
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Simi sits down with Ruchi Bhowmik, Vice President of Public Policy at Netflix.
In this role, Ruchi strategizes around the streaming giant's relationships with key stakeholders: regulators, non-governmental organizations, and elected leaders in the United States and Canada.
Prior to joining Netflix, Ruchi was Global Vice Chair of Public Policy at EY, one of the big four accounting firms. There she was responsible for the firmâs public policy operations in 150{ countries. As Global Vice Chair, Ruchi focused on shaping the firmâs position on regulatory and public policy, with a focus on corporate reporting and ESG, artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity, and the future of work. She previously served as the Senior Vice President for Global Public Policy and Government Affairs for PepsiCo. Between 2013 and 2017, she served as Chief of Staff to the Global CEO of EY with a focus on emerging markets and Inclusive Capitalism.
Prior to entering the private sector, Ruchi served in multiple senior-level roles in the United States government, including serving as President Barack Obamaâs Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Special Assistant to the President for Policy in the Office of the Chief of Staff. She also served as Legislative Director and Legislative Counsel to Barack Obama when he was a Senator.
Ruchi has served on numerous boards and commissions, including as a member of the Executive Consultation Group of the Blue Dot Network for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the G7 Impact Transparency Project, focused on transparency issues around environmental disclosures as part of COP26. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Global Affairs at New York University, the Board of the Center for International Private Enterprise, and the Board of the DC Public Library Foundation. She holds a B.A. in History from Yale University and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia. In this episode, we see how Ruchi's work bridges the public and private sectors -- from her early days as a staffer on the Hill to her work in corporate America as a pioneer in policy.
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To kick off South Asian Trailblazers Season 7, power duo Dr. Vas Narasimhan (CEO of Novartis) and Dr. Srishti Gupta Narasimhan (Physician Leader in Health & Education) join Simi all the way from Basel, Switzerland for a LIVE recording at Novartis Headquarters in Cambridge, MA. WATCH this episode on YouTube.
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Vas Narasimhan and Srishti Gupta Narasimhan are two highly accomplished individuals...who also happen to be married. In this conversation, Simi delves into how Vas and Srishti first met at Harvard Medical School, Srishtiâs two decades at McKinsey and board service in biotech, and Vasâ varied leadership roles at Novartis leading up to the moment he was named CEO of the world-renowned pharma company. Itâs an extraordinary journey that encompasses multiple moves across the world â with Srishti and Vas rising in their respective careers, while also supporting each otherâs unique aspirations and building a family. Itâs one of our most special episodes yet.
About Srishti: Dr. Srishti Gupta Narasimhan is a physician leader who dedicates her time to board service at Idorsia Pharmaceuticals, the Norrsken Foundation, and the BackPack Foundation. Previously, Dr. Gupta spent 2 decades at McKinsey as a Senior Expert in the Global Health Practice. She also supported talent programs as Global Director for McKinsey Alumni & Strategy, Director of Global Programs, and Director of Diversity and Inclusion. She holds a BA, MA, MPP, and MD from Harvard University and an M. Phil from the University of Cambridge.About Vas: Dr. Vasant Narasimhan is the CEO of Novartis. Since becoming CEO in 2018, Vas has led a transformation to build a fully focused medicines company. He leads 105,000 associates across 140 countries. Since joining Novartis in 2005, Vas has held myriad roles, including Global Head of Development for Novartis Vaccines, Global Head of Drug Development, and Chief Medical Officer. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and Chair of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. He holds a BS from the University of Chicago and an MD/MPP from Harvard University.
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For our Season 6 Finale, Simi invites Shruti Rya Ganguly: award-winning Filmmaker, Producer, and Writer to the podcast.
In 2017, Shruti started honto88, a production company that works in a variety of formats â from narrative and doc features to series and branded content. She launched it with a narrative feature produced by Keanu Reeves. She has directed videos for Google, Unilever, Nike, and Chanel. Recently, she also co-founded Prism Entertainment to craft South-Asian focused films and television series.
