G. S. Sareen

Sareen was born on 7 November 1966 in Madhya Pradesh to a Upper-class family. He is the youngest of three siblings. His father, Dr Surender Singh Sareen, was a civil servant; his mother, Amrit Kaur Sareen, was paralyzed after being involved in an accident while visiting Africa. His brother, Paremendra Singh Sareen, died in a road accident in 1989 at the age of 27.{{cite web|url=https://www.prestigeonline.com/sg/people/this-is-how-he-rolls/ |title=This is How He Rolls |website= Prestige Singapore |date=3 June 2013 |accessdate=18 October 2013}}

Sareen is an alumnus of Daly College Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India and holds a degree in Statistics from Bhopal University. He is also a decorated and distinguished member of the Indian Army. He joined the Indian Military Academy in 1986 and resigned his commission in 1992 to support his family. He was awarded a SENA MEDAL, a gallantry award for action, by the President of India during his tenure in the Army.

Omni United is Sareen's third business venture. Prior to its founding, he was an early entrepreneur in the online e-commerce industry. He launched, managed and subsequently sold mindtrac.com, one of the first B2B online market exchanges in the tire industry, backed by JP Morgan.{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/businessline/2000/03/28/stories/152839pa.htm |title=Planetasia forms B2B alliance with Ariba |website=Hindu |accessdate=18 October 2013}} Sareen launched mindtrac.com having gained previous knowledge of the market through various trading ventures throughout Asia and the USA.{{cite web|url=http://www.ki-lipton.com/ariba/archive_feats_21/QA.pdf |title=A Conversation with Gajju Sareen |website= KI Lipton|accessdate=18 October 2013}}

Under Sareen's direction, Omni United sells in excess of 5 million units of passenger and light truck tires a year in 80 countries.{{cite web|url=http://www.tyre-asia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=306%3Aexpanding-horizon&Itemid=2|title=Expanding Horizons |website= Tyre Asia |accessdate=18 October 2013}} Omni United's manufacturing partners are located in the Indonesia, China, India and Thailand.{{cite web |url=https://globalconnections.hsbc.com/united-kingdom/en/articles/ceo-insights-g-s-sareen-omni-united |title=CEO Insights: G.S. Sareen |website=HSBC |accessdate=18 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512224419/https://globalconnections.hsbc.com/united-kingdom/en/articles/ceo-insights-g-s-sareen-omni-united |archive-date=12 May 2014 |url-status=dead }} Sareen purchased Interstate Tire Distributor (ITD), a California-based wholesaler with six locations in four Western states, in October, 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.aftermarketnews.com/omni-united-acquires-interstate-tire-distributor/|title= Omni United Acquires Interstate Tire |website= Aftermarket News|date= 28 October 2015 |accessdate=11 November 2015}} In June 2016, Sareen made his second acquisition with the purchase of Texas-based A to Z Tire & Battery, Inc.{{cite web|url=http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20160630/NEWS/160639998/omni-united-buys-a-to-z-tire|title= Omni United Buys A to Z Tire |website= Tire Business |date= 30 June 2016 |accessdate=30 June 2016}} That part of the business has since been renamed Omnisource.

Introduced in November, 2014, Timberland Tires were born out of an idea between Sareen and global lifestyle brand Timberland.{{cite web|url=http://thepeakmagazine.com.sg/2015/02/omni-united-teams-up-with-timberland-2//|title=OMNI UNITED TEAMS UP WITH TIMBERLAND G.S. Sareen shows his maverick instincts with Omni United's trailblazing partnership with Timberland.|website= The Peak |date=3 February 2015 |accessdate=24 February 2015}} The tires feature a rubber formulation that is appropriate for the recycling of the tires at the end of their useful life into outsoles for Timberland shoes.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/francisvorhies/2014/11/06/reducing-our-ecological-footprint-with-recycled-footprints/|title=Reducing Our Ecological Footprint With Recycled Footprints |website= Forbes |accessdate=8 November 2014}}

Timberland Tires received recognition from some of the most influential organizations in the world for collaboration, innovation and sustainability. In May 2016, Timberland Tires won the WGSN Futures award in the category of Sustainable Design. Timberland Tires were also finalists of the 2016 Guardian Awards and also shortlisted as one of the finalists for the Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) 2016 Design for Recycling Award.

