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The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is thrilled to welcome to its Board of Directors Mr Joe Ucuzoglu, Deloitte Global CEO; Mr Raj Shah, Co-CEO, MSI Surfaces; Mr Alex Rogers, President, Global Affairs and Qualcomm Technology Licensing for Qualcomm Incorporated; and Mr Prashant Ruia, Director, Essar Capital.

Ucuzoglu, who succeeded Mr Punit Renjen as Deloitte Global CEO in January 2023, also replaces Mr Renjen on USISPF’s Board.

As the Global CEO of the largest professional services organisation in the world, Ucuzoglu remains actively engaged with many of Deloitte’s clients as well as a range of external stakeholders, working to ensure that Deloitte is consistently leveraging the full breadth of its services to deliver impactful results for clients and communities.

Prashant Ruia is a second-generation entrepreneur of the Ruia family that founded Essar. He has been an integral part of Essar’s operations and management since 1985, playing a key role in driving the growth, diversification, and value creation, both within India and internationally.

Under his leadership, Essar is transitioning its existing assets towards a greener economy and investing in sector-transforming sustainable businesses.

Rajesh (Raj) Shah, along with his brother Mr Rupesh Shah, is President and Co-CEO at MS International, a leading importer and distributor of countertops, flooring, wall tile, and landscaping products in North America. The company was launched in 1975 by Raj’s parents, Manu and Rika Shah, founders of MSI, and first-generation immigrants to the United States.

Alex Rogers has been in numerous leadership roles since joining Qualcomm in 2001. Currently, he is a member of the Company’s executive committee and is responsible for government and public affairs, export compliance, corporate responsibility and leads Qualcomm’s patent licensing business.

Speaking on the recent appointments to the USISPF Board, USISPF President and CEO Dr Mukesh Aghi said: “The additions of Joe, Alex, Prashant and Raj accentuate the growing synergy in US-India ties across fields of critical and emerging technology, especially in semiconductors to deepening trade relations and collaborating in new domains in hydrogen and biofuels to build a clean energy economy.

"The year 2023 was a monumental year, with the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US and President Joe Biden’s visit to India for a successful G20 Summit.

"With our ever-expanding Board and new captains of industry and distinguished leaders from the private sector, USISPF is better positioned than ever to build on the commercial and geostrategic aspects of the partnership in 2024.”

Commenting on his addition to the USISPF Board, Ucuzoglu said: “I am thrilled to join the Board of USISPF, an organisation that is key to strengthening the partnership between the U.S. and India and providing an important platform for stakeholders to come together to create meaningful opportunities for business, government and society overall.”

Rogers spoke about the importance of US-India technology ties, saying, "The US and India are uniquely positioned to use connectivity, processing, and artificial intelligence to advance the public good and stimulate economic growth.

"Qualcomm technologies and employees have been an integral part of India’s digital revolution over the past 25 years. We are proud to be part of the solution as digitization transforms the lives of people everywhere, whether it is how they work, connect, socialise, or interact with the environment.”

USISPF Chairman John Chambers congratulated the new appointees and said: “After all the groundbreaking accomplishments 2023 brought for the US-India partnership, I’m excited for the new year with the addition of these well-accomplished leaders to the USISPF Board.

"Alex, Prashant, Raj, and Joe will add even more breadth to USISPF’s roster of private sector experts, underscoring the passion from Fortune 250 companies to increase relations and business pursuits between the U.S. and India. These exciting appointments – along with others we’ve announced this year – position us for even greater success in the years to come.”

Commenting on his appointment to the Board of Directors, Ruia thanked USISPF Chairman John Chambers and USISPF President and CEO Mukesh Aghi and said: “I am thrilled to step onto the prestigious platform of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) as a member of its Board of Directors. This appointment resonates with the mutual commitment to advancing stronger economic ties between the United States and India.

"I look forward to leveraging my experience to enhance collaboration, drive innovation, and further strengthen the strategic partnership between these two great nations, especially in fostering sustainability and ESG. We find ourselves in a momentous period for the diplomatic ties between the United States and India, and I am pleased to contribute to this significant endeavor.”

Raj Shah spoke about what the US-India relationship personally means to his family’s success story, saying: “India is playing an integral role in manufacturing and providing services to consumers in the United States. We look forward to working with the USISPF Board to continue to strengthen ties between the US and India."