People
We offer exemplary leadership, management and delivery track record with experience in public sector, private sector and development sector complemented by formal training in management, business administration, finance, economics, international relations, and engineering.
Our People
Radhesh Pant
Senior Managing Partner
Radhesh’s career propelled into a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position at an early age of 35, leading a commercial bank into unchartered territories of success from the beginning. His leadership was tested early on in his career, when he guided organizations through the most enduring times of political, credit and liquidity crises.
He has since continued to progress into responsibilities of further grandeur, leading different agencies spanning both the private and public sectors over the last 15 years, one of which was with a public agency reporting directly to the Prime Minister, responsible for delivering infrastructure through private investments. Reporting directly to the head of Government, Radhesh orchestrated signing of two mega energy projects that were at an impasse with decades of geopolitical issues, securing foreign investments and mainstay to Government finance at an unprecedented scale. His career started as a financial analysis professional for a biotechnology firm in Los Angeles, California. Most of his early teenage years were spent in Japan, allowing him to carry a good grasp of the Japanese language.
His expertise built over a 30 year professional experience, lies in leadership, general management, institutional strengthening, corporate finance, commercial negotiations, Government systems, and political and policy level dialogue for reforms.
Radhesh believes in teamwork and focuses on building the right team, and giving them the independence in maximizing their potential in delivering innovating solutions to problems.
Radhesh currently serves as chairman in various boards for Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio resources (ANSAB), a civil society organization working for the conservation of biodiversity, Smile Nepal, a social organization responsible for providing foster home to homeless children, and is a founding director for South Asia Institute of Management (SAIM), a business school in Kathmandu, Nepal.
His academic credentials include an MBA from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Bachelor of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, India.
Radhesh Pant
Senior Managing Partner
Our People
Satish Joshi
Partner
Satish’s career has been primed with several senior level roles with a focus specifically on energy infrastructure, including clean and renewable energy and transmission, real estate, fund management, capital markets, and mergers & acquisitions. Satish’s career began as a cash-flow management expert for a firm in a consumer staples industry, in Angwin, California, USA.
Over a 18 year-strong career path, Satish has developed diverse credentials traversing over issues such as cross border electricity trade, negotiating foreign investments worth more than US$2 billion in major energy infrastructure, and in the process, oversaw development of groundbreaking set of agreements and standards, unprecedented in emerging markets. Ever since the onset of his career, Satish has enjoyed highly visible roles, whether in the form of client investment portfolio management, advising senior management on acquisitions, or managing debt exposure of a company.
Satish believes that breathing clean air is not just a constitutional right, but also an individual and collective responsibility. He currently runs an organization named Drishti, a citizen initiative to advocate for clean air, dispel myths and create awareness around serious effects of pollution on health and environment. The organization has installed several air quality measuring devices that report real-time data on air quality, accessible to the public and policy makers.
Satish’s team enjoys working for him because he has a habit of always putting their interests before his own priorities, and holds dear the democratic values in workplace management.
Satish is a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) professional and has a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Applied Mathematics, summa cum laude from Pacific Union College in Angwin, California, USA.
Satish Joshi
Partner
Our People
Ashish Bhattarai
Partner
Ashish’s promising career trajectory has focused primarily on enhancing organization performance through best human resource management and practices. Realizing that human capital is the most prized asset for any organization, Ashish has continued to focus on new and innovative practices in the field of HR. Using this experience as a stepping stone, Ashish in his most recent role, also assumed ownership of larger back office administration function, managing high value procurements, bilateral agency fund deployment, and establishing best practice procedures and policies.
Ashish’s professional achievements have included implementing objective performance evaluation system and linking it to salary and promotions, introducing a comprehensive intranet solution, leading to automation of a number of HR activities such as payroll, leave and attendance, performance evaluation and employee information.
Ashish has worked directly with CEOs, and has served in the HR committee of the Board of Directors, making several HR related policy level recommendations and implementing them. He has also represented management in difficult negotiating environment with trade unions, and crafted a fine balance in relationship between the management, trade unions and the firm.
If there is anything that sets Ashish apart, it is his unwavering demeanor of calmness even in the face of utmost adversity, an envious behavioral feature that will ensure sensible decisions and calmness at VRock.
