Vrushali Parab is a seasoned marketing & strategy professional with over 13 years of rich experience in strategic brand management and business growth across various industries like Media & Entertainment,
F& B Retail, Real Estate and Wellness. Her strategic approach towards marketing, deep rooted in consumer insights and understanding of new-age as well as traditional media come from managing varied international as we all home-grown brands, catering to a diverse set of consumer cohorts.

Dr. Nitin Shankar Nagrale is a globally recognized leader in hospitality procurement and supply chain management, with over 30 years of distinguished experiencein the hospitality, aviation, and service sectors. He currently serves as the CEO –India and Emerging Markets at Quality New Zealandsince its inception in 2013, a unique venture backed by New Zealand cricket legends Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, and Geoff Allott.A visionary professional, Dr.

Nagrale is the Founder & General Secretary of the Hospitality Purchasing Managers’ Forum (HPMF), the first-of-its-kind platform that today represents 7,000+ members across India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and the Middle East. He has been instrumental in elevating procurement as a strategic functionin the hospitality industry and is widely respected as one of the most influential voices in global hospitality procurement.

For over 30 years, Chef Swamy has brought food to life through storytelling—bridging the gap between culinary artistry and impactful media. As a chef, food stylist, photographer, and author, he helps brands, hospitality businesses, and educational institutions communicate their food vision with creativity, authenticity, and cultural depth.
Trained at Le Cordon Bleu, London, he has conceptualised and produced award-winning cookbooks, high-impact food shows, and visual campaigns for global brands. His work solves a key challenge for the industry: translating flavours, heritage, and brand identity into compelling imagery and narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide.

Mahesh Chaware

General Manager –Patel’s R Mart

With over 27 years of experience in retail leadership, Mahesh Chaware serves as the General Manager at Patel’s R Mart, one of the most prominent and fast-growing supermarket chains in Western India. His career reflects a strong command over retail operations, merchandising, supply chain efficiency, and consumer engagement, driving consistent growth and operational excellence across the organization.Under his leadership, Patel’s R Mart has strengthened its Omnichannel retail model, blending in-store, quickcommerce, and e-commerce operations to meet evolving customer needs. Mahesh has been instrumental in enhancing private label portfolios, optimizing category performance, and implementing technology-driven solutions for inventory and customer management.

His people-centric approach and focus on developing strong, execution-driven teams have helped the company achieve improved productivity and service benchmarks. Known for his strategic foresight, disciplined execution, and customer-first mind set, Mahesh continues to steer Patel’s R Mart toward greater scalability, profitability, and regional market leadership.

Dheeraj Jain is the Director of Pagariya Food Products Pvt. Ltd., a fast-growing Indian FMCG company behind the Kwality brand — one of the most trusted names in breakfast cereals, masalas, and instant mixes.

Under his leadership, Kwality has built a strong national footprint, with products now available in over 50,000 retail outlets across India, exporting to over 42 countries, and also emerging as the second-largest exporter of breakfast cereals from South East Asia.

A passionate believer in innovation and quality, Dheeraj has driven the company’s transformation from a regional brand into a global player — launching pioneering categories.

With a forward-looking vision and deep understanding of both domestic and international markets, he continues to steer Pagariya Foods toward its mission of bringing “Goodness Inside” to every kitchen across the world.

Hari is an experienced entrepreneur, angel investor, mentor, and advisor with a passion for lifelong learning. He actively invests in innovative startups and promotes lean startup principles, global thinking, local action, and fostering an organisational culture suitable for innovation.

He has led numerous deals, predominantly in the Indian Angel Network and some in LetsVenture, facilitating exits and fundraising support for investors and portfolio companies. He has been a lead investor in several food tech companies and QSR brands and has been supporting entrepreneurs in the F & B , D2C , AI and Deep Tech space.

