Ajit Pai
Ajit Pai is the 34th Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. His distinguished career at the FCC includes two leadership roles following presidential appointments. During his tenure, Pai has championed regulatory modernization, updated rules to match marketplace realities, and aimed to deliver consumer value through market-based solutions instead of preemptive regulation. Pai is currently a Partner at Searchlight Capital Partners, a private investment firm based in New York City.
Ajit Pai Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Partner
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Chairman
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Commissioner
Academic History
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Doctor of Law (JD)
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Bachelor of Arts
EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
- The son of two doctors who came to the United States from India shortly before he was born, Pai grew up in Parsons, Kansas.
- His entire career has been in federal government positions.
- He has spent over 20 years in public service, spanning all branches of the federal government.
- He served in various public-sector positions in the US Department of Justice, the US Senate Judiciary Committee, and the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
- He is a Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, focusing on issues pertaining to technology and innovation, telecommunications regulatory policy, and market-based incentives for investment in broadband deployment.
- He has appeared as a guest on Real Vision.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
- Pai was appointed Commissioner by President Barack Obama in May 2012.
- He was designated Chairman by President Donald Trump in January 2017.
- He was twice confirmed by the United States Senate.
- He served in the FCC Office of General Counsel for nearly four years, first as associate General Counsel, then as deputy General Counsel, and finally as special assistant to the General Counsel.
- He had a transformative impact on the future of US technology and communications policy:
- implemented major initiatives to help close the digital divide;
- advanced US leadership in 5G and other wireless technologies;
- promoted innovation;
- championed policies that aim to promote innovation and investment;
- protected consumers, public safety, and national security; and
- made the agency itself more open, transparent, and data-driven.
AWARDS
- He won the Thomas R. Mulroy Prize for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy.
- In 2010, he was one of 55 individuals chosen for the 2011 Marshall Memorial Fellowship, a leadership development initiative of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.