Ashish holds a Master of Arts in Personnel & Development from Leeds-Beckett University, Leeds, UK and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Mathematics from Delhi University, Delhi, India.
Ashish Bhattarai
Partner
Our People
Ajaya Shrestha
Partner
Ajaya is an aspiring professional who has undergone various challenging experiences throughout his career. In his most recent role, Ajaya’s instrumental and dedicated contribution as an integral part of the team that successfully negotiated two mega power projects cannot be overemphasized.
In the initial days after the establishment of public agency responsible for delivering large infrastructure, Ajaya led the effort in establishing a bank of credible and viable projects, which was approved by the Prime Minister chaired board in one of its first meetings.
Ajaya has made a difference in far reaching policy imperatives with his work on analyzing the state of demand and supply scenario of electricity at a national level, which has provided policy makers much needed evidence on navigating the labyrinth path to electricity sufficiency.
Early on in his career, Ajaya’s work primarily focused on providing rural community based ground breaking microfinance solutions to those that were otherwise deprived of access for formal financial products, and later were able to uplift their rural businesses as a result of the newly available access.
Diverse nature of his varied experiences have led him to places such as Guatemala, Columbia and Spain to tackle issues of global scale.
Ajaya is a realist matter-of-fact type of an individual, a virtue all of us at VRock and our clients appreciate.
Ajaya has a Master of Arts, International Relations from Institute of Barcelona for International Studies, Spain, a Master of Arts in Development Studies from Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Middlebury College, USA.
Ajaya Shrestha
Partner
Our People
Roshan Pandey
Financial Consultant
Roshan oversees accounting and financial functions of the company in addition to serving as a financial analyst. Roshan has been working on assignments related to infrastructure finance, energy finance & risk analysis. He is responsible for designing and framing operating policies and procedures within the company thereby instituting a solid internal control and financial reporting framework.
In his promising career as a Chartered Accountant, Roshan has obtained significant exposure and experience in auditing, financial management and advisory services. The clientele he has served includes banks and financial institutions, multi-national companies and development sector among others. With specialization in taxation, auditing, financial reporting standards, accounting, corporate laws and cost management, Roshan has served in areas such as internal control system framing and monitoring, financial reporting, internal and statutory audits, tax advisory services, cost reduction and cost control planning, etc.
Roshan is a principal of the firm Roshan Pandey and Associates, Chartered Accountants through which he has been providing quality services to various clients, including VRock. Roshan completed his Chartered Accountancy course from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal.
Roshan Pandey
Financial Consultant
Our People
Sneha Bhattarai
Finance Officer
Sneha works as a Finance Officer at VRock and is involved in accounting and financial functions along with tax compliance of the company. She handles preparation of annual budgets and forecasts, compilation of financial statements, and management of cost control. She is also responsible for designing and framing operating policies and procedures within the company thereby instituting good internal control and financial reporting framework.
In her promising career as a finance professional, Sneha has obtained more than three years of experience in auditing, financial management, taxation and advisory services at TR Upadhya, a leading audit firm in Kathmandu. The client base she has served includes banks and financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, manufacturing, internal audits, and development sector. She is interested in serving as a project finance manager and sustaining VRock’s healthy financial position. Sneha has served in areas such as internal control system, financial reporting, internal and statutory audits, tax advisory services, cost reduction and cost control planning.
Sneha has completed her Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies from Tribhuwan University of Nepal. She is currently pursuing Chartered Accountancy course from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal.
Sneha Bhattarai
Finance Officer
Our People
Samjhana Khanal
Finance/Admin Assistant
Samjhana is a young financial enthusiast who works as a Finance /Admin assistant at VRock. She works alongside Financial Executives and project managers where she performs a variety of administrative, clerical, and basic accounting functions. She has been assisting in accounting, payroll processing, Tax returns filing and various compliance requirements of VRock. She holds financial knowledge, communication skills, computer literacy, and analysis abilities.
She is a strong team player and highly organized process driven individual with an ability to handle confidential and important information. She holds more than 4 years of experience in VRock in operations unit where she has excelled her knowledge and skills. She has completed her Bachelor’s degree in Management (BBS) from Tribhuvan University.
