Niraj Khinvasara
Niraj Khinvasara, Executive Director & Chair Trade Services MAC, WTCA
World Trade Center Pune-Balewadi Baner
Niraj Khinvasara currently serves as the Executive Director at World Trade Center Pune, where he plays a pivotal role in strengthening global trade linkages and fostering international business growth. In this role, he leads initiatives that help member companies develop strategic plans for expanding into global markets through the vast network of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), a renowned global trade organization with a presence in over 330 cities across 130 countries.
At World Trade Center Pune, Niraj is known for his collaborative leadership style. He often emphasizes the importance of meaningful partnerships, noting that strong business ecosystems are built through trust, connectivity, and shared growth. He actively assists in developing strategic B2B and B2C partnerships, supports fundraising initiatives, and engages in international trade delegations with a strong focus on bilateral trade opportunities. In addition to his operational leadership, he serves as the Chair of the Trade Services Member Advisory Council at the World Trade Centers Association, where he contributes to shaping global trade services strategies across the WTCA network.
Beyond trade and industry, Niraj contributes significantly to the education sector. He serves as a member of the Board of Studies for the Deccan Education Society (DES), a prestigious institution with a legacy spanning more than 138 years. The Deccan Education Society oversees 43 educational institutions across disciplines such as commerce, science, arts, and technology in India. In this capacity, Niraj plays an advisory role in recommending content for core curricula, with a focus on fostering student development, employability, and global readiness.
Niraj is deeply passionate about sustainability and believes that responsible growth is the cornerstone of long-term economic success. Under his leadership, World Trade Center Pune has launched a unified sustainability platform designed to help Indian organizations align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Through this initiative, companies are supported in achieving measurable sustainability milestones, while innovative green businesses are given opportunities to scale through the WTCA accelerator framework.
A defining area of Niraj’s current focus is the development of a dedicated trade corridor for medical innovations between India and Africa. He strongly advocates for strengthening healthcare collaboration across these regions, recognizing the immense potential for technology exchange, pharmaceutical partnerships, and medical infrastructure development. His vision centers on enabling faster access to innovative healthcare solutions while creating new avenues for bilateral trade and investment in the healthcare sector.
With a distinguished career spanning over two decades across technology, media, and entrepreneurship, Niraj has held several key leadership positions in global organizations. Earlier in his career, he led sales for the energy sector at AT&T, supporting major clients such as Shell across Asia. He later spearheaded go-to-market strategies and commercial engagements for IBM across India, the Middle East, and Africa, strengthening enterprise technology adoption across diverse markets.
During his tenure with AT&T in New York, Niraj also played a significant role in supporting the global network and digital transformation initiatives of Citigroup. Working closely with Citigroup’s Global Financial Group for over a decade, he contributed to large-scale digital transformation programs that enhanced operational efficiency and global connectivity.
Niraj’s academic foundation reflects his commitment to global business excellence. He holds both an MBA and a BBA from the School of Business & Management at Adelphi University, where he developed strong expertise in international business strategy and management.
Driven by a vision to build impactful global partnerships, Niraj remains dedicated to fostering innovation, strengthening trade ecosystems, and enabling businesses to thrive in international markets. Through his leadership at World Trade Center Pune and his commitment to collaborative growth, he continues to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of global trade, sustainability, and cross-border healthcare innovation.
