Meet Our Core Team
Seven dedicated teams. One shared mission. The people behind NZSME work every day to connect, advocate for, and grow New Zealand's small and medium business community.
Ensuring NZSME Does the Right Things — the Right Way
The Governance & Compliance Team is the structural backbone of NZSME. Governance ensures the organisation is steered with clarity, integrity, and purpose — defining how decisions are made, how leadership is held accountable, and how NZSME stays true to its mission. Compliance ensures every action taken by NZSME meets legal, ethical, and regulatory standards under New Zealand law and the rules of incorporated societies.
This team develops and maintains the governance frameworks, codes of conduct, policy reviews, and risk management structures that allow every other team to operate with confidence. They oversee corporate accountability, manage member dispute resolution, support board and committee processes, and ensure transparency in financial and operational decision-making. They also shape NZSME's advocacy content — translating real SME challenges into structured discussion papers and submissions that represent the voice of New Zealand's business community.
Shailesh S. Bagwe is the Founder of NZSME and a New Zealand-based Business Advisor, Accountant, Tax Consultant, Community Advocate, and Entrepreneur with over 26 years in New Zealand. Holding qualifications in Commerce, Law, and Financial Management, he is the driving force behind NZSME's governance frameworks, advocacy positioning, and organisational policies. As Director of Communitey Forum Limited, Shailesh builds platforms that connect people, businesses, and communities — extending well beyond traditional advisory into advocacy networks that empower NZ SMEs through collaboration and education. His personal philosophy: people first, integrity always, and change as a catalyst for positive progress.
Fredric Susil Doss is the Founder and Director of Grace Medicals and brings over 30 years of leadership experience across renal services, dialysis care, and healthcare management in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Holding a BSc, two Postgraduate Diplomas (Dialysis Therapy & Health Services Management), and a Master of Health Science, Fredric applies the same clinical rigour to NZSME governance. He oversees compliance frameworks, risk accountability structures, and governance policy — ensuring that NZSME operates with the same discipline and transparency it expects of the businesses it supports.
Dr Aryal is an entrepreneur and academic who can contribute to strategic vision, new development, and innovation.
Powering NZSME's Digital Presence and Tech Enablement
The Website & Technology Team is NZSME's digital engine. In a world where every SME's first impression is online, this team ensures that NZSME's digital infrastructure is modern, reliable, and ready to scale. They are responsible for building and maintaining the NZSME website, developing the member email communication system, setting up collaborative cloud infrastructure (Google Drive), and providing AI-enabled tools and technology guidance to members and the broader team.
Beyond internal systems, this team actively researches and recommends technology solutions that New Zealand SMEs can adopt to improve productivity, automate manual processes, strengthen cybersecurity, and compete more effectively. They bridge the gap between complex technology and practical business outcomes — making digital tools accessible, understandable, and genuinely useful for everyday business owners.
Navin Agarwal is an Information Technology Consultant with over 15 years of experience delivering technology solutions across private, government, and banking sectors. As a Technology Consultant with PS NEXA Solutions Limited, Navin plays a key role in NZSME's Website & Technology Team. He leads the development and ongoing enhancement of NZSME's core website and email communication platforms, establishing the digital infrastructure that enables members, partners, and stakeholders to connect, collaborate, and grow. His commitment to delivering reliable, scalable, and user-focused technology solutions helps ensure that NZSME's digital presence remains professional, effective, and well-positioned for future growth.
Anthony Dahya brings more than 20 years of experience across telecommunications, local government (Auckland Transport, Auckland Council), analytics, and technology delivery. As Founder of AI Workflows Agency, Anthony helps SMEs identify where AI and automation can reduce manual effort, improve service delivery, and create more time for high-value work. At NZSME, Anthony provides AI support and technology guidance — helping the team and members understand how to harness emerging technologies practically, not theoretically.
Gaurav Gandhi is an IT Director and Enterprise Solution Architect with over 20 years of experience in the technology sector. At NZSME, he contributes to the Website & Technology Team as a strategic technical advisor — bringing enterprise-level architecture thinking to help NZSME build scalable, robust digital systems. Gaurav also serves on the Māori & Pasifika Team, where he works to strengthen cross-cultural relationships and inclusive technology access as a core value of NZSME.
Sharing NZSME's Voice — and Amplifying Every Member's Story
The Marketing & Communications Team is the heartbeat of NZSME's public presence. Their role goes far beyond posting on social media — they are responsible for building the NZSME brand, crafting the stories that connect business owners across New Zealand, and creating the visibility that helps SME members grow their own businesses. Every week, this team publishes content on Facebook and LinkedIn that showcases real business experiences, celebrates member milestones, and sparks genuine conversation within the SME community.
They are also launching NZSME's podcast — a platform where business leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts share honest conversations about running a business in New Zealand. Beyond organic content, the team runs member promotion campaigns and paid advertising to grow NZSME's membership base, increase community reach, and ensure that every SME in New Zealand knows they have a home at NZSME.
Krishna Desai is a results-driven Sales & Business Development professional with 12+ years of global experience across New Zealand, India, APAC, EMEA, and North America. He has delivered 20–30% monthly sales growth, 45% revenue expansion, and 150%+ target achievement in competitive markets. At NZSME, he drives social media strategy, coordinates marketing campaigns, and helps members grow their visibility.