Samjhana Khanal
Finance/Admin Assistant
Our People
Ajay Nepal
Finance Manager
Ajay is a CFA charter-holder and an MBA in Finance with significant experience in the Banking and Finance sector.
Ajay started out as an Analyst in an Investment Bank and quickly moved onto a correspondent banking role with one of the major multinational banks in the world. While working in the correspondent banking unit, he managed Banking and Insurance client investments, trade finance, and cash products portfolios. In the same role, he assisted many Nepalese Banks and industries establish credit limits with international banking divisions to facilitate LC confirmations and guarantees and achieved the role of South Asia Champion in systematizing client metrics in the bank’s information management system.
Ajay has considerable experience in Investment Banking with expertise in developing and analyzing equity valuation models. He has worked as the head of investments in a major Investment Bank in Nepal where he successfully managed mutual funds and client portfolios worth more than USD. 25 million. As an analyst, he has been influential in taking various companies public and developing the overall capital market landscape in Nepal.
Ajay Nepal
Finance Manager
Our People
Avdhesh Pant
Legal Consultant
Avdhesh is a Legal Consultant at Vrock and Company Pvt. Ltd. He is a Legal analyst for the Infrastructure Development and Financial Sustainability project under the subnational governance program. He has led the legal aspect of the project and as such has been involved in policy review, drafting and reviewing laws, drafting of concession agreements.
Avdhesh is a lawyer specializing in corporate and project finance laws since 2013. He has gained substantial experience in corporate structuring, regulatory compliance, and contractual matters. He has advised various individuals and entities from both the public and private sectors regarding the laws of Nepal. He has also been involved in policy-level work including research, providing training, drafting of laws, regulations, policies. He has a keen interest in ESG laws and policies in Nepal. Currently, his work focus is on public-private partnership and project finance.
Avdhesh holds an LL.M. (Business Laws) from National Law University Delhi and BA.LL.B.(Hons) from NALSAR University of Law Hyderabad. He is the managing director at Arch Legal Services Pvt. Ltd. Through which he has been providing corporate advisory and services.
Avdhesh Pant
Legal Consultant
Our People
Samyog Pradhan
Consultant
Samyog is associated with VRock as a consultant and engaged in the role of Energy Transaction Advisor for USAID’s Urja Nepal Program for which VRock is an institutional partner. His professional career started as Management Trainee in a leading commercial bank in Nepal. During his promising banking career, spanning over a decade, he acquainted himself with the core aspects of commercial banking that included trade financing, treasury operation, and corporate lending.
His seven years’ stint in Corporate Bank Division made him proficient in credit appraisal, credit administration, and loan portfolio management. He oversaw a large loan portfolio encompassing various types of loan products related to retail lending, SME, corporate lending, and project financing. As an analyst and relationship manager of the bank, he made a valuable contribution towards successful financial closures and completion of large projects in diverse sectors by arranging for consortium financing on behalf of the lead bank, managing consortium teams, and coordinating between project developers, consortium members, and consultants.
Samyog has been awarded the coveted CFA Charter by CFA Institute, USA. He also holds a B.Com (Honors) and M.Com degree from the University of Delhi, India. Realizing the need for integration of Nepalese banking and capital markets with global standards, he decided to pursue the CFA program to equip himself with the knowledge and tools that are required to cater to the global investment fraternity. His understanding of the crucial role that financial institutions have in promoting private investments in Nepal prompted him to start his consultancy firm, Blue Opal Consulting, which has been a bridge between lenders and those in need of capital. Many SME and large-scale businesses in agriculture, construction, hospitality, health care, and F&B sectors have benefited from his advisory services. More noteworthy is the service that he rendered to the Government of Nepal as Credit Line Consultant for the project that was developed by the Ministry of Forest and Environment under the support of The World Bank.
Samyog Pradhan
Consultant
Our People
Aashna Shrestha
Senior Analyst
Aashna is a Senior Analyst at VRock, managing and assisting the Energy Team with research and advisory. Her work involves financial analysis, modelling and evaluation of hydropower projects and is also part of USAID’s Urja Nepal Project.
