While many Indian-origin leaders across the world boast impressive academic pedigrees, an IIT degree is far from the only path to the top. There is no denying that an Indian Institutes of Technology education can open many doors, but it is not the only route to success. A number of Indian-origin founders and CEOs have carved out global success stories through diverse educational degrees, and today lead some of the world’s most influential companies across technology, finance and healthcare.
Here is look at 5 CEOs and founders who did not study at an IIT:
Satya Nadella — Microsoft
Perhaps the most influential name on this list is Satya Nadella, the chairman and CEO of Microsoft. Born in Hyderabad, Nadella holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka. He travelled to the US to pursue a master’s degree in computer science in 1990 — and the rest, as they say, is history. Nadella, 58, has been based in the US for decades and currently lives in Redmond, Washington.
Shantanu Narayen — Adobe
Shantanu Narayen is the president and CEO of Adobe — a position he has held since 2007. Narayen grew up in Hyderabad and, like Satya Nadella, studied at the prestigious Hyderabad Public School. He has a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication engineering from University College of Engineering, Osmania University in Hyderabad. Narayen, 62, is currently based in Florida. In 2019, he received a Padma Shri award from India.
CS Venkatakrishnan — Barclays
Indian-origin banker CS Venkatakrishnan has served as CEO of the British multinational bank Barclays since November 2021. Venkatakrishnan, 60, was born in Mysore. He earned bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees in operations research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, and is currently based in London, UK.
{{/usCountry}}Indian-origin banker CS Venkatakrishnan has served as CEO of the British multinational bank Barclays since November 2021. Venkatakrishnan, 60, was born in Mysore. He earned bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees in operations research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, and is currently based in London, UK.
{{/usCountry}}(Also read: 5 IIT graduates who climbed to the top in the United States)
Leena Nair — Chanel
Leena Nair, 56, is the global CEO of Chanel, one of the most prominent names in the luxury industry. Born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Nair studied electronics engineering at Walchand College of Engineering before pursuing an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. After nearly three decades with Unilever, she took over as CEO of Chanel in December 2021. In her current role as Chanel CEO, Nair is based in London.
Sanjay Mehrotra — Micron
Sanjay Mehrotra is the co-founder, president and CEO of Micron Technology, as well as the co-founder and former CEO of SanDisk. Born in Kanpur, he transferred from BITS Pilani to the University of California, Berkeley at the age of 18. Today, at the age of 67, Mehrotra is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.