Vinay has worked across several countries in Africa and the Middle East for Multinational Companies such as Unilever and Maersk.
With a degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, Vinay possesses a unique blend of technical and strategic expertise across multiple sectors, ranging from engineering to Quality Assurance, Marketing and Branding, Supply Chain and Logistics, to more recently, Business Development, Economic Diplomacy and currently in Financial Services.
Currently, as Director of Financial Services at the Economic Development Board of Mauritius, Vinay plays a vital role in bringing together government institutions and operators from various jurisdictions to promote and develop the Mauritius IFC as a strategic financial platform linking Africa to the rest of the world. Vinay’s multidisciplinary background enables him to bridge the needs of investors and promoters effectively.
Ara is a seasoned pharmaceutical professional with over 17 years of industry experience. She holds a Degree in Biology (2004) and a Degree in Biochemistry (2005) from Universitat Central de Barcelona. Currently serving as Senior Director of Project Management in the Internal Medicine and Neuroscience Business Unit, Ara has extensive expertise in leading and managing cross-functional teams at both national and international levels.
Passionate about overseeing the operational and financial aspects of clinical projects, she is skilled in guiding studies from Request for Proposal (RFP) to completion. Her therapeutic area experience spans transplantation, cardiovascular diseases, nephrology, infectious diseases (including COVID-19), oncology, primary care, autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, respiratory diseases, dermatology, ophthalmology, and neuroscience.
Ara has managed clinical trials across all phases, including pediatric and medical device studies, as well as Real-World Evidence (RWE) projects.
Ayat is a leading expert in biospecimen management, solutions, and chain of custody, with over a decade of experience advancing best practices in clinical and research settings. She has a proven track record of developing and implementing innovative strategies for the collection, storage, and utilization of biospecimens while ensuring compliance with the highest regulatory and quality standards.
Passionate about driving progress in the field, Ayat has pioneered solutions that enhance efficiency, integrity, and precision in biospecimen management. Her expertise plays a critical role in supporting scientific discoveries and healthcare advancements. A trusted thought leader, she continues to shape the future of biospecimen management through advocacy and innovative solutions that drive medical breakthroughs and better patient care.
Leena is a board-certified thoracic oncologist and physician-scientist in immuno-oncology with an academic and industry background in translational research and early and late clinical development. She have developed multiple investigator-initiated trials with associated correlative studies to help define biomarkers of response with a focus on immunotherapeutics in lung cancer. Leena has led phase I-III pivotal trials in lung cancer defining the role of PDL1 in the use of immunotherapy and immunotherapy combinations in NSCLC. Leena has led academic clinical and clinical research programs in immuno-oncology development and oversaw translational and clinical aspects of development of a portfolio that spanned early pre-clinical to late-phase compounds . Leena has also developed the Center for Therapeutic Innovation at DFCI– an integrated clinical/translational research center focused on early drug development.
Shawn Keogan, Ph.D., is the Director of Patient Advocacy and Professional Relations at Genmab, where she leads efforts to build strategic partnerships with advocacy organizations, professional societies, and patients. She is responsible for advancing patient engagement initiatives to gather patient perspectives and ensure they are integrated into development and commercialization strategies. Shawn holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Drexel University College of Medicine.
Dr. Anna Pinsky, MD, PhD, has more than 12 years of experience in clinical research, specializing in CNS and psychiatric indications for the past 9 years. With extensive expertise in both clinical trial management and medical monitoring, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to ensure patient safety and maintain data integrity throughout the course of clinical trials.
In her role as a medical director at Rho, Dr. Pinsky serves as a medical adviser, providing strategic guidance on protocol development and risk management. She is familiar with common clinical scales and assessments, as well as various methods of their administration, including paper-based formats and digital tablets with audio and video recording. Dr. Pinsky collaborates closely with clinical teams, investigators, and sponsors to address potential challenges related to patient enrollment and retention, adherence to study protocols, and the accurate assessment of safety and efficacy endpoints. She is instrumental in developing and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure both subject safety and the generation of high-quality, reliable data that supports regulatory approvals.
Dr. Pinsky earned both her MD and PhD in Endocrinology from the Institute of Internal and Preventive Medicine in Russia.
Krishna, a technocrat from Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIM Calcutta, is the MD and CEO of AFRINEX, an international stock exchange in Mauritius established as an initiative of Government of Mauritius and supported by Government of India with BSE Technologies Pvt. Ltd. as technology and skill partner. Launched on 25th October, 2021, AFRINEX is the largest stock exchange in Mauritius by market capitalisation of listed securities.
Krishna has close to two and half decades of experience that spans across capital markets, NBFCs, telecom, insurance, etc. Prior to AFRINEX, she had setup India International Exchange (India INX) and India International Clearing Corporation (India ICC) at GIFT IFSC, India.
Throughout her career, Krishna is known for conceptualising new product development along with technology and operational implementation, thought leadership, market microstructure design, market development attracting participants with long term strategy, corporate governance, finance and regulatory policies. Throughout her career she has delivered results in new and unchartered areas handling micro and macro challenges to deliver on objectives.
