Raji Jagadeesan joins Business for Development Institute

London Business School’s newest research institute appoints Raji Jagadeesan as Executive Director 

 

The Business for Development Institute (BDI) at London Business School (LBS) has appointed Raji Jagadeesan as its new Executive Director. 

Jagadeesan, who has spent her career forging connections across the public, private, academic and non-profit sectors, will be working with the BDI’s Academic Directors Rajesh Chandy, Tony and Maureen Wheeler Chair in Entrepreneurship and Professor of Marketing, and Elias Papaioannou, Professor of Economics. 

“London Business School is poised to train and lead a new generation of business leaders towards making a real impact in solving the world’s most pressing social and development challenges,” Jagadeesan said. 
“This is a moment when societies around the globe can really benefit from fresh business thinking and expertise: the business community has never been more vital to addressing the world’s great challenges. I’m honoured to join LBS’s Business for Development Institute and be part of its leadership on these issues.”

The BDI comprises world-leading academics and practitioners who help shape thinking and action on how business can positively impact on development globally. 

“We’re thrilled to have Raji on board,” said Professor Chandy. “She brings deep and broad experience to the Business for Development Institute. She has a demonstrated record of leadership, and an ability to get things done.” 

Jagadeesan helped create the Risky Business Project, a bipartisan climate data initiative with US corporate leaders to develop financial risk assessments around climate change. She served as the Associate Dean for China Initiatives at the NYU Stern School of Business and oversaw the US government's highest-level economic and trade talks with the Chinese government as Managing Director for China Operations for the US Treasury Department. 

Previously, as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for International Affairs, she helped shape US policy related to the G20, IMF and World Bank during the financial crisis.

She also helped build the Global Economy and Development division at the Brookings Institution, helping to expand its footprint globally into Latin America, Africa, India and China. She began her career in the private sector, at PwC, IBM and Unisys after gaining a masters degree in public policy at Harvard University.