PROFILE-­‐  ARUN  PANCHARIYA    Arun   Panchariya   has   over   20   years   of   rich   experience   in   entrepreneurship,   industry   and  trading,  spanning  across  a  broad  range  of  geographic   locations  and  deal  sizes.  He  is  adept   in  the  trading  of  direct  equities,  commodities,  futures,  derivatives  and  other  financial  and  money  market   instruments.  He  offers  advisory  and  consulting  services   for   international  offerings  of  Indian  and  international  listed  &  non-­‐listed  companies  and  has  strong  ties  with  debt  providers  and  equity  sponsors.      I  started  early…my  foundation  in  the  manufacturing  industry  helped  me  gain  a  lot  of  experience  in  grassroots  businesses    TEXTILE  AND  MANUFACTURING    Arun   started  his   career   in  1992  at  a  proprietary   concern-­‐  Alka  Textile  Mills,   and  was  primarily  engaged  in  the  business  of  manufacturing  and  trading  of  textiles,  and  marketing  of  its  products  in  the  western  region  of  India.      In  1994/95,  Arun  joined  Alka  Spinners  Ltd.  (later  known  as  Alka  India  Ltd)  as  a  full-­‐time  director.  It   is  here   that  he  gained  experience   in   the  manufacturing  of  100%  cotton  yarn,   blended  yarn,  textile  and  spinning  yarn.    He  also  learnt  soft  skills,  administrative  skills  and  corporate  culture  at  Alka   India.   Incidentally,  Arun  made  his   first   foray   into   the   financial   services  during   this  period,  when  he   successfully  handled   the  Greenfield  project   IPO  of   the  company.  Being  a  whole   time  director,  Arun  personally  designed  the  fund  raising  program,  and  in  the  process  learnt  in  detail  about  working  capital,  term  loans,  commercial  loans  and  the  underlying  processes  for  the  same.        Arun  joined  Panchariya  Gin  Pvt.  Ltd.  in  1998,  where  he  learnt  all  about  the  ginning  industry.      Dealing   with   suppliers   (farmers)   buying   cotton,   interacting   with   distributors,   wholesalers   and  traders  built  my  negotiation  strengths  and  more  importantly,  I  learnt  how  to  deal  with  different  kinds  of  people.  I  also  learnt  how  important  agricultural  products  are  in  our  day-­‐to-­‐day  life  and  how  farmers  work  hard  to  provide  the  same…    Alka   India   started   its   100%  export-­‐oriented   software  business   around   the   same   time,   so  Arun  completed  his  MCSD/MCSE  courses  and  handled  this  new  stream  of  business  as  well.      During  this  period,  Arun  was  also  a  Director  with  Karnavati  Fincap  Limited,  which  then  changed  its  name  to  Vasudev  Textiles  &  Industries  Limited,  and  was  then  sold  to  new  management.  This  company   is   now   known   as   Asian   Granito   Limited,   now   one   of   the   largest   players   in   the   tile  industry  in  India.    The  decline   in   the   textile   industry  made  Arun   look  at  other  avenues  of  business,  and   in  1999,  was  appointed  as  the  CEO/MD  of  Kuber  Cooperative  Bank.      

