General Counsel & Global Head of Public Policy, Mastercard
Richard Verma joined Mastercard in 2020. He previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to India, overseeing an unprecedented nine meetings between President Obama and Prime Minister Modi that led to over 100 new initiatives and more than 40 government-to-government dialogues. Richard is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has been named one of the 50 most influential Indian Americans.
As part of LCLD's Leaders at the Front initiative, Richard created a Leader's Pledge detailing his personal and organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read Richard's pledge here.
Mastercard promotes diversity and inclusion through business resource groups, supplier diversity programs, and commitments in the community. In 2021, Mastercard was No. 5 on DiversityInc's list of the top 50 companies for diversity, in part for the high percentage of Asians and Latinos in senior leadership roles, the diversity of its Board of Directors, and its strong commitment to mentorship and sponsorship.
Asked about the importance of inclusion to Mastercard, Richard says, "Our inclusive culture and diverse workforce continually drive success for Mastercard. We place a premium on making sure that our workplace is a fair and open environment where all employees feel equally empowered to contribute."
Mastercard was named an LCLD Top Performer in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022.
Joined LCLD 2017
Highlights of LCLD Participation
Fellows Program
Fellows nominated:
2023: Neil Desai, Tina Woo; 2022: Aman Arora, Malik Dhanani; 2021: Andrea Sung, Tiffanie Baker, Keun Dong Kim, Abhinav Bhatt; 2020: Trecia Pessoa, Lisa Cantos; 2019: Alison Hinds-Pearl, Tanya Southerland; 2017: Sandy Bequette, Natasha Fapohunda
Pathfinder Program
Pathfinders selected:
2023: Nikeisha Gentles, Juan Jasso; 2022: Bernadette Walli, Sarah Thompson; 2020: Campbell Agyapong; 2019: Dan Bae; 2017: Anushree Bagrodia
1L LCLD Scholars Program
Scholars hosted:
2022: Kennedi Harmon, Domenica Cevallos, Ashlee Davis, Gabrielle Hilton
Success in Law School Mentoring Program
Mentors provided: 2021, 2020
Attendance
Annual Meeting (2018, 2017)
Leadership Summit (2021)
Member: Richard Verma
Diversity Professionals: Regina Ng, Vicki Walcott-Edim
Communications: Regina Ng
