Rajiv Desai

I work at the intersection of talent, leadership development, organisational change, governance and DEI; through advisory, consulting, group facilitation and training.
 
I help leaders, teams and organisations with:
- Strategic talent decisions during uncertainty
- Leadership and board capability development
- Institutional governance practices
- Management and team effectiveness
- Inclusive and equitable processes and practices
 
My impact is defined by helping global clients across various industries advance their organisational transformation and leadership work sustainably, focusing on strategy, people behaviours and internal processes, all through a system-wide and equity-based lens.

I complement this with 11+ years of global business operations, consulting, audit and in-house DEI, CSR & ESG experiences with FedEx, CEB & Gartner, which helps me effectively understand various stakeholder priorities, processes and needs. I am multilingual: English, Hindi, Spanish, German, Bengali and Gujarati.
 
Philanthropically, between 2020 – 2026, I served as Board Chair for ORAM (Organization for Refuge, Asylum Migration) which supports LGBTIQ+ refugees globally. During my tenure, I implemented robust governance mechanisms focusing on board policies & practices, leadership, accountability and local practices in US, Mexico, Kenya and Germany. I have also held volunteer leadership roles in various US LGBTIQ+ non-profit organisations.
 
I have lived in India, USA, Spain, Mongolia, the UAE, Belgium and now Germany; and travelled to 70+ countries, bringing a truly global perspective to my work.

How would you describe yourself or your work in a few words?
Supporting organisational change through talent, accountable leadership and equitable practices.

Recent clients
UK Refugee Council, WRKWLL (Internal), Prostate Cancer UK.

What do you like to do for fun?
Cultural travel, culinary projects, yoga & Indian textiles.

If you had a day where you could do absolutely anything, what would you do?
Hot Indian masala chai, spicy snacks and endless conversations with close friends.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivdesai/