Ashok Rao

Chairman - TiE Global

Ashok Rao is Chairman of TiE Global; a serial entrepreneur who has founded five successful high tech start-ups; and Chairman and CEO of Whodini Inc., a firm that delivers cutting edge software for enterprises using Artificial Intelligence and computer linguistics.

Ashok was one of the first Indian-Americans to take a company public on NASDAQ. In 2007, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Entrepreneurial achievement from his alma mater Marquette University. He was selected as one of the top 100 South Asians in America by the publication Roshni in the book Lights of South Asia. He received the 2008 George H. W. Bush award for Arts Achievement and the 2007 Literacy Advancement Award for his contributions to the advancement of Math and Science in the Houston School District.

His previous stat-ups were Opelin Inc., an online data backup company sold to HP in 2007, Prime Wave Communications, a broadband wireless technology start-up, and Trex Communications, a SatCom business sold to L3 in 2001. From 1996-97, he was the President of Enron North-America. In 1990 Ashok founded Midcom Communications, and as CEO he grew the company into one of the 10 largest long distance carriers with $250 million in annual revenues, culminating in a successful IPO in July 1995.

Ashok has produced four award winning feature films, released in 2008-10. My Faraway Bride, Before the Rains and The Lost Tribe had successful runs in theaters worldwide, now available on DVD.

Ashok serves on the Board of the Jones Business School of Rice University. Ashok earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Delhi, an MS from Marquette University and a Diploma in Financial Management from the London School of Economics.