Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
Discover the Faces Behind KAUSET Venture
Meet Our Dynamic Team
Ashok Sethi
Handles Data protection & privacy, cyber law, Corporate advisory, contracts and document drafting.
Ashok Sethi is a veteran in IT industry with over 35+ years of work experience. In technology leadership positions, Ashok has led and managed IT operations across diverse industries (Media, Content and Communication; High Tech; Shipping); in different geographies (USA, Hong Kong and India). Recognized as a technology evangelist, Ashok has driven digital transformation advocating adoption of emerging technologies to drive business results. Ashok has the acumen to manage & operate Global IT organizations – inculcating a culture to drive innovation & transformation for positive business outcomes. He is proficient in setting up & managing captive IT development centres in different geographies to generate economies of scale.
Ashok’s work experience has spanned across technology consulting as well as corporate environments. In the US (14+ years), Ashok worked in Deloitte Consulting, KPMG Consulting, Coopers and Lybrand and had the opportunity to manage large client engagements.
A representative list of clients included Apple, CISCO, Juniper, Extreme Networks, KLA Tencor, Amkor, Lucent, Xerox, HP, Sun Microsystems, Symantec, Veritas, Tektronix, Quantum, Ingram Micro and SGI. Ashok managed IT Operations for Extreme Networks. In Sapient Consulting, Ashok was the Global CIO (7+ years) reporting to the Chief Operating Officer. Ashok managed an IT team comprising 350+ staff members with an annual IT operating budget of USD 28+M to support 13,500 people across the globe. As the Global CIO (5+ years) of Publicis Groupe, Ashok managed an IT team comprising 1600+ staff members with an annual IT operating budget of Euro 230+M to support 80,000+ people across the globe. In his last corporate role (2+ years), Ashok ventured into running back-office business shared services operations for Publicis Groupe as the CEO for AMEA region. Ashok has been bestowed with several industry accolades. He has published articles in CIO magazines & presented papers in various forums in India, Switzerland, Spain, France & Australia. Ashok completed a Master in Management Studies (MMS) from Birla Institute of Technology & Sciences (BITS), Pilani as well as an LLB (law degree) from Chaudhry Charan Singh University, UP.
He has completed Data Protection Officer Certification from the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). He is on the advisory board of several startups and independent director of listed companies. Ashok lives in Delhi, India with his wife. He enjoys reading & watching programs on science & history. He has a passion for good food & wine. Ashok is a strong proponent and believer of an “early adopter mindset”- as change brings opportunity; “Learning never stops”; “Great teams write great stories” & Building Trust – is the road to success; and his mantra is “IT” stands for “Innovation and Transformation” and “CIO” stands for “Creativity; Innovation and Opportunity.
Manish Kaushik
Mr. Manish Kaushik heads Litigation wing of Kauset Ventures. He has over 18 years of experience as arguing counsel and has argued in numerous cases and advised numerous clients. He has over 100 reported judgements in various diverse fields of law including civil, criminal, matrimonial, arbitration, insolvency and bankruptcy, personal laws, service, company matters, succession, probates, banking, writs, etc. Mr. Kaushik appears in various forums including Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, District Court and Tribunals. He was a merit scholar in LLM and secured second rank in the University. He has presented papers in various National and International conferences and did Judicial clerkship in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and Hon’ble High Court of Delhi at New Delhi before starting active litigation practice. Mr. Kaushik has been involved in some of the leading cases before the Supreme Court of India and before various High Courts in the country which till date are considered landmark judgements. Mr. Kaushik is recommended by the British High Commission as Advocate for its citizens in India. The High Commissioner to India, British High Commission complimented him to produce a comprehensive and clear legal guide for frontline teams of the British High Commission to give support to British Nationals navigating the Indian Judicial System.
Namita Sethi
Namita Sethi is a dynamic financial management professional with a strategic mindset and a proven track record of safeguarding companies through meticulous financial compliance and reporting oversight. Known for expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and accounting, dedicated to maintaining organizations on a sound financial footing. Extensive experience in collaborating with startups to establish robust financial frameworks for sustainable growth.
Namita’s work experience has spanned across the US and India in tax and audit consulting and corporate environments. In the US (12+ years), Namita worked for Hood & Strong Consulting as a tax and audit consultant and was subsequently Vice President of Finance at Regalix Inc., Palo Alto, CA. In India, Namita is a Director of Finance and Operations at Badaun Cold Storage.
