Senior Vice PresidentPower, The Rockefeller Foundation
Ashvin Dayal leads The Rockefeller Foundation’s Power & Climate program, aimed at scaling up energy access and accelerating an inclusive energy transition in emerging markets. Over more than a decade with the Foundation, Ashvin has overseen investments in urban climate change resilience and distributed renewable energy, including leading the establishment of local dedicated platforms to expand clean energy access such as Smart Power India and Smart Power Myanmar. Most recently, he led the creation of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, a multi-billion-dollar effort supported by major philanthropies, development investors and specialized energy organizations aimed at advancing transformational projects on distributed renewable electrification, grid-tied renewables, and fossil fuel transitions in 80+ energy-poor nations.
Ashvin joined the Foundation in 2008 as its Asia Managing Director, running its regional office in Bangkok. From there he led the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network, a nine-year partnership that equipped over 50 Asian cities to better cope with climate change impacts. He also oversaw the Foundation’s global Inclusive Economies portfolio, a policy and research effort to advance development and impact investments that drive more broadly shared prosperity.
Before joining the Foundation, he held a range of senior leadership roles over 15 years with Oxfam in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This included leading its largest-ever relief and recovery effort in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami, and the creation of Oxfam India. In addition to his experience in Asia, he spent several years working in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, supporting post-conflict reconstruction and economic development programs in Bosnia, Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and a master’s degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins.
Authored Content
Feb 16 2021
PerspectiveTo Fight Poverty, We Must Raise Global Energy AmbitionsThe world will not end extreme poverty without ending energy poverty. Recovery from the global pandemic, boosting living standards, and building resilience to the looming impacts of climate change all require every person on our planet to have “affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy” — as the UN adopted in Sustainable Development Goal 7. The […]Ashvin Dayal
Jul 20 2020
PerspectiveFor Real Resilience, Go RenewablePuerto Ricans are facing new and ongoing threats to health, safety, and the economy, including those that stem from the spread of Covid-19. The deadly global pandemic has brought widespread economic disruption, all while the medical system continues to recover from recent shocks. Many in Puerto Rico lack homes or safe places due to ongoing […]Ashvin Dayal
May 11 2020
PerspectiveKeeping the Lights On: For Energy Providers and Frontline Workers, Lessons LearnedUtilities worldwide have faced an enormous stress test in recent weeks as they ensure the continued operations of electricity systems, providing the critical power that has ventilators running in hospitals, machines whirring at essential businesses, and family, friends, and colleagues connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring the resilient operations of power infrastructure while protecting the […]Ashvin Dayal
Nov 25 2019
PerspectiveInside Tata Power And Rockefeller Foundation’s Plan To Light Up 5 Million Households In IndiaSixty in one day. That’s how many eye cataract surgeries Dr. Ajeeth Kumar performs in and around Parsa, a poor village two hours from the state capital of Bihar, India. He runs a modern ophthalmology practice with a slit lamp, tonometer and a range of equipment: a scene taken for granted by many whose lives […]Ashvin Dayal, Deepali Khanna
May 15 2019
PerspectiveHow a More Integrated Approach Could Help to End Energy PovertyThis piece first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s blog on May 14, 2019, and re-posted here with permission. With almost four years completed since the United Nations adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we face a narrowing window of opportunity to mobilize the disruptive solutions and ambitious partnerships needed to bend the curve […]Ashvin Dayal
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Feb 16 2021 Perspective To Fight Poverty, We Must Raise Global Energy Ambitions The world will not end extreme poverty without ending energy poverty. Recovery from the global pandemic, boosting living standards, and building resilience to the looming impacts of climate change all require every person on our planet to have “affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy” — as the UN adopted in Sustainable Development Goal 7. The […]
Jul 20 2020 Perspective For Real Resilience, Go Renewable Puerto Ricans are facing new and ongoing threats to health, safety, and the economy, including those that stem from the spread of Covid-19. The deadly global pandemic has brought widespread economic disruption, all while the medical system continues to recover from recent shocks. Many in Puerto Rico lack homes or safe places due to ongoing […]
May 11 2020 Perspective Keeping the Lights On: For Energy Providers and Frontline Workers, Lessons Learned Utilities worldwide have faced an enormous stress test in recent weeks as they ensure the continued operations of electricity systems, providing the critical power that has ventilators running in hospitals, machines whirring at essential businesses, and family, friends, and colleagues connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring the resilient operations of power infrastructure while protecting the […]
Nov 25 2019 Perspective Inside Tata Power And Rockefeller Foundation’s Plan To Light Up 5 Million Households In India Sixty in one day. That’s how many eye cataract surgeries Dr. Ajeeth Kumar performs in and around Parsa, a poor village two hours from the state capital of Bihar, India. He runs a modern ophthalmology practice with a slit lamp, tonometer and a range of equipment: a scene taken for granted by many whose lives […]
May 15 2019 Perspective How a More Integrated Approach Could Help to End Energy Poverty This piece first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s blog on May 14, 2019, and re-posted here with permission. With almost four years completed since the United Nations adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we face a narrowing window of opportunity to mobilize the disruptive solutions and ambitious partnerships needed to bend the curve […]