Chief Executive Officer
CurrentAs CEO of Opportunity International, Atul is responsible for engaging American donors, funders, corporations, foundations, and the public with Opportunity International’s work around the world. Through partnerships and customized programs, Opportunity empowers people living in extreme poverty to build sustainable livelihoods, transform their lives, and strengthen their families and communities. Together, we are working toward one big goal: ending extreme poverty in our lifetimes. Opportunity International is a global non-profit organization that helps people in the developing world work their way out of poverty. Founded in 1971, the organization has provided more than $9 billion in loans to help clients launch and expand businesses, provide for their children and create jobs in their communities. At the end of 2016, nearly 10 million clients in 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, were using an Opportunity International loan, savings account, or training to improve their lives. Opportunity is committed to the global development community’s collective goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. Through customized partnerships and programs focused on education, agriculture, health, and business development, Opportunity is working to empower entrepreneurs, build sustainable livelihoods, and end generational poverty. Nearly 90 percent of Opportunity’s loan clients are women who would otherwise likely not have access to financial services because of legal and cultural gender inequities in many developing countries. Opportunity’s US office is in Chicago, with other key global offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The organization serves clients through a network of more than 20,000 people worldwide. Discover more at opportunity.org.