member news and reviews
Piyush Gupta is the visionary founder of Polytrade, a DeFi startup that’s revolutionizing TradeFi by bringing it on-chain.
An aerospace engineer from IIT, Piyush has had a distinguished 17+ year financial career, working with prominent names like Societe Generale, Kitara Capital and Amicorp
Since founding Polytrade in 2021, he has funded and tokenized over $2.4M worth of invoices for SMEs.
Noel Connolly is the CEO of NOW Money, a Dubai-based fintech for good firm. With over 25 years of experience in business and technology, Connolly possesses extensive and proven skills in driving scalability. He brings with him a wealth of contacts in banking, government, and fintech from both the UAE and international markets.
Prior to joining NOW Money, Connolly served as the SVP & Global Head of Sales and Partnerships at Cellpoint Digital, an emerging payments orchestration provider. He has also held commercial roles with Sabre Corp and Emirates Group. Connolly’s vision is to propel NOW Money to new heights as a global fintech social enterprise
Am passionate about making a difference in people’s lives therefore with the blessing of over a double decade of professional experience well rounded across financial services industry I have founded FINMAAL to pursue my passion for serving the world.
So at FINMAAL, I am leading a mission to simplify financial ecosystem so that people’s lives become easier and they could focus on their core priorities in their routine-life. I believe the fulfilment of financial matters should not unnecessarily burden people (on energies, time and money fronts).
In order to pursue my vision, We have categorized our mission into 4 different yet high-value propositions that move across different business models from B2C to B2B and then to B2B2C.
If our mission makes you curious for any reason, feel free to get in touch with us We’ll be happy to share further details.
My motivation comes through achieving exceptional rather expected results by taking businesses to the next level, achieving profitable sustainable growth, delightful customer experience and seamless processing of transactions through digital transformation.
Little interesting about me;
1) My life pattern reflects that I am a risk-taker and that’s why I enjoy performing high-stake roles that undertake responsibilities with accountability at an enterprise level.
2) After graduating from Cass Business School, I have continuously expanded my knowledge horizon by taking a course every year.
Further, I run, read, write and speak.
Johannes Dr. Pfaffenhuemer is a visionary entrepreneur dedicated to the sustainable sector of water. With a philosophy that echoes “If you can dream it, you can do it!” he leads Water of Life, an innovative company based in Kirchdorf am Inn, Upper Austria. Johannes holds a strong connection with Johannes Kepler Universität Linz and is associated with Bauträger “Garten Serafin”. His profile boasts a significant following of 9,036 and over 500 connections, highlighting his influence in the industry. At Water of Life, Johannes focuses on various aspects of the water industry, including production, distribution, marketing, and sales. With a team rich in scientific expertise, the company pioneers the purchase and distribution of quality drinking water globally. They specialize in connecting with health-conscious businesses and consumers through strategic planning and expert consultation. Johannes’s business model comprises four fundamental pillars that drive the company’s success: sourcing quality drinking water, efficient distribution, scalability through various channels, and specialized consulting services. Water of Life excels in promoting corporate social responsibility through impactful projects supporting Sustainable Development Goal Number 6 of the United Nations – providing access to clean water and sanitation. Committed to giving back to society, Water of Life reinvests profits in projects that align with SDG6 goals, collaborating with NGOs and other organizations. Their focus on education and empowerment through impact investment networks underscores their dedication to environmental and social causes. Johannes’s passion for delivering premium drinking water, nutritional supplements, and management coaching reflects his commitment to improving lives and promoting well-being. With a strong emphasis on sustainability and social impact, he envisions a future where clean water and health are accessible to all. Johannes Dr. Pfaffenhuemer’s leadership at Water of Life exemplifies a blend of innovation, expertise, and social responsibility in the pursuit of a better world.
Dr. Anuraag Guglaani sits on the board of some of the largest Family business Groups in Middle East, Africa & Asia region and is a renowned Family Business Doctor, known for his unique hands-on expertise in transforming large business groups into process-driven entities while creating effective governance and succession structure to enhance Profitability, Growth , Sustainability and risk mitigation.