Shrutiâs latest work: she directed TRIPPED UP, starring Leah Lewis, Ariel Winter, and Vanessa Williams. She sold DEATHSPA, a psychological horror film to Sony International, and is currently writing SECRET DAUGHTER for Amazon Studios, a drama starring Priyanka Chopra. Her coming-of-age feature comedy, PRIYA, AT 12 is in production. On the TV front, Shruti is a writing-EP on the series BROWN BABY set up at Apple UK, and has been developing FLOSSY, a half-hour with comedian Kerry Coddett. Her films have premiered at major festivals, including Sundance, Venice, Tribeca, and Berlin â namely, Spirit-winner H. and the Nora Ephron Prize-winner INITIALS SG.Previously, Shruti worked closely with James Franco on numerous films, and also worked at NYLON, MTV, and Conde Nast, producing Vogueâs famed 73 Questions series. She served in President Obamaâs ECCO (Entertainment Creative Collaborative Outreach) program, where she worked alongside 30 leaders in entertainment. Additionally, Shruti is a published writer and the co-founder of the Resistance Revival Chorus, a collective of singers. She received her Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University, and earned her dual MFA/MBA from NYU. She hails from India, by way of Oman.
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The founding CEO of a breakout biotech company AND a Grammy Award winner? Gaurav Shah is no stranger to dualities. In this episode, Simi speaks with the Co-Founder and CEO of Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a company developing first-in-class gene-modified cell therapies to treat rare diseases.
Prior to his role as founding CEO, Gaurav was a Global Program Head in the Cell & Gene Therapies Unit at Novartis, where he had strategic oversight of 12 functions and helped spearhead pivotal trials for patients with leukemia and lymphoma. His earlier roles at Novartis span being a Global Clinical Program Head for CART-19 and Biosimilars, and lead physician for Afinitor in several global oncology submissions. Gaurav started his career in industry at ImClone/Eli Lilly as a Medical Director overseeing oncology trials.Gaurav graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience. He received his M.D. from Columbia University, completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Womenâs Hospital, and hematology/oncology fellowship training at Memorial-Sloan Kettering. After receiving board certification in medical oncology, he served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oncology at Columbia.
To find balance, Gaurav also has long explored his passion for Indian classical music. In 2019, he and his wife were Grammy nominees and in 2022, they won the Grammy for Best Childrenâs Album, for their album entitled A Colorful World. In this conversation, Simi explore's multidimensional career from medicine to music and the unexpected parallels between them.
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In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi hosts a LIVE podcast with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal â the first South Asian woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives â to kick off Indian American Impact's 2023 Summit in Washington D.C. WATCH this episode on YouTube.
In addition to elevating the stories of South Asian leaders, South Asian Trailblazers is also dedicated to convening them. If you're interested in attending future community events, including our live podcasts, subscribe to our newsletter at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. This episode was hosted in partnership with Impact, an organization working to ensure equitable South Asian American representation at every level of government. Support their President, Neil Makhija, in his run for Montgomery County Commissioner.
Elected in 2016, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is now serving her fourth term in Congress, representing Washington's 7th District. She is not only the first South Asian American woman elected to the US House of Representatives, but also one of only two dozen naturalized citizens currently serving in Congress.
Congresswoman Jayapal is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. She also serves on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. She is the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which represents nearly 50% of the entire Democratic caucus; the Immigration Task Force for the Congressional Asian Pacific Asian Caucus; and a Vice Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus where she is the co-chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force.
Prior to serving in elected office, Congresswoman Jayapal spent 20 years working internationally and domestically in global public health and development and as an award-winning national advocate for womenâs, immigrant, civil, and human rights. She spent almost a decade working on global health and development for the international nonprofit organization, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), and spent 12 years as the founder and Executive Director of OneAmerica, formerly known as Hate Free Zone, the largest immigrant advocacy organization in Washington State and one of the largest
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Youâve likely seen Zarna Garg â the Indian immigrant mom and comedy sensation cracking mom jokes on Instagram, opening for Tina Fey, or most recently, making headlines for her comedy special, Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, which premiered on Amazon Prime in May.
But do you know what came before?
Born and raised in India, Zarna Garg immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager to escape her father's plans for an arranged marriage. She landed in Akron, Ohio, where she pursued her B.S. at the University of Akron and a J.D. at Case Western Reserve's School of Law. After practicing law for several years, she became a stay-at-home mom for 16 years â until 2018, when she unexpectedly launched a career in... comedy.
Today, Zarna is a regular at New Yorkâs iconic Comedy Cellar and Caroline's on Broadway. She has toured nationally at historic venues like the Kennedy Center; opened for the likes of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler; and starred in Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clintonâs new show, Gutsy. Her special marks just the latest milestone in a growing list of accomplishments, which include another national tour and a film sheâll soon star in alongside Deadpool's Karan Soni. Join us for a conversation full of funny, as we hear how Zarna went from one open mic to full-fledged comedian, her encouraging advice for moms and creatives yearning for their turn, and whatâs next for the rising star.
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In this episode, we meet Pooja Goyal: Partner and the Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle Global Infrastructure, Co-Head of the Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund (CGI), and Carlyleâs Head of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. With over $381 billion assets under management (AUM), Carlyle is one of the worldâs largest investment firms â a megafund that specializes in private equity and private credit.