It  wasn’t  easy  leaving  my  comfort  zone  in  textiles  and  entering  financial  services.   I  had  the  IPO  experience,  but   this  was  a  different  ball  game  altogether.  However,   I   took   it  as  a   challenge   to  prove  myself…    BANKING-­‐  THE  FIRST  STINT    At   Kuber,   Arun   dealt   with   all   aspects   of   retail   banking,   housing   loans,   trade   finance   and  commercial   banking.   He   handled   RBI   audits,   learnt   banking   policies,   and   attended   numerous  seminars   to   keep   himself   up-­‐to-­‐date   with   the   latest   in   the   banking   industry.   His   hard   work  showed  great  results-­‐  at  the  time  of  taking  over  the  bank,  it’s  capital  &  networth  was  3  million  INR,   this   increased   to   20  million   INR(inclusive   profits   and   reserves)   by   the   time   he   retired   in  2003,  and  all   its   financial  years  ended   in  profit.  The  performance  graph  of  the  bank  during  his  tenure  was  always  taking  up  the  ladder  .    Business  travel  always  excited  me,  the  prospect  of  meeting  new  business  people,  exploring  new  business  ideas.  I  still  travel  extensively,  clocking  in  an  average  of  20  travel  days  a  month!    COMMODITY  TRADING    In  the  year  2000,  Arun  started  traveling  to  the  UAE,  where  he  saw  exciting  trading  opportunities.  This  resulted  in  him  establishing  a  general  trading  company-­‐  Vintage  FZE,  in  Jebel  Ali  Free  Zone  in  Dubai.   Initially  trading   in  computer  hardware,  software  and  copier  paper,  Vintage  expanded  its  trading  portfolio  to  include  aluminum,  heavy  metal  scrap,  copper  scrap  and  commodities  like  rice,  pistachios,  saffron  and  vegetables.  This  hands-­‐on  experience  in  commodity  trading  helped  Arun  build  his  base  in  the  trading  industry,  and  he  grew  the  company  from  a  turnover  of  US$  1.3  million  at  inception  to  an  impressive  US$  141  million  in  2009.    Meanwhile  Alka  India  also  started  a  division  for  trading  of  physical  gold  and  silver  bullion,  and  this  too  was  overseen  by  Arun.      The  success  of  Vintage  FZE  prompted  Arun  to  shift  base  to  Dubai,  and  he  voluntarily  retired  from  Alka  India  and  Kuber  Bank,  so  that  he  could  focus  on  his  trading  business  which  he  found  more  exciting.    In  2003,  Arun  became  a  member  of  the  DGCX  and  also  entered   into  a  tie-­‐up  to  market  the  FX  online   trading   platform   of   RCG   FX   London,   which   was   owned   by   the   2nd   largest   commodity  broker  in  Chicago-­‐  RCG  Group.      During  his  visit   to  London,  Arun  was   impressed  by  the   financial  market   there  and  saw  a   lot  of  opportunity  for  business.      I  was  impressed  by  the  work  environment  in  London,  the  pulse  of  the  financial  centre.  This  was  something   I   wanted   to   be   part   of,   and   I   knew   I   could   capitalize   on   my   banking   and   IPO  experience  and  create  a  financial  services  company…    FINANCIAL  SERVICES    Pan   Asia   Advisors,   an   international   corporate   advisory   firm   and   boutique   investment-­‐banking  firm  was   set  up  by  Arun   in  2006.   Through  PAA,  he  advised   international   corporate  on  Private  Equity,   Mergers   &   Acquisitions,   GDR,   FCCB   and   debt   funding.   Arun   worked   on   numerous  transactions  and  assisted,  both  directly  and  indirectly,  in  raising  fund  of  more  than  USD  2  billion  

