Recently, our Vice President, Aparna Marar, had the privilege of attending a remarkable event organized by the IIMBAA Emirates Chapter, hosted at HSBC, Dubai. The evening was filled with inspiring discussions, innovative pitches, and invaluable insights that truly captured the essence of leadership, growth, and collaboration.
The energy in the room was electric as alumni founders took the stage to present their groundbreaking ideas. These passionate entrepreneurs were met with constructive feedback and sharp insights from fellow alumni mentors, creating a dynamic exchange of ideas that showcased the power of experience and fresh perspectives. It was an exciting moment for Aparna to witness firsthand how innovation is being nurtured within the alumni community.
The evening’s highlights included talks from industry leaders Vipul Parekh, Co-founder of Bigbasket.com, and Avi Bhojani, Group CEO of BPG Group. Vipul shared a compelling story about the critical importance of customer retention, reminding us that no matter the size of your customer base, the key to long-term success lies in keeping customers happy and engaged. His words resonated deeply, reinforcing the importance of prioritizing the customer experience in business growth.
Avi Bhojani’s talk was equally inspiring. His journey from an employee in the UAE to becoming the leader of a successful conglomerate was nothing short of motivational. He highlighted the challenges of scaling a business, emphasizing the importance of addressing disruption and maintaining a resilient mindset. What made his speech even more powerful was his heartfelt tribute to his wife, Poonam Bhojani, whom he credited with 90% of his success. Poonam, a distinguished alumna and head of Innoventure Education, has clearly played a pivotal role in his achievements.
The event was impeccably organized, and we would like to extend our gratitude to the IIMBAA Emirates Chapter office bearers—Sreekala Andrews, Aalap Ghosh, Ashish Gokhale, Shobha Moni, and Neha Ghai, along with her team at HSBC, for making it all come together seamlessly. The evening also provided wonderful networking opportunities, allowing Aparna to reconnect with familiar faces and forge new connections within the community.
This event was a wonderful reminder of why being part of a dynamic alumni network is so meaningful. At Fospe, we believe in fostering innovation, collaboration, and growth, and moments like these reinforce our commitment to these values. We are excited to bring the lessons learned and the inspiration gathered from this event back to Fospe, as we continue to lead and innovate in our industry.
