Magesh Sambasivan is currently VP – APAC People Organisation at Assurant where he leads the HR function for Assurant in the region and also manages Assurant’s Global Capability Centre in India.In his career spanning 25 years, he has worked in the US, Singapore, and Philippines in various HR roles in areas of leadership development, change management, mergers and acquisitions, compensation & benefits, and talent management in organisations like Aditi Technologies, Hewlett-Packard , ANZ Bank, Accenture and Societe Generale. Magesh has led teams consisting of employees from different cultures and regions across the world and helped build and manage organisations across various countries. Magesh has a background in Computer Science from BITS, Pilani to complement his MBA in HR and systems from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar and is a strong advocate for using technology to put the focus back on the “Human” in HR. An early champion of leveraging data in Human Resources, he has used data analytics and sentiment analysis to improve employee experience at the organisations he has worked. He is also on the customer advisory board of couple of HR Tech start-ups.
The experts shaping our direction
With anthropologists, industry practitioners, design thinkers, ethnographers, data scientists, coaches & regional specialists; we bring & shape perspectives like no other.
Magesh Sambasivan
Magesh Sambasivan is currently VP – APAC People Organisation at Assurant where he leads the HR function for Assurant in the region and also manages Assurant’s Global Capability Centre in India.In his career spanning 25 years, he has worked in the US, Singapore, and Philippines in various HR roles in areas of leadership development, change management, mergers and acquisitions, compensation & benefits, and talent management in organisations like Aditi Technologies, Hewlett-Packard , ANZ Bank, Accenture and Societe Generale. Magesh has led teams consisting of employees from different cultures and regions across the world and helped build and manage organisations across various countries. Magesh has a background in Computer Science from BITS, Pilani to complement his MBA in HR and systems from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar and is a strong advocate for using technology to put the focus back on the “Human” in HR. An early champion of leveraging data in Human Resources, he has used data analytics and sentiment analysis to improve employee experience at the organisations he has worked. He is also on the customer advisory board of couple of HR Tech start-ups.
Vidur Varma
Vidur Varma is a seasoned financial services and wealth management professional with 24 years of experience across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He has held leadership roles in Citibank for over two decades, with his last position being Director – Head of Wealth Management for Citibank UK and Citi International Personal Bank EMEA. In this role, he oversaw P&L, strategy, product management, and investment advisory while leading specialist client-facing teams. Vidur is currently a Guest Lecturer at London Business School, where he teaches courses on Wealth Management, Equity Investment Management, and Personal Finance. He has designed and taught the new ‘Leading the Family Office’ exec ed open course. He is also the Co-Academic Director for the Strategic Investment Management open course and actively mentors students and alumni through the Family Enterprise Mentoring (FEM) program. His lectures cover topics such as ESG & Sustainable Investing, Hedge Funds & Liquid Alternatives, Market Trends, and Technology in Finance.
Beyond academia, Vidur established Vaidurya Advisory Limited in 2019, where he consults on business strategy, innovation, wealth advisory, family office governance, and digital transformation. He also serves as a coach to founders and senior executives and advises FinTech start-ups. An advocate for financial literacy and sustainable investing, Vidur has been part of the UK Finance – Personal Finance Committee and the British Bankers Association. He holds an MBA in Finance and an engineering degree in Electronics. Outside finance, Vidur is a certified Yoga teacher, focusing on physical and mental well-being, stress management, and personal development.
Vidur Varma is a seasoned financial services and wealth management professional with 24 years of experience across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He has held leadership roles in Citibank for over two decades, with his last position being Director – Head of Wealth Management for Citibank UK and Citi International Personal Bank EMEA. In this role, he oversaw P&L, strategy, product management, and investment advisory while leading specialist client-facing teams. Vidur is currently a Guest Lecturer at London Business School, where he teaches courses on Wealth Management, Equity Investment Management, and Personal Finance. He has designed and taught the new ‘Leading the Family Office’ exec ed open course. He is also the Co-Academic Director for the Strategic Investment Management open course and actively mentors students and alumni through the Family Enterprise Mentoring (FEM) program. His lectures cover topics such as ESG & Sustainable Investing, Hedge Funds & Liquid Alternatives, Market Trends, and Technology in Finance.
Beyond academia, Vidur established Vaidurya Advisory Limited in 2019, where he consults on business strategy, innovation, wealth advisory, family office governance, and digital transformation. He also serves as a coach to founders and senior executives and advises FinTech start-ups. An advocate for financial literacy and sustainable investing, Vidur has been part of the UK Finance – Personal Finance Committee and the British Bankers Association. He holds an MBA in Finance and an engineering degree in Electronics. Outside finance, Vidur is a certified Yoga teacher, focusing on physical and mental well-being, stress management, and personal development.
Gitika Saksena
Co-founder, Board Member, Applied Anthropologist
Gitika has close to 20 years of experience across organization consulting, anthropological research, design thinking and talent strategy. She has also taught Design Thinking at leading management schools in India. She is an MA in Social Anthropology
Gitika has close to 20 years of experience across organization consulting, anthropological research, design thinking and talent strategy. She has also taught Design Thinking at leading management schools in India. She is an MA in Social Anthropology from SOAS University of London on a British Chevening scholarship. As an anthropologist and ethnographic researcher, Gitika has presented at leading academic and industry conferences across the world.
