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Dr. Frank Levene has more than 35 years successful experience as a UK and International CEO, NED, and an expert in facilitating investments into the USA. Holding dual nationality as a ‘ Brit ‘ and a USA citizen with residence in the USA for 25 years.  An early career built on the best practice techniques from within the fast moving consumer industry. Pioneered, built and delivered bottom-line results by cross- fertilizing multiple disciplines in consumer goods, financial services, retail, professional services, medical insurance, healthcare and PEO services.

A proven track record of profitable corporate development, led start-ups and complete restructuring. Tested across many cultures with results delivered in diverse markets such as Africa, Asia/Pacific, Russia, UK and the USA.President Director, Allianz in various markets in Asia – India, Indonesia, South Korea, and in other roles in Australia and Russia, as General Manager, Medibank, and Managing Director, Ingosstrakh. 

Within Avitus Group charged by the Chairman to help the launch Avitus in EMEA the USA enhanced offering. Targeting companies that wish to establish an investment presence in the USA. Partnered with the USA Commerce Department, Select USA in DC & EMEA, Department of International Trade, UK Export Finance, AMCHAM, BABC and multiple trade associations in general, life sciences and medical devices segments.   

 A trustee TLC a UK based hospice charity. A unique personal network of corporate, academic and government relationships.

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Josh Balster is the Executive Vice President at Avitus Group and has been with the company for over 13 years. Josh studied at Rocky Mountain College and proceeded to work in a fast, upscale environment at Avitus Group; first taking care of new clients, then selling their services, and most recently running the sales team as the Vice President of Sales and growing Avitus Group’s client base over 500% in the last 4 years. Avitus Group has partnerships and locations throughout the United States, as well as globally. Josh and the International Team at Avitus Group focus on assisting business owners expand their companies into the United States by covering them from all angles as they make their US entry. Josh lives in Montana and works out of the company’s Operational Headquarters in Billings, Montana.

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Supriya Kanetkar along with Sushama Kanetkar Represent the State of Pennsylvania in India since 2001. They were appointed as Pennsylvania’s Trade & Investment Representative by the Office of International Business Development at DCED, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

In her role to promote Pennsylvania’s exports to India, Supriya works with Pennsylvania based companies to expand their reach, capacity and global competitiveness by providing various inputs to facilitate exports to India.

Since 2008, Supriya works for foreign direct investment attraction program of Pennsylvania. In her capacity to attract the FDI into Pennsylvania, she works with Indian companies and assists them set up facilities in Pennsylvania.

Supriya has a diverse professional experience from teaching, journalism, consulting MNCs on Corporate Social Responsibility to research and recommending market opportunities & entry strategies to numerous foreign companies.

Prior to taking over the responsibilities of Pennsylvania’s India Representative office, Supriya worked as a Project Coordinator for a New Delhi based business coalition (the Indian arm of Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum UK), which works towards promoting the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and was engaged in evolving Corporate Partnerships for Sustainable Development. Supriya began her career as a Lecturer in Senior College at Mumbai University and freelanced as political analyst for print media.

Supriya has a Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Lady Shri Ram College at Delhi University, a Master’s degree in Political Science and M. Phil. from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. In her Pre-doctoral research Supriya dealt with changing political trends and emergence of regionalism in Indian politics.

In 2006, Supriya did the The Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry program at Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania. She has also been facilitator at Global Village and Global Village on The Move.

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Mr. Vaibhav Parikh is an Electronics Engineer and a Lawyer. He is the Partner in-charge of the Bangalore office of the multi-skilled, research-based international law firm, Nishith Desai Associates (www.nishithdesai.com). He also heads the Technology, M&A and Private Equity practice groups. He is a member of firm’s executive committee.

He has a wide range of experience in corporate and technology transactions. He has advised several private equity and venture capital funds in their investments, specifically in e-commerce, technology, media and life sciences industry. He also has significant experience in M&A transactions including advising on one of the India’s largest e-commerce transaction.
He has been passionately involved in setting up operations and raising finance for several start-up companies. He works closely with TiE, IVCA and Nasscom to help government on startup policy.

He is actively involved in the Intellectual Property Practice and is in charge of industry focus group for IT, Telecom, and Media. He has advised many leading Indian e-commerce companies in their operations from a legal and regulatory stand point.

He has been ranked as Leading Lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions Practice by IFLR1000 in the year  2017Asia Pacific.

He has been nominated as one of Leading Lawyer in Private Equity Practice by IFLR1000 in the year 2013. He has also been nominated as one of the world’s leading practitioners in ‘Who’s Who Legal’ for Regulatory Communications. He is recommended by Legal 500 as an expert in TMT and competition law in 2014. He has been ranked number one for TMT by Chambers and Partners in 2015.

Vaibhav Parikh is regularly sought after for his extensive experience in advising on technology matters, with an emphasis on corporate transactions.

He has authored several papers and lectured at several prestigious gatherings on a worldwide basis. He has also been acknowledged as a ‘Highly Recommended Lawyer’ for Outsourcing, and Telecom and IT and ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for Intellectual Property by the PLC Which Lawyer? 2009. He has represented NASSCOM at a WTO symposium at Geneva for presenting a paper on ‘Movement of Natural Persons’ in 2001.He is a Charter Member of TiE, Bangalore Chapter and is also on the executive council of the Franchising Association of India.

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Kartik Maheshwari leads the Start-Up practice group at the multi-skilled, research based international law firm, Nishith Desai Associates (www.nishithdesai.com). He is a senior member of the Telecom – Media – Technology laws teams at NDA.Kartik is a leading attorney in various legal, tax and regulatory issues and works across cutting edge complex disruptive technologies / business models including M2M Communication, Internet of Things, smart cities, blockchain technology, privatization of space amongst others.He also has substantial experience in public policy matters and regularly works with the Department of Telecom, Department of Electronics & Information Technology, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.He was also an integral member of the team that helped the Government of Mauritius on preparing its ‘National Innovation Framework’ and was invited by them to share his experience on using law and policy as a tool to unlock innovation at the Africa Partnership Conference, 2016.Kartik also continues to author articles and research papers on diverse legal issues which have been published by various publications.

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Mr. Sudish Sharma is the Executive Partner in Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan. Sudish has worked with leading Indian law firms and has an extensive experience of more than seventeen years in rendering legal advice to corporate, Government and quasi-government authorities. He has advised and assisted various leading Indian and multinational corporations across diverse sectors on matters pertaining to joint ventures, mergers, demergers, acquisitions, private equity, legal due diligence, foreign direct investment and entry strategies, restructurings including global restructurings of various multinational companies, regulatory approvals, setting up of industrial plants in India, sale of businesses, distributorship and commercial advisory agreements in India, real estate, employment, compliances, ESOP schemes, drafting, vetting and negotiating of commercial contracts and other corporate transactional work.

Sudish’s skill set includes a deep transactional understanding as well as significant industry expertise across sectors as diverse as education, engineering, fashion, pharmaceuticals, service providers, infrastructure, manufacturing and real estate and he has a commendable track record of advising international and national corporations on complex joint ventures, cross border acquisitions, private equity investments, financing arrangements, international commercial arrangements including in the pharmaceutical sector, various power projects including the setting-up and operations of thermal based power plants and aspects relating to the structuring, documentation, regulatory compliance etc.

Further, Sudish has also advised numerous foreign investors on issues pertaining to joint ventures and acquisition deals. Apart from drafting and negotiating the terms of the required documentation, he has expertise in conducting due diligence and also pre and post investment compliances in line with Indian statutes and regulations.

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