Ruchi Misra is from Montville, New Jersey. After graduating from Barnard College, Columbia University, in 1997, she became a financial analyst for Salomon Smith Barney’s Equity Capital Markets Group in both the New York and Hong Kong offices. Two years later, she was promoted to Associate at Freeman & Co., a financial services management consulting firm in New York City. There she focused on mergers and acquisitions, strategy for asset management, and investment banking clientele. In 2004, Ruchi earned her MBA from the Michigan Business School as well as an MS in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources. At Michigan, Ruchi focused on corporate social responsibility and making the business case for sustainability.

Jeff Phillips is from Olathe, Kansas. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1997 and served five years on active duty in the Air Force. At the Michigan Business School he concentrated on Corporate Strategy and International Business. After graduating in April 2004, Jeff began working for the management consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton in Cleveland, Ohio. What amazed him most about this experience was being able to create knowledge that will fundamentally alter the way companies view emerging economies. He hopes one day to own and operate a business incubator in a developing country.

Michael Hokenson is currently a second-year CEMP student, earning an MBA and an MS in environmental science from the University of Michigan. He was raised in New Jersey and received his undergraduate degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, majoring in philosophy and mathematics. After traveling extensively in Asia in 1997, he founded MINLAM, Inc., a fair trade manufacturing firm designing handicraft products in Nepal in cooperation with the NGO Rugmark. Michael has worked in various entrepreneurial ventures, including the launch of Kinetix LLC in 2001, a consulting firm based in New York City whose mission it is to assist businesses in the profitable alignment of financial goals with ethical and ecological principles. Michael believes the landscape of development currently taking place in emerging economies is transforming because of the need to balance development with environmental considerations. After graduation, Michael plans to focus on serving the capital and conservation management needs of small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging economies.

Sachin Rao grew up in Mumbai, India, and holds an undergraduate degree in software engineering. He spent seven years executing, managing, and selling offshore software solutions for clients around the world before coming to the Michigan Business School to get his MBA. At Michigan, his focus has been on Corporate Strategy, International Business, and watching his son, Dhruva, grow. Sachin’s most enduring lesson from the experience is that at the BOP, social consciousness enables rather than compromises shareholder return.

Tej Shah has a strong background in health care after spending three years at Deloitte Consulting. In 2004, Tej earned his MBA from the Michigan Business School, where he concentrated on Marketing and Corporate Strategy. Tej became interested in emerging markets after developing grant applications for an HIV/AIDS nonprofit organization in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 2002. Working on this book allowed him to experience firsthand the power of an underserved community. Following graduation in 2004, Tej returned to Deloitte in their Chicago office as a Senior Consultant.

Todd Markson is from Concord, Massachusetts. He graduated from Brown University in 1997 with a BA in political science and economics, having studied abroad for one semester at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. After Brown, Todd entered the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa, as a Small Enterprise Development volunteer, working with native entrepreneurs in starting new ventures and attracting the flow of microfinance to underdeveloped communities. After returning to the United States, he was part of the founding team of two startups in the Bay Area of California, one a contact updating software company and the other an entrepreneurial incubator still in existence. Todd received his MBA with Distinction in April 2004 from the Michigan Business School with concentrations in Corporate Strategy, International Business, and Finance. Todd will be a Senior Associate at DiamondCluster, a strategy consulting firm, out of their London, England, office. The most intriguing aspect of this research is the realization that with business model modifications and innovative application of technology, vast new markets open up. Multinational companies can profitably expand their reach while providing individuals at the bottom of the economic pyramid with products and services that they need and desire.

Kate Reeder is from Providence, Rhode Island. She earned her MBA in April 2004 from the Michigan Business School, where she focused on Marketing and Corporate Strategy. Prior to graduate school, Kate lived in San Francisco, California, and worked on a variety of projects as a creative services consultant for Sapient Corporation, a technology consultancy. She holds a BA in political science from Brown University.

