Umanga Pandey has over 10 years of work experience in finance and small business promotion. Though he began his post-graduation career in New York (Investment banking Salomon Smith Barney, Executive compensation at Towers Perrin), his desire for social impact led him to various types of engagements in small business promotion, including advisory, technical assistance and venture capital. A global citizen (lived and worked in six countries), an entrepreneur (9 organizations, starting with a travel company in 1991) and a scholarship student (full scholarships for high school, undergrad and advanced studies), Umanga left the PhD program in Economics at University at Southern California to join an IFC SME Team assignment in South Asia, where he has lived since 2005. He is currently on a sabbatical to pursue his research in Philosophy.
INDIA, AAVISHKAAR VENTURE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, April 2008 – July 2009
Senior Investment Manager: Scouted and managed venture capital investment in rural-social SMEs with double bottom-line (social and commercial) returns. Clarified internal processes as investment team strength rose from 4 to 9 and fund size tripled; made an end-to-end investment into a farmers-owned organic farming company; and developed an internal framework for social impact measurement and communication framework.
NEPAL: 6+ YEARS SME CONSULTING & START-UPS
Quest E, August 2009 - March 2010, Consulting-MD, responsible in steering this multiplex-company through its growth in politically unstable climate. Restructured the entire supply chain (technology strategy on the production back end, and spinning-off a construction management start-up team to oversee mall-multiplex on the front end) while putting a professional management system in place (oversaw hiring of 4 external consulting teams, recruited 7 managers and over 20 associates). Achieved difficult internal HR and technology changes, navigating through 3 labor strikes.
Management Consulting Associate of Nepal, 2007, Founding General Secretary, Developed concept paper, rallied support from top consulting firms and regulatory bodies of Nepal, and registered a national level umbrella organization in 2007.
BizMantra, Aug 2005 – Nov 2007, Founding Partner, As a Lead Financial Strategist, transformed this IFC project to commercial profitability, by providing consulting and VC services to private sector’s SME clients. Designed investment process and invested in 2 companies, served at the board to guide compliance, strategy and guided business development.
Oxygen Group, Nov 2001 - March 2003, Founding Managing Director, teamed with six foreign returned Nepali youth to start up a consulting firm; Clients included private companies, public bodies, and international organizations such as the World Bank and UNICEF. The company survives as Oxygen Research Development Forum, an NGO that raises awareness on Aids and Life Skills.
Jaya Travels, Jun 1991 - Aug 1992, Founding Sales Manager, awarded a excursion by Thai Airlines as a top 10 sales persons of the year.
Nepal Mentions: Provided strategy consulting to government bodies (Nepal Administration Staff College, Nepal Sports Council), non-government bodies (National Center for Integrated Development Studies, The Mountain Institute, Nepal Jesuit Society), various social and private organizations; Founded Kgnepal.com.np, Economist Group and Natural Resources Development Center. Adjunct faculty member for economics for the executive MBA program at Ace Institute of Management (2006-2007).
INTERNATIONAL: 4 YEARS IN FINANCE & CONSULTING
World Bank Group, IFC, DC, Dec 2003 – Jun 2005, Consultant, Worked in California, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, on strategy for SME toolkit for South Asia. Designed strategy and business plan for SME Toolkit Project in Nepal and Bhutan. From December ‘04, based in Business Enabling Environment Program at South Asian Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF, Dhaka) – a multi-donor development facility managed by IFC.
WB Mention: Finalist Young Professionals Program (June 2004): One of the 55 out of approximately 10,000 candidates.
Salomon Smith Barney, Citigroup, NY, June 2000 - Aug 2001, Associate, Investment Banking, Global Transportation Group, one of three associates in the group who assisted the group to exceed $45 million revenue target by 40%; Managed 6 analysts, closely following 28 transportation companies. Received a promotion and two salary raises in a year. Participated in an eleven-week long Associate training in finance. Diverse transactional experiences included raising equity capital ($350 mm shipping company carve-out in Asia, $180 mm US aviation company IPO), debt capital (Continental Airlines $705 mm bond; TMM - Latin America $380 mm bond) and M&A Advisory (Biman’s privatization sell side; a global shipping company’s buy side).
Investment Banking Mention: BDA (Jun 1998 - Nov 1998), Singapore, Analyst, carried out due diligence of acquisition targets for US clients.
Towers Perrin, NY, Dec 1999 - May 2000, Associate, Global Resources Group: Supported executive-compensation team through executive stock-option valuation, expatriate allowance surveys and client presentations. Clients included American Express and Bank of America. Worked directly with the Managing Principal in designing and implementing a global intranet to track firm-wide knowledge and expertise.
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EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA USC, CA, USA
2003 batch of PhD Program in Economics, full TA-ship support, focusing in development economics (incomplete)
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY, MA, USA
1997-1999, Lemberg Scholarship, , Master’s in International Economics and Finance 1999, MBA-level courses in finance; Semester at National University of Singapore.
1994 onward - Wien Scholarship 4 years full funding -leading to BA in Philosophy, BA in Economics; Magna Cum Laude.
Before Brandeis, 1 of 2 candidates chosen in national level competition for full UWC scholarship 1992-1994 IB Diploma in Hong Kong.
Academic Mentions: CFA Level I Exam (Passed May 2003), Certified Financial Analyst Program, AIMR. Series7 License (2000) for general securities representative under NASD/NYSE securities exchanges. Taught in US colleges (economics courses TA for undergrad and grad courses) for over 5 semesters. Editor, book on management issues faced by SMEs in Nepal.
PERSONAL
Fluent in English, Hindi and Nepali. Beginning Spanish.
An ex-athlete(soccer), Umanga has simple tastes and a fresh outlook. He is interested in philosophy (such as, of J. Krishnamurti) that promotes self-study as a pre-requisite to 'becoming the change one wants to see in the world'
