Satish Thakkar is the President of Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC). Satish has been actively associated with the Chamber for over six years, starting as an ordinary member and gradually working his way up to become a committee member, a director, a Vice President and then finally the President in July 2011. For his singular dedication and stellar contribution to the Chamber’s activities, he was awarded the Member of the Year Award in 2010 by the Chamber.
In June 2010, Satish was part of a core team that organised the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas – a convention of and for the Indian Diaspora – in Toronto. The PBDCanada2011 was one of the biggest congregations of the Indian Diaspora ever to be held in Canada and led to several policy-related recommendations in both Canada and India to help change the course of bilateral relations between the two countries.
In January 2012, Satish led over 60 Small and Medium Enterprise companies to a trade mission to India and the UAE. The highpoint of the India Mission 2012 was Satish accepting the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award – India’s highest award to an overseas entity – bestowed upon the ICCC. The Mayor of Markham, Frank Scarpitti, was the joint leader of the Mission.
During his on-going tenure as the President of the 35-year-old ICCC, Satish has worked to promote the SME sector by supporting it through advocacy, market research, and market access by way of introductions at business and industry level. Satish believes that the SME sector will be playing a major role in the future of Canada-India bilateral relations, and that it is necessary to create institutional frameworks that would help sustain, nurture and grow the sector to reach greater heights. In this endeavour, Satish has also been working with several key organisations representing diverse ethnic groups and trade bodies to help create a network of alliances.
ICCC website: ICCC
Achievements as the President of Excelsior Financial Group
Satish is a financial and business consultant and heads his own company – the Excelsior Financial Group. He is a CA from India and a CGA from Ontario. and is a prominent and active member of the South Asian business and professional community in Canada. He has extensive global experience in the financial services industry and has a proven record of providing custom full service business and transaction consulting services to meet the unique needs of his clients in both personal and corporate financial structuring and planning.
Satish helps companies grow and enhance shareholder value by providing strategic advice on major transactions by offering both debt and equity solutions from institutional and/or private lenders. Satish has the unique ability to leverage and cultivate strong relationships with key players in the industry.
Mid-Week Group of Newspapers honoured him with the Best South Asian Professional of the Year Award in 2011.
Read More about Satish’s achievements as President, Excelsior Financial Group
Article in the Generation Next: From picking up a client at Tim Hortons to President of Excelsior Financial Group
South Asian Professional of the Year 2011 Award
Most Influential South Asians 2012
Read Client Testimonials: EFG Canada clients
Excelsior Financial Group website: EFG Canada
Satish's social and community work
Over the last decade-and-a-half since Satish immigrated to Canada he has been actively engaged in what he terms as “social reengineering” whereby he assists newcomers by counseling and mentoring. He helps newcomers to Canada - irrespective of their ethnic origins - to understand their talents and to fuel and nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship in them.
“I believe in the adage that it’s better to teach a man to fish instead of giving him food. Charity will solve an immediately problem, but creating the spirit of entrepreneurship in a newcomer will help the person prosper.”
Satish is actively involved in organizing community and cultural events aimed at strengthening Indo-Canada ties.
Satish lives in Brampton with his family – comprising his wife Rimple, daughter Nikita and son Mayank. Both his children were born in Canada.
Read more about Satish’s community engagement.
Article in The Globe & Mail: Philanthropy now part of Diwali festivities in Canada
Key Organizer: NRI Antakshari