Keya Banerjee is a Sales and Marketing Specialist at KollabRT who brings creative energy and strategic focus to NZSME's online presence. She helps craft social media content that shares real SME stories, sparks conversation, and keeps the New Zealand business community connected and inspired. Her approach is human-first: every post, every campaign, and every story is designed to make a real SME owner feel less alone and more connected.
Anthony Dahya leads the launch of NZSME's podcast — a platform for honest conversations with business owners, leaders, and experts about the realities of running a business in New Zealand. Drawing on his background as Founder of Champion Mindset Collective and AI Workflows Agency, Anthony brings both the production expertise and the interview insight to create a podcast that genuinely adds value to SME listeners.
Sustaining NZSME — Through Smart Financial Strategy and Planning
The Finance & Planning Team is the financial guardian of NZSME. Without sustainable funding, the events don't happen, the advocacy doesn't reach policymakers, and the community can't grow. This team manages all financial reporting, sponsorship development, event funding, and long-term financial planning — ensuring NZSME remains financially healthy, transparent, and positioned to invest in its members and mission.
The Finance Team handles everything from payments and invoicing to building sponsorship relationships with corporates, service providers, and strategic partners who want to support New Zealand's SME sector. They develop funding strategies for NZSME's workshops, networking events, and community initiatives — and ensure every dollar invested in the organisation creates measurable value for members.
Hareen Wijesena is a distinguished financial leader with over 25 years in the global banking and finance sector, including a landmark 15-year tenure in Dubai as Assistant Vice President – Group Credit Risk and Director of Business Banking. He is the Founder of Dura Capital Ltd in Auckland. At NZSME, Hareen leads all financial strategy — managing sponsorships, event funding, financial reporting, and the long-term sustainability planning that ensures NZSME can continue to serve its members.
Manali Bhandari is the Director of Virtue Cleaning Ltd and contributes to both the Finance & Planning and Admin & Operations teams at NZSME. In her Finance role, Manali supports financial administration, ensuring that day-to-day financial processes, payments, and record-keeping are managed with precision and accountability.
Building Connections That Last — Engaging Every Member, Every Event
The Community Building, Member Success & Engagement Events Team is where NZSME's mission becomes most visible. This team is responsible for making every member feel genuinely welcomed, supported, and connected. They design and execute the community growth strategy that brings new members into NZSME and ensures existing members stay engaged, find value, and build lasting relationships within the community.
They plan and deliver NZSME events across New Zealand — currently anchored in Auckland and Tauranga — creating opportunities for business owners to meet face to face, share experiences, and build the kind of trust that turns professional acquaintances into genuine business allies. Their ultimate goal: no SME in New Zealand should ever feel like they're building their business alone.
Sindhya Kirpalani is a business leader, wellness entrepreneur, and community advocate crowned Mrs New Zealand 2024 and Mrs Globe New Zealand 2025 — platforms she uses to advocate for wellbeing, child welfare, and women's empowerment. As Founder of SoleHues, Sindhya integrates meditation, breathwork, and movement therapy into her work. At NZSME, Sindhya leads community growth strategy and member engagement.
Priyanka is a creative entrepreneur with over 7 years of experience in event décor and photography, specialising in corporate events, weddings, birthdays, and special celebrations. At NZSME, Priyanka manages event support across Auckland and Tauranga — transforming venues and moments into memorable community experiences.
Keeping NZSME Running — Every Day, Behind Every Initiative
The Admin & Operations Team is the engine room of NZSME. While other teams focus on community, communication, and advocacy, the Admin & Operations team ensures that the organisation's day-to-day systems, processes, and coordination work seamlessly. They manage internal operations, system administration, member records, correspondence, scheduling, and the coordination that keeps every team aligned.
This team handles the organisational infrastructure that makes everything else possible — from managing databases and communication workflows to coordinating across multiple teams and ensuring that NZSME's commitments to members are met with professionalism and care.
Manali Bhandari is the Director of Virtue Cleaning Ltd and a core member of NZSME's Admin & Operations team. As a business owner managing her own company's operations, Manali brings first-hand knowledge of what it takes to keep a business running smoothly. Her dual role in both Finance & Operations reflects her versatility and commitment to NZSME's success.
Krishna Desai supports the Admin & Operations team through his deep expertise in business development, marketing automation, and process optimisation. With experience designing email automation workflows, building CRM systems, and scaling digital pipelines, Krishna brings a technology-enabled approach to NZSME's administrative functions.
Empowering Māori & Pasifika Businesses — Honouring Every Voice in Our Community
The Māori & Pasifika Team is central to NZSME's commitment to inclusivity and genuine representation. New Zealand's SME landscape is rich with Māori and Pasifika-owned businesses and entrepreneurs who contribute immensely to the local economy and community — yet often face unique barriers to access, visibility, and support. This team exists to change that.
The team leads community outreach to Māori and Pasifika business communities across New Zealand, drives membership growth within these communities, develops a dedicated Māori & Pasifika Benefits Framework that ensures NZSME's programmes and resources are culturally relevant and genuinely accessible, and advocates for Māori and Pasifika business interests within NZSME's broader advocacy work.
Gaurav Gandhi serves on both the Website & Technology Team and the Māori & Pasifika Team — a combination that reflects NZSME's belief that technology and community are inseparable. In his Māori & Pasifika role, Gaurav works to strengthen relationships among different ethnicities as a core value of NZSME, ensuring that digital tools and technology access are not barriers but bridges.