Ajit Sharma’s native state, Bihar, is at the bottom of the pyramid in India, the poorest state in the nation. Paradoxically, it is the richest state in terms of natural resources. It has a glorious past, being the birthplace of two religions (Buddhism and Jainism), the place from where Ashoka ruled over India, the place where the first university (Nalanda) was established, and the place from where Gandhi started his fight for India’s independence. Ajit believes that the BOP paradigm opens up new possibilities for the development of regions, like Bihar, caught in the downward spiral of poverty. For this reason, the concept is very close to his heart and he hopes to use it someday for the development of his state. Ajit earned his B. Tech. in Manufacturing Engineering from National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT), Ranchi; and his masters from NITIE, Mumbai. He completed his MBA from the University of Michigan in 2005. Ajit would like to express his gratitude to his parents, Shri Balram and Smt. Sushma, his brother Amit, and his wife Pratibha for their unconditional love and support.

Praveen Suthrum, from Hyderabad, India, cofounded the XMAP program at the University of Michigan Business School. He obtained his BS in electrical engineering from the Mangalore University. Praveen then worked for six years with Satyam Computer Services, India’s IT outsourcing leader, in various capacities, and more recently as a business manager serving Fortune 100 clients. In 2003, he adapted the eGovernance model, developed as part of the XMAP program, to aid reconstruction efforts in Iraq and presented the model to key dignitaries, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, Dr. Barham Salih. Additionally, Praveen consulted with the U.S. Institute of Peace on the feasibility of eGovernance in Iraq. At the Michigan Business School, he has focused his studies on corporate strategy and emerging markets.

Andrew Wilson received his undergraduate degree in business from Southern Methodist University and spent more than five years with Deloitte Consulting as an Associate Consultant focused on the energy sector. In 2004, Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Michigan Business School, where he concentrated in strategy and general management. What impressed him most about his experience with Casas Bahia was management’s hands-on role in changing the lives of customers. He is excited that the group’s collective work is helping to shape global development.

Mindy Murch graduated from the Corporate Environmental Management Program, a dual masters program between the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources & Environment and Business School in 2004. Prior to graduate school, Mindy worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers Management Consulting Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in Washington, DC. Mindy holds a BA in Russian Language and Literature from Bowdoin College.

Kuttayan Annamalai is from Tamil Nadu, India. He earned his bachelors degree in engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India, in 1995. In 2004, Kuttayan earned his MBA from the University of Michigan Business School, with emphases in strategy and finance. Prior to his MBA, Kuttayan was a consultant at a technology services company, where he led initiatives to solve strategic technology issues for Fortune 500 clients. The bottom of the pyramid project was an eye-opener for him, as he explored innovative business models that not only catalyzed rural transformation but also redefined corporate social responsibility.

Sami Foguel is from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. He received his undergraduate degree in engineering from Universidade Estadual de Campinas in 1998 and worked for McKinsey and Company as a consultant mainly focused on financial institutions. In 2004, Sami earned his MBA from the University of Michigan Business School, where he concentrated in General Management and Finance. After graduation, Sami will return to McKinsey and Company in their São Paulo office. What impressed him most about his experience with Casas Bahia was management’s ability to understand and fulfill the untapped financing needs of the poor population in Brazil.

Anuja Rajendra grew up in Patiala, India, and Okemos, Michigan, a paradoxical combination that invoked her passion for global economic development. After earning a BS in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, Anuja worked in business development for American Power Conversion Corporation, where she was promoted three times in 18 months, becoming the Regional Sales Support Manager for the Northern United States. In 1997, the tragic death of her sister, Rachana, in an automobile accident motivated Anuja to start Moon-baked Creations Contemporary Art Lounge and Café in Okemos, Michigan. She later became the Director of Strategic Partnerships for a technology startup and then the Director of Development for a $1.5-million nonprofit organization. As a 2004 MBA candidate at the University of Michigan Business School, Anuja is focused on global social entrepreneurship and hopes to start a business that will serve the bottom of the pyramid.

