Bob Pragada is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jacobs, a Fortune 500 global engineering and consulting firm. Pragada’s career began in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a Civil Engineer, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander during the Clinton administration. He holds the distinction of being the first Indian American to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy, breaking barriers and paving the way for greater diversity in military leadership. Pragada is a graduate of Stanford University, where he earned a Master of Science in engineering and management. This educational foundation provided him with the technical expertise and business acumen that would prove instrumental in his later corporate leadership roles.

Pragada initially joined Jacobs in 2006 and held senior management positions for nine years, including senior vice president of global sales, VP of field services, and group VP for the Northern Region. He left to join industrial services provider Brock Group, which he led as president and CEO. In 2016, he returned to Jacobs as president of the company’s global industrial and buildings division. In 2019, Pragada was appointed president and COO of Jacobs, providing executive oversight of all global operations, driving impressive profitable growth across the company’s critical mission solutions and people and places solutions lines of business.

Since stepping into the role of CEO, Pragada has emphasized the importance of cultural diversity. His leadership approach focuses on building a strong organizational culture that values diversity and inclusion, drawing from his own experiences as a trailblazer in both military and corporate environments. He serves as a trusted advisor to Eaton (Director), Brightstar Capital (Advisory Council Member), the Dallas Mavericks Foundation (Advisory Council Member), and the U.S. Naval Academy. These roles demonstrate his continued commitment to mentorship and strategic advisory work across various sectors. Indiaspora is proud to have Bob Pragada on our Business Leaders 2.0 List.