IBPC Dubai, an influential body of expatriate Indian business leaders and professionals, has announced the reconstitution of its board of governors and the new leadership.

Suresh Kumar, the outgoing chairman of the Indian Business and Professional Council Dubai, announcing the changes to the board, said he would step down as chairman after helming the organisation for six years from 2018. Prominent businessman Siddharth Balachandran will succeed Kumar effective from July 1.

Along with Kumar, four governors including Yusuffali MA, Dr Azad Moopen, Mohan Valrani and Vijay Malhotra, will step down having completed their second and final term.

“As agreed with Dubai Chamber, the outgoing chairman and governors will be designated chairman emeritus and governors emeritus. Together, they will constitute an Emeritus Mentoring Committee so as to support orderly transition and in conforming to best practices as per the norms and guidelines agreed with Dubai Chamber in choosing governors from time to time,” an IBPC statement said.

“Sunil Sinha will be the new vic-chairman. Along with the governors Surinder Khandari and Paras Shahdadpuri, they will commence their second and final term of office with effect from 1st July 2024. The five new members are being appointed to the governance board. They include Ramesh Ramakrishnan, chairman of Transworld Group in Dubai; Eugene Mayne, founder & CEO of Tristar Group in Dubai; Dinesh Kothari, an educationist and chartered accountant, Jayshree Gupta, a leading lawyer; and Ramesh Mahalingam, founder & CEO of Ideal Management Consultancies,” said the statement.

Kumar said with the new team, IBPC will continue to have a high quality board. “I am happy to pass on the baton to Balachandran as chairman. He, along with Sinha as vice-chairman and a distinguished board of governors, all eminent in their business and professional activity, should hold IBPC in good stead and future-ready in the years to come.”

“As chairman emeritus along with governors emeritus, I will continue to play a mentoring and supporting role in ensuring that ESG and global best practices are adhered to as IBPC forges ahead. Since 2018, IBPC has had a robust governance model with an elected executive committee combining both high standards of governance and good representation of membership. This model has proved to be resilient and IBPC is financially resilient and robust. Members are urged to extend their full support to the reconstituted governance board including the new leaders,” said the outgoing chairman.

Balachandran, a recipient of India's prestigious Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award 2023 , said: “It is truly an honour to be appointed as IBPC Dubai chairman. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Dubai Chamber, my colleagues on the Board of Governors, members and the Indian business and professional community at large on this opportunity to serve society, in a focused and meaningful manner.”

“I believe that being an Indian citizen in the UAE is a blessing, as it allows one to experience the greatness of both these great nations — the unparalleled dynamism of the UAE and the solid democratic values of India. There is no better platform or forum that epitomises this beautiful coalescence than the IBPC, Dubai. My colleagues on the new board and I will definitely expend intense efforts towards ensuring that the different aspects of policy advocacy are integrated with the ever evolving ethos of continuous improvement at all times, said Balachandran, who is also the chairman of an investment holding firm, Buimerc Corporation Ltd. “The continued holistic engagement initiatives with the different member categories and the various stakeholders of the IBPC will also be maintained as before, with vigour. The aim will be to ensure that each and every member associated with the IBPC has a tangible value addition to be a part of the extended IBPC family,” said Balachandran.

It is truly an honour to be appointed as IBPC Dubai chairman. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Dubai Chamber, my colleagues on the Board of Governors, members and the Indian business and professional community at large on this opportunity to serve society, in a focused and meaningful manner.” Siddharth Balachandran IBPC Dubai new chairman