Alkesh Wadhwani

Alkesh Wadhwani leads the poverty alleviation portfolio for the foundation’s India Country Office, which comprises programmatic work in Agriculture Development, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, Inclusive Financial Systems (ISF), and Gender Equality. Previously, Alkesh led the health, nutrition, and family planning portfolio for the foundation in India.

Alkesh joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in India in 2003 and was one of the key members who helped conceptualize and implement the $338 million funded Avahan program, the AIDS initiative of the world's largest HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

Before joining the foundation, he worked for McKinsey & Co., where he served clients in India, Asia, Europe, and U.S. in the financial services and pharmaceutical sectors. He co-founded IIT Invest Trust Ltd., with seats on the BSE and NSE, and interests in institutional and retail broking, and investment banking. He has also worked in the Financial Institutions Group of Citibank in Mumbai.

His educational background includes a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering, IIT Mumbai and MBA from IIM Calcutta, in finance and systems.