Namita is a Chartered Public Accountant (California License) professional and holds a law degree (LLB) from Chaudhry Charan Singh University, Meerut. Namita is a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) graduate from the reputed Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, and holds a Diploma in International Marketing from Delhi School of Economics, Delhi
Namita has been bestowed with several industry accolades such as the Swachh Champion Award (2021, 2022) by MCD and, the Fin Thinkers Award for the best finance App Idea, recognized by 9.9 media. She is an active member of CII – IWN (Indian Women Network).
She has been on the advisory board of several startups – Schoolkart.com, TyresNMore.com, and One8 restaurant.
Mishal Johari
An integral leader of the Litigation Wing of Kauset Ventures has dedicated his career to navigating the intricate realms of legal practice with precision and dedication. With a comprehensive understanding of the law and a passion for advocating on behalf of his clients, he has shown great focus in multiple areas of law, within the sphere of Civil laws, specifically showing profound interest in Arbitrations, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Law, Succession and Testamentary Laws, Land Acquisition and Real Estate Laws, as well as in Criminal laws focusing on Economic Offences and Heinous Offences. Mr. Johari appears in various forums including the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, as well as various High Courts, District Court and Tribunals across India. With a track record of success built on a foundation of integrity, diligence, and legal acumen, Mr. Johari is dedicated to serving the diverse needs of his clients across these multifaceted practice areas. Whether advocating in the courtroom, negotiating settlements, or providing strategic counsel, he has been committed to delivering exceptional legal representation tailored to the unique circumstances of each case. As a litigating lawyer, he stands ready to advocate fiercely on behalf of his clients, ensuring that their rights are protected, their interests are advanced, and their objectives are achieved within the bounds of the law
Anubhav Gupta
Anubhav Gupta is a First-Generation Lawyer, having prior qualifications and degree a Bachelor of Laws from Indraprastha University, Delhi, and working experience in the field of Insolvency and Bankruptcy, Matrimonial Disputes, Civil disputes along with other practice areas. Anubhav is an associate partner and works with a bunch of academic and brilliant lawyers, who take the profession with utmost dedication and seriousness.
As a seasoned advocate, his professional journey is defined by a robust skill set tailored to navigate the intricacies of the legal landscape. With a strong foundation in legal research and analysis, he excels in providing comprehensive legal advice, and aligning strategic counsel with business objectives. His expertise extends to litigation management, showcasing proficiency in representing clients throughout legal proceedings with a focus on achieving optimal resolutions.
He has vast knowledge in the area of Corporate Litigation and his experience spans a wide spectrum of law including IBC, commercial litigation, arbitration, and property disputes. He is majorly seen in civil Courts, District Courts, and Tribunals such as NCLT, NCLAT, DRT, and DRAT. His adaptability to evolving legal landscapes, proficiency in legal technology, and effective communication skills further contribute to his ability to provide exceptional legal representation. Collaboration is at the heart of his approach, working seamlessly with legal teams and stakeholders to navigate challenges and achieve success.
He is passionate about delivering legal excellence, and further is dedicated to helping his clients navigate through complex legal landscapes while contributing to their overall success, and is known to have keen skills for resolving contractual disputes through effective negotiation and litigation management.
Professional Memberships
Bar Council of India
1. Delhi High Court Bar Association
2. National Company Law Tribunal & Appellate Tribunal Bar Association
3. Saket District Court Bar Association
Ajit Singh Joher
Ajit Singh Joher is working as a partner at Kauset Venture. Born and educated in Delhi, Ajit has completed his schooling from Modern School Barakhamba Road, followed by a BA.LLB degree from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. His journey into law is deeply influenced by his great-grandfather, an eminent Senior Advocate and one of the first advocates to be designated as Senior by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court, who is well known for his contributions to the field of Criminal Law. As such, from the very beginning, Ajit was introduced to the legal profession and field, avidly reading, analysing and researching about the works of his great grandfather.
