Business Leaders List 2020 | Business Leaders by Indiaspora

2020 Business Leaders List

We are excited to announce our Indiaspora Lists, highlighting the accomplishments of Diaspora leaders from across various industries and sectors worldwide. Whether it is paying tribute to leaders who have made strides in business, government, philanthropy, academics and other realms, or to the leaders of the next generation, we hope to bring greater awareness to the collective inspiration, influence and impact of our community.

For our inaugural list, we have identified some of the top names in business today. While some are household names, others may be less known. All are CEOs, Presidents, or Chairs of the Board of Directors who are leading the largest global companies today.

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About

This list pays homage to this global tapestry of leadership, a testament to the remarkable achievements of Indian leaders who inspire the next generation daily. From well-known figures to unsung heroes, our visionary leaders shape industries and society at large.

The List is a compilation of CEOs, Chairman/Chairwoman, and companies listed in Forbes 500, Forbes Global 2000, and Fortune 500. We have also included women leaders whose companies were not listed on Forbes or Fortune, but are prominent global leaders in business in their own right. Additionally, we have included a few outliers on the list who are either Indiaspora members or leaders who have made significant strides in their own countries, and we wish to recognize the geographic diversity of our diaspora.

While the Indian diaspora are making significant strides in the business world, there is much more advancement needed in achieving gender balance.

Methodology

The Indiaspora Business Leaders List includes 111 top executives of Indian descent. This powerful group accounts for more than $7 trillion in annual revenue and clearly demonstrates the rise of the diaspora as C-level influencers.

This list is not merely a showcase of individual success stories but also an acknowledgment of the collective influence of Indian-origin leaders on the world of global business.

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George Kurian

President, CEO | NetApp

George Kurian

George became the CEO and president of NetApp in June 2015, after serving as its Executive VP of Product Operations. He has a diverse background, including serving in the role of VP at Akamai Technologies and management consulting at McKinsey & Company. George completed his bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Princeton University and went on to receive his MBA from Stanford University.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NetApp has joined forces with 25 other companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area to distribute a collective $22 million to support communities, businesses affected by the virus and foundations working to provide relief.
Fun Fact: George’s twin brother, Thomas Kurian, is CEO of Google Cloud.

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Dinesh Lathi

CEO, President | Tailored Brands

Dinesh Lathi

First serving as chairman of Tailored Brands in 2017 and executive chairman in 2018, Dinesh was appointed the president and CEO in 2019. Dinesh was previously the CEO of One Kings Lane and spent seven years at eBay in various executive roles. He also has eight years of experience in investment banking and private equity. Dinesh has a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
In response to the need for personal protection equipment for the COVID-19 pandemic, a Tailored Brands factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, produced nearly 50,000 reusable cloth face masks.

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Sachin Lawande

CEO, President | Visteon

Sachin Lawande

Sachin’s career in the automotive systems industry has spanned nearly two decades. Over the years, he has championed the evolution of automotive supplier electronics to meet the demands of the connected car era. Prior to joining Visteon in 2015 as President and CEO, Sachin spent 10 years at Harman International Industries in various leadership positions including president of the Infotainment Division and executive vice president. Under his leadership at Visteon, Sachin has led the company to become the largest Tier 1 supplier with global automakers. He received his bachelor’s degree from Bombay University and completed his master’s degree from Southern Illinois University.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Visteon used its manufacturing facility in Portugal to manufacture protective face shields, which have been donated to medical facilities in communities of the employees. The company hopes to donate 50,000 face shields and other PPE.

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Kevin Lobo

CEO, Chairman | Stryker

Kevin Lobo

Kevin has been the CEO of Stryker since 2012, having joined the company in 2011 as the Group President of Orthopedics.Prior to joining Stryker, Kevin has worked at a multitude of other companies including Unilever, Kraft Canada, Rhodia, and Johnson & Johnson. Kevin completed his bachelor’s degree at McGill University and received his MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
In addition to Kevin’s leadership at Stryker, he also serves as the chairman of the Advanced Medical Technology Association board of directors. He is also a member of the Business Roundtable and the Business Council. As a company, Stryker is known for their diverse and inclusive workplace. In 2019, Stryker ranked #1 on Fortune’s List for the 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity.

