Venki Rao

Venki Rao has a diverse work experience spanning over several decades. Venki started their career at Prudential Healthcare in 1992 as a Regional IT Manager. Venki then joined BDO Seidman, LLP in 1996 as a Senior Consultant. In 1998, Rao became the Director of Professional Services at Calico Commerce, where they managed a team of consultants and provided e-commerce software and services to Fortune 100 companies.

In 2001, Rao joined GE Energy Services as the Senior Director of Sales, Commercial Operations, and Marketing IT. During their time at GE Power, they held various roles, including CIO of GE Contractual Services and CIO of Sensing & Inspection. Venki later became the General Manager of Global Application Management Services, where they led the strategy and governance of enterprise applications.

Rao then moved to GE Digital Energy in 2010 as the Global CIO, responsible for IT, synergies, digitization initiatives, and enhancing the go-to-market efforts with smart-grid software solutions. After five years at GE Digital Energy, Rao joined GE Automation & Controls in 2015 as the Global CIO, leading the development of automation and control products.

Most recently, Rao became the Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at CAS in 2017. CAS is a leader in scientific information solutions, and Rao's role involves curating, connecting, and analyzing scientific knowledge to uncover unseen connections and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.

Throughout their career, Venki Rao has demonstrated expertise in IT leadership, strategy, and digital transformation across various industries, including healthcare, consulting, e-commerce, and energy.

Venki Rao has a Master of Science (MS) degree in Computer Science from the Florida Institute of Technology. Venki also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Management Information Systems from De La Salle University. Prior to these degrees, Venki earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Mathematics & Geology from Osmania University. Additionally, Venki has attended several courses at Crotonville Alumni, including the Advance Information Management Course (AIMC) in 2003, the Manager Development Course (MDC) in 2005, the Business Managers Course (BMC) in 2009, and the Leadership, Innovation & Growth program in 2010. These courses focused on various aspects of technology leadership, organizational development, and business leadership.