Meet the Founder and CEO of RK Ventures – Ratna Rao
Ratna is a dynamic strategy, planning, and operations leader with over 18 years of experience shaping the future of the global retail industry. Renowned for her ability to navigate complexity with clarity, she has successfully driven strategies, streamlined operations, and executed high-impact launches for luxury brands across both established markets—including the U.S., Europe, and Australia—and fast-growing regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
With deep expertise in the Beauty, Fragrance, Skincare, and Haircare sectors, Ratna has overseen forecasts for 1,000+ product lines, contributing to portfolios valued at more than $100M in gross revenue. Her unique blend of analytical rigor and creative problem-solving allows her to connect global market insights with operational excellence, bringing innovative products from concept to consumer with precision and scale.
Ratna earned her MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her career continues to be defined by her passion for traveling the world, building strategies that bridge business performance and consumer connection across diverse markets worldwide
Note from the Founder
Hi Everyone! I’m so excited to embark on this journey with you. Coming off years of working in a variety of small, mid-size and large companies, I founded RK Ventures as a place for me to make the biggest impact. I wanted to create a place that would combine my passion for mixing cultures through collaboration, listening and learning, and taking calculated risks. I’m here to support the many small businesses out there that need knowledge and expertise from folks in the industry.
In other words, I wanted to create an environment where I thrived all the time, not just some of the time.
As they say, “the truly disruptive strategy is being yourself!”
Ratna