EDUCATION
- M.B.A., The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
- B.A., McGill University
Yana Watson Kakar
CEO and Board Member
V-Card
Ms. Watson Kakar is our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors. Ms. Watson Kakar is the Global Managing Partner Emeritus of Dalberg Advisors, a multinational advisory firm that specializes in social impact and environmental sustainability.
Ms. Watson Kakar is a seasoned operator with a track record of success both as a chief executive and as a counsellor to other chief executive officers, heads of state and the public service, institutional investors, civil society leaders and philanthropists. In 2020, she concluded two terms as the Global Managing Partner, having led the firm to triple global revenues and to grow to nearly 30 offices worldwide over the course of her tenure.Ms. Watson Kakar has dedicated her career to driving economic and financial returns through the application of socially inclusive and sustainable business and investment strategies. She is a trusted partner to leaders of major multinationals, long-term institutional investors, and heads of state and government alike. Ms. Watson Kakar is a recognized expert in ESG, sustainable investing and socially responsible business. Her perspectives have been published widely, including in the Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Huffington Post, DevEx, The Guardian, The Economist and Forbes.
Memberships
- Board of directors, Oxfam America and the African Enterprise Challenge Fund
- Member, Young Presidents Organization
- Member, 100 Women in Finance
- Member, Women's Forum of New York