Sunil Bharti Mittal and Valerie Mars join Hakluyt’s International Advisory Board March 2024
We are delighted to announce the appointments of Sunil Bharti Mittal KBE, the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, and Valerie Mars, senior vice president of corporate development at Mars, to our international advisory board.
An entrepreneur with five decades of experience, Mittal is a pioneer of the mobile communications industry in India, and has become one of the country’s foremost business leaders. As well as building one of South Asia’s largest telecoms companies, he and his family have been heavily involved in promoting education across India, including through the Satya Bharti Schools Programme, which works to provide access to education for underprivileged children.
Valerie Mars began her career at Mars, Inc. in 1992, and is now the company’s senior vice president of corporate development. She has overseen more than two decades of transformative transactions, including Wrigley, VCA and, more recently, Champion Petfoods and Hotel Chocolat. She currently sits on the boards of luxury fashion retailer Zegna and Conservation International, having previously served on the boards of Fiat Chrysler Automobile and Ahlstrom Munksjö.
Chaired by Niall FitzGerald KBE, Hakluyt’s international advisory board includes senior leaders from the worlds of business, government and academia, who enhance the firm’s global connectivity and expertise.
Commenting on these appointments, Niall FitzGerald said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Sunil and Valerie to Hakluyt’s international advisory board. Their track records speak for themselves, and their insights and advice will be invaluable to the firm, particularly as its business continues to go from strength to strength in the US and India.”
“I am delighted to be joining Hakluyt’s international advisory board. India has become a leading global economy, so international businesses are looking to deepen their understanding of the market, and domestic firms are seeking support as they expand internationally. In both cases, business leaders have come to rely on Hakluyt’s uniquely powerful insights and advice, and I am looking forward to supporting the firm’s continued growth across Asia.”
Sunil Bharti Mittal KBE, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises
“Hakluyt’s expansion in North America in recent years has been extremely impressive, and a testament to the quality of the firm’s people and advisory capabilities. I am very pleased to be joining its international advisory board, and look forward to drawing on my own experience to support Hakluyt’s fascinating work with some of the world’s most respected businesses.”
Valerie Mars, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Mars
Varun Chandra, our managing partner, added: “I couldn’t be happier to welcome Valerie and Sunil to our international advisory board. With Valerie’s experience at the helm of one of the world’s most recognised brands, and Sunil’s record of building a telecommunications empire across South Asia and Africa, they both have an exceptional understanding of the challenges facing global business leaders – and how best to navigate them. Their insights will be immensely valuable to our work advising the world’s leading businesses and investors on their most pressing issues, and I am thrilled and honoured to be able to count on their support.”
These appointments are effective immediately.