The People
Behind Mango

The story all began with Shahid, who began forming his vision of what Mango has been set up to achieve after an informative trip to China in the wake of the 2011 Alibaba scandal. This identified and highlighted the very real barriers for small and medium-sized businesses in accessing and capitalising on the rising potential of B2B e-commerce. Shahid continues to work tirelessly towards generating secure marketplaces in environments of trust, where companies can actively demonstrate their expertise, quality and reliability in order to grow. With over 20 years of successfully holding challenging roles and building experience in technology services across developed and emerging markets, Shahid also brings entrepreneurial expertise and huge insight into the difficulties surrounding facilitation of international trade.

Vlad is our specialist in front-end engineering, including UI (User Interface) and Information Architecture (IA) design. With over fifteen years’ experience in designing and creating beautiful, ergonomic and high performing websites, Vlad has the enviable power of translating the complex technical detail into user friendly, responsive websites that deliver what the end user needs seamlessly and apparently without effort. With exceptional time and project management skills, Vlad is a prime collaborator and achiever, working tirelessly towards Mango’s goals.

Ali is a Gold Medalist Chartered Accountant, a fellow of both ACCA (UK) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He has more than 2 decades of experience across Manufacturing and Financial sectors gained in Middle East, North America and South Asian countries. He has worked in senior management positions in Finance, Strategy, Corporate Governance and Internal Audit functions of various multinationals including ORIX Leasing and the Royal Bank of Scotland, where he was country head of group Audit in Pakistan. He also served at Telenor Microfinance Bank - a fully owned subsidiary of Telenor group - one of the world's leading mobile operators across Nordics & Asia, where he was instrumental in suggesting key controls for the digital banking segment (pioneer of digital banking in Pakistan - Easypaisa) of the bank.

Eva has a proven track record in international trade, having been involved in it since 1998, and having handled over 130 million USD worth of orders. She has worked in Lebanon, Dubai, Ghana, and London and dealt with manufacturers and distributors from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, India, United States, Brazil, South Africa and most of Europe. She is highly experienced in procurement, sourcing, international payments (including Letters of Credit), global shipping and logistics, and international standards.

Karen has an extensive commercial background which includes B2B business development roles, engineering, and management. Karen has a degree in Psychology with Health Science along with a HND in Computer Science. Her technical background allows her to effectively engage with the software development team, and her broad range of skills and experience gives her the ability to think strategically and analytically about the business, product, and technical challenges. She has the ability to build and convey compelling value propositions, a bias for action and a passion for simplifying the complex in everything she does, bringing clarity and results in a timely manner.

Jiaqi graduated with an MSc in Social Policy from the University of Southampton and has spent the last 5 years working with factories and suppliers in China for B2B trade. She managed the tender process for many local government supply contracts in Guiyong City and Guizhou Province for products as diverse as medical equipment and office furniture. She heads the Mango B2B China Desk where she is responsible for communicating and collaborating with platform users in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

A professor of Computer Science at the prestigious Oxford University, Alex holds worldwide renown for his deep expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). His knowledge keeps Mango at the forefront of these cutting edge issues.

Brimming with ideas and a serial entrepreneur, Richard’s career is noted for its variety and creativity. From making independent TV documentaries and writing screenplays to earning his Private Pilot’s Licence; from founding and establishing a charity for medical research into TB and HIV to running a Traditional Ayurvedic Clinic and Dispensary, Richard is something of a Renaissance man who reinvents himself and his career every ten years to keep life fresh and exciting. Richard contributes ideas and his valuable vast experience to the Mango team.

Vivek started his career at ANZ and Deutsche Bank before joining BNP Paribas in 2012, where he now serves as head of Global Trade Operations. Vivek has widespread experience in international trade (import & export) and trade finance. He adds substantial value to the team with his extensive know-how and skill in end-to-end handling and processing of international trade transactions.