Rakesh Kapoor is a global transformation leader, passionately incubating and growing highly profitable businesses leveraging innovation in materials such as metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, and abrasives. These transformations have often been executed in challenging circumstances.

Current responsibilities include serving as an operating partner for Edgewater Capital Partners (a mid-market private equity firm) where he leads the Materials Outovation® practice. He is a board member at the following portfolio companies : (1) ITEN-D (advanced composites firm which fabricates armor for US military and law enforcement), (2) Ameriwater (ultrapure water for dialysis and other applications), (3) Luxium Solutions (single crystals for radiation detection, for signal transmission, and ballistic performance), and (4) NEOGRAF (graphite and graphene solutions for heat transfer, fire resistance, electric vehicles, etc.).

Rakesh has been a board member at Fiber Materials Inc. (advanced composites firm for rocket motors) and served as an advisor to MTPV, a startup transforming industrial waste energy into electricity. He has consulted for the C-suite of one of the largest aluminum companies; and helped a mid-sized, fifth generation family held mining firm to diversify into new end applications.

For two decades, Rakesh worked at Saint-Gobain (a 350 year old - $50B multinational) serving in leadership roles across diverse functions including research and development, manufacturing operations, corporate ventures function with startups, worldwide sales management, and in global general management - turning around an underperforming global engineered ceramics business.

Rakesh’s methodology relies on a customer co-development model for creating highly differentiated solutions, while building and empowering diverse, cross-functional high-performance teams. Rakesh develops a clear vision which he continually communicates as he guides teams to develop actionable plans that ensure meticulous execution. He is continually looking “outside” the organization for novel ideas – a process he calls Materials Outovation®.

Rakesh values professional excellence, authenticity, physical and psychological safety, as well as direct and transparent communication. He is passionate about mentoring individuals.

Rakesh has sustained leadership giving to the local United Way Women’s Initiative. He volunteers at the local Habitat for Humanity and is a volunteer fund raiser for EKAL VIDYALAYA – an organization providing basic education to children in rural India.

Rakesh has a bachelor’s degree in technology from IIT-Bombay as well as a masters and doctoral degrees in materials science from MIT. Professional development courses include finance, innovation management, negotiation, selling skills, and cyber security for Directors.  Rakesh is a governance fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).

Rakesh finds balance with his family – enjoying international travel, hiking and amateur mountaineering. Hobbies including aquariums and DIY projects with his two sons.