Preetam (Pree) Rao co-leads Egon Zehnder’s Global Marketing and Sales practice with a focus on helping CEOs and their teams drive topline transformation. His areas of expertise include executive search (CMO, CGO, CCO, CEO), board search, leadership assessment and development. A trusted advisor to senior leaders, Pree is a core member of the Consumer Practice and has played a key role in driving widespread cross-sector adoption of Egon Zehnder’s Accelerated Integration program in the U.S.
At Egon Zehnder, I get to live my purpose every day-by opening doors for exceptional leaders, identifying game changing talent for companies, and helping bring these incredible people and organizations together with the right support to impact culture and society.
Prior to joining the firm, Pree led businesses ranging from pre-revenue to $600MM+ across North America, Europe, and Africa with Unilever, Danone, and Novantas. Most recently, Pree was Senior Director of Oikos and Performance Nutrition for Danone North America. Before that, he spent four years with Danone Africa, where he led the turnaround of the company’s premium infant nutrition business, and two years with Danone Waters France. Pree originally joined Danone in the US to rebuild the Evian brand, having previously worked for Unilever in the U.S. and with the boutique management consultancy Novantas across the Americas and Europe.
Pree holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.S. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He lives in New York City with his wife, 2 young children and their dog.
