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President & CEO, Karma Candy Inc, Canada >>
Co-founder, Osellus Inc., Canada & Osellus Asia Pacific Company Limited, Thailand >>
Proprietor, Prego Della Piazza--Italian Fine-Dining in Yorkville >>
Founder & Chairman, POA Educational Foundation >>
Chair, UNICEF Canada India HIV/AIDS Campaign >>
Board Member, First Nations Financial Management Board >>
Board Member, Ontario Investment & Trade Advisory Council (OITAC) >>
Board Member, Brainhunter Inc. (TSX: BH) >>
National Convenor, Canada India Foundation (CIF) >>
Find Aditya on Twitter (jhaaditya)
 A philanthropist at heart and an entrepreneur with passion, Aditya Jha's life journey in Canada is a living example of how one can build a successful career/ venture and in the process help cause of Canada, a land of dreams for new migrants. Through his entrepreneurial feats of actualizing one's dream even with high risk taking, as well as his acts of generous giving to those outside his community; he has demonstrated a rare sensitivity towards the needs of the country he emigrated to and adopted as his own.
An entrepreneur in pursuit of excellence
Aditya is President & CEO of Karma Candy Inc, one of North America's largest contract manufacturer of branded and premium private label chocolate and candy products. It manufactures for some of the top national and international confectionery brands, as well as for global retailers. He acquired this highly reputed, large confectionery manufacturing business in Hamilton, Ontario (formerly of Cadbury Adams Canada). Within first year of acquisition, this business (http://www.karmacandy.ca/) is a major turn-around story. Prior to this, he co-founded a software company, Isopia Inc., Canada after having a successful career at Bell Canada as General Manager, eBusiness and Product Marketing. In July 2001, despite the downturn in the technology industry, Isopia was a major acquisition by Sun Microsystems Inc., USA. Subsequently, he co-founded another software product company, Osellus Inc., Canada and Osellus Asia Pacific Company Limited, Thailand. A bon vivant, his newest exciting acquisition is one of Toronto's longest established fine-dining restaurant in Yorkville called Prego Della Piazza (http://www.pregorestaurant.ca/). He also has business interest in hotel, real estate and fast-food industry.
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Aditya sponsors and is running a unique initiative (fifth year) in the area of Venture Philanthropy working with the office of the Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation as well as Ryerson University and Trent University to nurture entrepreneurship within aboriginal communities of Canada (http://www.projectbeyshick.com/). This initiative is empowering Canadian aboriginals to participate in local and corporate ventures, thus enabling them to become equal partners in the economic prosperity of Ontario and, indeed, Canada.
Aditya also founded his private charitable foundation (POA Educational Foundation) in 2001 and has created endowments ($815,000) at four institutions (Ryerson University, York University, Trent University and George Brown College), and these endowments grant in total thirteen (13) scholarship awards ($40,000 annually) to students (large focus on students from the aboriginal community of Canada). He is the Chairperson for UNICEF Canada India HIV/AIDS campaign ($3 Million) and was one of the Cabinet Members for Ryerson University Business School's capital campaign ($72 Million).
He has also supported ($230,000) other projects: with Ryerson University a research project on Economic Value of Indo-Canadians; Pathways Education Program for the inner-city kids of Regent Park community in Toronto; funding York University for Canada-India research initiative; Share the Music program of Roy Thomson Hall through endowment to give Canadian aboriginal youth access to best musical performances in Toronto; Defibrillator project at the Trillium Hospital, Mississauga; Toronto International Film Festival as Gold Patron; Canadian Museum of Human Rights; 50 student residence for kids from landless families in Bihar, India ; and Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and various other charitable causes. He also supported award for the Top 20 under 20 program (Entrepreneurship category) and the yearly $15,000 Business Plan & $5,000 Career Plan Contest award for the First Nation individual participating in Project Beyshick.
Making the foundation strong by catching them young
Most recently, Aditya has undertaken an initiative working closely with Non Resident Nepalese Association and Friends of Nepal and his Nepalese charitable organization Knowledge Nepal 2020 and provided 100 laptops & over 50 desktops to schools in Janakpur and Kathmandu in Nepal.
Accolades and awards that reflects pursuit of excellence
Aditya is the appointee of Government of Canada to the Board of Directors of First Nations Financial Management Board, of Government of Ontario to Ontario Investment & Trade Advisory Council (OITAC), Board member of TSX listed Brainhunter and is on Advisory Council of Dean, Faculty of Community Services, Ryerson University.
Aditya was conferred Honorary Doctorate at Ryerson University's Ted Rogers School of Management in 2009. He was awarded the 2008 Desi News Grant's Community Achievers Awards and was finalist in the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants 2009 contest for achievement and contributions that have positively changed the face of Canada since arrival and is inductee to the Top 30 Most Influential Indo Canadians of India Abroad magazine. The Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) awarded its 2004 "Technology Achievement Award" for his achievements in the field of Technology. He was awarded CEO award in 1998 from BCE Inc. for his innovative work at Bell Canada; President's Award at Bell Nexxia in 1999 and was selected as President's Club member at Bell Canada in 1997.
Professional achievements: the intellectual capital
He was an Adjunct Faculty at the National University of Singapore (1989-94). He has been an invited speaker at the Schulich Business School, York University; Rotman Business School, University of Toronto; and University of Ontario Institute of Technology as well as at the events of other prominent organizations. Aditya has published/presented papers in several international journals/conferences, has served as Editorial Review Board member of two prestigious journals and has been invited speaker at various international conferences (USA, Paris, Holland, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, India etc.) as well as has moderated three business roundtables for increased trade linkages between India and Canada. Aditya started his professional career after investing 4½ years as Research Scholar at School of Computer & Systems Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.
Recent Articles in Media:
- "What it takes to succeed in business - Candy magnate Aditya Jha shares his secrets to sweet success" Link >>
- "Passion makes things happen" Link >>
- "Natives get a hand up from Indo-Canadian" Link >>
- " 'Spirit of art' led curator to ROM" - Link >>
- "Toronto philanthropist Aditya Jha talks of charity" Link >>
- "From Different Worlds" Link >>
- "We are the New Radicals" - book by Julia Moulden Link >>
- "CBC Radio One - First Nations Entrepreneurs" Link >>
Some Personal Quotes:
- In Life, you always get more than what you deserve or less than what you deserve - You never quite get just the right amount. If you get less you must work harder & smarter, and if you get more then you must give back;
- Before I became active with ‘giving’ to charitable causes, I looked at giving as charity to others. Now, I see giving as charity to myself. You are giving to your expanded self, your passion, your talent to make your desired changes and to your obligation to payback to the favorite social circumstances as only those favourable social circumstances allow people like yourself, your kids and for all, that you care about to prosper;
- We never have spare money to give but I have no doubt in my mind that we can always spare to give;
- Nobel laureate, Herbert Simon estimated that the "social capital" is responsible for at least 90% of what people earn in wealthy societies. I am trying to make a case that all of us have obligation to give and pay back to that "Social Capital" and ALL of us can "SPARE to Give";
- I strongly believe that a handful of well intentioned First Nation leadership, with an open mind, great deal of determination, and certain degree of impatience to shake-up the existing mode of aboriginal business operation in partnership with corporate Canada that can make the First Nation community a highly prosperous community too;
- Smart hard work takes you much farther than just being smart or just working hard;
- Don't start a business only because you have a great idea or you don't have a regular job. Ask yourself if you have the passion to work on it . Passion will make things happen for you. ”
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