Asia Research & Engagement (ARE), a leading sustainability-focused consultancy and capital markets engagement firm, has expanded its India team with two senior appointments: Shishir Soti, Director, Global Operations and Partnerships and Arun Kumar, Strategic Advisor – Power Markets and Technology Innovation.
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Singapore, ARE works across Asia’s key economies – including China, India, and Japan – to drive sustainability outcomes through the alignment of capital markets, corporate strategy, and policy. India’s expanding influence in energy, agriculture, and capital markets makes it not just a domestic focus but a regional anchor for accelerating Asia’s net-zero transition.
“India is already making bold strides on its decarbonisation journey,” said Benjamin McCarron, Founder & Managing Director, ARE. “Expanding our footprint here strengthens our ability to connect investor expectations and corporate ambition across the region, from Tokyo to Bangkok to Singapore. India’s scale and innovation are pivotal to designing future-fit systems across all of Asia.”
Shishir Soti brings more than 25 years of experience to ARE, having held senior positions in banking and financial services at institutions including Standard Chartered and ICICI Bank, as well as senior roles at environmental groups such as the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and Environmental Defense Fund. At ARE he will help deepen the integration of India into ARE’s regional programmes on financed emissions, sustainable food systems, and transition financing. He will also spearhead stakeholder engagement and fundraising strategy for ARE’s India programmes, advancing efforts to align Indian corporates and banks with net-zero goals.
“India’s ambition to reach net-zero by 2070 has implications far beyond its borders,” said Soti. “Its energy and agricultural transitions will shape supply chains, investment flows, and climate ambition throughout Asia. I’m proud to support ARE’s work connecting policy, capital, and corporate action at this critical intersection.”
Arun Kumar joins ARE with more than 25 years of experience in power markets, technology, and strategy, having held leadership positions at PTC India, HSBC Securities, KPMG and CRISIL where he was consistently ranked among India’s top energy analysts. He will provide strategic insights into regulatory trends, market innovation, and grid decarbonisation.
“ARE’s investor-informed approach has already helped shift conversations in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia,” said Kumar. “India’s power market is on the cusp of transformation, and I look forward to helping shape the trajectory through collaborative engagement and technology foresight.”
Soti and Kumar will work closely with Rituj Sahu, Director – Protein Transition (India), who has been leading ARE’s work on food systems, climate finance, and impact stewardship in India since 2022. Their collective expertise positions ARE to deepen its regional impact across three core pillars: Energy transition and financed emissions engagement with corporates and banks; Sustainable food and agriculture systems, with a focus on the protein transition; Capital mobilisation, bridging global finance with local sustainability outcomes.
The India expansion complements and strengthens ARE’s ongoing work in Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Thailand – creating a more connected and coordinated platform for sustainable transformation across Asia.
“To solve regional sustainability challenges, we need local intelligence, regional coordination, and global capital alignment,” added McCarron. “India is integral to the systems change ARE is driving across the region.”
About Asia Research & Engagement (ARE)
Creating change through investor-backed engagement. ARE’s pioneering approach fills an engagement gap to bring leading investors into dialogue with Asian-listed companies. ARE currently works with investors representing US$10trillion. ARE covers Asian-listed companies from the financial sector, energy-related industries, and food value chains, seeking to advance a sustainable and compassionate Asia.
For media interviews and further enquiries, please contact
Wani Diwakar
Asia Research & Engagement (ARE)
wani.diwarkar@asiareengage.com