Ravi Bhatnagar is a seasoned global public affairs, partnerships, and health advocacy leader who serves as Director – External Affairs and Partnerships at Reckitt Benckiser, with responsibility for key markets across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. In this role, he shapes Reckitt’s purpose-led engagement with governments, multilateral institutions, civil society, and communities to drive sustainable improvements in health, hygiene, nutrition, and sanitation outcomes.

With a deep passion for public health and societal impact, Ravi has been instrumental in advancing flagship initiatives such as Dettol Banega Swasth India, which promotes hygiene awareness and behavioral change at scale across rural and urban communities, aligning corporate programs with national priorities like the Swachh Bharat Mission. His work encompasses strategic advocacy, policy influencing, and community-centric partnerships that bridge private sector innovation with public health needs.

Under his leadership, Reckitt’s outreach programs have included the establishment of World Toilet Colleges to advance sanitation training and livelihood opportunities and sustained collaborations with national and state governments to embed health-promoting practices in aspirational districts. These efforts have been recognized with honors such as a President of India award for exemplary contributions to sanitation and public health and the World Trade Organization Hall of Fame award for leadership in health and women’s empowerment.

Prior to joining Reckitt, Ravi held impactful roles with premier global development organizations, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Population Services International, where he led programs focusing on essential medicines access, disease prevention, and health systems strengthening. He began his career with the World Bank’s Technical Support Unit, driving health investment initiatives across South Asia.

A qualified professional with academic grounding in health administration from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and enriched by executive exposure from institutions including Harvard, he also contributes to sectoral leadership as co-chair of ASSOCHAM’s CSR Council and a member of advisory bodies like the FICCI-India Sanitation Coalition.

Across his career, Ravi’s work embodies purposeful leadership that leverages collaborative partnerships to translate corporate strength into public good, advancing access, equity, and well-being in communities across the region.