Dr. Purvi Mehta is a globally recognised leader with nearly three decades of experience advancing nutrition-sensitive agriculture, food systems, and climate-resilient development across Asia, Africa, and North America. Her work spans the intersection of science, markets, and policy, with a strong emphasis on leveraging private-sector innovation and investment to deliver scalable solutions that improve food and nutrition security.
Dr. Mehta brings deep familiarity with global agricultural and nutrition ecosystems, including CGIAR and international research institutions such as ILRI and IFPRI, alongside extensive engagement with multinational corporations, investors, and development partners. Her experience uniquely positions her to bridge public-private partnerships that drive nutrition outcomes at scale. She currently serves on a number of boards where her board and governance experience spans both corporate and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on strategy, sustainability, and risk oversight in global markets. Some of her current engagements include:
•Director on the Board of Advanta – a global seed company operating in over 55 countries
•Global Advisory Council Member, World Food Prize Foundation
•Advisory Board Member, MIT (Boston) JWAS Initiative on agriculture, food, and technology
•Co-Chair, Government of India’s Environment and Audit Committee
•Director on the Board of Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. (DFPCL)
•Director on Board of Mahindra EPC Ltd
•Senior Advisor – International Livestock Research Institute
•Board Member – M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Cornell University (USA).
Dr. Mehta has a strong track record in private-sector engagement and resource mobilisation, having led high-impact partnerships with global corporations, multilateral institutions, and philanthropic organizations. During her tenure at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she played a key role in shaping global strategies linking agriculture, nutrition, and market systems, while catalysing significant investments.
Dr. Mehta’s professional journey includes senior leadership roles at ILRI (CGIAR), IFPRI, USAID, and the Gates Foundation, where she led global initiatives integrating agriculture, nutrition, and private-sector innovation. She has worked extensively across Africa, Asia, and North America, building strong partnerships across agribusiness, research, finance, and policy ecosystems.
Her expertise spans nutrition, agriculture, climate change, market systems, and digital innovation, with a particular focus on private-sector-led models for improving diet diversity and nutrition outcomes.
Dr. Mehta holds a PhD and has academic training from M.S. University (India), the University of Tokyo (Japan), and North Carolina State University (USA).
An accomplished author and thought leader, she has written two books and numerous peer-reviewed publications and is widely published in Devex, Financial Times, Economic Times, and CNBC.