Indian Entrepreneur in Obama's Elite Club


Bangalore: President Barack Obama has appointed Romesh Wadhwani, an Indian American founder of several software and IT companies, on board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts.

"I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come," added Obama, whose administration has over a score Indian-Americans serving in senior positions, more than any other previous administration.

Romesh Wadhwani is the founder and chairman of Symphony Technology, a firm primarily based on investing software and other service companies. Till of April 27, 2010, the Symphony Technology Group’s funded companies include: Capco; Symphony IRI Group, MSC Software; Symphony Services Teleca, Netik, Lawson Software and Aldata.

Wadhwani has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay. Later in 1969, he moved to U.S. where he earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1991, Wadhwani founded a software firm called Aspect Development. During that period Wadhwani, served as the chairman and CEO of the company. Later Wadhwani sold Aspect Development to i2 Technologies for $9.3 Billion. This is still considered to be as the largest merger in software history.

Forbes recently has listed Wadhwani in their list of ‘World’s Billionaires’, at the 634th spot.

Right now he is actively involved in Kennedy Centre initiatives, having served as Co-Chair of the Maximum India Festival in 2011 and as a supporter of the 2010 Honors Gala.