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Aloke Lohia

Group Chief Executive Officer | Indorama Ventures

Aloke Lohia

Aloke founded Indorama Ventures in Thailand and has made it the largest producer of PET polymer by capacity in the world. Aloke first served as the Finance Director of P.T. Indorama Synthetics in Indonesia before moving from Thailand in 1988 where he founded Indorama Ventures. Aloke has gone global with the company through several acquisitions, most recently of the U.S. based Huntsman Corporation’s chemical business. He is known to be one of Thailand’s richest businessmen. Aloke completed his bachelor’s degree from Delhi University.
In response to COVID-19, Indorama Ventures has lended global support through monetary and product donations. The IVL Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the Indorama Ventures has donated 2 million Baht ($65,000) to hospitals in Thailand for COVID-19 medical treatment. The company has also made donations totaling over $75,000 in the United States and Canada.

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Sri Prakash Lohia

Chairman of the Board | Indorama Ventures

Sri Prakash Lohia

Sri Prakash founded Indorama Corporation with his father in Indonesia as a spun yarn manufacturer. Now the company has grown to become a leading textile and polyester company in Asia. Sri Prakash still serves as the chairman of the board for Indorama Corporation, while he continues his role as chairman for Indorama Ventures, which is led by his brother Aloke Lohia. Sri Prakash completed his bachelor’s at Delhi University.
In response to COVID-19, Indorama Ventures has lended global support through monetary and product donations. The IVL Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the Indorama Ventures has donated 2 million baht ($65,000) to hospitals in Thailand for COVID-19 medical treatment. The company has also made donations totaling over $75,000 in the United States and Canada.

Rajiv Malik

President | Mylan

Rajiv Malik

As president of Mylan, Rajiv leads all global commercial and operational activities for the company. He actively promotes the importance and necessity of quality within the company and industry, enhancing a long-standing commitment to high-quality standards. Prior to joining Mylan in 2007, Rajiv was the CEO of Matrix Laboratories, which was later acquired by Mylan and was instrumental in the company’s positioning as a leading global pharmaceutical company. He also held positions at Sandoz and Ranbaxy Laboratories prior to 2005. Rajiv received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Punjab University in India.
In response to COVID-19, Mylan has been supporting communities around the world including India, where the Mylan India Corporate Social Responsibility Fund is contributing to the PM-CARES fund. Mylan actively engages in community efforts and initiatives around the world. Following Hurricane Maria in 2018, the Mylan Charitable Foundation approved a $1 million grant to assist in Puerto Rico’s recovery.

Bharat Masrani

CEO, Group President | TD Bank

Bharat Masrani

Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Bharat started his banking career at TD Bank. He rose through the ranks and was appointed CEO in 2014. Under his management, Bharat has cut costs and optimized TD’s operations. Bharat began his career with TD in 1987 starting as a commercial lending trainee and went on to hold several positions over the years including VP and Head of Corporate Banking Canada and COO for TD Bank Group before his CEO appointment. Bharat received his bachelor’s degree from York University in Toronto and went on to complete his MBA at the Schulich School of Business at York University.
TD Bank has responded to the COVID-19 crisis with the creation of the TD Community Resilience Initiative that is allocating $25 million to programs and funds engaging in COVID-19 relief and community support in Canada and the United States.

Sanjay Mehrotra

CEO, President | Micron Technology

Sanjay Mehrotra

Prior to leading semiconductor solutions company Micron Technology, Sanjay co-founded SanDisk Corporation in 1988. He served as SanDisk’s president and CEO from 2011 until 2016, when it was acquired by Western Digital for $19 billion. Sanjay also held positions at Integrated Device Technology, SEEQ Technology, and Intel Corporation before co-founding SanDisk. He completed his bachelors and masters degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Micron has donated $1 million to assist disproportionately-affected communities, including contributions to Black and Hispanic organizations such as the BET + UWW COVID-19 Relief Fund and Hispanics in Philanthropy.

