This article is part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s special edition: 33 Indian Visionaries.

In 2001, Zubin Karkaria conceptualised and founded VFS Global – as an outstanding example of disruptive innovation – and led the company to become a global leader in its space within four to five years of its inception. Today the company is a trusted partner of multiple governments across the world and is enhancing global cross-border mobility of people. Karkaria was also the CEO of the Switzerland-headquartered Kuoni Group (of which VFS Global was a part) globally from 2015 until 2017 when the Group was split-up into stand-alone businesses following its privatization. VFS Global, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and Dubai, UAE is a portfolio company of Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager.

With a rich experience of over 30 years in the travel and tourism business and in developing a truly global business, Karkaria has taken on and overcome several challenges successfully. An economic value creator, his success lies in his sharp entrepreneurial sense combined with organisation building skills. A visionary leader, Karkaria is also deeply attuned to the evolving technological landscape. He is a strong believer in the importance of emerging technologies and has actively championed the integration of these advancements into the strategic fabric of VFS Global. His ability to understand and leverage technology has been instrumental in building VFS Global into a technology-led, innovative company that continuously enhances its market leadership position. Joining Kuoni in 1991, Karkaria handled several managerial roles before he was appointed as the CEO and Managing Director of Kuoni India and South Asia in 2005 – managing the Outbound and Domestic tours division, the Business Travel division, and the Inbound Travel division, and simultaneously growing the VFS Global business.

He was made a member of the Kuoni Group Executive Board in 2013, and in 2015 he became the first Asian to be appointed as the CEO of Kuoni Group. However, Karkaria’s greatest achievement has been the conceptualization and the outstanding success of VFS Global – the world’s leading outsourced visa, passport and consular services specialist. In recognition of his immense experience and contribution to the broader travel and tourism related services domain and his entrepreneurial experience Karkaria has been appointed on several high-powered committees during his career. Most recently, in June 2023, he was appointed on the National Tourism Advisory Council of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Karkaria has also been appointed as an Executive Committee member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the preeminent global travel & tourism industry body, since December 2022, prior to which he was a Global Member of the Council. In December 2016, Karkaria was appoint- ed ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite’ (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by the President of the French Republic, François Hollande.

This exclusive distinction recognised Karkaria’s exemplary contributions of over the past three decades in supporting the development of travel and tourism to France. He has won several other accolades recognizing his leadership and entrepreneurial achievements, including being recognized as the “Pioneer of the Global Visa Services Industry” and being listed as one of the “Top 25 Young Executives in India” by Business Today. He has also served on the boards and committees of several industry bodies including as External Director on the board of ITDC (India Tourism Development Corporation).