in   the   international  market   for   global   corporates.     PAA   also   assisted   clients   in   listings   on   the  Luxemborg,  DIFX  and  Singapore  stock  exchanges.      I   have   exposure   on   various   sectors-­‐Media,   Telecommunications,   films,   broadcasting,   textiles,  sugar,  metal,   retail,   oil,   industry   and  pharma  among  others.   This   gave  me  a   deep   insight   into  many  business  verticals,  and  I  wanted  to  do  more…    INVESTMENT  BANKING    Having  gained   rich  experience   in  a   variety  of  business   sectors,  Arun  now  set  his   sights  on   the  investment  banking  business.  His  trips  to  Europe  brought  him  into  contact  with  a  private  bank  in  Vienna-­‐  Euram  Bank.  This  resulted  in  a  joint  venture  investment  bank  set  up  by  PAA  and  Euram  Bank   and   christened   Euram   Bank   Asia   Ltd.,   was   established   in   the   DIFC   in   2008.   Arun   was  appointed  President  of  the  bank,  and  the  head  of  corporate  finance  and  investment  banking.  He  spearheaded   a   number   of   transactions   in   the   first   two   years   itself,   notable  mentions   being   a  USD  3   billion   deal   for   an   oil   and   gas   industrial   park   in  Malaysia   and   gold,   coal  mining   and  oil  refinery  deals  in  East  Asia,  Australia  and  Africa.      Under  his   leadership,  Euram  Asia  declared  95%  dividend  in  Year  1  and  90%  dividend  in  Year  2,  which  was  a  huge  achievement  in  itself.    Investment  banking  brought  me  to  the  other  side  of  traditional  businesses;  while  my  heart  lay  in  the  operational  aspects  of  the  business,  my  mind  knew  that  investments  drove  such  ventures...a  dichotomy  of  sorts        INVESTMENT  FUNDS    During   2007,   Arun   started   working   on   setting   up   a   structure   to   enter   the   investment   funds  business.   The   result   was   Cardinal   Capital   Partners,   a   fund   management   company   set   up   in  Mauritius  and  regulated  by  the  FSC,  and  registered  with  SEBI  as  an  FII  as  well.    CCP  promoted  and  managed   IFCF,   which   started   operations  with   an   AUM   of   US$   3  million   and   a   Net   Asset  Value  of  US$  1  per  Share.  By  2010,  the  fund  had  grown  to  an  AUM  of  US$  110  million,  with  an  NAV  of  US  $  upto  5.34  per  share.      Arun  resigned  from  IFCF  in  June  2010,  due  to  his  pressing  commitments  at  EBAL.        SHIPPING  &  LOGISTICS    In  2006-­‐07,  Arun  set  up  Vintage  shipping  and  logistics,  a  short  stint  in  the  logistics  business.     It  didn’t  do  as  well  as  expected,  partly  because  of  bad  market  conditions  prevailing  at  that  time.      Vintage  shipping  reinforced  one  lesson-­‐  timing  is  critical.  It  didn’t  work  out,  but  I  will  not  give  it  up  until  it  does!        

ALLEGATIONS          In  September  21st  2011,  Arun  was  caught  unawares  by  a  malicious  allegation  leveled  by  SEBI  on  PAA   and   himself.     This   was   particularly   surprising   since   both   PAA   and   he   did   not   even   come  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  regulator.      SEBI   issued   an   interim   order   pending   investigation  which   they   subsequently  went   ahead   and  confirmed  on  17th  Jan  2012,  again  pending  further  investigation.    The   SEBI   allegations,   though   unfounded   and   baseless,   rocked  my   boat…I   resigned   from   EBAL  immediately,   resolving  to  prove  my   innocence  and  clear  my  name.   I   left   India   in  the  year  2002  and  became  an  NRI  to  expand  my  business  in  the  International  markets  where  I  am  regulated.  I  am  answerable  to  regulatory  bodies  local  to  the  jurisdictions  where  I  operate,  but  not  to  SEBI.  .      CURRENT  STATUS    Joined  Signature  Group  on  16th  January  2012  as  director  &  partner.  Signature  is  a  private  equity  and   corporate   finance   firm   focused   on   the   emerging   markets   of   India,   GCC   and   Africa.   It  currently  manages  US$  1.2  billion  of  investments  in  these  markets.      Arun  is  also  an  advisor  to  The  Falcon  Fund  Limited,  which  invests  in  the  mining  industry  globally.      AWARDS  AND  RECOGNITION    Arun   was   honored   with   the   “Business   Person   of   the   Year   2010   ”   award   at   the   11th   Asian  Achievers   Awards   held   at   Wembley   Stadium,   London.   The   AAA   recognizes   the   various  outstanding  roles  played  by  Britain’s  Asian  community,      Arun  was   also  bestowed  with   the  Asian  Banker   of   the   Year   2010   award  by  Asian  Who’s  Who  International;  he  received  this  recognition  from  Ms.  Cherie  Blair  in  London.