Media Release
Bengaluru, Apr 23: The Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) members meet on April 20 saw an attendance of over 80 members who were hosted to a number of excellent initiatives from different programmes intended to boost their businesses.
The evening started with the induction of 2 new women entrepreneurs. KE encourages women entrepreneurs with 15% of its members’ strength of 220 being women entrepreneurs or professionals in senior positions, bringing a much needed perspective to the organisation.
In his welcome address, Adrian D’Souza, president, KE, expressed his happiness on women entrepreneurs joining KE. He enumerated the various initiatives the BOD had put forth to add value to KE members. Stressing the need for networking, he exhorted members to follow 10 Cardinal rules of networking. By sincerity and transparency in one’s own behaviour, one can win friends and influence people.
Among the new initiatives added were spotlight tables, introduced by Dr Joseph Rasquinha, director membership, who in his presentation video mentioned that KE as an organisation was responsible for generating crores of incremental business among its members. KE members have also invested crores in fellow member companies with a number of collaborations between KE members. The spotlighted tables was introduced by the KE board at a marginal cost help members highlight their products and get more business and increase branding among KE members.
The highlight of the evening was a presentation by Girish Venkataraman, CEO, Investment Advisory and Trustee Services, IIFL, who gave an enlightening talk on the importance of Legacy planning and strategy. In his vast experience with IIFL advisors they had found major mistakes made by many business owners who added assets to companies which were at risk when loans or other business went bad. These assets were put in place during profitable times, but due to poor investment planning, were at risk when businesses failed. In many cases, families of business in such situations faced great difficulties and financial losses when such assets were put at risk.
Guest of honour, Philomela Lobo, joint-director, Education department, government of Karnataka, spoke of her experience on the expectations of students today and how divergent these expectations were. She spoke of the importance of having Kanara Catholics in the civil services and how it was important to get the support of organisations like Kanara Entrepreneurs to achieve this goal.
The last speaker and guest of honour Ronald Colaco, well known NRI Entrepreneur, philanthrophist and Karnataka Rajotsava Awardee, appealed to members to support candidates from the Kanara region in the forthcoming elections, He reminded all of their responsibility as successful business leaders and exhorted members to play a greater role in the governance of the state and to come forward and support poorer students to apply for IAS & KAS entrance exams.
The KE board of directors then felicitated all members who recommended new members by presenting tokens of appreciation by Robinson D’Souza, former president of KE. Members felicitated were Charles Gomes, Peter Anil Rego, Freeman D’Souza, Avinash Prabhu, Dr Allen Pinto, Satyajit Menezes, Austin Roach, Errol Fernandes, Jose Paul,
Arun Fernandes, Adrian D’Souza, Ashley D’Souza, Alvin Mendonca, Frank Coelho, Roshan D’Silva, Kiran Moras, Ajay Fernandes, Robinson D’Souza, Zaveena Lobo and Dr Joseph Rasquinha.
The evening was excellently compered by Vivon Pinto with the vote of thanks rendered by the enthusiastic Royston Pinto.
The power packed evening ended in warm KE fellowships, networking and good cheer over cocktails and dinner.