WASHINGTON (Diya TV ) — Indian men are gaining ground in the boardrooms of some of America’s biggest companies. A growing number now serve as directors at S&P 500 and Fortune 500 companies.
A record 16 Indian men joined S&P 500 boards this year, according to ISS-Corporate and data provider Equilar. Their new roles include board seats at Walmart Inc., Southwest Airlines Co. and Western Digital Corp. Only White men and women added more board seats during the period.
The gains reflect a longer shift in corporate America. Since 2018, the share of Indian men serving as directors at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies has tripled, according to James Drury Partners. The increase has outpaced gains among women, Black directors and Hispanic directors.
Several factors have helped drive the change. Companies increasingly seek directors with experience running large businesses. Many Indian executives have built that experience during long careers in the United States.
James Drury Partners found that 77% of the 184 Indian men on Fortune 500 and S&P 500 boards have operating or profit-and-loss experience. About two-thirds have served as CEOs.
The same trend appears among this year’s new directors. About two-thirds are current or former CEOs. The group includes executives from Stryker Corp. and Linde Plc, as well as the recently retired CEO of Albertsons Cos.
Meanwhile, Indian men have also reached the top jobs at several major U.S. companies. They now lead roughly a dozen blue-chip companies, including Alphabet Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Procter & Gamble Co.
However, Indian women have not experienced the same level of progress. One reason is that fewer Indian women have served as CEOs, according to the data and corporate recruiters.
There are notable exceptions. Former PepsiCo Inc. CEO Indra K. Nooyi joined the Honeywell International Inc. board this year. Former Gap Inc. CEO Sonia Syngal joined the Tractor Supply Inc. board.
Anand Eswaran, CEO of Veeam Software Corp., also joined the board of technology company F5 Inc. in April. Eswaran moved to the United States from India more than three decades ago. He said each generation of Indian executives has built on the progress of earlier generations.
He also pointed to the intense competition many Indian professionals face before entering the U.S. workforce. Many compete for places at leading schools and then advance through technical and management roles.
Raj Gupta represents an earlier generation of Indian-American corporate leaders. In 1999, he became CEO of Rohm and Haas Co., making him only the third Fortune 500 CEO of Indian heritage at the time.
Gupta later served on 15 public boards, including those of HP Inc. and DuPont de Nemours Inc. He said mentors helped him develop the communication and leadership skills needed to move from employee to senior executive.
Rakesh Sachdev followed a similar path. He began his U.S. career as a senior engineer at Cummins Inc. in 1981. He later became CFO and CEO at several companies. He now chairs Axalta Coating Systems Ltd.
Sachdev said more Indian executives now appear on lists of potential corporate directors. Their professional success has helped increase demand for their experience, he said.
Still, the broader picture for Asian Americans remains mixed. Norman Chen, CEO of the Asian American Foundation, said other Asian groups remain underrepresented in corporate boardrooms. Researchers have described this challenge as a “bamboo ceiling.”
Immigration policy could also affect the next generation of Indian executives. The Trump administration has tightened rules around immigration, including the H-1B visa program. Indian-born workers accounted for about 71% of approved H-1B petitions in fiscal 2024, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
For now, Indian executives continue to hold prominent positions across corporate America. Their growing presence reflects decades of professional advancement, leadership experience, and changes in the U.S. business landscape.
