Dhiren Shah – Get to know our VAB member
It is our pleasure to introduce our member Dhiren Shah, who recently joined the VAB community from the United Kingdom. He is based in London where he works in the consultancy space and over the past two decades has gained experience supporting businesses as an advisor and founder. His professional experience spans activities such as strategic advisory, investment banking and debt underwriting. Dhiren was raised in Kenya but has spent most of his professional life working in the UK and Spain. He is co-founder of Holox Invest, and is a board advisor to The Ashinaga Foundation and strategic advisor and consultant at Stratevolve. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Dhiren if you find you share specific interests or would like to learn more about his board ambitions.
What inspired you to become a member of the Virtual Advisory Board community?
I am looking to network across various sectors and locations to meet board-level experts and professionals who share my interests in Education, Philanthropy, Capital Markets and Real Estate.
In what area do you feel board advisors can add the most value for Boards of Directors (BoDs) and executive teams?
A co-pilot’s view is often clearer. This is where a board member/NED can add true value by bringing in fresh perspectives and making introductions to a broader network of possible clients and business opportunities.
What would be your dream company/organisation to work with as a board advisor/NED?
A growing financial institution or a development bank are the key types of organisations that interest me. Tech-based startups within finance, agriculture and real estate fascinate me; particularly, as they can disrupt the status quo and inject efficiency in regions that don’t necessarily have the 'old infrastructure'.
What book or podcast would you recommend to VAB members that might improve their skills in corporate governance, board advisory or boosting board-to-executive team communications?
I would definitely suggest Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.
