Shri K. K. Sekseria is currently the President of Plastindia Foundation for term 2015-2018. He has the experience as a Chartered Accountant by qualification and over 33 years of experience in the Plastics and Engineering Industry.

Seksaria has expertise on various innovative chemical technologies where his main research work focuses on time and cost reduction on chemical technologies. He built this research after years of experience in research, evaluation, teaching both in education and industry. His research interests are in the area of Biohydrogen, Food vs. Fuels debate, Advanced Biofuels, Production of Biofuels, and Bioenergy. Previously he was the Co-Chairman of Petrochemicals Committee FICCI and President of Indian Plastics Federation (IPF).

Mr. Taparia has been the Kabra Extrusiontechnik (KET) Board since March 1989. His professional career includes 47 years, with extensive industry experience as the promoter of Supreme Group of Companies, one of the largest organization in the field of Plastics. He has hands on expertise in business management, marketing, operations and actively involved in various industry forums. His dynamic leadership and passion for the business is recognised and acknowledged by his peers. His valuable insights on business strategy have greatly benefitted the Company & its functioning.

MP Taparia currently serves as Managing Director at Supreme Industries as well as Chairman of Polystyrene Producers’ Association. He is part of the Executive Committee at the Indian Centre for Plastics in Environment and Committee Member of Chemicals and Petrochemicals Manufacturers’ Association (CPMA). He is also member of CII’s National Committee on Petrochemicals. He is the Chairman of Supreme Petrochem, India’s largest producer of polystyrene.

Mr. Kamal P. Nanavaty is a well-known leader in Petrochemical field with 47 years of experience. Kamal has expertise on various innovative chemical technologies where his main research work focuses on time and cost reduction on chemical technologies. His researches of interest are in the areas of Biohydrogen, Food vs. Fuels debate, Advanced Biofuels, Production of Biofuels, Bioenergy. Kamal built this research after years of experience in research, evaluation, teaching both in education and industry.

Kamal has been serving the Reliance Industries Limited since 1989 and currently as the President in Strategy Development. His responsibilities is to look at organic and inorganic growth opportunities for Petrochemical sector where he successfully organized international level conference in India such as Vinyl India (2011-2016), Automotive Plastics (2011-2012), Special Films and Flexible Packaging (2012-2015), and Injection and Blow Molding (IMBM) (2013-2016). He also served as mentor for Jio Enterprie team at NHQ whom specially focused on leveraging RIL connects to provide Jio service to them.

Throughout his career, he once served as the President of Polymers, Chemicals & Cracker Business at Reliance Industries Limited, Mentor at Reliance Retail in New Delhi, Chief Operating Officer at Reliance Communication, Mentor and Business Head at Reliance Infocomm Delhi Circle, and Various positions as Business Head for Chemicals, Polymers Sectors and Regional Head for Western India at Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL).

Mr. Arvind Mehta currently is as the Chairman and Managing Director of Welset Plast Extrusions Private Ltd., Mumbai, one of the leading manufacturers and exporters which providing wide range of colouring and compounding solutions to the plastics industry. Under his guidance, the three-decade-old company has entrenched its name as a high-quality manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of master batches, PVC compounds, medical grades and specialty products.

He is also the President of Plastindia International University, a private university which envisions develop a World-Class University dedicated to Plastics Technology with thrust on research, innovation, and entrepreneurial skill development. The University is supported by Plastidia Foundation, an apex body where he once served as the President (2006-2009) and giving Indian Plastic Industry recognition in global plastic industry, where huge business was generated.

Along his career Mr. Arvind Mehta has been a pioneering stalwart in India's Plastics revolution having played leadership role in various plastics associations and Trade bodies like President of All India Plastic Manufacturing Association (AIPMA), President of Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Indian Section, Member of National Council – Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Executive Director, and Asia of Council of International Plastic Association Directors (CIPAD).

