Purvi Mehta
Dr. Purvi Mehta is an international development executive with over 28 years of experience across major global markets in Asia, Africa and North America. Her career has been defined by leadership in agriculture-related industries, climate change, financial management and technology transfer.
She holds academic credentials up to the doctoral level, with formal education from M.S. University (India), Tokyo University (Japan) and North Carolina State University (USA). Her technical expertise—spanning agriculture, climate change and digital innovation—is complemented by deep networks across international finance institutions, multilateral agencies, policy organizations and the private sector.
Until May 2025, Dr. Mehta served as Senior Advisor for Global Growth and Opportunities at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she was instrumental in shaping and executing the Foundation’s global climate strategy. Her work included forging large-scale partnerships with multilateral development banks, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and African Development Bank (AfDB).
Currently, Dr. Mehta serves as Senior Advisor to the Global Centre for Adaptation (GCA) and the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP)—the world’s largest climate adaptation program. She also serves on several esteemed national and international boards and advisory panels, including as Independent Director of Advanta, the world’s fourth-largest seed company, and NCDEX; board member of the World Food Prize and the Indian Council for Food and Agriculture; and a member of MIT Boston’s advisory panel on agriculture, food and international cooperation. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Cornell University, USA.
Dr. Mehta has previously held leadership roles at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She is the author of two books and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and policy papers. She is a regular contributor to the Economic Times, Financial Times, Hindustan Times, Times of India, NDTV and CNBC TV.