Hon. Pierre S. Pettigrew – Chairman
Hon. Pierre S. Pettigrew, PC is currently Executive Advisor, International for Deloitte, where he is a valued resource to senior Deloitte leaders in Canada and throughout Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu globally. In 2009 he chaired the Warwick Commission – an international commission of policy makers and researchers tasked with examining the global trading system and making recommendations about its future shape and direction. Hon. Pettigrew has led a distinguished career with success in both public and private sectors. He has led a number of senior departments in his many years as a minister in successive governments of Canada. From 1985-95, Hon. Pettigrew was an International Business Consultant with Deloitte. During his tenure, he emerged as a strong voice for business and an articulate analyst of GATT, World Trade Organization (WTO) & NAFTA negotiations. His visibility on international trade issues garnered an appointment to the federal cabinet prior to his election to Parliament. As Federal Minister, he chaired several working groups on tough international trade negotiations, and led trade missions to China, India, Russia, Germany, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico and more. His international insight led to his appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister. One of his crowning achievements in this role was leading the nationally and globally lauded international policy review that provided the government of Canada with a fully integrated approach of diplomacy, defense, trade and development in international affairs.In acknowledgement of his many notable achievements and contributions in politics, public service, and international business and trade, U.K.’s University of Warwick recognized Hon. Pettigrew with an Honorary Doctorate of Law in 2008. Pierre is widely regarded as ‘India friendly’ and has built strong support within the ‘Indo-Canadian’ community.
Kam Rathee – Vice-Chair
Kam Rathee is a Special Adviser at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, working with the Firm’s India Practice Group. A leading authority on Canada-India business relations, he held the position of president and executive director at the Canada-India Business Council from 2004 to 2009. Earlier, from 2001 to 2004, he headed a Toronto-based international consultancy, assisting Canadian companies in India and Indian companies in Canada. From 1988 to 2001, as a top legal executive of Canada Life, Kam was senior counsel for its group insurance operations in North America, U.K. and Ireland, and later as chief counsel for their international operations, looked after their interests in India, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Macau, and the Caribbean. Kam relocated to India and, from 1983 to 1988, conducted a very successful international practice of law in New Delhi. This, coupled with his leadership role for Canada Life in India (1995 to 2001), gave him unmatched experience and widespread contacts in India. From 1970 to 1983, he was a senior in-house counsel for Crown Life in Toronto. In the social arena, he is the vice chairman of the Canada-India Education Council. In addition, he has served with United Way of Metropolitan Toronto, was chairman of Pickering’s Pine Ridge School Community Council, co-chair of Ajax-Pickering Transit Advisory Committee and a member of the City of Pickering Library Board, to name a few. Kam’s accomplishments to date speak to his being at home both in Canada and India and hence has a unique international persona.
Husain F. Neemuchwala – Executive Officer
As past President and founder of International Center for Education (ICE), Husain F. Neemuchwala has been the recipient of various accolades for his work on international student recruitment. His areas of expertise include (1) Organizing fairs and recruiting events (2) Networking and Learning Events and (3) Education Consulting. As Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer, Husain continues to strive to promote education ties between Canada and India, including affiliations, partnerships, joint ventures & programming, conducting missions & delegations and other areas of collaboration which facilitate cross border education. Husain has facilitated networking and learning activities within Canada’s education community by delivering events such as the Synergy series, held every summer in Toronto. With Husain playing a key role at CIEC, the organization continues to play a critical role in the evolution of Canada’s education sector, especially in its ‘internationalization’ efforts, and has helped galvanize the ‘education corridor’ that exists between Canada and India. Husain is upbeat about how Canada is viewed around the world and works tirelessly in growing ‘Brand Canada’. He does, however, remind us that this work is a joint effort and all stakeholders need to work together to make Canada truly a desirable destination for international students and for education partnership. Husain has been actively championing Canada’s ‘internationalization efforts’ in India and is keenly following recent developments within the government’s policy in terms of the ‘opening’ of India’s doors.
Diwakar Sharma – Director of Operations
Diwakar Sharma arrived in Canada as an international student decades ago & has been a pioneer in International Education every since. With over 15 years of experience in private & public sectors, he has a vast network and possesses a sound understanding to guide educators, administrators & recruiters in brand building and developing a platform to benefit incoming as well as current international students. Being a published author & sought-after speaker, he has been instrumental in lifting brand Canada by developing and facilitating pathways and partnerships between foreign education providers and Canadian Universities/ colleges. Diwakar brings knowledge and experience essential for developing and managing international recruitment strategies that are both, realistic & practical. Diwakar was most recently the Regional Manager, International Recruitment & Partnerships at Wilfrid Laurier University, a mid-sized public university in Ontario. In addition, Diwakar is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) and has been helping students, workers and prospective immigrants come to Canada. Please join us in welcoming him as Director of Operations to our group of popular brands/portals.
Gautam Ghosh – Senior Business Advisor (India)
Gautam is a multi-sector business management expert with decades of experience in leading & accelerating profitable growth of start-ups, existing & new MNCs both nationally and internationally. Through SandBoxGlobal Advisory Group, he mentors, advises and nurtures Go2Market, scale up & growth strategies for start-ups in technology, products (consumer and business) and services space to help faster profitable exit of Angel, VC , HNI and other investors by blending collective business wisdom into innovation. He also actively drives livelihood and employability skill development and has executed various projects with educational institutions, state government and central ministries through Optaamaze Corporate Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Cambridge Education Development. Over the span of his career he has had the opportunity to lead global organizations like as Regional Director & Head Operations of MMD Philips for India, MEA & Central Asia Region. He was also instrumental in reinforcing the superiority of the Philips Brand of monitors, TVs and digital signage in the region. As CEO of ViewSonic Corp, USA, he was responsible for start-up of company’s business interest in India and had performed a leadership role to accelerate the growth of the brand to the top 2 position. He set up India operation of ZEBRA Technologies Corp, an US based global leader in Barcode solution and drove its growth as their Country Head. Also as CMO, ACi Plc. UK, he was instrumental in launching successful IPO of its India subsidiary ACi (Asia) Ltd. Gautam started his career as a Sales Manager with Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co.Ltd, and later moved on to occupy leadership positions in HealthCare Diagnostic & Graphic Art Div of Eastman KODAK, TechNova-Agfa amongst others. He has done his Business Management & various Executive Development Programs with IIM, Lucknow and other institutes.