Rapporteur
Parallel Session 2.1: By Taking Advantage of the Digital Age
Balasubramanian (Balu) Iyer, is ICA’s Asia-Pacific’s Regional Director based in New Delhi, India. ICA, a member-based organization, advances the cooperative social enterprise model and provides a global voice and forum for cooperatives. The ICA Asia-Pacific’s 110 members from 32 countries are national apex organizations, sector federations and government departments. Balu has worked with the Asia Foundation, the International Development Exchange, ActionAid India, and the Aga Khan Rural Support Program; and served as Adjunct Faculty at Southern New Hampshire University. Balu brings strong management and operational credentials in strategic planning, budgeting, performance assessment, compliance, and audit to the job. His project experience across Asia extends in the areas of cooperatives, business associations, water, food-security, women’s empowerment, and economic development. He has a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, in Berkeley; Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management from Institute of Rural Management, Anand, India; and a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Durgapur, India. Balu serves as Administrator for the ICA Domus Trust and is on the Steering Committee for the World Cooperative Monitor.