Rajan Venkatesh & Gayathri Durairaj

Rajan is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Laxmi Organic Industries Limited (LOIL), an NSE-listed chemical company. He joined LOIL in April 2023 after spending 19 years with BASF, a leading global chemical company. During his tenure at BASF, he held various leadership roles across different businesses and functions, working in Germany, Singapore, India, and Hong Kong.
He holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, a Master of Philosophy in Polymer Science and Technology from The University of Manchester, UK, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Polymer Chemistry from Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands. Rajan enjoys playing badminton, listening to Carnatic Music, and reading novels by Terry Hayes.
Gayathri is an author, poet, global nomad and economist, has resided in 6 countries and now calls Mumbai home. With a diverse background in Banking, Venture capital, and Education, she’s had her written works featured in magazines like Ariana, Mingled Voices, Beyond Boundaries, and the ASB magazine. She sits on the board of the Liferarian Association and has hosted several literary events for them. She has participated in various charitable causes since childhood and believes education with right skill sets can help anyone achieve their dreams. Her debut poetry collection, ‘Quintessential Me,’ was published in June 2018, and she’s currently crafting her second book of poems.