CEO, Dhana Inc.
Shamini Dhana is Founder and CEO of Dhana Inc., a Certified B Corp, founded in 2008, headquartered in California. A pioneer of circular fashion, ...
Shamini Dhana is Founder and CEO of Dhana Inc., a Certified B Corp, founded in 2008, headquartered in California. A pioneer of circular fashion, an innovative leader in using technology to solve fashion’s climate and social challenges, Shamini is known for her leadership in advocating for the marginalized and underrepresented garment worker, a purpose driven leader and climate advocate with over fourteen years in global sourcing, supply chain management and sustainable fashion. A former investment banker, turned entrepreneur, Shamini Dhana witnessed firsthand the exploitation of children, workers and the environment while doing business in India over twenty years ago, which was the pivotal moment in her life vision “Uniting Humanity Through Fashion”.
In 2022, Shamini Dhana launched D/Sphere, a zero-waste design tool for mass customization for the fashion industry. With D/Sphere technology, fashion brands empower their customers with digital tools to design their next garment utilizing deadstock, finished materials and second life clothing thereby diverting the 70% of the $3 trillion fashion industry that would end up in the landfill. D/Sphere is democratizing the creation of fashion by collaborating with all stakeholders towards hyper-personalization with circular fashion principles.
In 1999, Shamini Dhana joined Silicon Valley Bank, and as senior vice president, Shamini Dhana managed the bank’s India operations, private equity and investor relationships and grew cross-border technology clients in seven years. Credited for the landmark Silicon Valley VC mission to India in 2002, Shamini Dhana successfully paved the way to foreign VC investment today in India including the setup of new funds, collaboration, and teams to support the growing emerging technologies arising in India.
Prior to banking and finance, Shamini Dhana worked with multinational companies in the Asian Pacific Region bringing foreign direct investment into the State of California, the seventh largest economy in the world in 1990s and was on the lead team for the governor’s business trade and investment mission to seven countries in Asia. With over 20 years of experience in international strategy, global operations, venture capital, business development, and executive leadership in Corporate America, Shamini Dhana has served on numerous non-profit boards, including the UNA which organized the first ever climate and sustainability conference in California post the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.
Shamini Dhana has won numerous awards including Best for The World 2016-2022, the CO Leadership Award in Sustainable Business and launched the first social campaign WearOurValues in 2016 which propelled a new way of thinking about the power of connecting people and planet through the piece of clothing we wear every day. Shamini Dhana launched the WearOurValues.com report at the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) Copenhagen Fashion Summit in 2019 which has been cited for the need of “Brand-Customer Value Alignment” and greater brand transparency. Dhana Inc. was also a case study in the GFA final report 2020 Circular Fashion System Commitment.
Shamini Dhana is an avid golfer, hiker and cyclist having completed ten international events to raise funds on behalf of the environment, awareness of climate change, sustainability and currently serves as board member of Climate Ride, Ethical Fashion Forum and an associate producer of The True Cost documentary- a response to the 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse (Rana Plaza collapse) where over 1300 people were killed and is considered the worst garment factory disaster ever recorded.
Today, Shamini Dhana continues to mentor, write, stand up and speak out on behalf of garment workers, worker’s rights, youth and our children, sustainable fashion, circularity, women empowerment, climate change, fashion technology and the new frontier of digital fashion. Shamini Dhana finds deep presence and peace in Nature and is blessed to live in Marin, California with her husband, son, daughter, and dog.
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