Integrating Sustainability into Business Practices
Akruti Desai (AH-kru-thi)
Finance | Philanthropy | Social Impact Professional
Brooklyn,NY
Summary
Over 18 years in impact investing, philanthropy, and asset management. Expert in developing strategy, grantmaking, managing pilots, incubating social impact startups, and investing in SMEs and private equity funds advising over $1b in commitments. Cultivated complex partnerships with ultra high net worth individuals, multinational corporations, pension funds, nonprofits, and private equity funds. Managed small teams and led global business expansion. Thrives in entrepreneurial settings.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
3
3
Languages
Work History
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Senior Program Officer
08.2016 - Current
- Held three senior positions across Philanthropic Partnerships team supporting donors to give more, give better, and advance equity in charitable giving
- Member of PPT's leadership team accountable for team's racial equity goal
- Lead creation and implementation of new strategy on advisors including sourcing and structuring grants to start ups organizations
- Co-led creation and implementation of DEI plan for ~250 person Global Policy & Advocacy division; led change management to embed equity across team strategy and processes (eg talent acquisition/retention)
- Led working groups through 5 year strategy planning
- Led strategy, sourcing, execution, and evaluation for $18m grant portfolio in data and innovative digital products for charitable giving
- Data investments include: development of women & girls index; utilization of multiple datasets and methodologies to understand how donors of color give; causes of the decline in generosity of US households
- Supported behavioral science insights conducting A/B tests in the field including RCTs and lab tests reaching over 2m donors increasing donations up to 113%
- Digital product investments include: API for volunteering; fundraising platform and capacity building for nonprofits; zero minimum donor advised fund product; curation tools; generosity benchmarks
- Led fundraising, reporting, and donor engagement for Family Planning Fund securing $8.7m in commitments
- Lead complex projects and multi stakeholder engagements within a large, matrixed organization
- Represent BMGF on webinars, panels, and conferences
Clinton Foundation
Associate Director, CGEP
06.2012 - 07.2016
- Promoted three times with increasing responsibilities including leading Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership's global impact investing expansion, managing small teams of analysts/associates, and reporting directly to C-suite leaders
- Led monitoring, evaluation, standardization, and optimization of CGEP's portfolio of social enterprises including creation of a Fellows Program
- Led global team to source, conduct due diligence, pilot, incubate, and invest in agricultural supply chain enterprises in Asia and Africa to increase smallholder farmer income
- Conducted in country due diligence and developed business plans assessing and optimizing local supply chains, logistics, agro extension services, producer adoption rates, implementation risks, social impact, competition, market demand, and financial feasibility
- Negotiated and structured complex purchase agreements with local and multinational corporations including Unilever, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola
- Created and presented pitch decks on business concepts and investments for prospective co-investors
- Led due diligence and financial/discounted cash flow analysis on SMEs for $20m Haiti Development Fund
- Awarded "Team Member who goes Above & Beyond"
LP Capital Advisors (acq by Mercer Alt)
Associate
06.2011 - 06.2012
- Led due diligence on private equity funds in small and middle market buyout, energy/clean tech, and emerging markets for pension fund and sovereign wealth fund clients with over $100b in alternative assets
- Due diligence consisted of: preparing questionnaires; leading meetings with general partners; conducting reference calls; performing analysis of historical cash flows and track record analysis; reviewing partnership agreement and terms; risk/attribute assessment
Dasra
Fellow
09.2009 - 03.2010
- Supported execution of Dasra Social Impact capacity building program and mentored participants on financial modeling and strategies to scale operations
Pacific Corporate Group (nka Aksia)
Analyst, Research & Due Diligence
04.2006 - 09.2009
- Conducted due diligence on 40+ private equity funds in small to middle market buyout, fund-of-funds, venture capital, and secondaries space representing over $900m in commitments
- Head of client services for five New York City public pension funds representing $4.2b in investments
- Led monitoring and reporting responsibilities for 40-60 private equity funds
- Promoted twice including rare transfer from Performance Analysis to Research department
Education
Boston University
Master of Science, Investment Management
05.2001 -
University of California, Los Angeles
Bachelor of Arts, Economics
05.2001 -
University of California, Los Angeles
Bachelor of Arts, English
05.2001 -
Skills
Impact Investing
Strategy
Social Enterprise
Philanthropy
Grantmaking
Private Equity
Supply Chains
Strategic Partnerships
Digital Products
Institutional Clients
International Development
Board Service / Certifications
21/64 Certified Philanthropy Advisor
(2019 - present)
Project Concern International
Board of Directors (2018-2020)
- $60m+ international NGO focused on health, hardship, and hunger
- Development Committee Chair (2019-2020)
- Supported merger with Global Communities
Software
Corporate Finance
Equity Analysis
Portfolio Analysis
Financial Statement Analysis
Derivatives
Fixed Income
Country Experience
India, Haiti, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Peru, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, El Salvador, Colombia
Software
Investran/SunGard ● CapitalIQ ● Barra ● LexisNexis ● Salesforce
Favorite Volunteer Experience
Soccer Coach & Mentor at the Aasha Foundation - coached soccer for underprivileged girls at a shelter in Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum
Interests
Yoga, soccer, hikes with my rescue dog
Supporting the Sharanam Centre and other nonprofits
Books, podcasts, documentaries, anything to feed my insatiable curiosity about the world
Timeline
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Senior Program Officer
08.2016 - Current
Clinton Foundation
Associate Director, CGEP
06.2012 - 07.2016
LP Capital Advisors (acq by Mercer Alt)
Associate
06.2011 - 06.2012
Dasra
Fellow
09.2009 - 03.2010
Pacific Corporate Group (nka Aksia)
Analyst, Research & Due Diligence
04.2006 - 09.2009
Boston University
Master of Science, Investment Management
05.2001 -
University of California, Los Angeles
Bachelor of Arts, Economics
05.2001 -
University of California, Los Angeles
Bachelor of Arts, English
05.2001 -
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