Speaker Bio

Ron Somers
Founder and CEO
India First Group
Washington, D.C.

Ron Somers is Founder and CEO of India First Group, LLC, a strategic consulting firm dedicated to helping U.S. companies succeed in investing in India and assisting Indian companies navigate the complex regulatory environment in the United States. Ron Somers’ track record of attracting and serving clients is proven by his having grown the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) into the largest bilateral trade association in the United States – with more than 265 companies in its membership.

Ron recently completed 10 years’ service as President of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), based in Washington, D.C., where he has grown this 39-year old premier business advocacy organization to cutting-edge stature, whose aim is to deepen two-way trade and strengthen U.S.-India commercial ties. The landmark U.S.-India civil nuclear initiative was cinched under Ron’s leadership. Presidents and Prime Ministers, indeed, all political and business leaders from both countries, look to USIBC for policy direction and for a platform to deepen commerce between the world’s largest two democracies.

Ron brings to the table 30+ years’ experience developing major infrastructure projects in the United States and Asia – starting in the oil and gas industry on the drilling rigs of West Texas, transitioning to hydroelectric and power development, and then onwards to senior management for international companies of upstream, midstream and downstream energy He serves on the Advisory Board of the Taj Hotels, a Tata Group Company, as well as on the International Leadership Council of the Monterey Institute of International Studies – a Graduate School of Middlebury College.