The Gates Foundation has announced the appointment of Archna Vyas as its country director for India. In this role, Archna will lead the foundation’s work in close collaboration with the central and state governments, philanthropists, civil society, academia, and the private sector to advance the foundation’s priorities in India, aligned with the Government of India’s vision of Viksit Bharat.

Archna succeeds Hari Menon, who has led the foundation’s India Country Office since 2019. Menon will transition to a global leadership role from January 2026.

The foundation has worked in India since 2003, with the Indian government and other partners on various issues, from healthcare and sanitation to gender equality, agricultural development, digital public infrastructure, education, and financial empowerment. “In the last two decades, India has made significant progress in improving the health and economic progress of its citizens, lifting millions out of poverty. India's domestically driven model of innovation and progress demonstrates to the world how transformative and sustainable change can uplift millions,” said a statement.

Before this appointment, Archna served as the global director for the foundation’s Global Policy and Advocacy division, leading work across Growth, Opportunity and Empowerment. She brings extensive experience in both country-level and global engagements – driving strategic policy efforts, cultivating high-impact partnerships, and shaping external communications across key development priorities, including digital public infrastructure, agricultural development, sanitation, nutrition, global education, and women’s economic empowerment. Archna joined the foundation in 2014 and worked across the foundation’s health and poverty alleviation portfolio to drive impact across the country.

Before joining the foundation, Archna had led communications and digital marketing across South and Southeast Asia and supported the MENA markets for Reckitt and held senior positions in lead marketing and advertising organisations. She holds a master’s degree in physics from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in business administration from the Institute of Management Technology. 

Archna Vyas said India is our most significant country partnership, and her domestically driven model of innovation and progress shows how sustainable, transformative change can uplift millions. “The strength of India’s talent and intellect, spanning world-class research, science, and technology, has made the country a global engine of R&D and innovation. Solutions pioneered here are already shaping development outcomes far beyond India’s borders.”

Ankur Vora, Chief Strategy Officer, Gates Foundation, said Archna brings a deep understanding of India’s development and innovation landscape and a demonstrated record of building partnerships that deliver impactful results. “As the first woman to lead the India Office, we are delighted to have her at the helm at such a pivotal moment in India’s growth and global leadership journey. Her appointment comes as India’s dynamic innovation ecosystem continues to generate solutions with global relevance, deepening a partnership with the Gates Foundation that has grown over more than two decades.”