During his legal journey, Ajit has been fortunate to work under the aegis and guidance of esteemed legal minds and has garnered vast and profound expertise across various domains of law. He has had the privilege of working under the then Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Mr. Sharad Arvind Bobde, as well as Senior Advocate (Supreme Court of India) Mr. Paramjit Singh Patwalia. Ajit has worked on various Constitutional Bench Matters before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India involving intricate and complex legal issues namely, Sukhpal Singh Khaira vs. State of Punjab [Criminal Appeal No.885/2019] [Five-Judge Bench], which focused on the scope and interpretation of Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and Sita Soren vs. Union of India [Criminal Appeal No.451/2019] [Seven-Judge Bench], which dealt with parliamentary privileges as provided under Article 105 and 194 of the Constitution of India, 1950.
Ajit has also worked on the preliminary issue being ‘Whether the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India can refer questions of law to a larger bench while exercising review jurisdiction?’ framed by the Nine-Judge Bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, constituted to hear and decide the important questions of law referred by the Five-Judge Bench in the matter titled ‘Kantaru Rajeevaru vs. Indian Young Lawyers Association through its General Secretary Ms. Bhakti Pasrija and Ors.’ [RP (C) No. 3358/2018 in WP (C) No. 373/2006] [‘Sabarimala Temple Issue’]. The preliminary issue came to be decided by the Nine-Judge Bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the affirmative. Ajit through his work, always focuses and endeavours to contribute towards the growth, development and evolution of the Legal Profession and Field. Ajit has played a significant role in expounding and shaping new jurisprudence through matters like Dr. Sanjiv Bansal vs. Dr. Manish Bansal [CS (OS) No. 649/2021] which paved the way for the maintainability of a Civil Suit for damages for mental agony and harassment, and Amit Goel vs. CMYK Printech Limited [Company Appeal (AT) Insolvency No. 128/2021], which was one of the first case where Share Application money pending allotment as provided under Section 42 of the Companies Act, 2013 came to be treated as a Financial Debt under Section 5 (8) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Ajit has numerous reported Judgments as well as expertise in various legal fields including Constitution, Criminal, Civil, Arbitration, Service, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, Company, Succession, Commercial, Matrimonial, Property, Writs etc. Ajit appears in all courts and forums including the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble High Courts, District Courts, Commissions, Tribunals.
Other notable works of Ajit include Chirag Sharma Vs Union of India & Ors. [WP (C) No. 15124/2023] which involves a challenge to the Vires of Chapter VII Rule 4 of the Delhi High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018, The State of Jammu & Kashmir (now U.T. of Jammu & Kashmir) & Ors. vs. Shubam Sangra [Criminal Appeal No.1928/2022] infamously known as the ‘Kathua Rape Case’ wherein the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India held that the Rape Accused was not a juvenile at the time of commission of the offence in question and is liable to face trial as an Adult, Ankit Batra Vs Union of India & Ors. [WP (C) No. 229/2023] which pertains to the anomaly created by Section 18 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 in its present form post the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 etc. Ajit remains committed towards advancing the cause of justice and upholding the rule of law. Ajit remains dedicated towards ethical legal practice and excellence. Ajit through his work, is focused towards creating a meaningful impact in the Legal Field and the Society at large. Ajit continues to work towards building a just and equitable society where in all individuals, regardless of their background or financial status, are able to have their legal rights and grievances heard and addressed. Ajit passionately believes in the words that ‘justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done’ and works tirelessly towards its attainment and realization in the true sense.
Meet the Visionaries at KAUSET Venture - Redefining Advisory Excellence
Meet Our Advisors
Saurabh Kapoor
Saurabh Kapoor is a new generation entrepreneur – the Managing director of JSG Group and founder of Galio – with an industry experience of over 3 decades. He started taking over the family business in 1991 at a very tender age. An initiator and a visionary principal, Saurabh has led the family business from being 2 people trading house to a 2500+ people strong $100 million design, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution global enterprise. Saurabh’s passion for business leadership and management has led him to develop a strong knowledge base and expertise in the areas of design & development, manufacturing, and supply chain management. He also spends a considerable amount of time designing and new products development and has over 8 design patents and 1 process patent in his name. His cumulative experience and multifaceted interests have led him to succeed in a multitude of greenfield projects. He also prides having created the touchstone of testing and validation by setting up one of the industry’s first NABL approved ISO IEC 17025 in-house labs. He has also been pivotal in creating the enterprise industry 4.0 driven by automation and accurate data capturing. Saurabh is an alumnus of IIM-Ahmedabad, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the USA design and innovation program. At the heart of Saurabh’s business philosophy is to empower people to innovate and collaborate for high performance and wealth creation. He is a straightforward and understanding entrepreneur, open to radically new ideas and growth. Saurabh loves to travel, explore new horizons, to meet and network with new people. He loves to spend time with his family in his spare time, educate and play with his four children, and read.
