Indian American CEO Nandita Bakhshi, ExCoal founder Ernie Thrasher and Varian Medical Systems CEO Dow Wilson are the new board members.
The Washington, DC, -based US-India Strategic Partnership Forum has expanded its board of directors by inducting three prominent business leaders.
The new board members are ExCoal founder and CEO Ernie Thrasher, Bank of the West CEO Nandita Bakhshi and President and CEO of Varian Medical Systems Dow Wilson.
The USISPF, an advocacy group that promotes US-India commercial and strategic partnership, said the addition of new members are in keeping with its goal of strengthening the bilateral business ties at the “highest level by attracting high caliber board members.”
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“These three leaders have already made a tremendous impact on U.S.-India relations,” Mukesh Aghi, President of USISPF, said in a press release issued by the group on Wednesday. “Their knowledgeable backgrounds and distinct interests bring even greater value to the strong Board of Directors that leads The Forum’s strategic goals. With the most valuable leadership team for U.S.-India relations, we look to bring the two countries closer together than ever before.
Thrasher, a veteran of coal mining industry, said that “India has become a vital country” for the United States in coal and LNG trade and he was “proud to join the USISPF Board and work to further strengthen the US-India energy partnership.”
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Bakhshi, who is also the CEO of BancWest Corporation and Co-CEO of BNP Paribas USA Inc., said she is pleased to join the USISPF board. “As a native of India, I have seen the country grow and believe in its potential,” she said. “I look forward to working with USISPF and its members to increase opportunities between the U.S. and India.”
Wilson said his company Varian has been working with the advocacy group on a number of issues. “USISPF has brought together an impressive group of business leaders to help people globally and further strengthen this important partnership,” he said.
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The USISPF board, chaired by Chairman Emeritus of Cisco John T. Chambers, has several heavy hitters, including Indian American executives Shantanu Narayen of Adobe, Ajay Banga or MasterCard and Indra Nooyi, the outgoing CEO of PepsiCo.