Usha Rao-Monari

Former Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of UNDP

Until July 2023, Usha Rao-Monari was the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Associate Administrator of UNDP.

Ms. Rao-Monari has over 30 years of investment experience and has held several senior positions, particularly in the infrastructure area. She previously served as Senior Adviser to Blackstone’s Infrastructure Group, as Chief Executive Officer of Global Water Development Partners, a Blackstone portfolio company, and held several senior positions, notably as Director of the Sustainable Business Advisory Group at the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group.

She has until recently served on the Boards of a number of organisations in the field of sustainable development and has held a number of Board and advisory positions in the areas of water, natural capital, biodiversity, and environment.

Ms. Rao-Monari holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Finance, from the School of International and Public Affairs/School of Business, Columbia University, New York, a Master’s degree in Management Studies, from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, Mumbai, India, and a B.A. Honors Economics, Delhi University, New Delhi.