Baiju R. Shah is the President & CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership, the region’s leading economic development organization and with over 12,000 members, the largest metropolitan chamber of commerce in the nation. Guided by a board of corporate and entrepreneurial CEOs, the organization focuses on accelerating growth and inclusive prosperity through strategic initiatives, business services, real estate, and advocacy.

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Prior to GCP, Shah served as the Senior Fellow for Innovation at The Cleveland Foundation, the world’s first community foundation with assets of $2.8 billion. His work centered on catalyzing growth initiatives for the region including leading the Cleveland Innovation Project. Shah remains a member of the Impact Investing Board Committee which directs a $150 million portfolio allocation of the foundation.

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Previously, Shah was the CEO of BioMotiv and co-leader of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development, a national drug development initiative. During his tenure, the company established strategic partnerships with Takeda, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. Prior to that, he was CEO and co-founder of BioEnterprise, an accelerator and industry growth initiative formed with Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals of Cleveland.

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Shah is a Director of Invacare (NYSE: IVC) and Athersys (NASDAQ: ATHX) and is also a Senior Advisor to FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute. He also serves as a Trustee of Destination Cleveland and Global Cleveland. Shah began his business career as a consultant with McKinsey & Company.

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Shah has been named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and recognized as one of Cleveland’s most influential leaders. He received a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from Yale University.