Ivan Menezes

Chief Executive Officer | Diageo

Ivan Menezes

Ivan joined Diageo in 1997 and was appointed CEO in 2013 after holding various senior positions. He has put the company’s emerging markets business at the heart of his strategy. Throughout his career at Diageo, Ivan worked his way from senior management positions to chairman of Diageo Asia-Pacific to COO before acquiring the title of CEO. Before joining Diageo, Ivan held various marketing and strategy positions at Nestle, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Whirlpool. Ivan has a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and an MBA from Northwestern University.
Ivan also serves as the chairman of the “Movement to Work,” a collaboration to resolve the issue of youth unemployment. Ivan is also on the advisory council of the China-Britain Business Council. To support the Black Lives Matter movement, Diaego created a $20 million community fund to support Black communities and businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19.

Lakshmi Mittal

CEO, Chairman | ArcelorMittal

Lakshmi Mittal

Lakshmi serves as the chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steelmaker. Coming from a steel family, Lakshmi worked his way from a mill trainee to reviving failing steel companies and eventually establishing Mittal Steel company, which merged with France’s Arcelor to become ArcelorMittal in 2006. Lakshmi completed his undergraduate degree in 1970 from St. Xavier’s College in India.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lakshmi has committed Rs 100 crore ($13 million USD) on the part of his operating companies in India to the PM-CARES (Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund. The fund is a government effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus and provide aid to communities and support healthcare infrastructure in India.

Mike Mohan

President, COO | Best Buy

Mike Mohan

Mike (Rajendra) is responsible for the operations of Best Buy’s U.S. and international businesses, in stores, online, and in customers’ homes. He joined Best Buy in 2004 as VP of the digital imaging business group and worked his way up to become of Best Buy, U.S. Business before his appointment as president and COO in 2019. Prior to joining Best Buy, he was VP and general merchandise manager for Good Guys, an audio-video specialty retailer that operated in the western United States.
In addition to his executive role at Best Buy, Mike also serves as a trustee for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and on the Bloomin’ Brands board of directors. As a company, Best Buy has engaged in sustainable efforts. In 2019, Best Buy was ranked on Barron’s list of 100 Most Sustainable Companies.

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Satya Nadella

Chief Executive Officer | Microsoft

Satya Nadella

Following Satya’s CEO appointment in 2014, the engineer-turned-executive has guided Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure expansion and transformed the company’s growth trajectory. Under his tenure, the company has become one of the most valuable public companies in the world, with a market value of more than $1 trillion. Satya’s career in tech began at Sun Microsystems, and continued at Microsoft in 1992. Starting as a developer of the Windows NT operating system, Satya climbed the ranks to become VP of Microsoft Business Solutions in 2001 and eventually the president of the Server and Tools division before his appointment as CEO. Satya studied engineering at Mangalore University in India and upon arriving in the United States earned his master’s degree in computer science from University of Wisconsin. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago.
Microsoft’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has delivered ongoing support to communities in the United States and abroad. The company is upholding the activities and communication through the creative engagement of its technologies. Among its many efforts, Microsoft has been increasing tech support for non profit organizations on the frontlines and working with hospitals in data collection.

Sundaram Nagarajan

CEO, President | Nordson

Sundaram Nagarajan

Sundaram rose as CEO and president of Nordson in 2019, after an extensive 23-year career at Illinois Tool Works. Sundaram focuses on creating value for his customers through innovation and industry leading excellence in quality and delivery. Sundaram holds a bachelor’s degree from South Gujarat University, an MBA from Wright State University, and a Ph.D. from Auburn University.
Sundaram also serves as a member of the advisory board of the Indo-American Community Services. In response to COVID-19, the Nordson Foundation has donated $1 million to communities in the U.S. and around the world.

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Laxman Narasimhan

Chief Executive Officer | Reckitt Benckiser Group

Laxman Narasimhan

Joining Reckitt Benckiser from PepsiCo, Laxman brought a wide variety of experience from companies across the consumer goods sector. Before his appointment as CEO in 2019, Laxman’s positions at PepsiCo included CEO of regional operations and eventually Global Chief Commercial Officer of the company. He received his degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pune. Laxman completed his masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from The Wharton School of Business.
In addition to his leadership at RB, Laxman is also a trustee of the Brookings Institution and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. RB has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through its creation of the “Fight for Access Fund” to provide funding to governments and facilities that enable services to combat the coronavirus and promote hygiene.

