Revathi Advaithi

Advaithi graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in 1990, and earned an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2005.

Advaithi began her career as a shop floor supervisor at Eaton in Shawnee, Oklahoma.{{Cite news|last=Tellis|first=Shannon|date=2019-09-25|title=Revathi Advaithi, only Indian-origin CEO on Most Powerful Women in Biz list, is a BITS Pilani alum, advocates STEM education for girls|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/revathi-advaithi-the-only-indian-origin-ceo-on-most-powerful-women-in-biz-list-is-a-bits-pilani-alum-advocates-stem-education-for-girls/articleshow/71291129.cms|access-date=2020-06-23}} She joined Honeywell in 2002, where she spent six years in functions spanning manufacturing and supply chain. In 2008, Advaithi returned to Eaton and helped run various groups within the electrical business unit for 10 years before becoming Eaton's COO.

In February 2019, Advaithi joined Flex as CEO with a focus on driving the next era of technology, manufacturing and supply chain.{{cite news |last1=Gale |first1=Michael |title=A Lesson For The Vaccine Industry From The Future of Flexible Manufacturing |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgale/2021/02/08/a-lesson-for-the-vaccine-industry-from-the-future-of-flexible-manufacturing/?sh=1fff9cb44466 |issue=February 8, 2021 |work=Forbes}}

File:Revathi Advaithi at Buffalo Grove, Illinois.jpg

Under Advaithi, Flex has shifted its focus to end-to-end customer value chain ownership, augmenting its core contract manufacturing business.{{cite news |last1=Moorhead |first1=Patrick |title=Meet Flex: One Of The Most Crucial Companies You May Not Be Familiar With |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/moorinsights/2020/06/22/meet-flex-one-of-the-most-crucial-companies-you-may-not-be-familiar-with/?sh=3cf0cb077ff9 |issue=June 22, 2020 |work=Forbes}}

Revathi has shared that her business philosophy heavily focuses on sustainability, culture,{{cite web |last1=Swan |first1=Daniel |title=CEO dialogue: Perspectives on productivity and sustainability |url=https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/ceo-dialogue-perspectives-on-productivity-and-sustainability |website=McKinsey & Company}} and diversity and inclusion.{{cite web |last1=Reiss |first1=Robert |title=Flex, Revathi Advaithi, CEO |url=https://institute.theceoforumgroup.com/preview-flex-revathi-advaithi-ceo |website=The CEO Forum}} She frequently provides industry guidance for the manufacturing and supply chain sectors.{{cite news |title=Transcript: The Path Forward: Manufacturing with Revathi Advaithi |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2021/12/16/transcript-path-forward-manufacturing-with-revathi-advaithi/ |newspaper=Washington Post}}

United States President Joe Biden appointed Advaithi to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations (2023){{cite web |title=President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/10/strongpresident-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-strong/ |website=White House |date=March 10, 2023 |access-date=21 September 2023}} and the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (2022).{{cite web |title=Advisory Committee On Supply Chain Competitiveness |url=https://www.trade.gov/acscc-member-biographies#:~:text=Revathi%20Advaithi%20is%20Chief%20Executive,products%20to%20improve%20the%20world. |publisher=International Trade Administration |access-date=21 September 2023}} In June 2023, Advaithi participated in the “Innovation Handshake” at the White House with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Biden.{{cite news |last1=Vuukle |title=PM Modi at White House on third successive day for "Hi-tech handshake" with top CEOs |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/pm-modi-at-white-house-on-third-successive-day-for-hi-tech-handshake-with-top-ceos-519674 |access-date=21 September 2023}} The following month, Advaithi hosted President Biden at a Flex factory in South Carolina, highlighting Flex’s partnership with Enphase Energy.{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Elizabeth |title=Biden to Announce $60 Million Enphase Energy Investment |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/biden-announce-60-million-enphase-000000302.html |access-date=21 September 2023}}

File:Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi at Tczew, Poland.jpg

Advaithi is also heavily focused on driving sustainable manufacturing practices at Flex. During her tenure, Flex made CDPs 'A list' for tackling water security{{cite web |title=The A List 2020 |url=https://www.cdp.net/en/companies/companies-scores |website=CDP}} and has pledged to cut company carbon emissions in half by 2030.{{cite news |last1=Patel |first1=Nilay |title=FLEX MANUFACTURES EVERYTHING FROM HAIR DRYERS TO THE MAC PRO — WHAT'S NEXT? |url=https://www.theverge.com/22451309/flex-revathi-advaithi-interview-decoder-manufacturing-covid-19 |access-date=May 25, 2021 |publisher=The Verge}} In July 2022, under Advaithi's leadership, Flex announced a commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.{{cite web |title=Flex releases 2022 sustainability report |url=https://www.constructionweekonline.in/business/flex-releases-2022-sustainability-report |website=Construction Week |date=July 17, 2022 }}

Advaithi served on the board of BAE Systems between January 2019 - July 2020.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-03|title=Top 5 Indian origin tech executives in the world|url=https://businessreader.in/top-5-indian-origin-tech-executives-in-the-world/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Business Reader|language=en-US}} In July 2020, she stepped down from this role and joined Uber as a board member.{{Cite web|title=Uber adds another director to its board: Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/02/uber-adds-another-independent-director-to-its-board-flex-ceo-revathi-advaithi/|access-date=2020-09-24|website=TechCrunch|date=2 July 2020 |language=en-US}} She is also a member of the Business Roundtable,{{cite web |title=Business Roundtable |url=https://www.businessroundtable.org/revathi-advaithi-chief-executive-officer-flex}} and Catalyst CEO Champions For Change initiative.{{cite web |title=Catalyst CEO Champions For Change |url=https://www.catalyst.org/champions/ceo-champions/}}

Revathi was selected to the inaugural CNBC Changemakers: Women Transforming Business list in 2024.{{cite news |title=These are the 2024 CNBC Changemakers: See the full list of women transforming business |url=https://www.cnbc.com/cnbc-changemakers/ |date=Feb 28, 2024}}

In 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, Advaithi was named to Fortune's Most Powerful Women list, one of the few Indian-born CEOs recognized.

In April 2022, the Wall Street Journal profiled Advaithi in “The Modeling of a Manufacturing CEO” article.{{cite news |title=The Molding of a Manufacturing CEO |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-molding-of-a-manufacturing-ceo-11650081657 |publisher=WSJ |date=April 16, 2022}}

In 2021, Advaithi became a member of World Economic Forum's Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a coalition of business leaders across key sectors committed to driving positive climate action and sustainable economic growth.{{cite web |title=CEO Climate Alliance to world leaders: We support you in taking decisive climate steps at COP26 |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/10/cop26-ceo-climate-alliance-message-to-world-leaders/ |website=World Economic Forum|date=October 27, 2021 }}

The Economic Times named Advaithi “Global Indian of the Year” in the 2023 ETPrime Awards.

