Mr. Robert Knox is the Senior Managing Director and Co-Founder of Cornerstone Equity Investors, L.L.C., a New York-based private equity firm. The investment principals of Cornerstone have funded more than 100 companies through middle market buyouts and expansion financing since 1984.

Cornerstone and its predecessor firm have provided financing to a large number of successful companies including Dell Computer, Health Management Associates, Linear Technology, Micron Technology, International Manufacturing Services, Inc., Team Health Corporation and True Temper, Inc. Prior to the formation of Cornerstone Equity Investors, Mr. Knox was Chairman of Prudential Equity Investors Inc., the private equity arm of Prudential Insurance Company of America.

Mr. Knox conceived, designed and executed private equity partnership investment strategy for Prudential Insurance in 1981. This program, with over $600 million of committed capital, was one of the largest institutional private equity funds of its kind. Mr. Knox has also served on the boards of more than 25 public and private companies and not-for profit institutions.

He is the Lead Director of Health Management Associates (NYSE). He is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Boston University from where he did his MBA & B.A

Mr. Rohit Tiwari has been in the investment, capital markets and finance industry for over 25 years

Past Experience

• Co-Owner, Managing Director and CEO of AUM Capital Market Pvt. Ltd. AUM Capital is a mid-sized investment bank and broker dealer with a pan India presence. Mr. Tiwari took over the firm at its infancy and grew it to being a premier financial organization in India.


• Managing Director and Global Head at ING Bank's Linear Equity Derivatives Department (London) - He was responsible for corporate finance and alternative/structured finance solutions for clients, trading and sales. He managed a global team with a multi-billion dollar balance sheet.


• Global Head of Daiwa Securities Groups' Structured Transactions Group (New York)- Rohit founded the department at Daiwa and managed a global multi-billion, multi- strategy trading, financing, and investments structure. His focus was on leverage finance opportunities for Institutions, Corporate’s, Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds and Proprietary Trading.


• Nomura Securities (New York) - worked in various capacities for 11 Years but was predominantly involved in Trading and investing in Emerging markets, and Structured Finance Trading

Mr. Nitin Bhatia is responsible for all investment banking activities, including origination and execution. He also overlooks the Media & Entertainment licensing business. Mr. Bhatia is a veteran of the Infrastructure sector with an experience of more than 20 years and working relations with the biggest infrastructure companies.

Past Experience:

• Head of the Infrastructure and Industrials sector for the Investment Banking team at Tata Capital


• Babcock and Brown’s Infrastructure Fund in India - Responsible for origination and investment in the Energy sector (conventional and non-conventional) and the Road sector


• ABN AMRO Bank - Responsible for origination and execution of transactions with specific focus on Power & Utilities and Private Equity relating to Power companies. He worked closely with an Indian major for raising a global fund for clean energy.


• SBI Capital Markets - Sub-group head in the M&A group responsible for execution of assignments, reporting to the Group Head. Responsibilities also included origination of mandates.


• BSES Ltd - Deputy Manager, responsible for achieving financial closure for BSES’ various power projects and identifying new power opportunities for BSES (for both investment and acquisition).

Mr. Danish Mir brings more than 20 years of metals & minerals trading experience to the company. He is the COO of Metallica Commodities Corp (MCC). Metallica is a global metals and minerals trader headquartered in New York. The company also undertakes asset development projects and recycles a variety of hazardous wastes.

Prior to his role at MCC, Mr. Mir worked for large mining and smelting companies in various capacities including production planning, project management and raw materials purchasing, giving him a well-rounded background in the business. Mr. Mir holds a BS in Economics and International Business from New York University.

Siddharth works on format acquisitions in the Media & Entertainment business and on the execution of investment banking transactions. He is also responsible for generating research reports on various industries. Siddharth has done his BA(H) Economics from Venkateswara College, Delhi University and is a CFA level 2 candidate.