Sareen is also an ambassador to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, based in New York since 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.bcrf.org/partners/radar-tires/|title=Radar Tires |website=Breast Cancer Research Foundation |accessdate=7 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bcrfcure.org/epress_062413.html|title=Omni United Continues to Help Mobilize Research Project |website= BCRF Cure |accessdate=18 October 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/story/2011/06/chinese-tire-maker-fights-breast-cancer.aspx|title=Omni United Fights Breast Cancer |website= Modern Tire Dealer |accessdate=18 October 2013}} In 2012, he launched a pink side wall tire designed specifically to support the campaign.{{cite web|url=http://www.tirereview.com/article/93482/live_at_sema_radar_tires_in_sears_launch_pink_sidewall_edition.aspx|title=Live at SEMA: Radar Tires in Sears, Launch Pink Sidewall Edition |website=Tire Review |accessdate=18 October 2013}}

The pink side wall highlights the pink color of the fight again breast cancer. So far the company has donated over US$1.4 million, funding 28,000 hours of research to the cause.{{cite web|url=http://www.semashow.com/press/2013/10/08/radar-tires-continues-to-support-the-breast-cancer-research-foundation-and-increase|title=Radar Tires Continues to Support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation |website=SEMA Show Press |accessdate=2 November 2013}}

In 2012, Sareen acquired a vineyard in Coombsville AVA and named it after his wife, Rewa.{{cite web|url=https://www.rewavineyards.com/The-Vineyards|title=Rewa Vineyards|website=Rewa Vineyards|accessdate=2 November 2013}} The estate spans over 43 acres and is located in the providential rocky knoll in the volcanic hills of Coombsville which has a geologic history dating back 9 million years.{{cite web|url=https://www.flipsnack.com/napacabernet/rewa-geologic-history.html|title=Rewa Vineyards Geological History|website=FlipSnack|accessdate=2 November 2019}} The Vineyard produces a Sauvignon Blanc wine and two Cabernet Sauvignon wine.

Throughout his career as the founding President and CEO of Omni United, Sareen has received many awards and recognitions. In 2018, he was felicitated by the Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, India, Mr. Chouhan Shivraj on behalf of the state Government for having done pioneering work in his professional field, his achievements and for his contribution to global economy.{{cite web|url=http://m.epaper.bhaskar.com/indore/indore-city-bhaskar/131/05012018/mpcg/1/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108093250/http://m.epaper.bhaskar.com/indore/indore-city-bhaskar/131/05012018/mpcg/1/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2018|title=City|website= City |accessdate=26 January 2017}} He is the recipient of the 2017, 2016 and 2015 Singapore Enterprise 50 awards,{{cite web|url=http://www.enterprise50.org|title=Enterprise50|website= Enterprise 50 |accessdate=4 December 2013}} the 2015 Ethical Corporation's Sixth Annual Responsible Business Awards, the 2013 Distinguished Business Leader Award,{{cite web|url=http://smba.org.sg/uploads/INFOCUS_pdf_1388667281.pdf|title=Promising SME 500 2013 Gala Night |website= SME 500 Singapore Business |accessdate=9 November 2013}} and the 2013 DBS Insignia Spirit of Vision Prestige Award. In 2012, he was named to Fortune Magazine's 2012 list of "Asia's Hottest People in Business".{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/news/international/1204/gallery.asia-hottest-businesspeople.fortune/6.html|title=Asia's 25 hottest people in business|website= CNN Money |accessdate=18 October 2013}} In 2014, he was featured in "The Peak" magazine's anniversary publication as one of 30 men and women documenting their success stories - the "30/30 – The Game Changers".{{cite web |title=The Peak magazine launches book: "30/30 – The Game Changers" |url=http://m.sphmagazines.com.sg/news/2014/07/11/the-peak-magazine-launches-book-3030-the-game-changers |accessdate=15 July 2014 |website=SPH Magazines}}

In 1994, four years after their marriage, Sareen and his wife Rewa Manmohan Singh Sareen (born 4 Feb 1968) made the decision to relocate to Singapore. In 2009, Sareen took up citizenship in Singapore before launching two tire businesses, including Mindtrac.com, and establishing Omni United in 2003. The couple has two children, Hanut (born 22 Nov 1993) who is the elder son and Sumer (born 22 Oct 1998) who is the younger son, and Sareen's mother in their Bukit Timah home. His father died in 2005. {{cite web |title=High Flier Enjoys the Good Life |url=http://www.np.edu.sg/library/resources/subjectguides/wci/Documents/22.04.12mm.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315052719/http://www.np.edu.sg/library/resources/subjectguides/wci/Documents/22.04.12mm.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2014 |accessdate=18 October 2013 |website=NP Singapore}}{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.np.edu.sg/library/resources/subjectguides/wci/Documents/22.04.12mm.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315052719/http://www.np.edu.sg/library/resources/subjectguides/wci/Documents/22.04.12mm.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-15 |access-date=2024-04-11 }} Hanut served as a Sergeant in Singapore's National Service and currently manages key accounts and business development at Omni United, whereas Sumer served as an Infantry Officer in Singapore's National Service and is currently working in the US.{{Cite web |title=Sumer Sareen – Randall Lewis Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship |url=https://cie.cmc.edu/cie-fellows/sumer-sareen/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=cie.cmc.edu}}

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Category:Indian philanthropists

Category:1966 births

Category:Living people

Category:Businesspeople of Indian descent

Category:Daly College alumni