Joseph C. Hartman, Ph.D., P.E., serves as Dean of the Francis College of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts since July 2013. An industrial and systems engineer by training, Hartman’s research and teaching interests are in the areas of engineering economic, finance, and transportation systems. He has published over 100 scholarly papers with his research being continuously funded by the National Science Foundation since 1997, including the CAREER Award. He has taught courses in engineering economy, quality management, production logistics, and operations research, and is author of the textbook Engineering Economy and the Decision Making Process. He was named a fellow of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IISE) in 2013.

Hartman previously served as professor and chair of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida from 2007 through 2013. He served in a similar capacity at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where he also held the George N. Kledaras ’87 Endowed Chair. He has also held visiting positions at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Dortmund. A native of the Chicago area, Hartman received his B.S. in General Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Mr. Raju Desai is the Director at Jyoti Group, a leading Plastics Design and Processing firm in India since 1959. He is also the Director of Intercontinental Polymer Pvt. Ltd. an Indo American joint venture focusing on plastics compounding and distributions. He is also the Chairman of Infrastructure Committee at Plastindia International University where he has been involved since the inception. He is experts in Marketing and HR and has over 2 decades of experience in Manufacturing, Design and Marketing in the Plastic Industry.

Mr. Raju Desai had served the positions as past President at The All India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA). He is also the nominee in the Managing Committee of Plastindia International University (PIU) The quality and ability to relate to people has fetched him immense popularity in the professional and social circle.

Mr. Ajay Shah graduated from IIT – Kanpur in 1981 with a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering and followed it up with a Masters in Financial Management from Bombay University. The Professional Career of Mr. Ajay Shah has spanned over 36 years in the polymers and chemicals industry, primarily with two organizations, namely, National Organic Chemical Industries Limited (NOCIL) and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). He joined Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) in 2001. In RIL, he has held a wide range of portfolios starting with the international business of polymers and subsequently being responsible for the PE, PP and Chemicals business units over various periods. Currently, Mr. Ajay Shah is the President for Polymer and Cracker business, which also includes the elastomer portfolio.

Mrs Anju Sharma, an MBA in Finance and Marketing and Masters in International Development Policy from Duke University, USA, has worked with Gujarat Government on various senior administrative posts. Ms. Sharma is IAS officer, currently assisted as Principal Secretary, Higher and Technical Education (H&TE) with Government of Gujarat. She is also holding an additional charge of Director General, Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM).

She is awarded with Prime Minister’s Award for Administrative Excellence for implementing the Sickle Cell Anemia Control Program in the Gujarat (2011) and with Individual Contribution Award for Health Insurance Scheme-Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) (2011). Prior to these, she also received NASSCOM Social Innovation Leaders Award and National E-Governance Award. She is also an author of “I of the Storm: Discover your true self”, which deals with varied issues that a person faces in his quest for truth or struggle to find happiness.

Dr. Mita Dixit is the Head – Research and Consultancy for the Centre for family managed business at SPJIMR, a leading B-school in Mumbai. At SPJIMR, she leads signature programs for owner-promoters on leadership, governance, and transformation. She conducts Mentoring workshops for family members to prepare the next-gen for future leadership. Along with that, she also leads Executive Education programs for family businesses.

With over 20 years of experience in management consulting, Dr. Dixit has guided over 60 family businesses for growth and continuity. She has an insider’s perspective in family business dynamics. She guides business families to develop a unified vision and common goals, manage change and leadership transition, enhance people performance in the organization, and plan for succession. Her expertise is in developing and implementing Family Constitutions and policies leading to good governance practices.

A Chemical Engineer and Masters in Marketing Management, she is the first Indian to do a doctoral research in “Conflict in Indian family businesses” from BITS Pilani. She writes case studies on family businesses which are taught in universities abroad. Her research papers and articles are published in international journals and business magazines. Media often takes her views on family business topics.

Mr. Rajan Sharma currently as the Head HR in Petrochemicals of Reliance Industries Ltd., a well-known holding company in India with around 250.000 employees in 2017. He has headed the HR function in 2 Fortune 500 companies in his career spanning over 26 years. He has successfully led organizations through transformation and organizational effectiveness. Mr. Rajan has a management degree in HR which the education as well as his diverse exposure has equipped him with a holistic competence in HR.