He is a member of the Advisory Board of Ivy Cap Ventures ( VC fund with over Rs. 5000 cr of AUM) , serves as a member of the Investment Committee at IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) , NSRCEL – IIM-Bengaluru , IIT Hyderabad (ITIC) and Venture Park (BIA) – Patna , IIEST , Shibpur.

Hari is one of the founding member of TiE Kolkata , has served as President and is a Lifetime Charter Member of TiE Kolkata.

As an entrepreneur since 1987, Hari has been involved in multiple ventures, including the early adoption of the internet with his portal Calcutta Online, which was acquired by a NASDAQ-listed company in 1998. He co-founded Ontrack Systems Limited in 1988 and held key positions in trade bodies, trusts, and non-profit organizations, such as TiE-Kolkata, COMPASS, CIITA and FAIITA and others.

Dharret Parikh is a business and brand leader with over 18 years of experience driving growth across the FMCG sector scaling startups and managing established brands alike.

His expertise spans business management, brand marketing, and P&L leadership, with a recent focus on supply chain and cold chain logistics to enhance efficiency and product quality. Dharret blends strategic thinking with on-ground execution to deliver results across B2B and B2C markets.

With a strong foundation in advertising and media, he brings a deep understanding of consumer behavior to craft impactful, customer-centric solutions. Passionate about mentorship and leadership development, he believes in empowering people to grow with purpose, resilience, and creativity.

Desmond Nikhil D’Souza is Vice President, Customer & Commercial Leadership (C&CL) for India & Southwest Asia at The Coca-Cola Company. In this role, he leads the company’s commercial strategy across a diverse and dynamic region—driving value growth, enhancing customer partnerships, and shaping long-term transformation across markets and channels. Desmond is focused on building next-generation commercial capabilities that strengthen Coca-Cola’s customer-centric approach and accelerate profitable growth.

With over 18 years of experience in the FMCG industry, he has led high-impact roles in sales, customer operations, and strategy across India and overseas. Prior to joining Coca-Cola, he was Vice President, Sales at Mondelēz India, where he drove digital innovation, footprint expansion, and capability development. His earlier experience spans PepsiCo and Zomato.

Desmond holds a management degree from XLRI Jamshedpur and an engineering degree from Visvesvaraya Technological University. Based in Gurgaon, he is a sports enthusiast, music lover, and avid reader.

Sajid is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Ahlen Foodpreneurs, a multi-brand company that has revolutionized the food industry in South India. With a commerce background from Madras University and extensive experience from his family’s venture, Hotel Zum Zum (est. 1969), Sajid founded Ahlen Foodpreneurs in 2008.
Under his visionary leadership, Ahlen Foodpreneurs has grown to over 20 outlets, showcasing a portfolio of successful brands that cater to diverse palates, including Palm Shore Restaurant, where Arabian spices meet fresh seafood; Copper Kitchen Restaurant, serving the vibrant flavors of South India, Chettinad, and Kerala; and Biryani Mubarak, offering authentic Chennai-style biryani rich in tradition and aroma. For Sajid, quality, hygiene, and innovation are the core principles that drive Ahlen Foodpreneurs’ success.
Sajid’s vision is to share the flavors and warmth of Ahlen with food lovers everywhere, expanding the company’s presence and bringing people together through great food.

Rohit Kapoor is the CEO of the Food Marketplace at Swiggy Ltd, where he is responsible for driving the food delivery business and developing growth strategies. With over 20 years of industry experience, he has held various leadership positions in sales and finance roles in companies such as Max India and McKinsey & Co. Prior to joining Swiggy, he worked at OYO as the CEO for India and Southeast Asia operations and later as the global CMO.
Rohit is an alumnus of Indian School of Business and a Certified Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA Institute, USA). With his extensive experience and expertise, he leads the Food Marketplace and Dineout businesses at Swiggy, fostering innovation and driving growth.

