Dilawar is CEO of Yonja Media Group, a leading emerging markets social media company. Founded in
2003, Silicon Valley and Istanbul based Yonja Media operates major social networking, recruiting, mobile
and local commerce brands. The company is backed by Tiger Global. Prior to joining Yonja Media,
Dilawar was at Yahoo! where he was head of strategy and operations for Yahoo’s Platform Division.
Earlier, Dilawar spent several years in leadership roles in enterprise software. At SAP Dilawar helped
launched the company’s CRM solution; and at Siebel he grew Siebel’s integration platform to a multimillion
dollar business. Dilawar started his career at Deloitte Consulting and Ernst & Young in financial
services, energy and telco practices.
Dilawar has played a leadership role in a broad range of civic efforts globally. In 2010, President Barack
Obama appointed Dilawar to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders (AAPI). The Commission advises the President on public policy including education,
entrepreneurship, healthcare, immigration and civil rights. Dilawar chairs the Commission’s Economic
Growth Committee and drives engagement with AAPI entrepreneurs across the country. In his role as
Commissioner, Dilawar has engaged small businesses on initiatives including access to capital, patent
reform, open data and Health IT, skilled workers immigration and public-private partnerships. In 2008,
Gov. Dean appointed Dilawar, National Co-Chair of the DNC’s South Asian Leadership Council.
Dilawar is board member and past president of entrepreneurship non-profit OPEN Silicon Valley; advisor
to eTohum, Turkey’s top incubator; and member of H2, Silicon Valley’s leading network of digital
executives. Dilawar has participated in the U.S. State Department’s entrepreneurship delegations to
Turkey and U.A.E.
Dilawar holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from the
University of Texas at Austin.