Rajan is proficient in integrating people initiatives with business imperatives and is known to be innovative, result oriented, with zeal to drive interventions that have substantially impacted the bottom line. A befitting example would be the Employee Engagement scores in the business he leads. The scores are almost at par with the global 75th percentile benchmark, a reflection of the people focused efforts and the credibility and trust built and lived up to.

Vimal Kedia is the Managing Director of Manjushree Technopack which produces PET Bottles, preforms and Containers and is the largest manufacturer of rigid plastics in the country with an annual capacity of over 125,000 Tones. This represents the largest capacity in this segment in South Asia and accounts for 10% of India’s PET processing. The company also recently acquired Varahi Containers to achieve a pan-India footprint. Manjushree has been listed by Business Outlook Magazine as one amongst 30 fastest growing mid-corporates in the country and Inc. Magazine has listed it as one among 500 largest mid-corporates of India. Last year BBC World covered Manjushree for the India Business Report.

Vimal is a veteran of over four decades in the packaging industry and has been honoured on numerous occasions, most notably by the President of India, for outstanding entrepreneurship and recently, he received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by The Economic Times for his contribution and commitment to the Indian packaging industry.

He is the Chairman of Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), Bangalore Center and also Governing Body Member of this institute as well as the Member of The Plastic Export Promotion Council. He is also the President of PACE (PET Packaging Association for Clean Environment). He was also a part of delegation of Karnataka State, along with the Chief Minister, to World Economic Forum held in China in 2013. He has also founded Heritage Museum of Packaging and Design, which traces the evolution of packaging over 100 years.

Stephen B Driscoll is Professor of Plastics Engineering at University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA and has been a faculty member in the Plastics Engineering Department for over 40 years. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in polymeric materials, additives and modifiers for plastics materials, testing/characterization with an emphasis on dynamic mechanical rheological testing, and marketing. Professor Driscoll was past Chair of the ASTM D20 Committee on Plastics Sections on long-Term Properties and Dynamic Mechanical Properties, the D20 Advisory Subcommittee, a member of the D20 Executive Subcommittee, an appointed member of ASTM International, and an elected member of the ASTM International Board of Directors.

He is a Fellow of ASTM International as well as a Fellow of The Society of Plastics Engineers. He is one of very few SPE members also awarded the Honored Service Member recognition. He received the SPE International Education Award in 2004. He has published more than 100 technical articles, has organized several plastics conferences, consulted for many international plastics-oriented companies, and is a United Nations Consulting Fellow for Rheology.

Mr. S V Raju is A Polymer Professional with 31 years of experience in Technical services of PE, PP & PVC, from various technologies, Grade designing & additives. He is a Post Graduate in Polymer Sciences & Tech from Andhra Pradesh. He started his professional career in 1987, with Reliance Industries Limited. He worked in various facets of Reliance Polymer Business. (Product Application Centre, Exports & Business Group).

Mr. Raju is currently serving as Head of Leading Product Application & Research Centre (PARC) at RIL Polymer Business. PARC is currently located at Vadodara and has Lab & Shop floor with the state of the Art equipment for carrying out application development activities in Polyolefins and PVC. PARC has qualified Experienced and Young team of 26 People with expertise in Extrusion, moulding, and Analytical skill sets. Apart from that he is an active member of various BIS & ISO committees and also visits various institutes for guest lectures as well as recruitment of Graduate Engineer trainees.

Col. (Dr.) Naveen Malhotra currently serves as Group President HR at Sintex Industries Ltd. He is the performance-driven HR professional with 30 years of experience and proven success in developing innovative HR strategies. He has cutting edge knowledge and experience of all facets of HR practices including building a high performance culture, change management and is outcome oriented with ability to drive results with personal energy & commitment.

