‟I firmly believe through diligently catalysing informed decision-making and raising awareness of the most pressing topics of our time, we empower one another to change the narrative. We are increasingly seeing countries establish refined regulatory frameworks, and industries demonstrate increasing levels of innovation, resulting in substantial growth in overall Venture Capital investment activities. Being technologically enabled, and conscious of ESG impact, as well as the implicating themes of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (together with opportunities for inclusive capitalism). We can inform significant reform; both economically and socially across the World. This gradually translates into direct long-term value for both, business and society” - Dr Bijna
The Princess Royal, Princess Anne and Dr Bijna Kotak Dasani MBE, FRSA photographed at the Throne Room, Buckingham Palace, London in June 2023
Bijna is a banker-turned-venture capitalist and entrepreneur. She advises and serves the Boards of various companies (to include celebrities, monarchies, listed companies, advisory businesses, financial services institutions, funds and various other firms) across the globe. Her roles include those of Managing & Operating Partner, Advisor to / Member of the Investment Committee, (Non) Executive Director. Previously, as a long-standing member of Senior Executive Management Committees (in her former firms), she has managed AUM / portfolios and instituted and led commercial & product strategy, operations, transformation and innovation – in business entities for which she has owned P&L’s for - on behalf of the World’s most prestigious institutions (to include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, SSgA, Lloyds, Morgan Stanley, etc.) within the Financial Services sector across the UK, EMEA, the Americas and Asia - spanning two decades. During this tenure she has also advised firms in the domains of RegTech, Fintech and advised leadership teams of established esteemed groups such as Bank of Lichtenstein, Vienna. Presently, in her philanthropic capacity, Bijna is an appointed member of the United Nations (UN) Women UK delegation; where she is engaged with the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. She is also an ambassador for Surviving Economic Abuse, a registered UK charity and has contributed to UK-wide legislative changes for policies in this domain. Additionally, Bijna presently holds advisory (board) roles with Cajigo, Global Fintech Convergence Council, the Inclusive Companies Network and FinTech Connect. She also serves as a Host / Judge for a portfolio of initiatives including the Intrapreneurship Conclave, EfMA, the Inclusive Companies Awards, Dublin Tech Summit, The Diversity in Tech Awards, powered by Microsoft, the Global Fintech Awards and Fintech Connect North America. Bijna has addressed audiences globally for some of the Worlds’ most prominent brands (such as Seamless Middle East and Seamless Saudi Arabia, Money20/20, etc.), as a thought-leader, and she has featured in various periodicals and interviews across geographies – to include the likes of Banking Frontiers – and has also authored various Thought Leadership papers (for example, with Oxford University) which have been published over the years. Bijna has also co-authored / features in publications including following books: Disruptors II (2023), Bias Breakers (2023), The Seamless Middle East e-book (2022), CIONET’s Digital Transformation Cookbook (2022), Aspire To (2021), The Ultimate Professional Networker's Guidebook Volume 1 (2019) and Women Kind: Unlocking the power of women supporting women (2018); She is also featured in the Citywire Tech Travels Podcast (2021), is a former host and presenter of the Women in Business TV show (2018) and featured on the Dream Corner podcast (2012) as well as many others. Bijna has been honoured by The Princess Royal, Her Royal Highness Princess Anne during her investiture at Buckingham Palace (2023) and is an appointed Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire since 2020, per order of Her Majesty, (Late) Queen Elizabeth II for Bijna’s services to Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Services industry.
Bijna has most recently been appreciated by Global Women Leadership Awards (UAE) as Woman Leader in Equity and Venture Capital (2023), Glantor X Media as India’s Top 50 under 50 Femina (2023), by Fox Story News India as Woman Face of the Year (2023) for her contribution to empowering women in Business. Bijna has been honoured by Fortune India as one of the Most Dynamic (Business) Personalities (2022) and has been named Global Icon for Services to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) by World Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (WASME) supported by the Ministry of MSME, Government of India (2022). She has been recognised by Yahoo Finance and Involve People as #28 of the Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executives #EMPower list (2022) across all industries globally, alongside the likes of Ajay Banga and others. Furthermore, she has been awarded title of Pride of India by NRI World across 100+ countries (2022), Advocate of the Year for Diversity and Inclusion (2021) by Morgan Stanley and and and was honoured in Times Square (New York) billboards for eight days. Bijna was honoured as Digital Leader of the Year (2021) by Seamless Middle East and Terrapin under the patronage of HH Sheikh Saif Bin Zayad Al Nahyan; In 2021, Bijna was also recognised by Yahoo Finance and Involve People as #40 of the Top 100 Women Executives (2021) and as one of the Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executives (2021) across all industries globally. Bijna has also been appreciated as follows: Bijna was named Britain’s Rising Star, UK Women of Inspiration awards (2019), as #29 in the World’s Top 100 Women Execs by Yahoo and HERoes (2019), one of Top 50 Women to Watch (2019) by Cranfield University, #EMRoleModels19 Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executives (2019), Innovate Finance Women in Fintech Power-list (2019-18), one of the #TechWomen100 (2019), as 'Business Role Model of the Year' by the Women in IT Awards & Amazon (2019), by the Lloyds Banking Group Top 100 BAME Role Models List (2019, 2018) as a 'Global Champion' (#60) of the Top 100 Executive #FTHERoes18 by the Financial Times (2018) and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from De Montfort University (2018) for her ‘outstanding services to Business’. She was honored by felicitation at the House of Lords (UK), at the NRI Pride of India World Summit (2017) for 'Making India Proud'. Bijna is credited as one of the Top 50 Visionary Young Leaders in Business, by Henley Business School (2017), one of 35 leading British Businesswomen under 35, by Management Today, Accenture and The Telegraph (2015) and has received recognition with 15 further honours including the National Diversity Awards (2012) and the Asian Women of Achievement Awards (2010). Bijna is also the International Women’s Day Young Achiever of the Year (2006). Bijna is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA), and an alumnus of Oriel College, University of Oxford and Leicester Castle Business School, De Montfort University.
Source: Bijna honoured with a special feature in Times Square, New York by Morgan Stanley for her services to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2021