There is no substitute for experience

Esha Oberoi

Position: Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Esha’s formative years were incredibly tough upon arriving in Australia as a young migrant at 7 years of age which created a host of mental health challenges throughout her teenage years.

The turning point came for Esha when her father, alerted to the depths of her isolation and loneliness, stepped in to assist her in finding gainful employment. As a result, she began work as a Carer in 2007 in a local nursing home when she was 23.

Energised by her mission to redefine the experiences of the Australian ageing community, in 2008, at the tender age of 24, she launched Afea Care Services, a loving in-home care provider servicing vulnerable communities.

Esha is now celebrating 13 years at the helm of her client-centric business which is impacting the disability and aged care industry within Australia.

Esha’s uncommon approach and her many impressive accomplishments have resulted in her being recognised as Winner of Women’s Agenda Leadership Award in the Health Sector 2021, Indian Australian Community Business Award for Small Business and a Finalist in the Telstra Young Business Women of the Year Awards.

Gaurav Oberoi

Position: Chief Executive Officer

Gaurav became a part of the Afea family in 2015 and has been responsible for a number of roles including COO, CFO and now Co-CEO. He has a background of extensive experience in sales and services management at Cisco and brought with him a wealth of operational know-how.

His motivation at Afea comes from an aim to create an organisation that delivers care that our community truly deserves, and to create a culture based on empowerment, accountability and teamwork that creates a superior service for our clients.

A constant focus of Gaurav’s is to continuously improve through innovation and challenging the status quo through sustainable and ethical solutions. Gaurav oversaw the creation of a number of new systems that improved efficiency, reduced Afea’s carbon footprint, created a safer working environment for Carers and an improved service for clients.

Hiyantha Kariyawasam (Sam)

Position: Finance Manager

Sam is a certified public accountant (CPA) and has been with Afea care services since 2012. He is always smiling and joking with his colleagues, and nothing is ever too hard to accomplish for him and his team.

He is very supportive to all of the people he comes in contact with. Around the office, he is the go-to man for anything to do with numbers, and also supports many of our clients through plan management, which helps reduce stress related to their plan admin and finances.

Sam’s biggest passion when he comes into work each day is providing the best service possible to all Carers, office staff and, of course, our valued Afea Clients. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Joseph Assad

Position: People and Culture Manager

Joseph commenced employment with Afea in April 2021, having worked in various People and Culture roles within the Disability and Healthcare Industries for over a decade.

His specific passion and commitment to the Disability Services sector are driven by his personal experience caring for and supporting a close family member with a disability.

When he isn’t at work, you will find him chasing his young daughters around the backyard, competing on the sporting field, or holding a pair of tongs behind a BBQ.

Marielle Bagus

Position: Head of Marketing

Marielle joined the Afea tribe in November 2021, backed by over ten years in marketing, events and communications within not-for-profit, healthcare and hospitality industries.

She considers herself a strategic storyteller and a fierce protector of brands. She enjoys fully dissecting customer journeys just to rebuild every touchpoint in her pursuit of the effortless experience. Marielle leads the Afea marketing team with a collaborative approach and sense of humour.

A healthy dose of wanderlust inspires her to travel the world, seeking adventure and befriending locals. It’s this same love of people and diverse communities that drew her to the Afea mission to empower others. That, and the allure of a dog-friendly workplace for her moodle.