Our Team

Ocean Exchange Team

Raman Venkatesh

Chief Operating Officer of SAE International (SAEI)

Raman Venkatesh is a strategic advisor to various organizations and VC/PE funds, and to CEOs and boards of directors.

Recently, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of SAE International (SAEI), the world’s leader in engineering standards serving the global mobility industries. He was responsible for strategy and global operations of SAEI as well as providing leadership to SAEI’s international staff of 350 professionals dedicated to advancing global mobility and design engineering. In addition, he oversaw major business development and strategic alliances, including M&A and joint ventures. He was earlier the CEO of a strategic business unit in Eureka Forbes Limited, a consumer products company with operations across Asia and Europe. Previously, he was the Director of New Business Development for the American Chemical Society, a $600 million+ organization based in Washington DC serving a broad scientific enterprise. He served on the boards of four companies, including as chairman of a technology joint venture in India.

His career spans business management and technology leadership roles in various industries and geographies. Dr. Venkatesh is the recipient of the prestigious American Hero award for an innovative technology implemented across the USA. He earned a B.E. (Hons.) in chemical engineering from BITS, Pilani (India) followed by M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from University of Pittsburgh (USA), where he won the Outstanding Graduate Student award. He also earned an Executive MBA degree from the Katz School of Business at University of Pittsburgh, where he was honored with Dean’s special recognition for his achievements. He has advanced management diplomas on M&A and Strategic Alliances from Harvard Business School and the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania). Dr. Venkatesh has been named in over 10 patents and has authored more than 30 articles and citations in peer-reviewed journals, international conferences and reputed magazines. He is listed in the ‘Who’s Who in Science & Engineering’ and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Sigma Xi international honor societies. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Pittsburgh and has given several invited lectures and presentations around the world.

Contact Us

Ocean Exchange invites you to learn more about Awards Program, our ecosystem and success of our award winners and participants. Together, we can chart a powerful course to help ensure the future of our oceans and the Blue Economy.

Testimonials

The Guy Harvey Foundation has been a proud partner with Ocean Exchange for the past few years as it provides a wonderful platform for innovations to be shared, meaningful networking to take place and overall supports the growth of the ocean economy and conservation efforts. We’ve been fortunate to provide awards for both collegiate and high school categories, participated on the judging panel and are inspired by the problem solving solutions presented by each candidate. If you want a good dose of inspiration, definitely look to supporting, attending or participating in the events!

 
Jessica Harvey
Chief Executive Officer, Guy Harvey Foundation

Participating in Ocean Exchange as an AUV subject matter expert was a meaningful way to share Anduril’s perspective on operational autonomy and AUV deployment. The event brought together diverse stakeholders focused on advancing practical, impact-driven maritime technologies, and provided a valuable platform for meaningful and inspiring discussions that delved into the complexities and opportunities spanning the full spectrum of ocean innovation.

 
Jessie Gray
Engineering Project Manager, Anduril

Being a voting delegate at Ocean Exchange reminded me why I do this work—watching students and industry leaders alike push the boundaries of what’s possible for ocean health and the blue economy. Deep thanks to Moffatt & Nichol for supporting our time and commitment.

 
Lynette Cardoch
Vice President Director, Resilience and Adaptation, Moffatt & Nichol

At Carollo Engineers, water is all we do—so we’re passionate about protecting our oceans. Attending the Ocean Exchange connected us with innovators advancing the blue economy, including those driving reuse and improving wastewater treatment and water quality. Events like this highlight how essential cross-sector collaboration is to solving global water challenges and creating a more sustainable future.

 
Dave Sobeck
Executive Vice President, Carollo Engineers

Ocean Exchange consistently brings together some of the most promising innovators in sustainability, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to support their work through the Solutions Review Team. Each year after attending the annual conference, I leave energized by the quality of ideas presented, the mission‑driven entrepreneurs involved, and the collaborative environment that drives meaningful progress for our oceans and The Blue Economy.

 
Rick Claar
Partner/President, The Martec Group