Most Influential Business Leaders in India 2026
India will overtake Japan and Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy well before the decade closes, yet the country still runs on a strange mix of state-of-the-art unicorns and roads that flood every monsoon. This contradiction is the actual job description for anyone leading a business here: building for a future that arrives unevenly, market by market, city by city. The Portfolio’s latest edition, “Most Influential Business Leaders in India 2026,” profiles the founders, CEOs, and family business heads whose choices are shaping how the country grows through that unevenness.
Rather than asking these leaders about their five-year vision, our team asked what they got wrong first, before they got it right. The answers were unusually candid. One leader walked us through a product launch pulled back two weeks before release because early customer data contradicted the entire internal narrative. Another described entering a regulated sector everyone advised against, only for that decision to become the company’s primary growth engine three years later.
This edition documents those turning points alongside the results that followed them – market share gained from entrenched competitors, businesses taken profitable after years of subsidised growth, and sectors where Indian leadership is now setting the pace rather than catching up. Grab the full digital edition to read every profile in detail.
Chetan Gautam
CEO
Fine Lines
Chetan Gautam is a business and operations leader with extensive experience across fabric sourcing, supply chain management, process improvement, and organisational transformation. As CEO of Fine Lines, he is focused on building a system-driven, technology-enabled, and scalable organisation through digitisation, data-led decisions, industrial engineering, and operational excellence. His earlier leadership roles at Meenu Creation, Orient Clothing, and Pearl Global Industries include managing large sourcing teams, global vendors, inventory, compliance, and international buyer relationships. His goal is to build Fine Lines into a highly efficient, agile, technology-enabled, and globally competitive organisation.
Arvinder Singh
CEO
Imprimis IVF and Fertility Centre Pvt. Ltd.
With more than two decades of experience across healthcare management, fertility, business development, and operations, Arvinder Singh is a healthcare management leader focused on strategic growth and operational excellence. As CEO of Imprimis IVF, he works to expand access to IVF services while driving data-led decision-making. His previous roles at Ferty Nest, Crysta IVF, Milann Fertility, Medicover Fertility, and Moolchand Healthcare include launching centres, building teams, developing partnerships, and improving business performance.
M Ananda Vardhan
Vice President - Sales & Marketing
Radhey Constructions India Pvt. Ltd.
M. Ananda Vardhan is a marketing and business growth leader with more than two decades of experience across FMCG, retail, branding, and real estate. As Vice President – Sales & Marketing at Radhey Constructions, he leads brand transformation, revenue growth, market expansion, and high-performing teams in Hyderabad’s competitive real estate market. His career includes leadership roles at Adissia Developers, TAD Global Branding, Evos Buildcon, GSquare Housing, AQ Square, BNew Mobiles, Green Trends, TI Cycles, and L’Oréal.
Shamim Rayani
Corporate Head HSE
H.L. Agro Products Pvt. Ltd.
With extensive experience across safety management, environmental compliance, fire management, infrastructure, water management, and industrial operations, Shamim Rayani is an HSE professional focused on operational safety and risk management. As Corporate Head HSE at H.L. Agro Products, he leads HSE strategy, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and safety culture across operations. His previous roles at Kanpur Fertilisers & Chemicals, VA TECH WABAG, Voltas, and Hindalco have strengthened his expertise in safety systems, audits, sustainability, and operational excellence.
Vijay Verghis
Chief Marketing Officer
NuSummit
Vijay Verghis is a digital experience and marketing leader with more than 22 years of experience across technology, consulting, healthcare, and global marketing. As Chief Marketing Officer at NuSummit, he leads brand, demand generation, customer experience, and go-to-market initiatives across global markets. His previous leadership roles at Qualitest, LTIMindtree, LTI, Cognizant, AffinityX, and Ogilvy include building large teams, scaling digital practices, managing P&L, developing global partnerships, and driving business transformation.