USISPF Board Adds Deloitte, MSI, Qualcomm & Essar Leaders

Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) Deloitte Global CEO, Joe Ucuzoglu, Co-CEO, MSI Surfaces, Raj Shah, president of Global Affairs and Qualcomm Technology Licensing Alex Rogers and Essar Capital director Prashant Ruia have joined the Board of Directors of US India Strategic and Partnership Forum, a media release said on Friday.

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), formed in 2017, is an independent non-governmental organisation.

“After all the groundbreaking accomplishments 2023 brought for the US-India partnership, I'm excited for the new year with the addition of these well-accomplished leaders to the USISPF Board,” said USISPF chairman John Chambers.

“Alex, Prashant, Raj, and Joe will add even more breadth to USISPF's roster of private-sector experts, underscoring the passion from Fortune 250 companies to increase relations and business pursuits between the US and India. These exciting appointments – along with others we've announced this year – position us for even greater success in the years to come,” Chambers said.

“The additions of Joe, Alex, Prashant, and Raj accentuate the growing synergy in US-India ties across fields of critical and emerging technology, especially in semiconductors to deepening trade relations and collaborating in new domains in hydrogen and bio-fuels to build a clean energy economy,” said Mukesh Aghi, president and CEO of USISPF.

Ucuzoglu, who succeeded Punit Renjen as Deloitte Global CEO in January 2023, also replaces Renjen on USISPF's Board. As Global CEO of the largest professional services organization in the world, Ucuzoglu remains actively engaged with many of Deloitte's clients as well as a range of external stakeholders, working to ensure that Deloitte is consistently leveraging the full breadth of its services to deliver impactful results for clients and communities, the USISPF said.

Ruia is a second-generation entrepreneur of the Ruia family that founded Essar. He has been an integral part of Essar's operations and management since 1985, playing a key role in driving the growth, diversification, and value creation, both within India and internationally. Under his leadership, Essar is transitioning its existing assets towards a greener economy and investing in sector-transforming sustainable businesses.

Shah, along with his brother Rupesh Shah is President and Co-CEO at MS International, a leading importer and distributor of countertops, flooring, wall tile, and landscaping products in North America. The company was started in 1975 by Raj's parents, Manu and Rika Shah, founders of MSI, and first-generation immigrants to the United States.

Rogers has been in numerous leadership roles since joining Qualcomm in 2001. Currently, he is a member of the Company's executive committee and is responsible for government and public affairs, export compliance, corporate responsibility and leads Qualcomm's patent licensing business.

In a statement, Ucuzoglu said he is thrilled to join the Board of USISPF, an organisation that is key to strengthening the partnership between the US and India and providing an important platform for stakeholders to come together to create meaningful opportunities for business, government and society overall.

“The US and India are uniquely positioned to use connectivity, processing, and artificial intelligence to advance the public good and stimulate economic growth. Qualcomm Technologies and employees have been an integral part of India's digital revolution over the past 25 years. We are proud to be part of the solution as digitisation transforms the lives of people everywhere, whether it is how they work, connect, socialise, or interact with the environment,” said Rogers.

Ruia said this appointment resonates with the mutual commitment to advancing stronger economic ties between the United States and India.

“I look forward to leveraging my experience to enhance collaboration, drive innovation, and further strengthen the strategic partnership between these two great nations, especially in fostering sustainability and ESG. We find ourselves in a momentous period for the diplomatic ties between the United States and India, and I am pleased to contribute to this significant endeavour,” he said.

“India is playing an integral role in manufacturing and providing services to consumers in the United States. We look forward to working with the USISPF Board to continue to strengthen ties between the US and India,” Shah added.