CEO - Vandana Saxena Poria honoured with an OBE
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours list announced on 14th June 2008, Vandana Saxena Poria, was awarded an OBE for services to British Trade, Investment and Education.
Vandana Saxena Poria is a UK Chartered Accountant who was born and raised in London. After qualifying with HW Fisher she went on to work for Ernst & Young. She left Ernst & Young to become the CEO of BPP International, the international division of the Europe’s largest listed professional training company, BPP Holdings Plc. She then went on to become one of the founding directors of Get Through Guides, a company dedicated to providing affordable quality professional education around the globe. She has also held various prominent voluntary positions with several NGOs.
Vandana gave up her successful corporate career in Europe and chose to move to India in 2005 as she wanted to ‘cross-source’ best practices from the UK to India and vice-versa. In 2006, as an entrepreneur, she moved to Pune with her family, to set up a ‘content research and creation’ company, Get Through Guides, which develops and publishes materials for UK and international professional qualifications and delivers training courses to corporates across India. Get Through Guides books are already being sold across the world at cost-effective prices, making education more affordable for everyone.
After visiting 5 cities in India, with her husband, they chose Pune because of its educational excellence, IT talent and general buzz. ‘ Pune is our home and a great city to work in. There is so much potential and I believe there are more opportunities here than in Mumbai and Delhi. There are many talented, educated people in this city, who are hard working and that’s what makes this city great.”
Vandana also chairs the British Business Group in Pune, which she set up with support from the British High Commission and local Indian businessmen, with the aim of fostering bilateral trade and encouraging a deeper understanding of each other’s culture. “Due to the success of the British Business Group, many more dignitaries are coming to Pune. For instance, in the past year, we have had Lord Digby Jones – Minister for Trade and Investment; Prince Andrew and Alderman David Lewis – the Lord Mayor of the City of London. Pune is firmly on the international map for UK businesses now”
On the award of OBE, Vandana said, “I am overwhelmed and humbled. The UK – India story has just begun and both sides have so many strengths that the other could benefit from. I hope to carry on being just as involved, especially through the improvement of education and training.”
Vandana has spoken at various events in the UK about doing business in India and as an acclaimed public speaker, also speaks passionately about how to take India forward through professional education, skills and absorbing international best practices. She is committed to ensuring that India produces the best and most sought after business professionals around the globe.
You can contact Vandana on her email vsp@GetThroughGuides.com