Preeti Malhotra has been the Chairman of the Smart Bharat Group, a diversified conglomerate, with interests in reality, hospitality, entertainment, preventive healthcare, finance and also venturing into new age projects. This is a part of Smart Group which has its footprint across India, China, ASEAN, Middle-East, USA, UK and Africa. Preeti also serves as a director on the board of several group of companies.
An Accomplished global professional, Preeti has over 30 years of experience in top leadership positions. She specialises in Business Strategy, Corporate Affairs, Corporate Governance, Policy Development, strategic alliances, JV's and new projects, collaborations, investor relations, mergers, Acquisitions, takeovers, IPOs, shareholding divestments, fund raising and project management.
She is the first ever woman President of the Institute of the company secretaries of India (ICSI) and also the first ever woman to lead any premier national professional body of India. She has been active in the field of corporate governance and has been a member of various expert committees including JJ Irani Committee in 2005 constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, to advise the government on the Company Law. She was a member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, a body of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. Further, she was also a member of the Committee to review Offences & Penalties and member of the Appellate Authority constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
She has been chairing the ASSOCHAM National Council on Corporate Affairs, Corporate Governance and CSR for several years. Previously, she was also the Chair of the ASSOCHAM Audit Committee. Preeti is a member of the Company Law Standing Committee, constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs Government of India since 2019.
Early life and education
After completing her schooling at the Convent of Jesus of Mary, New Delhi, Preeti graduated with honours (Bachelor’s in Commerce) from Delhi University in 1985. She obtained her law degree from Faculty of Law, Delhi University in 1988 and a degree in Company Secretary from ICSI in 1991. More recently in 2019, she also completed the Executive Program on Exponential Technologies offered by Singularity University in Silicon Valley (California), USA.
Career
Preeti Malhotra started her professional career in 1990 as a company secretary with Modi Xerox/Xerox Modicorp Limited - this company was a joint venture between Xerox Corporation and Dr. BK Modi led Smart Group. Preeti was also the Company Secretary of Modi Telstra Limited - a joint venture between the Dr. BK Modi group and Australia's Telstra corporation which orchestrated India's first mobile call. At the group level, she oversaw the legal, corporate affairs and corporate governance for Modi International Paper and Spice Communications - a telecom joint venture between the Dr. Modi group and the Malaysia's Axiata (formerly Telekom Malaysia) etc. In 2002, she was also appointed as the Director & company secretary of Spice Limited, Executive Director in Spice Mobility Ltd. (now DigiSpice) and then Executive Director with Smart Ventures P.Ltd. She was also on the board of Si2i Limited (now Digilife Technologies Limited), a Singapore listed entity.
Preeti became the Executive Director of Smart Global Corporate Holdings Limited which is a corporate arm and holding company of the Dr. Modi led Smart Group. She continued to serve on the board of Smart Bharat Private Limited, Fountain Life New York LLC (a joint venture between Fountain Life Holdings LLC, USA & Beyond 100 New York Inc,) and Modi Fountain Life ( an Indian JV between Fountain Life Holding LLC, USA and Smart Health City Pte. Limited).
She has been a member of the Company Law Standing Committee instituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and also chairs the ASSOCHAM National Council on Corporate Affairs, Corporate Governance and CSR.
Preeti has been an active contributor to various policy initiatives of the Govt. Of India. When she was a member of the JJ Irani Committee in 2005, constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, her suggestions on issues related to incorporation and registration of companies, as well as management and board governance, were taken on board. She also gave inputs to the government in the drafting of the Limited Liability Partnership Law. She was invited by OECD to speak at the Asian round Table Discussions on Corporate Governance in 2005 and 2006.