Ritu Kalra, an Indian-American investment banking and financial management expert, has been named Vice President (VP) for finance and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Harvard University.

* She currently serves as assistant vice president of finance and treasury and special projects adviser in the university.

* The university in The Harvard Gazette said Kalra will oversee all aspects of financial management, including long-range planning, annual budgeting, endowment fund spending policy, treasury, and financial accounting and reporting.

* Her portfolio will also include research administration, strategic procurement, capital planning, and risk management.

* Overall, she will lead multiple financial departments with a full-time workforce of more than 200 people, the university release said.

* Before joining the University, Kalra spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs, where she held several progressive roles culminating in managing director and served as head of public sector and infrastructure finance for the western region, and as head of higher education finance nationally.

* In her infrastructure financing practice, she provided strategic advisory services to public and private sector entities throughout the US, including designing innovative financing strategies to manage climate-related risks, the university release said.

* Her new role begins in July and she will report to executive vice president Weenick, with a dotted line to president Claudine Gay..

Source : Mint