The South Asia Center of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, and the Global Business Center of the Foster School of Business, are proud to present

US-India Economic Relations and the Contemporary Indian Economy

A symposium hosted by the South Asia Center (Jackson School of International Studies) and the Global Business Center (Foster School of Business) at the University of Washington with support from the Office of Global Affairs

Friday, February 26, 2016, 2:00-5:00 PM

Bank of America Executive Education Center, Douglas Forum, UW Campus, Seattle

Register for the event here.

Symposium Agenda

2:00 pm           Welcome remarks, Professor Sunila S. Kale, Director, South Asia Center

2:05-3:00 pm   Panel 1:  Development Agendas and Legal and Commercial Frameworks

Speakers:

 Ambassador Venkatesan Ashok, Consul General of India, San Francisco

Ambassador Ashok has held diplomatic assignments in Hong Kong, Malaysia, China, Austria, Sri Lanka, and other postings. He was Director of External Relations, the Department of Atomic Energy, from 1995-1998, and India’s Alternate Governor and Alternate Permanent Representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. Ambassador Ashok served as Ambassador of India to the Czech Republic from August 2011 – September 2014.

Jonathan Bensky, President and CEO, Pacific Northwest Advisors

Mr. Bensky served for 20 years as a Senior Commercial Officer in the US Mission to the European Union in Brussels and the US Embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, New Delhi and Singapore, where he was responsible for the full range of U.S. Department of Commerce programs supporting U.S. exporters and investors.

Amrita Srivastava, Partner, Desh International and Business Law

Ms. Srivastava focuses her practice on securities law, mergers and acquisitions, general business law, privacy, and cross-border transactions with India. She has extensive experience in representing startup and investors in angel and higher financing rounds for startups, advising on international business structuring, advising on privacy and intellectual property law, and negotiating and drafting complex commercial contracts.

Moderator:  Professor Sunila S. Kale, Jackson School of International Studies

---

3:10-4:00 pm   Panel 2:  Firms and Entrepreneurs Across the US-India Border

Speakers:

Srivats Srinivasan, Founder / CEO, Nayamode

Mr. Srinivasan has extensive experience in strategy, product management, business development, and marketing in the U.S. and in India. Previously, at Microsoft, Srivats’ responsibilities ranged from leading the marketing for a multi-billion dollar product (Windows), to starting up new businesses in the Embedded and Mobile space.

Prashant Kamalapuram, Director, International Tax, Amazon

Mr. Kamalapuram is responsible for the planning function for both direct and indirect taxes in Canada, Asia (excluding China and Japan) and Latin America. His advisory work for Amazon encompasses planning for new country launches, income tax planning, VAT planning, and compliance for new initiatives and country expansion.

Joseph Benson, Regional Director – South Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes

As South Asia Regional Director, Mr. Benson is responsible for managing nearly $2 billion in offset and work placement obligations, developing and coordinating new partnerships, alliances, and initiatives that position the company to enhance growth and productivity. Mr. Benson received his MBA from UW’s Foster School of Business.

Moderator: Professor Christian L. Novetzke, Jackson School of International Studies

---

4:10-5:00 pm   Panel 3:  Energy, Environment, and Telecommunications in India Today

Speakers:

Sumit Roy, Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington

Joining UW in 1998, Professor Roy’s research interests include analysis and design of a wide range of next-generation wireless communication systems and networks. He was selected as a Fellow, IEEE, for his contributions to cross-layer design of wireless networks and emerging wireless standards.

Meenakshi Rishi, Professor of Economics, Seattle University

Professor Rishi’s teaching specialties include Asian development, international business, and international political economy. Her scholarly work focuses on capital flight, institutional approaches to development, and international finance. She is a Fellow of the Albers Center for Global Business at Seattle University.

Ranjit Bharvirkar, India Program Officer, Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)

Mr. Bharvirkar provides technical assistance to policymakers and stakeholders in India and the United States. He has been part of a team developing a renewable electricity roadmap for India. He is co-authoring an international report on the Future of the Grid, looking at implications of rapid technology changes in electricity generation and storage.

Moderator: Professor Abhinav Gupta, Foster School of Business

Reception

Please join us for a reception from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., following the panel discussions.

Register for the event here.