Poonam Gupta

Poonam Gupta
OBE
Personal details
BornNew Delhi, India
NationalityBritish
SpousePuneet Gupta
ResidenceScotland
OccupationBusinesswoman
Known forFounder of PG Paper Co., Ltd

Poonam Gupta OBE is a British-Indian entrepreneur,[1] based in Scotland.

Early life

She completed her early schooling years in Delhi at Lady Irwin School and Delhi Public School where she got admission on merit to complete her high schooling. She went on to complete an Honours Degree in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi before gaining an MBA in International Business and Marketing at FORE School of Management, Delhi and Maastricht School of Management in Holland. In 2022, Gupta was awarded a Ph.D. in International Business and Marketing at Ecole Supérieure Robert de Sorbon. In 2023, she was conferred an Honorary Ph.D. in Business Administration by Glasgow Caledonian University.[2][3] She arrived in the west of Scotland after marrying Puneet Gupta, a Belfast-born pharmacist of Indian descent. Together they have two daughters.[4][5][6] During her second pregnancy, Gupta suffered from a rare form of bone tuberculosis which necessitated her using a wheelchair for 18 months.[7][5]

Career

Poonam launched her first business PG Paper Company Ltd in 2003 from her family house in Kilmacolm, Scotland.

The business initially specialised in salvaging and reusing products that were often destined for landfill. PG Paper imports and exports goods from over 53 countries around the world and is considered to be the fastest growing paper companies in the United Kingdom.[8][9]

In 2015, the official headquarters were moved from the family home to the Custom House in Greenock, Scotland.[10]

Gupta is now involved in several other business ventures including PG World, SAPP Holdings, SAPP International, SAPP Property, EnVisage Dental Health and Punav.

She has been recognised as one of the ‘100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations’ by India Inc. Group.[11]

2015 The official Headquarters of PG Paper Company Ltd. Custom House, Greenock, Scotland.

Philanthropy

Gupta's charitable contributions are focused on women's issues, underprivileged children, animal conservation, cancer, gender equality and helping young girls in India to get an education.[4]

In 2015 and 2017, Gupta and her husband Puneet Gupta took part in a rickshaw race to raise funds for Elephant Family, a charity that was founded by the conservationist and Duchess of Cornwall's brother, the late Mark Shand to conserve the Asian elephants.[12][13][14][15][16]

In 2017, Gupta formed Women's Business Mentoring organization which aims to help Scottish women become successful by providing mentoring schemes across the country.[17]

She contributed to the Virat Kohli Foundation when she placed the winning bid on a painting donated to the cause by the artist Sacha Jafri.[18][19][20][21]

In 2021, Gupta led an India Covid Appeal, providing and delivering over 3,000 oxygen concentrators throughout India during the country's deadly second Covid wave.[22][23][24][25]

Awards, honours and appointments

Year Awards/Honours/Appointments Accomplishments
2023 Great British Entrepreneur Awards, The Global Entrepreneur of the Year[26] Winner
2022 Lay Member of the University Court - University Of Stirling[27] Appointment
2022 Inspiring Leader of the Year - Women's Enterprise Scotland[28] Award
2020 Entrepreneurial Recognition award of the University of Dundee Award
2019 Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 UK - Ernst & Young[29][30] Winner
2019 Entrepreneur of the Year for Scotland - Ernst & Young[31][29] Winner
2019 Scale up of the Year Award - Ernst & Young[32] Winner
2019 No.1 Magazine Amazing Business Achievement Award [33] Winner
2019 Director, Merchants House of Glasgow Appointment
2018 Director, Scottish Chambers of Commerce[34] Appointment
2018 Scotland Businesswoman of the Year[35][36][37] Winner
2017 CEMVO Ethnic Minority Impact Awards - Business Female Award Winner
2017 100 Vibrant faces of British Economy[38] Honour
2017 Board member of Enterprise and Skill Strategic Board - Scottish Government.[39] Appointment
2017 Women Enterprise Scotland[40] Ambassador
2016 Officer of the Order of the British Empire[41][42][43][44] An honorary medal
2013 Deloitte Female Entrepreneur of the Year[45] Finalist
2011 Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist
2009 Scottish Asian Businesswoman of the Year[46][47] Winner

