Mahesh Ramanujam

A charismatic public speaker and skilled negotiator with a solutions-focused and people-centric approach to leadership, Mahesh Ramanujam has a clear vision for the continuing evolution of the green building and sustainability movement - true global market transformation for the built environment can be achieved through building healthier, more sustainable communities where buildings perform at a higher level and human health and wellness is prioritized and enhanced. In his dual roles as president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI), Mahesh leads and empowers hundreds of employees across the globe and thousands of volunteers across USGBC’s ever expanding community to execute its vision of green buildings for everyone. A trusted and proven leader, Mahesh brings a true passion for people, the global business case for a sustainable built environment and an entrepreneurial leadership approach to USGBC and GBCI’s rapidly expanding and diversifying teams, as well as a suite of best-in-class products and offerings. Mahesh has a wide range of expertise including organizational leadership, consensus building and negotiation, global business and market development and optimization, marketing and communications and technological innovation. A graduate from India’s Annamalai University with a degree in Computer Engineering, Mahesh previously served as USGBC’s chief operating officer and before that, chief information officer. Prior to joining USGBC and GBCI in 2009, Mahesh was COO of Emergys Corp., a business technology-consulting firm that leverages emerging technologies to deliver business transformation to its clients. Over a period of 11 years, Mahesh successfully led various business transformation programs at IBM and Lenovo. Mahesh currently sits on the Advisory Council of the International WELL Building Institute, the creators and developers of the WELL Building Standard, and the Board of Directors of GRESB, a private, Netherlands-based industry-driven organization, wholly owned by GBCI, that is the leading sustainability standard for global real estate portfolios and infrastructure assets.