Sanjay Shah is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and the founder of Autism Rocks. Born in the U.K. with a background in the financial sector, Shah is now focused on helping the less fortunate. As the father of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Shah is passionate about helping vulnerable families with children on the spectrum obtain essential treatments and services. Shah and his family live in Dubai.

Shah grew up in North London and initially studied to be a doctor. Although the idea of helping people appealed, Shah realised that medicine was not a good fit. He switched focus to accounting. He began as an auditor trainee at international accounting and auditing firm KPMG and quickly moved up the financial sector ranks.

Shah’s strong work ethic and determination strengthened his reputation within the district. He worked with many of the financial giants of the time, including Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, ING and Rabobank, where he served as head of the derivatives trading division.

The financial crisis in 2008 forced Shah into a new direction. He and his family moved to Dubai. He continued to work in the financial sector, but in 2011 he discovered his true passion. His son was diagnosed with ASD. Shah and his wife found the Dubai Autism Centre completely overwhelmed by demands for services from families who couldn’t afford to pay for them. The Shahs decided to do something about it.

Shah combined his passion for helping others with his love for music to create Autism Rocks. Future plans include opening the Autism Rocks Support Centre and as well as the 2018 completion of the Autism Rocks Arena, which currently operates at a temporary venue.