Adarsh Desai

Adarsh Desai

Adarsh Desai

Adarsh is passionate about leveraging technology, data, and innovations for accelerating development impact. He currently leads the World Bank Innovation Labs, overseeing a variety of programs ranging from Big data Analytics, Social Enterprise Innovations for service delivery to poor, Open Aid Partnership, Open Innovation, and Human-centered Design.

Adarsh also leads the emergent innovations program, with a present focus on Big data Analytics for development. The emergent innovations program's other interests are in Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) and civilian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) and its applications and impact on development.

In his prior work at the World Bank, Adarsh has managed programs on ICT-enabled citizen engagement, Geospatial data, E-learning, and other technology enabled platforms having a global reach and impact. Adarsh also worked on other innovative programs including the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) and ICT for Education (World Links program) in Africa. Adarsh coordinated the first Global Survey on Education Readiness, in collaboration with the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard.

Adarsh has a Masters Degree in Software Engineering and Information Systems Management from the George Washington University and a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from M.S. University of Baroda, India.

Specialties: Big data, Social Enterprise, Open Innovation, Technology Innovation, Strategy and Program Management, Innovation Management, IT Project Management, Business Modeling, Business Process Reengineering, Information Architecture, Facilitation.