Ajit Pai

Ajit Pai is a partner at Searchlight Capital Partners, a New York-based investment firm. Ajit previously served as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from May 2012 to January 2021. As Chairman, they were responsible for leading the agency with over 1,400 employees and a budget of $330 million. Ajit also pioneered major initiatives to help close the digital divide, including key infrastructure reforms and a $20 billion FCC reverse auction to promote rural broadband. In addition, they directed the most aggressive spectrum policy in U.S. history, overseeing both the largest-grossing spectrum auction ever (over $81 billion) and the largest spectrum auction ever (3400 MHz). Ajit also promoted innovation by encouraging the development and deployment of Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN), authorizing low-earth orbit satellite constellations to provide broadband services, holding the first-ever FCC inquiry into artificial intelligence and machine learning in communications space, expanding the existing FCC telehealth program, and establishing a new one from scratch. In addition, they advanced significant consumer protection, public safety, and national security policies, such as designating 988 as the 3-digit number for suicide prevention and mental health, leading the effort to restore communications in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Maria and Irma, and taking extensive steps domestically and abroad to secure the communications supply chain. Finally, they transformed agency operations by publishing draft orders and proposals in advance, establishing the Office of Economics and Analytics, and improving recruitment through the Honors Engineering program and the Early Career Staff Diversity initiative.

Ajit Pai went to Harvard University for their Bachelor of Arts and then to the University of Chicago Law School for their Doctor of Law.

Some of their coworkers include Timothy Austin - Managing Director, New York, David Fuller - Senior Advisor, and Stephen Carroll - Principal . Their manager is Erol Uzumeri, Founding Partner.