Richard R. Verma

Rich Verma is a former Adjunct Senior Fellow at CNAS.

He was previously the General Counsel and Head of Global Public Policy at Mastercard, and before that, served as the U.S. Ambassador to India, where he led one of the largest U.S. diplomatic missions and championed historic progress in bilateral cooperation on defense, trade, and clean energy. Rich is a former Assistant Secretary of State and the National Security Advisor to the Senate Majority Leader. He was also a member of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Commission led by former Senators Graham and Talent and a co-author of their landmark report "World at Risk."

Rich also brings to bear a distinguished career in the private sector. He was a partner at Steptoe & Johnson for many years, and is the former Vice Chairman of The Asia Group, a leading global consulting firm.

Rich is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and the recipient of a number of awards and decorations, including the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and the State Department’s Distinguished Service Award.

Rich serves on a number of boards and commissions, including the National Endowment for Democracy and Lehigh University. He holds multiple degrees, including his doctorate from Georgetown University and his law degree from American University.