In her short but promising career, Aashna has worked in various departments in the credit and lending sector in Australia and India. An auditor by training, Aashna brings an eye for detail, analytical and problem-solving skills to her roles. Prior to joining VRock, she worked as a Credit Manager for a finance company in India where she was responsible for analysis and validation of business loans for SMEs. She also has the experience of working at a Big 4 bank in Sydney where she developed the Consequence Management Framework for managing the misconducts of 20,000 mortgage brokers across Australia. Further, she improved prior methods of broker reviews helping the bank track brokers under various risk categories for further investigation.
Aashna holds a Masters in Banking and Finance from Macquarie University, Australia and has received multiple awards including the Deans Excellence Award and Refinitive Award under Applied Finance department for academic excellence. Aashna is a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and successfully completed her CPA Australia course in 2019. Outside of work, Aashna is an avid hiker and a novice piano player.
Aashna Shrestha
Senior Analyst
Our People
Bidur Bhusal
Policy Analyst
Bidur Bhusal is a Policy Analyst at VRock and Company. An Electrical engineer by training, Bidur’s specialization is in energy and hydropower Policy. He aspires to craft well researched, and evidence backed policies. At VRock he is providing policy and regulatory advisory services to our clients.
Bidur has a diverse experience national and international markets. Prior to VRock, he worked as a Monitoring Officer at Kathmandu University School of Engineering where he administered implementation of a World Bank Funded Technical Education and Vocational Training projects in 21 districts of Lumbini, Sudurpaschim and Karnali Provinces. Bidur has taught electrical engineering and entrepreneurship across and has worked as an electrical engineer for a Singaporean multinational Keppel Infrastructure. He is a strong advocate for workplace and personnel safety in Nepal’s construction sector. He has received multiple awards and accolades, including a gold award for project innovation in energy efficiency.
Bidur is also a Certified Internal Auditor IMS 9001:2015. He currently serves as a public policy scholar at Kathmandu University. On his personal front, Bidur is an explorer and likes to travel and experience different cultures.
Bidur Bhusal
Policy Analyst
Our People
Anurag Pokharel
Senior Analyst
Anurag is associated with the USAID-Funded Urja Nepal Project. He is an electrical engineer with over four years of experience with donor and government-supported projects on energy, electric mobility, and climate and disaster resilience.
He has regularly liaised with government officials in the energy and transport sectors spanning across all tiers of government during his tenure. He is well-versed on the operation and dynamics of government institutions.
In his previous roles as an energy and e-mobility researcher at ISET-Nepal, a think tank, he assessed the scenario of public electric vehicle deployment and micro-hydro sustainability in Nepal. He also supported the energy components of various projects. Anurag has also coordinated more than ten workshops and programs ranging from local to South Asian levels for the organization.
Anurag Pokharel
Senior Analyst
Our People
Astha Shrestha
Project Coordinator
Astha works as a Project Coordinator with VRock and Company, where she plays a pivotal role in anchoring various consulting projects. With over seven years of experience in both the Nepalese and Indian private sectors, Astha has developed a strong track record in project management, feasibility studies, and coordinating with cross-functional teams in various domain of research and analysis, correspondence, business development, and operations.
At VRock and Company, Astha has been involved in projects, including feasibility studies for electric vehicles and cable cars with partners at IFC. She has also led the commencement of a PEA for agribusiness and investment in the agriculture sector in Nepal, working closely with partners at CASA. She holds a master’s degree in political science emphasizing in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
Astha Shrestha
Project Coordinator
Our People
Pradish Bhakta Shrestha
Analyst
Pradish Bhakta Shrestha is an intern at VRock. He has a strong interest in financial markets and is eager to learn more about the industry. Pradish is responsible for conducting market research, analyzing financial data, and assisting with various financial projects. He is a hardworking and dedicated individual who is passionate about this work and committed to delivering high quality results. With his strong analytical skills and attention to detail. Pradish is looking forward to further developing his skills and gaining practical experience in the industry.
Pradish Bhakta Shrestha
Analyst
Our People
Pranav Karki
Economist
Pranav is an economist specializing in applied economics. At VRock, Pranav uses his extensive knowledge of econometric analysis and forecasting for a variety of projects. He has several years of experience in research and analysis ranging from macroeconomic forecasts (health-related), tax-revenue estimation, academic research, market analysis and forecasting, and cost-benefit analysis.