Scott Baron graduated in May 2004 from the University of Michigan and will earn his MS from the School of Natural Resources & Environment and his MBA from the Michigan Business School. Scott’s focus is on renewable energy, particularly wind and hybrid power systems. Working with C. K. Prahalad for the past year, he was inspired to start his own business implementing renewable energy projects in bottom-of-the-pyramid markets. This venture won numerous distinctions at business plan competitions around the country, including Best Social Return on Investment at the Global Social Venture Competition. Prior to coming to Michigan, Scott worked in the field of climate change, where he helped start the Chicago Climate Exchange, a voluntary market for the trading of greenhouse gases. Scott is from Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in economics and environmental policy.

George Weinmann grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in aerospace engineering before working for the Boeing Company for five years, where he helped organize Boeing Ventures and led several new businesses in energy and telecommunications. At the Michigan Business School, George concentrated on entrepreneurship, strategy, and international business and was a student member of the Wolverine Venture Fund. After graduation in 2004, George is pursuing a career in international business. For George this project impressed on him the power of entrepreneurship and investment to solve critical societal needs.

Scott Macke is from Marshalltown, Iowa, and graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1996 with a degree in accounting. He worked in auditing and tax for an Indianapolis-based accounting firm for three years and then worked for two years conducting privately held business valuations for a regional CPA firm in Denver, Colorado. Scott is concentrating on Finance and Corporate Strategy at the Michigan Business School and will work for Robert W. Baird in equity research after graduation.

Ajay Sharma is from Jaipur, India. After receiving a BTech in electrical engineering from the Institute of Technology in Varanasi, Ajay joined Infosys Technologies (India), where he provided IT solutions to Fortune 500 clients. He later worked in the Management Consulting Services group of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (USA) as Principal Consultant. In 2004, he earned his MBA from the Michigan Business School, where he focused on Corporate Strategy and International Business. From the bottom of the pyramid project, Ajay developed amazing insight into how developed economies can learn from innovations created in resource-constrained emerging economies.

Sharmilee Mohan, a Class of 2003 MBA graduate, participated in the CEMEX project focusing on understanding Mexican society and CEMEX’s (and competitors) strategy to provide housing for the poor profitably. She traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico, with no Spanish-speaking skills or a Spanish–English translator. She considered her one-week trip to Guadalajara an adventure and a huge success from an academic and cultural standpoint. She learned a lot about Mexican society, especially the poor, firsthand. As an Indian citizen, she is no stranger to a wide range of issues surrounding emerging economies today such as poverty, gross domestic product growth, abundance of educated and/or semiskilled labor, corruption, globalization, exploding consumerism, outsourcing, and so on. Nevertheless, her experience in Guadalajara was an eye-opener when she approached the same issues and challenges that shroud emerging economies from a business perspective. Currently, she works for a management consulting firm in New York focusing on strategy and operations.

William LaJoie is from Denver, Colorado, and his primary interests are the underlying factors that drive exponential growth. After obtaining his BA in English literature from the University of Notre Dame, he spent two years volunteering at the Working Boys’ Center, a school for the working poor, in Quito, Ecuador, teaching in the elementary school, high school, and adult literacy program. After returning to the United States, William worked as a Program Manager for LinkShare Corporation, a provider of Internet-based affiliate solutions, where his clients included Dell and Ford. In 2004, William earned his MBA from the University of Michigan Business School, where he combined his interest in Marketing, Technology, and Emerging Economies. He is pursuing a career in market research and is looking forward to living happily ever after with his fiancée, Dana.

Cynthia Casas, who cofounded the XMAP program with Praveen Suthrum, is a first-generation American of Mexican descent from El Paso, Texas. After obtaining her BS in International Business from American University in 1994, she worked for GE Capital in London and then IBM in Singapore. In 1996, Cynthia embarked on a new career path, first at an environmental nonprofit organization in the United States and then at the World Bank, where she worked in the Corporate Strategy Group and External Affairs departments. In 2004, Cynthia earned her MBA from the University of Michigan Business School, where she brought together her backgrounds in business and economic development to bear on defining the role of the business sector in poverty alleviation. Through her work with C. K. Prahalad, she has had the chance to study profitable companies that seek to improve the economic viability of the regions and communities in which they operate. Copresident of the Emerging Markets Club and member of Net Impact while at Michigan, she is passionate about discovering and initiating business practices in developing countries that are both socially and environmentally sustainable.