Prior to joining Carlyle, Pooja was the Head of the Alternative Energy Investing Group at Goldman Sachs, where she led investments in the renewables sector. She joined the group as an associate in 2005, was promoted to Managing Director in 2012, and took over as Head of the group in 2013. Under her leadership, the group built a portfolio of investments dedicated to the renewable energy and sustainable resources sector.
Pooja has held several board and committee positions, including on the boards of Vivint Solar and the American Council of Renewable Energy and the investment committees at Altus Power and Goldman Sachsâ Special Situations Group. Prior to 2005, Pooja was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. She holds a BS in finance from the University of Pennsylvaniaâs Wharton School and a BAS in computer and cognitive science from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. In this episode, Simi explores Pooja's role as an influential investor shaping the future of energy at one of the foremost private equity firms in the world.
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In this episode, Simi speaks with Medha Gargeya: Associate Counsel to Vice President Kamala Harris, reservist with the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, and Adjunct Professor of Law.
As Associate Counsel at the White House, Medha helps manage ethics and oversight for the Vice President's office and works on policy areas ranging from criminal justice to voting and reproductive rights. She is a member of the reserve force of the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, the legal arm of the U.S. military's air force.
She previously worked at the international law firm, WilmerHale LLP, where she focused on administrative law, appeals, and anti-discrimination matters. Medha's foray into government service began in 2020, when she worked on voter protection for the Biden-Harris campaign in North Carolina and eventually worked on judicial nominations during the Presidential Transition. The year prior, Medha was a law clerk to the Honorable Roger Wollman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She has also spent time as an adjunct professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law teaching Art Law. Medha received her A.B. and J.D. from Harvard University in 2014 and 2019 respectively. In this episode, Simi peels back the layers on Medhaâs passion for service and her dynamic range of legal experiences across the three branches of American government.
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In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi speaks with trailblazer Anjula Acharia in front of a LIVE audience in New York City. WATCH this episode on YouTube.
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Anjula Acharia is a legendary investor, entrepreneur, and manager/business partner to Priyanka Chopra Jonas. She is the CEO and Founder of A-series Investments and Management. Today, she works as a talent manager and strategic investor/advisor to a host of startups, including two early stage investments which eventually grew into unicorns: ClassPass and Bumble. Her extensive portfolio includes: The Muse, Hooked, Thrive Causemetics, Olipop, Gobble, and The Well. She also sits on BuzzFeedâs Board of Directors.
A serial entrepreneur herself, Anjula previously co-founded DesiHits!, a digital entertainment platform through which she pioneered the merging of global cultures by introducing artists like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and 50 Cent to India. She eventually returned the favor by launching esteemed actress, Priyanka Chopra Jonas' career in America, and who she continues to represent today. Tune in to hear Anjula candidly discuss the adversity she faced growing up as South Asian woman in England, her journey to tech and Hollywood, and the wins and losses she faced along the way.
This episode and event was hosted in partnership with Free Agency, DesiGalli, Kahani Digital, Junglee, Rupee Beer, Tinto Amorio, Artist Lakshmi Sarkar, Shaz & Kiks,
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Meet Pooja Bavishi, Founder and CEO of Malai, a trailblazer who is sure to pique your interest and... your sweet tooth.
Malai is an artisanal ice cream company, with flavors inspired by the nostalgic, aromatic spices and ingredients of South Asian culture. Pooja had always wanted to be in the business of delivering happiness, AKA desserts, and in 2015, she founded Malai following her graduation from the NYU Stern School of Business. She is incredibly hands-on in the everyday of Malai's operations, including in the creation of their ice cream flavors (from Kheer to Lemon Cardamom), managing their brick and mortar scoop shop in Brooklyn, and expanding their presence through nationwide shipping in both grocery stores and on Goldbelly.
Pooja previously claimed the title of champion after winning a battle on the Food Network's Chopped Sweets and was named one of Inc. Magazine's Female Founders 100 in October 2020. And prior to her full force foray into food, Pooja spent time in the world of urban planning, civil rights, and the broader universe of nonprofit and social impact work. She holds a B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill, an M.S. from the London School of Economics, and an MBA from NYU. Tune in as Simi digs into Pooja's experience building at the intersection of food and culture, a journey that will absolutely leave you hungry for more.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with McKinsey & Co. Discover McKinsey's latest business insights through their Insights App. For more episodes, visit us at southasiantrailblazers.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes in your inbox and follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Youtube.
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