Umesh Mehta, President – Governing Body of CIO Association (CIO Klub)
Umesh is a seasoned turnaround technology leader with many years of expertise in Automobile, Agrochemicals, Pharma, Retail, QSR Industry. A CIO with deep Business acumen and a very strong ability to weave Technology with Business. Umesh has 35+ years of experience in the field of Information Technology and has worked with some of the world-renowned manufacturing organization’s like Maruti Suzuki, Fiat Group, Essar Group, Jubilant Group and PI Group. During his long tenure with these companies, he has handled domestic as well as international assignments in the field of Information Technology and has been able to affectively use I.T. for strategic Business advantages.
A track record for customer centricity, passion for excellence, rigor and agility in execution are a standard that most professionals pitch themselves against. Umesh has won several prestigious awards including the “CIO Sammaan” – One of India’s top 5 CIOs in 2019 by CIO & Leader – 9.9 Group, “CIO Hall of Fame” Award from IDG. IDC Insight Award 2014, 2015 & 2016 for Excellence in Innovation. Business Technology Awards 2015 in Enterprise application, Cloud, Mobility Analytics category. CIO Power List 2015 by Centre of Recognition & Excellence. CIO 100 – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, CIO & 2016 by IDG. Best CTO Award – 2009 (Delivery Excellence) by Dun & Bradstreet.
Umesh is the President of the Governing Body of CIO Association also known as CIO Klub. It the largest association of Chief Information officers in the world with 2000+ members representing various industry verticals across its 16 chapters in India, UAE and Bangladesh. Umesh is the board member of INDUS – SAP User Group of India Subcontinent. He is empaneled as subject matter expert for all IT projects in Meghalaya with Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation. Umesh is also on the Customer Advisory Board of many technology products & services companies. Umesh has a degree in Computer Science from Delhi University and is an Alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur
Anuj Kumar
Anuj Kumar, B-Tech (IIT-Varanasi), PGCAMPR (MICA) having 20 years of rich experience in the industry, has been an innovator and evangelist since the start of his career. More importantly not only he pioneered these technologies but also implemented large-scale nationwide projects to solve one or other problems prevailing in the industry.
In the early part of his career in 2002, he founded a company that built an IOT-based GPS-GSM tracking system and worked with international Giants such as Garmin, Nokia, and SIRF (GPS chipset Maker) to provide automated solutions in the Transport industry. This platform was later adopted by the Indian Oil, RSRTC, MSRTC, Mumbai police, etc to have live updates from the field remotely over the GIS Maps. Subsequently few years down the lane, he became passionate about the Mobile payments platform. He created a platform with Block-chained based Crypto cryptocurrency mining algorithms and worked with the leaders of the Financial domains including the Ministry of Finance, officials from the National Payment Corporation of India, and Senior officials of the State Bank of India (SBI).
In SBI, the completed m-payment solution was implemented after the rigorous global bidding system. The m-payment solution was also used in e-Seva, various CSCs statewide implementation along with France and SingTel mobile operators at the global level.
Currently, as Founder of PHONEME, a Voice and Data Analytics company, offers services through the V-Phoneme platform. V-Phoneme, an AI, Machine Learning based platform is a differentiator in this current ecosystem as it uses the Voice as an input, does the Natural Language Understanding, and plays back the results in regional language only. People experience the Internet over the Voice calls.
In 2011, The solution was successfully implemented as a farmer project in Kenya, Bangladesh, and India through the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI- a UK-based UN NGO that works in field of agricultural research) where in they provide voice consultancy services to farmers through the automated platform without using agents.
In 2014, the Government harnessed its potential while scaling its Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana wherein this platform created 1.2million resumes by calling Blue collared workers in their regional languages.
Later Central Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched NHP Voiceweb on a toll-free number wherein citizens can have the disease diagnostic service just over a call. Various states adopted this in their Anganwadi Automation, Mid-day meal program, etc. Regarding Data Analytics, their platform is contributing to providing nationwide e-governance services for the NCD program, PMSSY (currently used by PMO to monitor the development of AIims and new Medical colleges), and a unified Central Health Dashboard system.
