Lakshmi Venkatachalam is the Vice-President (Private Sector and Cofinancing Operations) of ADB. She assumed office in June 2010.

Ms. Venkatachalam leads ADB's initiatives in Private Sector and Cofinancing activities. Under its long-term Strategy 2020 Framework, ADB's activities in private sector development and private sector operations are targeted to reach 50% of its annual operations by 2020. Strategy 2020 also envisages a significant increase in ADB's partnership-based cofinancing activities by 2020. Ms. Venkatachalam will lead ADB's efforts in assisting development-oriented private sector projects in the region, with a clear focus on challenging sectors and regions, as well as in building and strengthening cofinancing partnerships with various official and commercial cofinanciers with a view to mobilizing investment capital for the region.

Ms. Venkatachalam has over 30 years of experience in senior management positions. Prior to joining ADB she was the Director General of Shipping and Ex-Officio Additional Secretary for India's Ministry of Shipping. Before that she held the position of Principal Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, overseeing, at different periods, the departments of Commerce and Industry; Urban Development: Planning, Program Implementation, Economics and Statistics.

Other previous posts include Chairperson of the Coffee Board of India, Commissioner of the Bangalore Development Authority, Director of India's Ministry of Steel, and Managing Director of the State Cooperative Marketing Federation in Karnataka.

Ms. Venkatachalam, a national of India, holds an M.A. in Economics and Master in Business Administration from Boston University USA, and an M.A. in English from Jadavpur University in Calcutta, India.

Professional History