At VRock, Pranav worked on the Agricultural Investment Policy Review, conducting surveys and analyzing the data, feasibility study for cable car and public electric transports, estimating markets for electric vehicles, and Municipal Solid Waste Management, modeling the waste generation and collection of various municipalities.
Pranav Karki
Economist
Our People
Amnaya Paudel
Technical Associate
With a Master’s degree in Energy Technology and a background in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, he has been a dedicated professional in the realm of sustainable energy. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to driving positive change.
In roles spanning Technical Management, Program Development, and Renewable Energy Consultation, he has consistently made impactful contributions. As a Technical Manager, he spearheaded energy-efficient designs for residential buildings, ensuring compliance with construction standards and safety protocols.
His tenure at the Asian Development Bank marked a pivotal phase. As a Consultant, he delved into intricate research, addressing energy demand forecasting, electric vehicle integration, and energy consumption analysis. His expertise extends beyond technical realms, encompassing policy evaluation and shaping sustainable energy landscapes.
Amnaya Paudel
Technical Associate
Our People
Rajeev Sharma
Consultant
He is an Electrical Engineer and has acquired his B.E. (Electrical) degree with specialization in Power System in 1984 from the Regional Engineering College, Srinagar, Kashmir, India. From December 1984 he served continuously in Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for 34 years and retired in November 2018.
His 34 years’ professional experience in the power sector while in NEA covers distribution, transmission, generation, engineering-services as well as planning out of which more than 20 years’ experience is associated with transmission sector alone.
From November 2018 till March 2021 he served as “Senior Technical Advisor (National)” in Stantec Consulting International LLC for the MCC funded, “Electricity Transmission Project, Project Preparation and Technical Supervision Services” Works of MCA Nepal, which involved survey, investigation and design of 312 km, 400 kV double-circuit, quad-conductor transmission line and associated 400/220/132/33 kV substations.
From January 2022 he has been serving in VRock & Company in various capacities for Works associated with the Urja Nepal Project of USAID.
Rajeev Sharma
Consultant
Our People
Nikita Shrestha
Finance Officer
Nikita serves as the Finance Officer at VRock, leveraging over 5 years of experience in the financial sector.
Her professional journey began as a Trend Analyst at a Germany-based software company, where she was responsible for conducting extensive research and delivering structured content to international clients. Transitioning into finance, she gained valuable experience at an international trading company, managing diverse financial transactions and coordinating import purchases. Her career trajectory further advanced when she assumed the role of Finance and Admin Officer at an Italian-funded NGO. In this capacity, she oversaw the financial aspects of various projects, including a medical center, school, drinking water and irrigation, and youth empowerment initiatives. Alongside finance, she also handled multifaceted responsibilities spanning administration, human resources, logistics, procurement, and operations.
Nikita’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in business management from Bangalore University, India, and an MBA from Pokhara University, Nepal.
Nikita Shrestha
Finance Officer
Our People
Kumar Pudashine
Consultant
Kumar Pudashine is a seasoned professional specializing in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with a focus on Cyber Security and Governance of Enterprise IT. As an IT Security and Policy Advisor Consultant Kumar brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.
With a remarkable array of global certifications, including CRISC, CISM, CISA, CCNP Enterprise, Certified Network Defense Architect from EC-Council, CDCP, COBIT 5 Foundation and Implementation, and JNCIA-Junos, Kumar demonstrates a commitment to excellence in his field. Over the course of his career, he has provided invaluable insights and guidance to various international and national organizations, particularly in the realm of IT infrastructure and security.
Kumar’s passion for Cyber Security extends beyond consultancy; he is actively involved as the vice president of the Information Security Response Team, Nepal (NPCERT), and serves as a Lead Cyber Security Expert and Trainer at CSI Tech. His dedication to fostering Cyber Security awareness is evident through his involvement in training programs for various sectors, including ministries, police forces, and educational institutions.
He is also a respected visiting faculty member at prestigious institutions such as the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Nepal College of Information Technology (NCIT), Nepal Open University (NOU) and Westcliff University, USA, where he imparts invaluable knowledge in subjects such as Network Security, Information Security Management, and Information System Audit to aspiring professionals.
Kumar is an Information and Communication Technologies graduate from the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand.
Kumar Pudashine
Consultant
