Dhanush ArjunChief Executive Officer - Zelo

Dhanush Arjun is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zelo, where he leads the company’s strategic direction, product strategy and partnerships with major buyer ecosystems. His focus is on building Zelo as a growth infrastructure platform that connects capital with capable businesses, helping them pursue commercial opportunities while supporting stronger and more resilient supply chains.

With nearly two decades of experience across private equity, investment banking, deal advisory and financial services, Dhanush has managed portfolios of more than USD 500mn and executed transactions across financial services, fintech, infrastructure and energy. His experience spans private equity investing, M&A and corporate finance, as well as working closely with portfolio companies on strategy, growth, capital structure and governance. He has also served on the boards of several portfolio companies.

Throughout his investment career, his philosophy has extended beyond capital to active value creation – removing operational and financial friction to unlock long-term growth. This ‘investor + operator’ mindset has given him a deep understanding of businesses across energy, industrials, critical infrastructure and healthcare, among other sectors that are fundamental to the UAE’s economic growth.

At Zelo, Dhanush is particularly focused on expanding access to growth capital, developing institutional partnerships and creating financing models that can support the UAE’s SME and industrial ecosystems at scale.   

Dhanush holds an MBA from INSEAD and is a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is a regular speaker at industry forums and a media commentator on access to capital, business growth and building more resilient supply chain ecosystems in the UAE.