Amit Chakrabortty is a visionary R&D and innovation leader with over two decades of experience shaping the future of consumer brands across India, the UK, and the USA. As Head of R&D at Reliance Consumer Brands, he leads groundbreaking initiatives across food, beverages, home, and personal care — building one of the fastest growing FMCG business across categories. An entrepreneur at heart, Amit founded FEVO, a 100% natural tea-based soft drink brand that reimagines refreshment with wellness and sustainability at its core.

His journey from the labs of Unilever and GSK to the boardrooms of India’s largest conglomerate reflects a deep passion for transforming science into products that touch millions of lives. Amit’s leadership philosophy blends curiosity, courage, and compassion — inspiring teams to push boundaries and create meaningful impact. His talks explore innovation strategy, sustainability-driven R&D, entrepreneurial thinking, and leading global teams for breakthrough success.

Chef Suresh Shetty’s illustrious career spans over four decades, during which he has honed his craft in some of India’s most prestigious five-star hotels, international cruise lines, and flight catering operations. His journey culminated with his current role as the Executive Chef at the renowned Mumbai Cricket Association, where he spearheaded the launch of the esteemed ‘MCA’s very own Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana.’ Prior to his tenure at MCA, Chef Shetty’s experience includes leading four pre-opening teams of major hospitality ventures, such as:

• The Regent Mumbai (now Taj Land’s End) – Pre-opening
• Grand Hyatt Mumbai – Pre-opening
• Four Points by Sheraton (Starwood Hotels and Resorts) – Pre-opening
• Saudi Catering, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)
• Carnival Cruise Lines Inc., USA
• Ramee Group of Hotels
• The Ambassador Group of Hotels (Ambassador Sky Chef, Mumbai & Delhi)

Beyond these significant contributions, Chef Shetty has had the privilege of catering to an elite clientele, including prominent figures from Hollywood and Indian Film Industry, business magnates, world class athletes, entrepreneurs, and even royal dignitaries.

As a culinary virtuoso, Chef Shetty is more of a guiding force than a physical presence in MCA’s kitchens, overseeing nine diverse F&B outlets and orchestrating seamless banquet operations for up to 1,700 guests. Under his expert leadership, a team of talented chefs brings to life an array of fascinating global cuisines, incorporating locally sourced ingredients and modernist cooking techniques. Every dish, though seemingly simple on the plate, is a masterful creation, showcasing the precision and craftsmanship of contemporary gastronomy, meticulously executed by his team across four kitchens.

Chef Shetty’s repertoire extends far beyond the kitchen; he is a consummate hotelier, known for his exceptional culinary artistry. His skills in ice carving, fruit and vegetable carving, and elaborate buffet displays are legendary, alongside his expertise in preparing exquisite pre-plated hors d’oeuvres in both hot and cold western cuisine. His ability to blend artistry with culinary precision has earned him a distinguished reputation within the hospitality industry.

A charismatic leader, Chef Shetty is revered for his dynamic nature and his fervent commitment to culinary education. His approachable demeanour and wealth of experience have made him a popular figure among hotel and catering professionals. He frequently participates in culinary events as a judge, imparting his extensive knowledge and experience to aspiring chefs and students from culinary institutes.

It would be fitting to regard Chef Shetty as a celebrity chef, as he has appeared on the OTT food show “Khane Ke Deewane” on the Gemplex platform, further cementing his status within the gastronomic community. He is also highly active on social media, where he shares his culinary insights and engages with a wider audience through Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

A family-oriented man, Chef Shetty relishes the time he spends in the kitchen with his exceptional team, continuously crafting innovative seasonal dishes and designing new menus. He is also actively involved in conducting weekly training workshops for cooking enthusiasts, passing on his passion for culinary excellence. Outside the kitchen, Chef Shetty enjoys quality time with his family, often introducing new culinary experiences to his wife Rashmi. He balances his life with fitness routines at the gym, a love for golden classic music, indulging in culinary literature, watching superhero and sci-fi movies, and following his favourite sport, cricket, with his son Sahas.