Dr. Guglaani is also the Managing Partner & CEO of Wazir Advisors, a 15-year-old, Premier Strategic advisory and implementation firm comprising 200 team members operating from 14 offices spread across the Middle East, South Asia & Africa, serving 1000+ clients representing top brands and family businesses.
Dr Guglaani is the Proud recipient of most coveted medals of honor: “ The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award”, “The President’s Volunteer Service Award” from US President’s White House Office, Global Humanitarian award ,Top 100 change Maker, Global Icon and International Excellence awards.
Dr. Guglaani has active network in about 20+ countries, working extensively in the sectors of Distribution, FMCG, Consumer Products, Manufacturing, Textiles, Garments, Real Estate, Hotels, Hypermarkets, Malls, Electronics,Appliances, Air Conditioning, Retail, Automotive.
Transforming people, coaching management teams, and mentoring C-level/board members, thereby extracting exceptional performance is his passion.
Abdul Kareem is a blockchain and cryptocurrency enthusiast with a background in finance, technology, and telecom. He has a Computer Science and Business Administration degree from the University of Geneva, has completed a course on blockchain from MIT Sloan, and has passed the CFA Level 1.
With over nine years of experience in various leadership roles, Abdul Kareem has a proven track record of success in driving business growth, implementing efficient processes and policies, and building high-performing teams. He has a strong background in product management, having led the development and launch of multiple successful products. In his current role at InvestGlass, Abdul Kareem is responsible to assist in the product vision and strategy, designing the product roadmap, and managing projects.
In addition to his experience in product management, Abdul Kareem has also held senior leadership roles in strategy and operations, where he has implemented strategic objectives, restructured organizations, and led merger and acquisition efforts. His expertise in finance and technology, combined with his strong leadership skills, make him well-suited to continue driving success in the Web3 space.
My experience of building and developing businesses in Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East, gave me the skills
for connecting the dots between people and opportunities, across cultures and geographies.
After living for 10 years in Asia, I have decided in 2015 with partners in several countries to use the knowledge
and interaction between the regions to promote global investments.
With REALIZ we enable individuals and professionals to access smart investments, and bring liquidity to the world.
We believe investments should be open to all, and asset owners should be able to free their equity in order to
further contribute to global development.
Having a legal and marketing background helps me to keep my eyes open to new business direction being
innovative but also gives me the rigor needed to have long term goals and achievements.
Danny Makin is an accomplished professional with over 9 years of executive experience driving Total Processing expansion in the UAE and MEA region since 2021. With deep market knowledge, exceptional leadership, and an innovative mindset, he positions the company for significant growth. Danny embraces digital advancements and pioneers cutting-edge payment strategies that align with the region's digitization efforts, fuelling progress towards an efficient and secure payment landscape.
Sam, a Harvard Business School Alumni, has been recognized as one of Asia Pacific’s leading digital economy leaders. He has been part of four Executive Leadership Teams for businesses worth over $20 billion in the AP region and globally, leading blue chip digital transformations across various industries. He has been awarded numerous accolades, including being named one of the Top 10 Alumni Leaders from Harvard Business School in 2023, as well as being recognized as Digerati APAC’s top 50 people in the digital industry by Drum Magazine in 2018. He was also named Asia Pacific CMO of the Year in 2017
Yasmine Faik: A Trailblazer in Data Transformation and Digital Innovation in the Financial Sector in Morocco
Yasmine Faik is an accomplished professional whose career has been marked by her expertise in data management, digital transformation, and her invaluable contributions to the financial sector. With a strong track record of leading transformative projects and a visionary approach to leveraging data for business growth, Yasmine has made a significant impact throughout her professional journey.
– Driving Data Transformation at Société Générale Maroc:
Yasmine Faik’s career took off when she joined Société Générale Maroc as a project manager. During her time there, she successfully led projects of strategic importance, focusing on data transformation. Notably, Yasmine spearheaded the revamping of the bank’s decision-making system, a large-scale project that aimed to enhance operational efficiency and drive better business outcomes. Additionally, she played a pivotal role in establishing a robust data governance program, ensuring that data assets were effectively managed and utilized to drive value across the organization.
