Dr. Radha Rajkotia
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Radha Rajkotia is a dynamic leader known for her unwavering commitment to driving innovation, impact, evidence, and positive change in the realm of international and economic development.
As the Chief Executive Officer of Building Markets, she champions market-based solutions for small businesses in economically vulnerable communities, facilitating their entry into sustainable and profitable supply chain opportunities.
In her previous role as Chief Research and Policy Officer at Innovations for Poverty Action, she spearheaded the execution of IPA’s strategy across 22 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, translating evidence into impactful practice and policy. Dr. Rajkotia spent eleven years as the Senior Director of Economic Recovery and Development at the International Rescue Committee, applying her creative thinking in delivering aid and testing groundbreaking ideas on the ground, from cash-based relief to job creation in conflict settings.
Dr. Rajkotia’s influence extends beyond her executive roles, as evidenced by her written and commissioned papers on financial sector strengthening, employment creation, and cash transfer programming. She actively contributes to shaping the landscape through her voluntary service, including past and current board positions at the Cash Learning Partnership (CALP), the Center for Economic Opportunity (a US-based CDFI focused on refugees and migrants), and Asphaleia (a UK-based charity dedicated to education and employment programming for young migrants).
Dr. Rajkotia holds a Ph.D. in Refugee Studies (Geography), an MA in Migration Studies, and an MSc in Social Research Methods from the University of Sussex. She is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Henry Leir Institute for Human Security at Tufts University and an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University.