One of the most prestigious non-profit charities.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Ravi Venkatesan, the former head of Microsoft India, has been appointed by the Rockefeller Foundation to its Board of Trustees.
The announcement was made on Monday, in which Rockefeller Foundation Chairman of the Board David Rockefeller, Jr. expressed his delight that Venkatesan, a well-respected man in the area of entrepreneurship and philanthropy, would be joining the organization’s ranks.
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“With our commitment to catalyze new ideas and innovations at The Rockefeller Foundation, I am delighted to welcome Ravi Venkatesan, a proven leader with strong business and technology backgrounds,” Rockefeller, Jr., in a statement. “His experience will be invaluable in advancing the Foundation’s commitment to scaling innovations that expand opportunity, realize shared prosperity, and create jobs for more people globally.”
Venkatesan echoed those sentiments, saying he was both “thrilled and honored” to be joining the venerable foundation.
“The Rockefeller Foundation’s history of supporting the ingenuity of innovators who have transformed and improved billions of lives of poor or vulnerable people is unparalleled, and I very much look forward to contributing to its legacy,” said Venkatesan.
Founded in 1913 by oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, along with his son and business partner, the Rockefeller Foundation is one of the country’s most prestigious non-profit charities, giving grants and scholarships primarily to those working in the fields of health, medicine, and the sciences.
Its current President is Judith Rodin, who said that Venkatesan’s joining the Foundation would help them focus more acutely on their interests in Asia.
“Our century of investment in Asia has focused on addressing our dual goals of promoting more inclusive economies and building greater resilience against shocks and stresses,” said Rodin. “Ravi, with his commitment to philanthropy along with his eye for solutions and relentless drive for innovation, will provide essential guidance to our work in the years ahead.”
Venkatesan is a board member at Infosys, and is the former Chairman of Cummins India, and Microsoft India. He is also the Chairman and co-Founder of Social Venture Partners India, a “network of engaged leaders attempting to address complex social issues through venture philanthropy,” and is the author of the book “Conquering the Chaos – Win in India, Win Everywhere.”
He earned his B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Bombay in 1985, then came to the US to attend Purdue University for his M.S. degree; he then earned his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in the early 1990s.