Arun Maira

Chairman, HelpAge International

Arun Maira has an unusual combination of hands-on leadership experience in the private sector, public sector, and the social development sector; as well as in consulting with leaders in the corporate, government, and social development sectors in many countries.

He served as a Member of the Planning Commission of India from 2009 to 2014. He worked with the Tata Group in India for 25 years in many leadership and board-level positions. He was CEO of Innovation Associates in the USA and Chairman of the Boston Consulting Group in India.

Arun Maira has been Chairman of the Quality Council of India, Save the Children India, and the Axis Bank Foundation. He has served on the boards of the UN Global Compact and several social work organizations and educational institutions in India and abroad. He has also served on the National Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry for many years.

Presently, he is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of HelpAge International. He is an advisor to many organizations and networks for social change.

Arun Maira is a thought leader on social and economic development and transformational change and leadership. He is an author of several books including: Shaping the Future — Aspirational Leadership in India and Beyond; Redesigning the Airplane While Flying — Reforming Institutions; Transforming Capitalism —Improving the World for Everyone and Listening for Well-Being —Conversations with People Not Like Us. His most recent book is, Transforming Systems — Why the World needs a new Ethical Tool-kit.

He was born in Lahore in 1943. He has a Master’s degree in physics from Delhi University.