Rajiv Shah, Part 2
President, Rockefeller Foundation
If we all work together, we can actually make a big bet that it's possible to save our planet, expand economic opportunity for those who are vulnerable, and be part of that solution together.
Summary
This week on “Leadership Matters,” Alan was joined by changemaker, foundation leader, humanitarian expert, and now author, Dr. Raj Shah. Raj has over two decades of experience with international development and grantmaking and currently serves as President of The Rockefeller Foundation.
During his second visit on the show, Raj and Alan discuss his recent book, Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens, which explores the strategies and “big bets” required to make real and lasting change in our world. In their insightful hour together, the two delve into the decisions and risks leaders must take in order to solve the great issues of our time. Alan and Raj explore the origins of the book, what inspired Raj to study “big bets,” and how listeners can begin implementing its key themes into their organizations immediately.
Mentions & Resources in this Episode
Guest Bio
Dr. Shah serves as President of The Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution with a mission to promote the well-being of humanity around the world. The Foundation applies data, science, and innovation to improve health for women and children, create nutritious and sustainable food systems, end energy poverty for more than a billion people worldwide, and enable meaningful economic mobility in the United States and around the world.
In 2009, he was appointed USAID Administrator by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Dr. Shah reshaped the $20 billion agency’s operations in more than 70 countries around the world by elevating the role of innovation, creating high-impact public-private partnerships, and focusing U.S. investments to deliver stronger results. Shah secured bipartisan support that included the passage of two significant laws – the Global Food Security Act and the Electrify Africa Act. He led the U.S. response to the Haiti earthquake and the West African Ebola pandemic, served on the National Security Council, and elevated the role of development as part of our nation’s foreign policy. Prior to his appointment at USAID, Shah served as Chief Scientist and Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics at the United States Department of Agriculture where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
In October 2023, Dr. Shah will publish Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens with Simon & Schuster’s Simon Element imprint. In the book, Dr. Shah will share a dynamic new model for realizing transformative change, inspired by his own work and that of The Foundation on some of the biggest humanitarian efforts of the 21st century.
He has received several honorary degrees, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the U.S. Global Leadership Award.
Shah founded Latitude Capital, a private equity firm focused on power and infrastructure projects in Africa and Asia and served as a Distinguished Fellow in Residence at Georgetown University. Previously, he served at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he created the International Financing Facility for Immunization which helped reshape the global vaccine industry and save millions of lives.
Raised outside of Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Shah is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Wharton School of Business. He has received several honorary degrees, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the U.S. Global Leadership Award. He is married to Shivam Mallick Shah and they have three children.