ICC Team

RAJ DESAI (CEO, ICC)

Raj has over 40 years of experience in building global teams and entrepreneurship after holding senior positions in professional services, telecom, and non-profit organizations. He is a CPA (UK) and a Member of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs).

Raj started his career with the Coopers & Lybrand, a UK practice where he held a variety of roles, including an assignment in Malawi. Subsequently, Raj joined British Telecom’s management team in the new and emerging value-added services business and participated in several acquisitions in the US which resulted in his relocation to the US. In 1994 following a merger of British Telecom’s operations in the US with MCI, Raj ventured into the entrepreneurial world by acquiring several commercial printing businesses over a period of six years. After consolidating these businesses, Raj made a successful exit. In 1994, Raj joined The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), a Silicon Valley not for profit organization focused on inspiring and mentoring entrepreneurs then as the Executive Director for six years, doubling up as TiE Global ED until 2005. Subsequently, he took a three-year India assignment for a Silicon Valley based startup Rhythm New Media as the Country Head. He returned to TiE SV in 2013 as the Executive Director until November 2015. Continuing with his passion for working in the non-profit and community-based organizations, he is now CEO of India Community Center in Silicon Valley. He currently also serves as a Board Member of Miista Inc., a high-end, London based, women’s shoe company.

Raj is a very experienced mentor and brings to the table a tremendous understanding of global markets, a keen understanding of business dynamics, a sharp sense of operations planning & management and a deep knowledge about how the global investing eco-system operates.