As a Managing Partner, Arun M. Kumar, a worldwide leader with 40 years of expertise in a variety of industries including technology, financial services, and government, will join Celesta Capital. Kumar will interact with significant institutional investors, government agencies, and technology experts with the Celesta management team, leveraging his extensive experience, particularly in the US-India corridor. His coaching and organisational expertise will also benefit the portfolio’s businesses and executives.
Kumar served as Chairman and CEO of KPMG in India for the past five years, overseeing a team of thousands of professionals that provide assurance, tax, and advisory services.
Kumar formerly worked as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the US & Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS) in President Obama’s administration, under Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker’s direction. He managed a team of 1,700 specialists in 78 countries and all 50 states to promote U.S. exports, foreign direct investment, and expanded market access throughout the world as the Administration’s main official. During his tenure, the Global Markets unit and USFCS expanded their coverage and influence significantly. Kumar focused on the US-India economic partnership during that time, assisting Secretary Pritzker in establishing high-level bilateral dialogues on topics ranging from innovation to infrastructure and working closely with the US-India CEO Forum.
Penny Pritzker, founder and chair of PSP Partners, noted, “Arun Kumar is a thoughtful and effective leader with an impressive track record that spans industry and public service.”
Prior to his nomination by President Obama, Kumar was a partner at KPMG LLP in the US and served on the Board of the firm. Based in Silicon Valley, he led KPMG’s Management Consulting practice in the West. His areas of practice included performance and finance management, in particular the deployment of analytics capabilities and organizational transformation. He established the cross-border US India Practice in KPMG. Before joining KPMG, he was a co-founder, CEO, and CFO of three technology companies in Silicon Valley; over the years, Kumar has been a mentor to entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and India.
Kumar serves on the board of Indiaspora, an organization that links accomplished and influential people of Indian origin in many countries to be a force for good in enhancing the relationships between their country of residence and India. Kumar has had a long association with the US India Business Council and is an advisor to its Board of Directors alongside other industry and global leaders. Kumar serves as Chair of the Wadhwani Institute of Technology and Policy, and he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
“We are delighted to welcome Arun to the Celesta Capital team,” Sriram Viswanathan, Celesta Capital Founding Managing Partner said. “His strong connections in both the public and private sector, along with his impeccable credentials, will be invaluable to our portfolio companies during this exciting period of growth for Celesta.”
“I am excited to join the accomplished and forward-looking Celesta team that is passionate about growing globally impactful companies,” Arun Kumar said. “The combination of Celesta’s uniquely focused expertise in deep technology with the talent and market synergies between the US and India is a powerful value proposition. Given my abiding interest in working with entrepreneurs, I am looking forward to sharing my decades of international experience with Celesta’s portfolio companies as they build and scale their enterprises globally.”