He has instituted initiatives to build the Company’s human capital capability – aligning structure, skills and processes to drive growth, innovation, and continuous improvement. He has been architect in planning and implementation of HR initiatives for business development and expansion strategies in complex, multi-cultural commercial environments including customer interface, and green-field/start- ups.

Dr. Bishnoi is Consultant with 24 years of professional experience in Research with a focus on core engineering sector. He worked with organizations like Siemens, General Electric, Larsen and Toubro, Aeronautical Development Agency and thus, spanning global MNCs of repute as also the Government sector. He has completed his Masters and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. While pursuing studies in the US, he also taught to the working professionals in the Evening College and the undergraduate engineering students at the University.

Over last four years, he has moved to Education Sector with focus on development of Green Field Universities. He served as a Director General for the GSFC University to be set up at Vadodara which he successfully launched the School of Technology the GSFC University having achieved all stages from the passage of the Private University Act in the State Assembly of Gujarat to design of the curricula, formation of the Governance Structure with associated statutory bodies and recruitment.

He currently serves as the First Provost of the PlastIndia International University being developed at Vapi, Gujarat, with the University of Massachusetts, Lowell as partner. His overall responsibility includes Curriculum Design, Infrastructure Development, along with Recruitment to set up Plastindia International University as a Green Field Private University with initial focus on School of Technology.

David Owen Kazmer is Professor and Chair of Plastics Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, returning to the faculty after serving as Associate Dean for the College of Engineering. Dr. Kazmer received his doctorate from Stanford University’s Design Division. His academic research is motivated by industry experiences in engineering and management at General Electric and Dynisco. He performs teaching and research in product and machine design as informed by simulation, process control, and technology strategy.

He is the recipient of nineteen different recognition awards, including Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers and American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is the former Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, former Chair of ASME Technical Committee on Design for Manufacturing, and the recipient of the Ishii-Toshiba Design for Manufacturing Award as well as the Lincoln Electric National Design Competition. He is an inventor with over 20 patents, and the author of more than 300 publications including two books.

Ramaswamy Nagarajan is a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and the Co-director of the HEROES Initiative and the Center for Advanced Materials at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He has a science and engineering background with bachelor degrees in chemistry and rubber technology from India and a doctoral degree in polymer science from the University Massachusetts, USA. His research interest is in the development of “greener”/sustainable routes to advanced functional materials (polymers, flame retardant additives and surfactants).

Working at the interface of science and engineering, his research group has been involved in translating fundamental research into engineering applications for advancing technology in new and emerging areas. He is passionate about establishing international partnerships for research and education. He is the Co-editor of Journal of Renewable Materials and has published 55 papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds 18 US Patents.

Achal N. Thakkar is the President of Organization of Plastics Processors of India (2016-present) which establishing Plastindia International University at Vapi, Gujarat. Achal also as Managing Committee Member of the Society of Plastics Engineers India, the Chairman of the Bureau of Indian Standards (PCD-27:8 Thermoset Sub-Committee), the Chairman of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS-PCD-27:8) Thermoset Committee, a life member of the Indian Plastics Institute (IPI), and the Society of Thermosetting Industry (STI).

Achal currently also as the Managing Director of Tipco Industries Ltd. and Autotech-Sirmax India Pvt. Ltd. Autotech-Sirmax is a joint venture between Tipco Group & Sirmax Group of Italy. Tipco Industries is a market leader in Thermosetting Resins & Moulding Compounds and Tipwood® Natural Fibre Composites & Artificial Wood profiles. Autotech-Sirmax is a leading producer of Filled & Reinforced Polypropylene and Engineering Thermoplastics Compounds, Long Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics and Masterbatches.

Previously Achal was the editor of Plastindia Magazine, Chairman of the IT/Software committee, the Publication Committee & the Exhibition Directory Committee of Plastindia Foundation. He earned his Bachelors (’89) & Masters (’90) degree in Plastics Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He received the Sigma-Xi Research Award in 1988 for undergraduate research in using liquid polymers & surfactants for oil spill clean-up.