Advisory Board

Xerxes Unvala
Xerxes Unvala is an independent producer and arts management consultant with over fifteen years of international experience.
He was previously the General Manager of the Symphony Orchestra of India at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, overseeing India’s only full-time professional orchestra.
Before that, he worked at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., contributing to large international arts festivals.
His first arts management experience was with the Vail Series at Denison University, working with renowned artists.
Xerxes is a Global Fellow of the International Society for the Performing Arts and is passionate about photography, technology, travel, and design.

Marianne Løkke Jakobsen
Marianne Løkke Jakobsen, born in Hyderabad, India, and adopted to Denmark in 1974, is the Director of Global Engagement at the Royal Danish Academy of Music (RDAM) in Copenhagen. Since joining RDAM in 2000, she has continously contributed to its international profile.
Marianne grew up in southern Jutland and moved to Århus for her university studies, where she pursued higher education in Musicology and French, later expanding her studies to include Leadership and Chinese. Currently, she is a PhD candidate researching interactions and learning experiences in synchronous online instrumental music teaching in cross-cultural contexts in higher education.
Marianne’s career at RDAM has seen her progress through various roles, each contributing to the academy’s international cooperation and strategic development. Her current management role focuses on institutional development and international collaboration. Marianne is passionate about fostering cooperation and community, driving change, and promoting inclusiveness. She values unity and a shared interest in the arts on a global scale.

Thomas Sehested
Thomas Sehested holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Copenhagen and is a former editor for history at Den Store Danske Encyklopædi.
He has served as an advisor and consultant for Danish and Indian companies, including Stereo Associates, and was a board member of the Danish-Indian Chamber of Commerce (IDCC). From 2018 to 2021, he was the head of the Danish Cultural Institute in India. Currently, he is a business consultant at Hobson-Jobson, based in Denmark and India.
Starting in 2024, he will lead the business program Next Step India on behalf of the Danish-Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Kunal Singla
Kunal, a Dane with Indian roots, has extensive experience in international trade and as a policy advisor. He is passionate about advising and bridging Nordic companies expanding into the Indian market, focusing on sales, sourcing, manufacturing, and commercial partnerships.
After eight years as country manager for the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) in Mumbai, Kunal founded COBO Consult in 2020 upon returning to Copenhagen. He has significant practical experience in advising projects and facilitating Danish companies’ market entry into India across various sectors. He is also a co-founder of NordIN, a platform for Danish SMEs expanding to India. Before his time in Mumbai, Kunal worked as a policy lobbyist for DI in Copenhagen and Brussels.
In 2014, Kunal was named to Berlingske’s Talent 100 list for young business leaders in Denmark, and in 2020, he was selected for the Europe-India 40 under 40 leaders. He is also a member of the Danish Society for Business Leadership (VL) group 97.