The Gates Foundation has appointed Archna Vyas as its new Country Director for India, effective December 15, 2025. In her new role, Vyas will lead the foundation’s work in the country, working closely with central and state governments, civil society organisations, philanthropists, academic institutions, and the private sector. Her mandate will align the foundation’s priorities with the Government of India’s long-term development vision of Viksit Bharat.
The foundation has been active in India since 2003, partnering with the government and other stakeholders across sectors including healthcare, sanitation, gender equality, agriculture, digital public infrastructure, education, and financial inclusion. Over the past two decades, India has seen measurable gains in health and economic outcomes, supported by a domestically driven approach to innovation that the foundation views as a model for scalable and sustainable development.
Vyas most recently served as Global Director, Global Policy and Advocacy at the Gates Foundation, where she led initiatives across Growth, Opportunity and Empowerment. Her work spanned strategic policy engagement, partnership development, and external communications across focus areas such as digital public infrastructure, agricultural development, sanitation, nutrition, education, and women’s economic empowerment. Since joining the foundation in 2014, she has worked extensively across its health and poverty alleviation portfolio in India.
Prior to her tenure at the Gates Foundation, Vyas led communications and digital marketing efforts across South and Southeast Asia and supported markets in the Middle East and North Africa at Reckitt. She has also held senior leadership roles within marketing and advertising organisations. Academically, she holds a master’s degree in physics from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in business administration from the Institute of Management Technology.
Commenting on her appointment, Archna Vyas said, “India is our most significant country partnership, and her domestically driven model of innovation and progress shows how sustainable, transformative change can uplift millions. The strength of India’s talent and intellect, spanning world-class research, science, and technology, has made the country a global engine of R&D and innovation. Solutions pioneered here are already shaping development outcomes far beyond India’s borders. I look forward to working closely with governments, communities, philanthropists, and our partners to support the Government of India’s vision of becoming a developed economy by 2047, and to help bring India’s insights and innovations to the world”.
Ankur Vora, Chief Strategy Officer, Gates Foundation, added, “Archna brings a deep understanding of India’s development and innovation landscape and a demonstrated record of building partnerships that deliver impactful results. As the first woman to lead the India Office, we are delighted to have her at the helm at such a pivotal moment in India’s growth and global leadership journey. Her appointment comes as India’s dynamic innovation ecosystem continues to generate solutions with global relevance, deepening a partnership with the Gates Foundation that has grown over more than two decades.”
Vyas succeeds Hari Menon, who has led the Gates Foundation’s India Country Office since 2019 and will transition to a global leadership role beginning January 2026.
