Directors’ Institute- World Council Of Directors recognises 20 Oxford Saïd elumni, strengthening global governance leadership through its International Corporate Directorship Programme.
Directors’ Institute – World Council Of Directors has formally recognised twenty elumni of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, for their contributions to corporate governance and board-level leadership across global industries. The recognition highlights experienced professionals whose careers reflect a focus on oversight, accountability and strategic decision-making in complex operating environments.
The cohort represents a wide range of sectors, including technology, finance, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, aviation, manufacturing and advisory services. While their professional paths differ, the individuals share common experience in executive leadership, risk management, regulatory compliance and long-term value creation.
Governance Across Diverse Industries
Among the recognised elumni is Dr R. Suresh Kumar, whose career spans more than three decades across FMCG, automotive, chemicals, power and public sector–linked initiatives. His work has included oversight of IPO readiness processes, post-merger integration, digital transformation in human resources and labour and compliance frameworks. His experience reflects the type of operational and governance integration increasingly expected at the board level.
Neelam Jehangir Shaikh brings a background that combines entrepreneurship and governance awareness. As a partner at Globida Enterprises LLP and founder of Tisaani, she has focused on financial literacy initiatives, stakeholder engagement and sustainability-oriented decision-making. Her leadership experience reflects the evolving expectation that governance integrates both commercial and social considerations.
Financial stewardship is strongly represented within the group. Kishan Rao Puthli, serving as a Fractional CFO, has led enterprise risk systems and regulatory compliance initiatives across multiple jurisdictions. Ashwani Kumar Baweja, Group Corporate Finance Head at ETC Group, oversees finance, treasury, audit and merger-related functions across a multinational portfolio of entities. Their backgrounds underscore the importance of disciplined capital allocation and transparent financial oversight in global organisations.
Technology and Digital Oversight
Several of the recognised elumni bring deep expertise in technology governance and digital transformation. As organisations navigate rapid innovation cycles, cybersecurity concerns and regulatory scrutiny, board-level familiarity with digital systems has become increasingly critical.
Deepak Tanna, a senior technology leader at Intel India Private Limited, has worked extensively in silicon architecture and multi-core processor development. His experience reflects the intersection of advanced engineering and strategic programme oversight.
Umashankar V., a senior engineering and business leader at NetApp, has guided enterprise cloud and platform strategies, aligning technology investments with long-term operational objectives. Tirthankar Mitra, Chief Revenue Officer at Data Safeguard India, has led transitions across networking, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity services while managing enterprise-level risk considerations.
Additional representation includes Hareesh Kumar Chandran at Experian and Nilay Mardikar, an entrepreneur in enterprise IT transformation. Their experience contributes to board-level discussions surrounding digital modernisation, internal controls and sustainable innovation practices.
Healthcare, Energy and Infrastructure Perspectives
Healthcare and regulatory governance are represented by Dr Kaveri Rangappa, whose career spans medicine, pharmacovigilance, regulatory submissions and compliance oversight in both the United States and India. Her background illustrates the increasing importance of regulatory literacy and scientific oversight within healthcare governance structures.
Energy and infrastructure leadership also form a key component of the recognised group. G.N. Sharma, formerly Deputy General Manager at GAIL, contributed to internal audit systems and emissions reduction frameworks within India’s natural gas sector. His experience reflects the intersection of safety standards, environmental considerations and regulatory accountability.
Shachindra Bhat, Senior Vice President at BSR Infratech India Limited, has overseen technically complex infrastructure projects, including dams and tunnels, requiring integrated financial and operational oversight. Ravinder Bolangdy, former General Manager Cargo Asia Pacific at Swissport, managed aviation cargo operations across international markets with a focus on compliance and operational efficiency.
Financial Services and Advisory Leadership
The cohort also includes leaders with experience in banking, advisory and enterprise services. Santanu Das at Al Mulla Group has integrated service governance and digital initiatives across corporate and government-facing clients. Dheeraj Puri brings nearly three decades of financial services leadership, with exposure to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity applications within banking environments.
Renu Arora, a board member at JCBL Group and Deepa Goyal of Macramé Consultants Private Limited contribute experience in financial oversight and advisory services. Lakshmi Srinath’s work in internal audit and compliance spans multiple sectors, reinforcing the importance of structured governance systems. Syed Tanvir Osama, founder of Connektions MEA LLC, advises on transnational market entry and strategic positioning across the Middle East, Africa, India and Europe. Girish Gul Manik, former CEO at Blenheim Chalcot India, has led multi-venture scaling initiatives with an emphasis on operational discipline and governance frameworks.
Emphasis on Governance Readiness
The recognition reflects a broader emphasis on governance readiness and board responsibility in a rapidly evolving global environment. Increasing regulatory requirements, digital transformation, stakeholder scrutiny and sustainability expectations have reshaped the competencies expected of directors.
Collectively, the recognised Oxford Saïd elumni demonstrate experience in managing organisational complexity while balancing strategic growth with compliance and risk oversight. Their professional trajectories illustrate how executive leadership experience can translate into structured board-level contribution.
As corporate governance continues to evolve across jurisdictions and industries, experienced directors with cross-sector exposure play a significant role in strengthening institutional accountability and long-term resilience.
Directors’ Institute – World Council of Directors: https://www.directors-institute.com/
Oxford – Directors’ Institute Program (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford): https://www.directors-institute.com/oxford-course
World Development Corporation: https://www.worlddevelopmentcorporation.com/
