Founder & CEO, CSI Group of Companies
Chairman & CEO, Bates Management Consulting Inc.
President & CEO, Antex Designs Inc.
Director, Export Development Canada (EDC)
Director, Iter 8 Inc.
Former National Convenor, Canada India Foundation (2007-2009)
Ajit Someshwar was born in Bombay (Mumbai). Ajit is an honours graduate in Commerce and Economics from the University of Bombay. He obtained his Chartered Accountancy (C.A.) professional designation in India prior to moving to England, where he completed the English C.A. programme.
Arriving in Canada from London in 1988, Mr. Someshwar was appointed as a senior manager for KPMG Peat Marwick Thorne, focusing on consulting assignments with the Ontario Insurance Review Board as well as advising several large insurance companies in Canada. From 1992-1997, Someshwar was VP Operations, Planning and Analysis for CIBC's (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) bank assurance venture, where he was instrumental in introducing direct Property & Casualty Insurance to Canada for the first time in Canada.
Since 1997, Someshwar has launched several companies under the CSI Group of companies in the arena information technology staffing, application development, security and risk management. Since the 1998 launch of CSI Group, it achieved an average annual growth rate in excess of 25 per cent. CSI deploys over 400 consultants, based in the United States, Canada, India and Europe. CSI's operations are increasingly global in scope, and reflect the growing interest among western corporations looking to alternative and cost-competitive solutions to managing their technology and risk management systems. In 2000 he founded Iter 8 Inc., a business process platform solutions company specializing in simplifying Insurance systems for medium to large insurers in Canada and USA. Currently he sits on its' board. In 2004 he was appointed as chair and CEO of Bates Project Management Consulting Inc. Bates specialises in project management training and consulting. In 2007 he became the President and CEO of Antex Designs Inc. a Mississauga based company manufacturing custom draperies.
At present, Mr. Someshwar is actively involved in Canadian public affairs. He is a board member of Export Development Canada. EDC provides innovative financing, insurance and bonding solutions to Canadian companies that export goods and services, or invest in other countries. EDC operates in 200 markets worldwide, including 130 emerging markets. The EDC helps Canadian enterprises - mainly small and medium sized - to manage risk and capitalize on trade opportunities around the globe. Mr. Someshwar was also invited to join the Economic Advisory Council formed by Canada's Minister of Finance, Hon. James Flaherty. The Economic Advisory Council was established to provide advice to the Canadian Government as part of the Minister of Finance's national consultation on the 2009 budget, and on an ongoing basis afterward.
Mr. Someshwar served as president of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (1991-93), where he introduced an awards program to recognize Indo-Canadian contributions to Canada. He commented on the awards program, "Unless we recognize our people on our own, no one will recognize them. We have to first show to ourselves that our people are real achievers. This is an excellent means to raise the Indo-Canadian profile." The Chamber now comprises more than 1,000 professionals and business members.
Someshwar's impending book, India is a two volume project looking first at, 'The Other India' which he means to be the growing stature of the Diaspora. As many as 25 million Indians live and work abroad, some very successful in service, academia and manufacturing. In the second volume he looks at India itself, its interactions with the Diaspora, and how the mother country may benefit by adopting some of the flexible strategies developed by its entrepreneurs living abroad. Someshwar believes that much of the overseas Indian success is attributable to high standards of education and adaptability, together with good business and social networking skills.
Someshwar is an active speaker and participant in public policy forums such as the Canadian Coalition for Democracy - an organization promoting democracy throughout the world. He was the first National Convenor of 'Canada India Foundation' a not-for-profit foundation created to enhance bilateral relations between India and Canada as well as to mobilize the participation of Indo-Canadians in Canada's public policy process. He is also an active fundraiser for hospitals, charities and the arts.
