Keith Krach. Transformational Leader
Keith Krach is an American businessman, Silicon Valley innovator, philanthropist and public servant. ; bringing transformational leadership to multiple sectors, including:
• Robotics
• Engineering
• e-Commerce
• Education
• Philanthropy
• Economic statecraft
• Even the way people sign
Chairman and Co-Founder, Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy
Keith Krach currently serves as the Chairman of Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University, and Co-Chairman of the nonpartisan Global Tech Security Commission. He most recently served as Under Secretary of State leading America’s economic diplomacy and having the rare distinction of being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
As the nation’s top economic diplomat, Krach led the development of the bipartisan Global Economic Security Strategy; built the Clean Network Alliance of Democracies–defeated CCP’s 5G masterplan; spearheaded the TSMC onshoring in which resulted in $350B investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing; primary architect for the bipartisan $280B CHIPS and Science Act; drove divestment in CCP companies to protect investors from unknowingly funding CCP military; championed the human rights by mobilizing action against CCP’s genocide in Xinjiang; and bolstered U.S.-Taiwan ties as the highest-ranking State Department official to visit in 41 years. As a result, Krach and his family were sanctioned by the CCP.
Krach served as DocuSign Chairman & CEO for 10 years; Ariba co-founder, Chairman & CEO; Chairman of Purdue’s Board of Trustees; Angie’s List Board Chairman; founder of the Global Mentor Network; 2000 E&Y National Entrepreneur of the Year, 2019 Harvard Business School Leader of the Year and youngest-ever Vice President of GM. Krach holds a B.S. and Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Purdue, and MBA from Harvard.
ABOUT THE KRACH INSTITUTE FOR TECH DIPLOMACY AT PURDUE:
Built on the nonpartisan principle that technology must advance freedom, the Krach Institute has rapidly become the world’s leading authority on Tech Diplomacy – the practice of integrating high-tech expertise, Silicon Valley strategies with foreign policy tools to accelerate the adoption of trusted technology. With Purdue’s distinguished reputation as America’s foremost national security university, the Institute leverages the university’s cutting-edge innovation and global prominence in STEM education to execute result-oriented strategies.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL TECH SECURITY COMMISSION:
The Global Tech Security Commission, consisting of international commissioners and multi-sector leaders, is committed to safeguarding freedom through the adoption of trusted technology. Its charter is to integrate comprehensive offensive and defensive strategies for the national security tech sectors into an overarching global tech security strategy. This mission aims to rally and unify like-minded countries, leverage private sector innovation by building a global tech trust network, and establish standards based on shared democratic principles.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL MENTOR NETWORK:
The Global Mentor Network is the world’s leading platform for aspiring leaders to access real-world insights from industry titans and accelerate their development as transformational leaders. With hundreds of interviews conducted with top leaders in tech, security, and business, GMN is uniquely positioned to bring invaluable leadership lessons to emerging leaders and innovators on a large scale. By empowering mentors to reach thousands of mentees online, GMN is paving the way for a diverse and impactful next generation of leaders who can tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
Under Secretary of State
CONFIRMATION
In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Krach stated that as head of economic diplomacy, his focus would be on harnessing 3 powerful areas of US competitive advantage: strengthening our partnerships with friends and allies, leveraging the innovation and resources of the private sector, and amplifying the moral high ground of democratic values to advance peace and prosperity for the world.
CLEAN NETWORK
As the nation’s top economic diplomat, Krach led the development of the bipartisan Global Economic Security Strategy; built the Clean Network Alliance of Democracies to defeat the CCP’s masterplan to control 5G communications; spearheaded the largest onshoring in US history to secure the semiconductor supply chain; drove divestment in CCP companies to protect investors from unknowingly financing Chinese military; championed the human rights by mobilizing action against CCP’s genocide in Xinjiang.
COVID RESPONSE
Krach also directed the repatriation of 100,000 United States citizens during the 2020 global pandemic and expedited the delivery of 1 billion pieces of PPE in Operation Airbridge.
TAIWAN
Krach also strengthened ties with Taiwan by orchestrating the Lee Economic Prosperity Partnership and becoming the highest-ranking State Department official to visit in 41 years. As a result of these national security initiatives, Krach and his family were sanctioned by the CCP.
Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, Ariba
GLOBAL COMMERCE NETWORK
In 1996, Krach co-founded Ariba and served as Chairman and CEO, creating the world’s largest B2B e-commerce network. After taking it public, Ariba achieved a market value of $40 billion and today, $3.7 trillion / year is transacted through the Ariba network.
TRANSFORMATIVE INNOVATION
Krach is recognized as the pioneer of B2B e-Commerce and was honored for his transformative innovation with the esteemed Ernst & Young “2000 National Entrepreneur of the Year” Award, “2000 International Technology Pioneer” Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and Red Herring 1998 Top Entrepreneur of the Year.
COO, Rasna
CATEGORY KING
In 1988, Krach co-founded and served as COO Rasna Corporation, creating the category of Mechanical Design Synthesis software, which ranked #3 on the Inc. 5000 list and sold in it to PTC in 1995 for $500 million.
ENTREPRENEUR AT LARGE
He also was the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Benchmark Capital a premier venture capital firm. And served as Board Chairman for Angie’s List and was instrumental in taking the company public as the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews for home services.
Youngest VP in General Motors History
TESTED AS A LEADER
Seeing Krach’s potential, GM funded his education with scholarships at Purdue University and Harvard Business School. He spent his summers learning some tough lessons in leadership while managing workers on the the Cadillac Assembly plant on Clark Street in Detroit.
GMF ROBOTICS
Krach continued his career at General Motors when at the age 26 he was named GM’s youngest-ever Vice President. He led the formation of the company’s first Japanese joint venture, GMF Robotics which gave rise to today’s largest robotics companies.
He is recognized as a pioneer in the robotics industry and for fostering US-Japanese technology relations.
Board of Trustees Chairman, Purdue University
RECRUITING MITCH DANIELS
Krach served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Purdue University (2007–2013) where he recruited sitting Governor of Indiana, Mitch Daniels, to be the 12th President of the University and credited with initiating and guiding a new model for STEM education that drove unprecedented progress in student affordability, online learning, global reach, and retraining the workforce.
KRACH LEADERSHIP CENTER
In 2014, Purdue dedicated the 81,500 square foot “Krach Leadership Center“ in recognition of his commitment to business, philanthropy, leadership and student success.
Grand Consul, Sigma Chi Fraternity
FOCUS ON BUILDING LEADERS
Krach served as International President of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, where he transformed Sigma Chi’s mission to be focused on the development of values-based transformational leaders, committed to the betterment of character, campus and community for over 244 university chapters and 400,000 lifetime members.
KRACH TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS WORKSHOP
In 2018, Krach formally unveiled the Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop (KTLW), which replaced the previously-pioneering Balfour LTW event as the largest leadership training event in the Greek-letter fraternal world in 2019.
Philanthropy
DOCUSIGN IMPACT FOUNDATION
Krach Krach’s philanthropic endeavors echo the theme of transformation that pervades his life and work. While at DocuSign, Krach established the $30 Million DocuSign IMPACT Foundation which uses DocuSign technology to streamline operations and make them more efficient.
CITY YEAR; SIGMA CHI
A generous donor to many transformational causes, in 2018, Krach gave a $1 million gift to City Year for the organization’s San Jose and Silicon Valley branch. In August 2018, Krach made an endowment-level gift to the Sigma Chi Foundation that established the Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop, the largest leadership training event in the Greek-letter fraternal world.
KRACH FAMILY FOUNDATION
Through the Krach Family Foundation, Krach funds the Keith Krach leadership scholarship at Purdue University. It has been awarded to five students each year since 2009. In 2014, Purdue dedicated the Krach Leadership Center to him.
OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL
A million dollar endowment from the Krach Family Foundation also funds a partnership between Opportunity International and the Krach Instutute for Tech Diplomacy. The Trusted Tech Microfinance Partnership is devoted to closing the digital divide in low-income countries through the adoption of trusted technology.
Early Years and Family
SMALL TOWN ROOTS
Krach grew up in Rocky River, Ohio and at the age of 12, Krach worked as a welder in his father’s 5-person machine shop, an experience which inspired him to earn a B.S. Degree in Engineering from Purdue University in 1979, and MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981, receiving a full scholarship from GM for both schools.
In 2018, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Purdue University. He currently lives with his wife Metta and 5 children in San Francisco.
Honors and Awards
