Vikram implements systems change to improve lives of families with low-income.
Despite decades of investment and countless initiatives, some of society’s most pressing problems, like educational outcomes, economic inequality, equitable access to jobs and climate change, remain stubbornly resistant to progress. Implementing systems change has the promise of more equitable and lasting impact by addressing the underlying conditions that perpetuate these problems rather than by addressing just their symptoms. He leverages his 25+ years of experience across business consulting, and global development to come up with new ideas to explore, design, fundraise and scale.
Over the last 14 years, he has implemented systems change programs in three sectors and contributed to improving low-income families’ access to 1) housing and housing finance, 2) activity-based learning and 3) jobs for women. These multi-year programs have influenced three industries to incorporate products, services and practices that benefit families with low-income. These programs have contributed to:
- By 2013, low-income housing scaling to >30,500 houses in 23 cities (Monitor Deloitte, 2013)
- By Mar 2024, mortgages scaling to >720,000 with loan size of USD ~18,000 (Mint, Jul. 2024)
- By 2024, activity-based learning solutions scaling to > 1100 affordable private schools leading to 33% improved learning outcomes for >170,000 children (fsg.org/PIPE)
- Between 2020 and 2024, scaling gender equitable practices in logistics and flexi-staffing industry leading to women’s workforce participation doubling from 121k to 274k (fsg.org/GLOW)
Through this work he has built skills in:
- Influencing the private sector in adopting new practices
- Identifying critical barriers and stakeholders to drive change
- Aligning stakeholders to a common objective
- Developing strategies to shift key mindsets
- Designing evaluation approaches to track outcomes, and behaviour change
Vikram has also authored numerous reports and newspaper articles. In addition to the FSG publications listed below, he is also a contributor to Report on Budget Private Schools in India 2017 and A case study of a systems approach for scaling quality early education solutions. He has also co-authored State of the Low-Income Housing Market in India: Encouraging Progress & Opportunity to Realize Dreams of Millions. His blog posts and articles include India’s children deserve a solid foundation, Transforming Learning Outcomes for India’s Working Poor, ECD Implementation Insights: Demand and Affordable Preschool in India, Wheeler Institute Alumni Impact Interview, Do recruiters want to hire women?, What does the working age Indian woman want and why, and Incentivizing gender diversity: Getting employers on board with change.
Before FSG
Prior to joining FSG, Vikram worked with Monitor Inclusive Markets (MIM) as lead of the low-income housing practice. Prior to MIM, he held managerial positions at McKinsey & Company, Deloitte Consulting, and US Interactive across the U.S.A., U.K., and India, where he advised clients on strategy, operations, and technology.
Education
- Master in Business Administration (Dean’s List), London Business School, 2007
- Bachelor of Engineering (Distinction) in Computer Science, University of Pune, 1995
Languages
- Hindi (native)
- English (fluent)
- Punjabi (conversational)
- Marathi (conversational)
