Ramanan Raghavendran has recently assumed the position of chair of the University of Pennsylvania’s board of trustees, succeeding Scott L. Bok, who held the role from July 2021 until stepping down in December 2023. As an alum of Penn, Raghavendran is the managing partner and co-founder of Amasia, a global venture capital firm with a focus on climate and sustainability.
Penn’s interim president, J. Larry Jameson, commended the appointment, emphasizing Raghavendran’s three Penn degrees, extensive university engagement, and leadership roles. Julie Beren Platt, who served as interim chair, praised Raghavendran’s passion for Penn and his commitment to relationships, having worked closely with him on the Executive Committee.
Expressing his gratitude for the appointment, Raghavendran highlighted the significance of American universities like Penn in shaping modern civilization. With over 30 years of experience in venture capital and growth equity, his career includes roles at General Atlantic, Insight Partners, TH Lee Putnam Ventures, and Kubera Partners, beginning at McKinsey & Company.
Apart from his board position at SF Goodwill and advisory role at the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University, Raghavendran has been a seed funder and board member for various NGOs over the past three decades. His association with Magic Bus involves supporting at-risk children in South Asia, totaling 500,000 beneficiaries.
Raghavendran’s involvement with Penn dates back to 2014 when he became a university trustee, later chairing the local, national, and global engagement committee in 2020 and joining the executive committee in 2022. Additionally, he has served on the School of Arts and Sciences board of advisors since 2012, assuming the role of chair in 2022.
Beyond Penn, Raghavendran contributes to the advisory board for the Center for the Advanced Study of India and serves as the Global Coordinator of the Penn Alumni Ambassador Program.
