Poonam Gupta

Dr Poonam Gupta OBE
Award of Honorary Doctor of Business Administration

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Poonam Gupta OBE is CEO of one of Scotland’s most successful export businesses, PG Paper Company Ltd.

Poonam launched PG Paper from her home in Kilmacolm and today, her portfolio of companies turns over more than £60million and operates in more than 60 countries.

Poonam immigrated to Scotland from India in 2002. Recognised as one of the 100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations by India Inc Group, she is Vice President of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Chair of the Manufacturing Sector Committee of the FICCI UK Council, the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India.

A champion of charities supporting women, children, gender equality and animal conservation, Poonam is a founding member of The Scottish Circle charity where she works alongside Glasgow Caledonian University’s former Chancellor, Dr Annie Lennox OBE.

Poonam is also committed to supporting the business community. She has shared her experiences with Glasgow Caledonian University’s aspiring entrepreneurs in a masterclass and established Women's Business Mentoring to guide Scottish businesswomen. Since January 2021, Poonam has also been an ambassador for Young Enterprise Scotland.

Poonam’s entrepreneurial and business efforts have also been acknowledged by her peer group and the industry at large, for which she has received several business awards, most recently Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019. In recognition of her service to charity and business, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2016.

She continues to strive and improve her business achievements and charitable commitments across the globe.