Usha Rao-Monari

Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of UNDP

Usha Rao-Monari became Associate Administrator of UNDP on 6 April 2021.

Ms. Rao-Monari has over 30 years of investment experience and has held several senior positions, particularly in the infrastructure area. Ms. Rao-Monari 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.

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