Media Release

Bengaluru, May 13: It was a picturesque evening with a gentle mix of sunshine and rain — a fitting backdrop for a gathering of the Kanara Entrepreneurs (KE) community to celebrate one of its most admired leaders, Ivan Fernandes, chairman, KE Global.

The event began on a cheerful note with Eugene Mathias welcoming KE members with his trademark humour, before introducing the man of the hour — Ivan Fernandes.

Ivan took the audience through his remarkable journey, beginning in Kavoor, Mangaluru, where he was born the eldest of four children. With a hardworking father and a mother who, though uneducated, believed firmly in the power of education, Ivan's childhood was rooted in values, perseverance and determination.

After moving to Kodical in pursuit of better education, Ivan’s persistence was evident early on. Eager to join the English medium section at St Aloysius Middle School, he visited the headmaster every day until granted the chance to take the entrance exam — which he topped. This marked the first of many challenges he would overcome through sheer will.

His formative years at St Aloysius shaped his leadership and confidence, while his dream of becoming an engineer kept him focused. He earned a merit-based admission to PES College of Engineering, Mandya, where he excelled in academics and topped Mysore University in the fifth semester.

Ivan began his professional career as scientist/engineer at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center. However, an article on the automation of customer signatures caught his attention and drew him into banking technology. What began with a single solution grew into a transformative career in fintech, taking him to Bahrain where he helped build a customer signature verification product.

His journey continued at USCB in Riyadh, where he rewrote critical banking applications and led key digital transformations, earning the “Employee of the Year” award. His reputation as a problem-solver across the banking industry inspired him to take the entrepreneurial leap.

In 1995, he founded Synectics in Bengaluru, hiring five fresh NIIT graduates purely on conviction. Despite financial constraints, the team delivered innovative solutions and secured early clients including Centurion Bank and IndusInd Bank.

With a global vision, Synectics partnered with UK-based Logica Plc and by 1998 had expanded to the UK, Spain, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Logica eventually acquired Synectics and appointed Ivan as regional director in Dubai and chief technology officer – financial products. He thrived in the role, earning widespread recognition.

In 2000, he founded Ducont to explore the emerging mobility sector. Though the dot-com crash struck soon after, Ivan focused on resilience and adaptability. Under his leadership, Ducont grew into a key mobility player in banking, telecom and government sectors, leading to a successful exit in 2008. His emphasis on building world-class products — not just services — defined this phase.

During his address, Ivan shared lessons from his journey:

• Believe in yourself, especially when others doubt you

• Failures are powerful teachers

• Success requires relentless effort, adaptability and timing

• Build strong teams and foster innovation

A strong advocate of community building, Ivan has played a key role in shaping TiE Dubai and Kanara Entrepreneurs. He is also an angel investor and mentor to over 100 entrepreneurs, with contributions spanning education, elder care and the startup ecosystem.

He concluded with a message that resonated deeply: “Dream big, take bold risks and surround yourself with the right people. Vision, adaptability and resilience create lasting success. Failures are temporary. Persistence is permanent.”

The evening closed with a lively Q&A session, followed by the presentation of a memento by Claudius Pereira. The Founder’s Fiesta wrapped up with a fellowship dinner — an inspiring end to an evening spent in the company of a visionary leader.