Indian CEO dies in Dubai a day before Grammy-winning artes perform at his company event
The Indian CEO of an investment banking advisory firm died at his home in Dubai earlier this month, a day before a musical event in the city that his company hosts annually.Rohit Walia, CEO of Alpen Capital, died in Dubai on January 17. (@Alpen Capital/LinkedIn)Rohit Walia, executive chairman and CEO of Alpen Capital, died at his home in the UAE on January 17, according to a Gulf News report. He was 65.Several Grammy-winning artes, including Indian-American vocal and entrepreneur Chandrika Tandon, performed at Global Fusion, the event hosted Walia’s company. At the event, the performers and guests paid rich tributes to Walia who died a day earlier. Tandon is the elder ser of former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.“Global Fusion was his (Walia’s) heart and soul. Being on stage, surrounded musicians from across the world, felt like honouring his spirit through the very language he loved most: music,” said South African flaut Wouter Kellerman who is a three-time Grammy Award-winner, Gulf News reported.(Also Read: Indra Nooyi’s ser wins her first Grammy at 71: All about Chandrika Tandon)Alpen Capital mourns Rohit Walia, appoints interim CEOAlpen Capital, which Walia founded in 2005 in Dubai, took to social media to announce Walia’s death, and paid tributes to the company’s founder. “With profound grief, we announce the untimely passing of Rohit Walia, our respected and beloved Executive Chairman and CEO,” the company said on LinkedIn.”An extraordinary banker, businessman, and above all, an exceptional human being, Rohit was a guiding force for all of us… Beyond his professional life, Rohit was a devoted and exceptional father, grandfather and a true family man, whose love, generosity, and values shaped not only his home but everyone fortunate enough to know him.”Following Rohit Walia’s untimely death, Alpen Capital has appointed TM Lakshmanan as its interim CEO.Walia’s family organised a condolence meeting last week at Waldorf Astoria in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