Advaithi is also a frequent public speaker. She has spoken at the Fortune's Global Forum{{cite web |title=FORTUNE Global Forum VIRTUAL |url=https://fortune.com/conferences/fortune-global-forum-virtual-2021/agenda/ |website=Fortune}} and Most Powerful Women conferences, the Collision Conference,{{cite web |title=When robots become co-workers |url=https://collisionconf.com/schedule/cc21/timeslot/when-robots-become-co-workers |website=Collision}} Ethisphere's Global Ethics Summit,{{cite web |title=Revathi Advaithi |url=https://globalethicssummit.ethisphere.com/revathi-advaithi/ |website=Global Ethics Summit|date=17 February 2021 }} the WSJ CEO Council Summit,{{cite web |title=Leading in Uncertain Times |url=https://ceocouncil.wsj.com/video/ceo-council-summit-5/5/ |website=WSJ |access-date=1 October 2024}} Harvard Business School panels,{{cite web |title=Leading Through a Crisis |url=https://www.hbs.edu/covid-19-business-impact/Insights/Leading-Through-a-Crisis |website=Harvard Business School |access-date=2021-02-26 |archive-date=2021-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905034451/https://www.hbs.edu/covid-19-business-impact/insights/leading-through-a-crisis }} Women Executive 50 Summit and Catalyst conferences{{cite web |title=2021 Catalyst Awards |url=https://www.catalyst.org/2021-catalyst-awards/2021-catalyst-awards-agenda/ |website=Catalyst}} and Carnegie Mellon University events.{{cite web |title=W.L. Mellon Speaker: Revathi Advaithi |url=https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/recruiting-and-partnerships/partner-with-the-tepper-school/wl-mellon-speaker-series/revathi-advaithi.html |publisher=Carnegie Mellon University}}

Under Advaithi, Flex was named one of the World's Most Admired {{cite web |title=World's Most Admired Companies |url=https://fortune.com/worlds-most-admired-companies/2021/ |website=Fortune}} and Most Ethical Companies,{{cite web |title=Ethisphere Recognizes Flex as One of the World's Most Ethical Companies |url=https://iconnect007.com/index.php/article/135620/ethisphere-recognizes-flex-as-one-of-the-worlds-most-ethical-companies/135623?skin=SMT |website=SMT007| date=November 18, 2019 }} and recognized on the Global 500 by Fortune.{{cite web |last1=Hinchliffe |first1=Emma |date=August 2, 2021 |title=The number of women running Global 500 businesses soars to an all-time high |url=https://fortune.com/2021/08/02/female-ceos-global-500-fortune-500-cvs-karen-lynch-ping-an-jessica-tan/ |website=Fortune}}

Advaithi was born in India in 1967 to A.N.N Swamy, a chemical engineer and Visalam Swamy, a homemaker. Advaithi has four sisters. Her family lived in Bihar, Gujarat, Assam before finally settling in Chennai, India. Advaithi is of Tamil descent.

Advaithi met her husband Jeevan Mulgund in Hutchinson, KS and they married in 1998. Mulgund and Advaithi have since lived in England, Shanghai, Phoenix, AZ, Pittsburgh, PA, and they are currently residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. They have two children.{{Cite web |last=Gannon |first=Joyce |date=May 31, 2012 |title=Eaton electrical unit chief 'giving space' |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/business/businessnews/2012/05/31/Eaton-electrical-unit-chief-giving-space/stories/201205310346 |access-date=2020-06-23 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}

Advaithi is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workforce, as well as STEM education for girls{{Cite web|date=2020-03-11|title=EMSNOW Executive Interview: Revathi Advaithi, CEO, Flex · EMSNow|url=https://emsnow.com/emsnow-executive-interview-revathi-advaithi-flex/|access-date=2020-06-23|website=EMSNow|language=en-US}} and computer science education.{{cite web |title=Computer Science: Opportunity for Every Student |url=https://www.ceosforcs.com/ |website=www.ceosforcs.com/}} In past interviews, Advaithi often says that she is inspired by her mother, who singlehandedly raised five daughters after her husband’s death and ensured that they received good educations.{{cite AV media|format=Video |url=https://www.mcaad.org/explore/view/revathi-advaithi|title=Revathi Advaithi: Risk, Persistence, and the American Dream |website=Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream |access-date=March 7, 2022}}

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Category:Living people

Category:American people of Tamil descent

Category:American people of Indian descent

Category:Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani alumni

Category:Thunderbird School of Global Management alumni

Category:American women chief executives

Category:1967 births

Category:21st-century American businesswomen

Category:21st-century American businesspeople

Category:Indian emigrants to the United States

Category:21st-century Indian people

Category:Directors of Uber

Category:Tamil people