With a new Australia-India free trade deal on the horizon, the 2022 IABCA (India Australia Business & Community Alliance) Global Leaders’ Forum & Awards will celebrate business leaders and entrepreneurs leveraging strong connections between the two countries.
Previous alumni of the Awards include the 2016 Business Woman of the Year Uppma Virdi, the lawyer turned ‘Chai Walli’ who founded the Chai Walli tea brand.
“India is the fastest growing economy in the world and Australia’s sixth largest goods and services export market with two-way trade growing from $13.6 billion in 2007 to $24.3 billion in 2020,” said Sonia Sadiq Gandhi, CEO of award-winning events enterprise Gandhi Creations and Founder of IABCA.
“The new free trade agreement will see India climb to our top three export markets by 2035, making it the third largest destination in Asia for outward Australian investment.”
Finalists of the 2022 awards include: Elaine Starkley, CEO of Global Study Partners (GSP), creator of the online education platform working to connect Australian education recruiters with the Indian international student market; Shivani Gopal, founder and CEO of The Remarkable Women (TRW), financial advisor and women’s empowerment mentor; and Mayank Manish, founder and executive director of OpEzee, nominated in the category of Managing Director of the year.
Gandhi, who was scammed out of the first business she bought upon arrival in Australia, says she created IABCA to “help create a better business pathway for others.”
“With its close ties between business, state and federal governments it allows organisations from both nations to share their stories and the challenges of coming together to create lasting, bilateral relationships that are both culturally and economically beneficial,” said Gandhi.
The awards ceremony will be held on the 29th of April at The Star Sydney.
