Dipen Rughani GAICD

Chief Executive Officer

Dipen has led Newland Global Group (NGG) since 2010 as its founder & CEO. Under his leadership. Dipen has over 25 years of experience in Trade and Investment. As a leading authority in fostering and strengthening Australia-India relations, Dipen works closely with all the State Governments of Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, Indian Consulates across the country, and the Indian High Commission in Canberra. He has also led the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) as its National Chairman from 2012 to 2016. 

Dipen’s strategic foresight, analytical mindset, unwavering focus on growth, fiscal sustainability and yearning to add long-term value is an asset to the organisations he works with. Dipen looks forward to helping partners utilise the best opportunities in a transforming India.  

His passion for facilitating stronger relations between Australia-India has allowed him to lead many business delegations at prominent B2B summits held in India. He has made significant contributions to:  

  • Establishing long-term trade relations with the Government of Gujarat and AIBC, and leading delegations to ‘Vibrant Gujarat’. 

  • Hosting Joint Business Council (JBC) between AIBC and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for two consecutive years, which was held in parallel to the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) between the Trade Ministers of Australia and India. Also, hosting major events such as the Australia India Addresses. 

  • Organising the first national Australia-India business event including the ‘Australia-India Trade and Investment Awards’, in partnership with Australian Financial Review: ‘Engaging with India 2016’. 

  • The Australian government’s white papers and strategy papers about trade and investment with India. They include the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between the two nations, such as the Australia Economic Strategy commissioned by the government of India.  

  • Organising and managing the official business events for the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on his visit to Australia in November 2014. Dipen was instrumental in organising a roundtable with 40 of Australia’s top CEO and a business event with over 550 senior business leaders from across Australia at the residence of the Governor of Victoria. 

  • Establishing the initiatives’ Australia India Conversations’ and ‘Australia India Webinar Series’ that stimulate and enhance deliberations on the new energy in Australia-India relations. The conversations and webinars bring the best minds in the field to share their understanding of the critical areas of engagement between Australia and India. 

  • Giving input to the Australian Governments review of the international student’s act “Bruce Baird” review (2010). 

  • Assisting and advising the Department of Trade and Investment NSW to open the NSW government office in Mumbai, India (2009). 

  • Attending various notable government and business forums to voice Australian-Indian diaspora role and its contribution to the Australian economy. Some of the forums being the ‘UK-India Week’, AsiaLink’s ‘Australia-Asia Leaders Forum’, and industry forums such as Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Australia India Roundtable (Lowy Institute), Australia India Institute (AII), Australia Country Seminar of AUSTRADE, Raisina Dialogue and various others. 

  • In August 2014, Dipen was invited to join Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott’s business delegation for their visit to India. 

 Some of Dipen’s Membership and Advisory board roles include: 

  • Director, Polycab Australia a subsidiary of Polycab India (2021 - current)  

  • Independent Director Board of Wollongong Coal, majority owned by Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) from (2019 – current)

  • 20-20 Champion for the Cricket T20 World Cup 

  • Advisory Board Member, Global Organising Committee for India Global Week 2020 

  • Advisory Panel member for the Australia India Institute (2014 – 2020) 

  • Advisory Board for FICCI in Australia (2013 – current) 

  • Former National Chairman of the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) from 2012 to 2016  

  • Former President of AIBC NSW (2010 – 2012) 

  • Former member of the NSW Government’s Indian Ministerial Consultative Committee (2013 – 2014) 

  • Member of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas national organising committee Australia, an event for Non-resident Indians held by the Government of India in Sydney (2013) 

  • Board member of NSW Government’s International Education & Research Taskforce (2012) 

  • Inaugural Board member of the Australia India Youth Dialogue (2011) 

  • Member of the organising committee established by the NSW Dept. Of Premier and Cabinet for the Queens Baton Relay, part of the Delhi Commonwealth Games (2010)  

  • President and Trustee of the Anoopam Mission Australia Ltd, a charity which supports differently-abled children, educating underprivileged women and providing medical assistance to over 130 villages in India. 

Dipen, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, with his wide sectoral exposure, has strengths in Leadership & Communications, General Management & Networking, Strategy & Corporate Governance, Marketing & Sales, Brand Management & Sustainability.