About Achal Ghai

Achal Ghai is the Group Managing Director of Legacy Emirates Group

Achal Ghai's Story

Achal Ghai completed his MBA from Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) in 1984 and started his career with ICICI in India specializing in Project Finance. In 1986, Achal joined American Express Bank as a Corporate Banker focusing on large relationships like Nestle, Ranbaxy and Dabur among others. In 1988 to diversify his skill set, he joined HSBC, India as Manager of Merchant/Investment Banking focusing on IPOs and Corporate Finance.

Achal relocated to Dubai in March 1990 as a Corporate Banker with Emirates Bank International Ltd. He handled major large accounts like Emirates, DEWA, Dubai, Ducab, Jebel Ali Free Zone etc. He moved to SCB Dubai in 1996 as Senior Manager, GCC covering Corporate Banking and then to CIBC, Canada in 1998 as Director: Commercial Banking, Western Canada including the Asia Business before returning to Dubai in 2003 to start his own business when he founded the Legacy Emirates Group.

Achal’s journey as an Entrepreneur is rather interesting as after leaving banking after 20 years in 3 different geographies, it took him over two years in completing the first major M&A transaction involving a $40 million acquisition in Europe for a Global Corporate House. Then, the business never looked back and after a few successful large Advisory mandates, in 2005 the Group diversified into Private Equity & Venture Capital in partnership with various Operating Partners in India, Mauritius and London. In 2014, the Partnership was unwound and the entities were sold to a US based Fund House. Since then, he has been focusing on Service business in the UAE with associates in India, China and Canada.

The Group has four main entities Viz.

Azara Capital DMCC: Continuing the business of Management Advisory, Corporate Finance and Venture Capital Advisory. This includes partnership with Venture Gurukool, an Indian based Incubator with focus on India-China investments in early stage technology driven companies.

Legacy Marketing & Artistic Events DMCC: This company focuses on collecting Art from Emerging Artists from over 15 countries and then selling/leasing of Art with major focus on large projects like Hotels, Hospitals etc.

Fame Legacy DMCC: the company has been a pioneer in the area of Tax (VAT) and Structuring services in the UAE since the introduction of VAT in 2018.

Legacy Smart Employment Services: Legacy Smart is an independent HR Recruiting and HR Outsourcing company covering all seven Emirates of the UAE. It operates in most segments like Banking & Finance, Technology & Telecommunications, Consumer Businesses as well as Logistics & Hospitality.

Achal Ghai has made his mission to scale up the above four group entities apart from continuing the focus of helping & funding early stage tech entrepreneurs in the region including Asia through his alliance and investment with Venture Gurukool, India. Achal has already mentored and invested in over 10 companies and has demonstrated tremendous value addition & business support for all the entities he has got involved in. Most of the early stage companies the Group has invested are already profitable and scaling up well.