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Vasant Narasimhan

Chief Executive Officer | Novartis

Vasant Narasimhan

Vasant has been crucial to Novartis’ success since taking the reins as CEO in 2018, realizing $70 billion in strategic transactions. Using therapy platforms and data science, the company aims to drive innovation in the medical field and provide a better quality of life to the communities it serves. Vasant’s career at Novartis has grown from his role as president of the U.S. region for Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics to Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer before being named CEO. Vasant holds a doctor of medicine from Harvard Medical School and has previously worked on public health issues facing low- and middle-income countries.
Vasant is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the board of fellows for Harvard Medical School. Additionally, he serves on the board of the nonprofit conservation organization, African Parks. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Novartis has donated $40 million to support projects and medical infrastructure development around the world.

Shantanu Narayen

Chairman, CEO, & President | Adobe

Shantanu Narayen

Adobe is one of the most extensive software companies to date, with Shantanu Narayen as the CEO since 2007. He guided the creation of a cloud-based subscription plan for the company’s creative suite during his tenure, and is intent on furthering the digital business sector. Before he joined Adobe in 1998 as VP and general manager of the engineering technology group, Shantanu held roles at Apple and Silicon Graphics. He also co-founded a photo-sharing startup, Pictra. Shantanu earned his bachelor’s degree in Osmania University and a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University before receiving his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Outside of his leadership at Adobe, Shantanu is the vice chairman of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum and previously served as a member of the U.S. President’s Management Advisory Board during the Obama administration. In support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Adobe has donated $1 million to the Equal Justice Initiative. To provide relief for affected families in India by COVID-19, Adobe donated $1 million to the America-India Foundation and the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
Fun Fact: Shantanu played in the AT&T Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach.

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Milind Pant

Chief Executive Officer | Amway

Milind Pant

As CEO at Amway, Milind is responsible for envisioning global strategy development and delivering positive customer experiences. Milind joined Amway in 2019 as the first non-family member to run the company since its founding in 1959. Milind’s career experience includes nearly eleven years in various roles at Yum! Brands, including president of Pizza Hut International. Before his career with Yum! Brands, Milind spent fourteen years in executive roles at Unilever. Milind received his master of international business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and his master of management studies from the Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amway initiated Project Speedlight and mobilized employees and resources to make hand sanitizer that was donated to the Spectrum health hospital in Michigan. Among other international efforts, Amway has also made contributions in the form of monetary donations and supplies around the world including Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand.
Fun Fact: Milind is a big fan of Instagram and loves to connect with passionate people from around the world. Find him @milindpant.

Bob Patel

Chief Executive Officer | LyondellBasell Industries

Bob Patel

A Mumbai native who moved to Cleveland when he was 10, Bob (Bhavesh) now leads one of the largest global plastics, chemicals, and refining companies. Under his leadership, LyondellBasell was successfully steered from bankruptcy to becoming one of the most profitable companies in the industry, and through a 2018 acquisition, also the world’s largest manufacturer of compounded materials. Bob first joined LyondellBasell in 2010 as the senior VP of the Olefins and Polyolefins in the Americas. Prior to his experience at LyondellBasell, Bob spent 20 years at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company with increasing roles of responsibility and leadership. His career has taken him around the world from the Netherlands to Singapore. Bob has a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and earned his MBA from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.
Bob’s work goes beyond his leadership at LyondellBasell. He is a member of the Business Council and serves on the boards of the Greater Houston Partnership and Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. LyondellBasell is also a founding member of the global Alliance to End Plastic Waste, committed to manage and minimize plastic waste. In response to COVID-19, the company has also donated $1.3 million to combat hunger.

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Sundar Pichai

Chief Executive Officer | Alphabet

Sundar Pichai

Sundar Pichai spearheaded Google’s acquisition of Nest, the development of Android One, and the creation of Chrome OS. Now serving as the CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet, Sundar now oversees the “Other Bets” division of Alphabet as well. Sundar completed his degree in metallurgical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and subsequently received a scholarship from Stanford to pursue a Master’s in Engineering. Sundar also holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Before joining Google in 2004, Sundar worked briefly for Applied Materials and consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, Google has taken strides to address racial injustice. Sundar announced the creation of a special task force entitled the Equity Project Management Office that will respond to employee suggestions on improvements for racial equality within Google. Additionally, the company has committed $175 million to racial equality initiatives with a focus on supporting Black entrepreneurs and businesses.

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2020 Business Leaders List

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