Amit Goel
Dr. Amit Goel, son of the Late Sh. JP Goel is a distinguished figure in the realm of journalism and academia. With a robust educational background and extensive professional experience, he has made significant contributions to the field.
Dr. Amit Goel’s multifaceted career reflects a deep commitment to journalistic integrity, scholarly pursuits, and public engagement, making him a prominent figure in both media and academic circles.
Dr. Goel commenced his career as a Sub Editor & Senior Correspondent with the Express Group, contributing to Indian Express and Financial Express from 1985 to 1990. He then moved on to serve as a Principal Correspondent & Corporate Editor with the prestigious Times of India Group, including Economic Times and Times of India, from 1990 to 1998. His journey continued with roles such as Senior Editor at Asian Age, Chief of Business Bureau at The Pioneer in 1999, and currently as the Editorial Director of The Pioneer since 2003. In addition to his journalistic endeavours, Dr. Goel holds the esteemed position of Chairman at Bhaskar Acharya College of Applied Sciences (Dwarka), Delhi University, since 2012.
Notable achievements of Dr. Goel are hereunder:
- Goel has garnered recognition as one of the most reputed macro-economic business journalists in India.
- Goel’s contributions have been acknowledged through an Honorary PhD degree.
- He has represented newspapers by accompanying Prime Ministers on their overseas visits.
- Goel holds the distinction of being the first Indian journalist to interview Bill Gates during his inaugural visit to India for the Economic Times.
- He has extensively covered significant events such as the 1991 Economic Reforms in India and the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Harshad Mehta.
- Goel’s literary prowess is evident through the authorship of over 4000 articles since 1985, along with numerous book reviews of works by prominent authors such as Mr. Kapil Sibal and Jidu Krishnamurthy.
- He has been a guest panellist on various reputable news channels like NDTV, India Ahead, Zee, CNBC, etc.
- Goel has served as an expert panellist in interviews involving prominent personalities such as Yogi Adityanath.
Dr. Goel completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Khalsa College, Delhi University, in 1984. He pursued a Post Graduation Diploma in Journalism from YMCA, New Delhi, in the same year, further honing his skills in the field. Dr. Goel is affiliated with esteemed professional and club memberships, including Editors Guild, Press Club of India, Foreign Correspondents’ Club, and Indian.
Suman K. Das
Ex Managing Director, Eli Lilly Services P Ltd.
A seasoned business leader and CFO, he brings over 35 years of practical experience, excelling in Finance leadership, leading a global capability center (GCC), spearheading business development, financial planning, and analysis, leading international teams and operations with a strong track record in the pharmaceutical and FMCG sector. He possesses comprehensive knowledge of global operations, including legal and compliance issues in various countries, gained through professional experiences in the USA, South America, Asia, and Europe. He most recently served as the Managing Director of Eli Lilly Services (P) Limited, overseeing the human, cultural, and business well-being of the company. Together with a team of skilled professionals, he spearheaded the growth and expansion of a world-class global capability center in Bengaluru, managing a range of operations that spanned the company value chain As a catalyst for change and advisor to executive teams, he specializes in assessing the financial implications of business choices and adeptly turns strategic plans into enhanced financial outcomes, ensuring compliance. His expertise encompasses building financial teams, risk management, and advisory, business development, creating innovative business models, crafting organizational strategies, and leading change management. Passionately advocating for People, Culture, and Teams, he is committed to attracting, nurturing, and retaining top-tier talent, fostering their success in an environment rich in diversity, equity, and inclusion, thus paving the way for their exceptional performance.
A Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary, he started his career with a short stint in Apollo Tyres before moving to SmithKline Beecham India in the consumer health business. He joined Eli Lilly Ranbaxy JV in India in 1993 and then worked with Eli Lilly and Company in various country and geography financial and business roles around the world. He is now actively involved in assisting businesses with a global footprint overhaul their financial systems, data and process support frameworks underpinned by robust risk management. Additionally, he is committed to sharing his knowledge and experience by engaging as a partner at SVP India, where he mentors, participates in business panels, and explores opportunities as a venture capitalist/angel investor.