References

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  2. ^ "Honorary degree announced for PG Paper founder Poonam Gupta". Greenock Telegraph. 27 June 2023. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  3. ^ Glasgow Caledonian University | Scotland, U. K. (30 May 2024). "Poonam Gupta". Glasgow Caledonian University | Scotland, UK. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b Brocklehurst, Steven (25 April 2017). "The paper queen who refused to fold". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Meet the husband and wife team behind £10m success". Asian Image. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  6. ^ "From preparing to die to building a £20m global commodities group". HeraldScotland. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  7. ^ "From preparing to die to building a £20m global commodities group". HeraldScotland. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Insider regional review: Inverclyde". businessInsider. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  9. ^ "PG Paper closes in on international deals". HeraldScotland. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  10. ^ "PG Paper moves to Greenock's Custom House". HeraldScotland. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  11. ^ UK-India 100: Most Influential People in UK-India Relations: Celebrating Women (PDF). PWC. p. 18. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Asian entrepreneurs help raise funds for Action For Children - Ethnic Now". www.ethnicnow.com. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  13. ^ "PG Paper Team Up With Action For Children - Ethnic Now". www.ethnicnow.com. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  14. ^ "Inverclyde firm's charity fundraiser was a knockout success". Greenock Telegraph. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  15. ^ Francis, Jo. "Honours For Notable Industry Women". Print Week. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
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  17. ^ Gates, Philip (1 June 2017). "Scotland's top female executives back new Women's Business Mentoring initiative". businessInsider. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  18. ^ "Virat Kohli painting goes for impressive 23.7 crore rupees in charity auction". hindustantimes.com/. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  19. ^ Rebello, Maleeva (4 July 2017). "The CEO, who paid £2.9 mn for Virat Kohli painting, says cricket is like running a business". The Economic Times. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Virat Kohli Painting Bought For 290 Thousand GBP". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  21. ^ PTI (13 June 2017). "British Indian buys Virat Kohli painting for Rs 2.4 crore". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Scots firm in life-saving mercy response to send Covid oxygen aid to India". HeraldScotland. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  23. ^ HindiPath (8 June 2021). "जितना पाया, उससे ज़्यादा स्वदेश को लौटाया जाए : पूनम गुप्ता". हिंदी पथ. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  24. ^ "Greenock firm sends oxygen machines to India amid coronavirus crisis". Greenock Telegraph. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  25. ^ "LIFE-Saving Effort By Greenock Company To Help With India's Covid Oxygen Crisis". Inverclyde Now. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  26. ^ Swales, Andy (24 November 2023). "The most innovative entrepreneurs in the UK announced at the Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023". Elite Business Magazine. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  27. ^ "Poonam Gupta | About". University of Stirling. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Women's Enterprise Scotland Awards winners unveiled - with Nicola Sturgeon praising event's fostering of female leaders". www.scotsman.com. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  29. ^ a b Symon, Ken (8 November 2019). "Two Scottish businesses win at UK-wide entrepreneur awards". businessInsider. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  30. ^ "Scottish leaders win duo of titles at EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards". www.scotsman.com. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
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  32. ^ Symon, Ken (14 June 2019). "Entrepreneur of the year is named". businessInsider. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  33. ^ McEachern, Megan (8 March 2019). "No. 1 Magazine Amazing Women Awards - The Winners". Sunday Post. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  34. ^ "SCC Board | Welcome to the Scottish Chambers of Commerce website". www.scottishchambers.org.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
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  37. ^ "Business Women Scotland and WES Scotland Awards 2018 Winners | Business Women Scotland | BWS magazine | Business network events". bwsltd.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  38. ^ "Poonam Gupta OBE - Faces of a Vibrant Economy - Grant Thornton". Faces of a Vibrant Economy - Grant Thornton. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  39. ^ "Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board: members' biographies - gov.scot". beta.gov.scot. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  40. ^ "Women's Business Mentoring | Home". Women's Business Mentoring | Home. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  41. ^ "New Year's Honours list 2017 - Publications - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
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  45. ^ michael (12 May 2013). "Aberdeen represented well in The Scottish Business Awards, Scotland's biggest business awards event". SBNN. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  46. ^ "Meet the husband and wife team behind £10m success". Asian Image. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  47. ^ "Welcome to The Scottish Asian Business Awards". www.theasianbusinessawards.info. Retrieved 7 February 2017.