Los Banos, Philippines, July 2026 — Kota Ravi Chandra joins the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as its new Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO), based at the IRRI headquarters, Philippines.
Ravi brings over 20 years of finance and operational leadership experience across the corporate, non-profit, and international development sectors in India, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and North America. He has held senior finance leadership roles with a leading global agricultural research institution, one of India’s largest humanitarian organizations, a sustainability-focused multinational enterprise, a corporate foundation supported by a global steel manufacturer, and the global capability center of a Fortune 100 financial institution.
He began his career as an ERP consultant, leading enterprise transformation programs for multilateral institutions, global technology companies, and national education systems. Throughout his career, he has consistently led finance transformation, governance, treasury, enterprise risk management, and large-scale digital modernization initiatives, helping organizations strengthen financial stewardship and operational effectiveness in complex multinational environments.
In CGIAR, Ravi previously served as the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Finance at ICRISAT, where he managed a multi-million-dollar portfolio while navigating complex financial transitions and modernizing their global financial systems. Prior to this, he served as a Finance and Budget Officer for the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Regional Office, acting as CFO for various national and international sustainability and educational organizations, and leading large-scale ERP transformations globally.
In IRRI, Mr. Ravi will provide strategic leadership and oversight for all corporate services, including Finance, Risk & Legal, Operations, Health, Safety, and Security, and Information and Knowledge Services. His focus will be on driving operational excellence, strengthening stakeholder trust, and ensuring that IRRI’s corporate infrastructure and workflows are tightly aligned to support its vital global research agenda.
“I am genuinely pleased to join IRRI at this important moment. My focus will be straightforward: ensure that corporate services, from finance and operations to digital infrastructure and security, work cleanly and efficiently so the institute and our research teams can focus on what matters most. I look forward to working with Dr. Pinto, the Board, and the team to build that kind of foundation,” said Mr. Ravi.
His unique blend of cross-sector experience, institutional resilience, and genuine global fluency makes him exceptionally qualified to advance IRRI’s corporate strategy. He will start part-time on 20 July and move to full-time on 24 August 2026.
About International Rice Research Institute
Established in 1960, IRRI is among the largest non-profit agricultural research centers in Asia, with headquarters in the Philippines and offices in 14 other nations. We are supported by donors and partners around the globe. Our mission is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable.
