Raman Venkatesh, Ph.D. is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of SAE International (SAEI). Dr. Venkatesh is responsible for strategy and global operations of SAEI generating close to $100 million in revenues as well as providing leadership to SAEI’s international staff of 350professionals dedicated to advancing global mobility and design engineering.  In addition, he oversees major business development and strategic alliances, including M&A and joint ventures.  Dr. Venkatesh also serves on the boards of SAEI’s subsidiary companies and currently serves on the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering Board.  

Prior to joining SAEI, Dr. Venkatesh was the CEO of a strategic business unit in Eureka Forbes Limited, a consumer products company with operations across Asia and Europe.  Previously, he was the Director of New Business Development for the American Chemical Society, a $550 million+ organization based in Washington DC serving a broad scientific enterprise.  He earlier served on the boards of four companies, including as chairman of a technology joint venture in India.  

His career spans business management and technology leadership roles in various industries and geographies.  Dr. Venkatesh is the recipient of the prestigious American Hero award for an innovative technology implemented across the USA. He earned a B.E. (Hons.) in Chemical Engineering from BITS, Pilani (India) followed by a M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Pittsburgh (USA), where he won the Outstanding Graduate Student award.  He also earned an Executive MBA degree from the Katz School of Business at University of Pittsburgh, where he was honored with Dean’s special recognition for his achievements.  He has advanced management diplomas in M&A and Strategic Alliances from Harvard Business School and the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania).  Dr. Venkatesh has been named in over 10 patents and has authored more than 30 articles and citations in peer-reviewed journals, international conferences and reputed magazines.  He is listed in the ‘Who’s Who in Science& Engineering’ and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Sigma Xi international honor societies.  He has given several invited lectures at leading universities and non-profit organizations around the world.