Board of Directors

Scott Walters

Scott Walters is a Director and the Chief Executive Officer of Opportunity International Australia, an Australian NGO that supports microfinance and community development programs to empower people living in poverty to transform their lives.

Having enjoyed a long and diverse career in the not-for-profit sector, including educational support for disadvantaged children, poverty relief, women’s health, and early childhood intervention, Scott has led and managed the strategic development and growth in fundraising for a number of charities.

Scott was most recently the Chief Fundraising Officer for Bible Society Australia, and previously, he was Head of Strategic Partnerships for The Smith Family. With an extensive background in financial planning, stockbroking and marketing before his move to the for-purpose sector, Scott brings the depth of business and fundraising experience needed for the role, as well as a passion for alleviating poverty.

He has previously held roles at the CEO level of both listed and unlisted entities, and has demonstrated strength in fundraising, relationship management, events, and internal and external stakeholder management in both the commercial sector and the for-purpose sector.

Scott is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business degree from the Queensland University of Technology. Outside work, Scott has a love of surfing, music, golf, theatre, and anything manufactured by Apple.

Scott joined the Board of Dia Vikas as Director in January 2022.

James Brown

James has held senior finance executive positions at News Ltd, National Australia Bank and Colonial Australian Financial Services. He is the former CFO of GE Commercial Foodland Associated Ltd and Babcock & Brown Power. Prior to joining Opportunity, James was the CEO/business leader of ChargePoint Pty Ltd, Australia’s leading electric vehicle charging network company which he sold to Leightons Contractors (Visionstream). James is a Fellow of CPA, a member of AICD and a Director of Southern Highlands Community Hospice Ltd, Blacktown Spartans FC and a Committee Member of Eurella Inc.

James joined the Board of Dia Vikas as Director in December 2020.

Mark Daniels

Mark Daniels joined Opportunity in 1998. As the Asia Programs Director he oversees Opportunity’s programs in India, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Mark has over two decades of experience in international finance, philanthropy and non-profit development, and has served on the boards for various organisations. Prior to Opportunity, Mark was a Senior Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mark holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Accountancy from the University of Technology, Sydney. He is a CPA and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mark joined the Board of Dia Vikas as Director in February 2020.

Jai Sharma

Jai Sharma is the General Manager of SDG Capital, a funding and capital advisory business supporting non-profits clients. Jai is a seasoned impact investment specialist with a career spanning superannuation, funds management and social entrepreneurship.

 A serial social entrepreneur, Jai has started and exited multiple mission driven start-ups and has advised a number of prominent social enterprises and impact investment funds globally. In 2010, Jai founded a small but pioneering rescue and rehabilitation program for vulnerable girls in North India. He has a Masters in Professional Ethics (UNSW) and a BA (International Relations/Development) from The Australian National University (ANU).

Jai is currently a Director on the Board of Opportunity International Australia i.e. Holding Company of Dia Vikas and has joined as one of its representatives on the Board of Dia Vikas.

Jai joined the Board of Dia Vikas as a Director in April 2025.

Harry Turner

Harry Turner is the Founder and Managing Director of TRNR LTD, a startup business incubator and consulting firm based in Oxford in the UK. Investments and clients to date include: i) cofounding The Wheelhouse Group Ltd, a start-up shared office space provider focused on building community for start-ups and freelancers in the UK; ii) cofounding Talanton Impact Fund, a US based social impact fund leveraging tax deductible money in Donor Advised Funds to make investments in Small Medium Enterprises in the developing world; iii) Non-Executive Director, consultant and investor in 3D Lifeprints, a start-up 3D printing company operating in the medical sector in the UK; and iv) Investor in Isity Global, a Singapore based energy efficiency  company acquired by Kollakorn Corporation Ltd (an ASX listed Company). Prior roles include co-founder and Senior Advisor to Openwell LLP (a UK based social impact consultancy firm), interim Head of Credit for Oikocredit International (a Dutch €1B social impact investment fund), where he was Global Chief Operating Officer of Opportunity International, responsible for microfinance program support in 27 countries, and Division Director at Macquarie Bank, where he grew and led a virtual,global, shared services group, managing a team of 1,000 people.

Harry joined the Board of Dia Vikas as Director in August 2012.

Abraham Chacko

Abraham Chacko has four decades of experience in banking across various markets, namely- India, Middle East, Africa and Asia. In his last full time role as the Executive Director of The Federal Bank Ltd, India he was the second in command and oversaw Wholesale banking , SME, Agriculture and Financial Institutions. Prior to Federal Bank he spent 18 years in various countries with ABN AMRO Bank.

Abraham was Deputy CEO UAE covering various countries in the Middle East between 1992 and 1999. Thereafter he moved to Colombo as CEO Sri Lanka and then to Singapore in 2001 as a Regional Head-Trade sales for Asia Pacific, Middle east and Africa and later covered Cash Management for Asia too. He started his career as a Management Trainee with HSBC India where he spent 14 years in various roles.

He grew up in Kolkata and did his graduation from St Xaviers College and has an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur.

Chacko joined the Board of Dia Vikas as Director in November 2019.

Michelle Desa

Michelle has over 31 years of experience in trading equities and foreign exchange derivatives. A postgraduate in Finance from IIM Bangalore, she set up the Dealing Room and ran Global Markets for Chase Manhattan in India. Prior to that she worked for ANZ Grindlays Bank in Foreign Exchange and Risk Management. She has conducted Treasury and Risk Management programs for several Corporate houses, Commercial banks, Business schools and Central Banks in South Asia.

Michelle joined the Board of Dia Vikas as Director in February 2020.