Sunil Khosla – Get to know our VAB member

We would like to introduce our member Sunil Khosla, who joined the VAB community from Mumbai, India. Sunil is an active investor, advisor, entrepreneur, mentor, social impact champion and experienced C-suite leader with over 25 years of global experience. 

He is the founder of Unicorn Next, a business growth accelerator for start-ups and scale-ups on go-to-market initiatives, growth acceleration, brand building and cross-market expansion. He is also an investor and co-founder of The Smiling Souls (an AgeTech wellness and happiness platform for seniors). He serves as a Board Advisor to the Satvam Happiness Foundation. Sunil is dedicated to assisting scale-ups and purpose-driven organisations in their growth, transformation and expansion into North America, Europe, Australia and emerging markets. 

He is also a TEDx speaker and global mentor, sharing insights on innovation, marketing, sales, payments and scale-up strategies at international platforms. He would love to engage and exchange ideas with VAB members who share this passion.

What inspired you to become a member of the Virtual Advisory Board community?

I am genuinely excited to be part of the Virtual Advisory Board (VAB) community! This incredible platform fosters the exchange of ideas with visionary leaders, playing a vital role in meaningful growth journeys. My transition from senior corporate leadership to advisory roles and ecosystem building has shown me just how powerful collaborative insights can be in driving scale, innovation and impact. Engaging with this trusted network allows me to learn from diverse perspectives and share my experiences in business development, social impact initiatives and global market expansion. I wholeheartedly embrace the thoughtful collaboration that VAB embodies, and I'm eager to contribute and grow together!

In what area do you feel board advisors can add the most value for Boards of Directors (BoDs) and executive teams?

Board advisors play a vital role in enhancing value by providing objective insights and hands-on experience to support strategic decision-making. Their unique perspectives help identify growth opportunities, reduce risks and foster innovation through industry connections. Their most significant impact is seen when they align strategy with execution, empowering boards and executive teams to navigate market shifts, explore new markets and promote purpose-driven leadership.

What would be your dream company/organisation to work with as a board advisor/NED?

For me, the dream is all about the mission! I want to join a purpose-driven organisation - whether it's a scale-up, an SME or a social impact fund - that is active in wellness, FMCG, education, digital transformation, social impact or sustainability. I’m inspired by companies and initiatives like Mindful Chef (UK), Too Good To Go (Denmark), Allbirds (USA), The Better India (India), SoulTree (India), Kheyti (India) and impact funds such as the Livelihoods Carbon Fund (France) and Acumen (global). All of these combine innovation with strong values and are poised for meaningful growth. I’m passionate about expanding into emerging markets, leading transformative initiatives and making a lasting impact alongside inspiring leaders.

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’m not an avid reader of traditional governance books, but I’m a keen observer of how leadership and strategy play out in real life. I learn most from stories brought to life through movies, documentaries, and biopics. A few favourites: The Playlist (Spotify), Steve Jobs (Apple), The Founder (McDonald’s), The Social Network (Facebook), Guru (inspired by Dhirubhai Ambani), Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, The King’s Speech (leadership under pressure), and Pad Man showcase vision, resilience and problem-solving. These inspiring, real-life stories make lessons in corporate governance, transformation and board–executive communication not just informative, but also memorable and relatable.