UNICEF Campaign Focuses on Health Care in War-Torn Mosul, Iraq

UNICEF
Image: UNICEF.org

Rao Chalasani is a longtime New Jersey resident who engaged with Bank of America-Merrill in New York NY in multiple executive capacities. Focused on humanitarian efforts worldwide, Rao Chalasani supports organizations such as Childreach, Doctors without Borders, and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

A major current focus of UNICEF is in addressing the after-effects of violence and displacement in Iraq, with the health care system in particular disarray within the war-torn Mosul region. With violence dininishing, approximately 750,000 children are described as vulnerable and unable to access basic services.

UNICEF’s efforts include restoring function to nutritional and pediatric wards in a pair of hospital centers and setting in place refrigeration equipment that can keep vaccines stable and ready for use. Efforts to date have enabled health centers to resume vaccinations that reach some 250,000 children under the age of 5. A present campaign focuses on raising $17 million in funds that will go toward further rebuilding of medical facilities across Iraq.

Doctors Without Borders Highlights Troubling Syrian Health Trends

 

Doctors Without Borders
Image: doctorswithoutborders.org

Based in New Jersey, Rao Chalasani has served at a variety of top New York, NY, financial institutions in his career, most recently serving as the chief technology officer and risk strategist for Merrill Lynch. A charitable individual, Rao Chalasani supports relief organizations such as Doctors Without Borders.

According to a recent report from Doctors Without Borders, the need for humanitarian aid in Syria is greater than ever before. The organization conducted health surveys that show two alarming trends in the health care the country’s residents are receiving in the wake of the ongoing civil conflict.

The first trend is a direct result of the displacement that has taken place as a result of the fighting, specifically in the area of Daraa. Expectant mothers in this area have had a difficult time getting the care they need when delivering their babies, which has resulted in a high number of home births, as well as inadequate pre- and post-natal care.

The second troubling trend piggybacks off the first, with data showing that upwards of 60 percent of children five years of age and younger are not getting the vaccinations they need to ward off preventable illnesses. These reports were compiled from two major health surveys that Doctors Without Borders conducted in July 2016 and May 2017.

Neovest Earns Best Broker-Supplied Technology Award in 2017

Neovest
Image: Neovest.com

With more than two decades of experience working in finance, Rao Chalasani most recently worked for Bank of America-Merrill Lynch as its chief technology officer and risk strategist for global markets trading risk management in New York City, NY. Previously, Livingston, New Jersey-based Rao Chalasani worked for Deutsche Bank as a senior project manager; there, he implemented a vendor equity trading system named Neovest for the credit derivatives proprietary trading and statistical arbitrage desk.

Neovest is a broker-neutral electronic trading platform that gives access to global liquidity. It also gives direct routing to more than 340 brokers and provides traders with analytics before, after, and in-trade. It also offers flexible and customizable approaches to streamlining workflow.

In November 2017, Neovest earned accolades at the 11th annual Waters Buy-Side Technology Awards ceremony. The event, held at the May Fair Hotel in London, recognizes excellence in technology and services to clients by a broker. Neovest earned the Best Broker-Supplied Technology award for 2017. Nine judges, including five buy-side-focused technology personnel and four journalists from Buy-Side Technology, determined the winners.

Doctors Without Borders Fighting Cholera in Yemen

Doctors Without Borders
Image: doctorswithoutborders.org

Currently residing in New Jersey, Rao Chalasani has worked with several top New York, NY, financial companies throughout his accomplished career. Most recently, he served as the chief technology officer and risk strategist for Merrill Lynch. Outside of his work in the risk management field, Rao Chalasani supports several different charitable organizations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

A recent outbreak of cholera in Yemen has Doctors Without Borders (MSF) calling for immediate aid to the region. According to MSF, the disease is spreading at a rampant pace and has the potential to propagate to uncontrollable proportions. Over a two-month period, the organization treated more than 12,000 cases of cholera, with the rate doubling over a five-day period near the end of May.

A lack of proper sanitation services, unclean drinking water, and continuing conflict destabilizing the region are the prime contributors to the spread of cholera in the area. Malnourished adults and children are at an elevated risk for contracting the illness, which is compounded by their lack of access to adequate health care. That’s why MSF is calling on relief organizations to send immediate aid to the area to help combat the spread of cholera to further, outlying areas.

Doctors Without Borders Calls for Help with Cholera Outbreak in Yemen

Doctors Without Borders
Image: doctorswithoutborders.org

A resident of Livingston, New Jersey, Rao Chalasani has held various executive roles in the technology field, including working at a number of major financial firms in New York, NY. A committed philanthropist, Rao Chalasani supports a number of relief and medical organizations, including Doctors Without Borders.

According to a May 2017 press release from Doctors Without Borders, the cholera epidemic in Yemen has become a full-blown humanitarian crisis. Over a period of several weeks this spring, those who reported infections increased by a substantial margin. The organization has responded by setting up treatment centers at the five major medical facilities that are still operating in the country. Most of the hospitals have shut down, however, because of ongoing fighting.

With casualties from the war continuing to mount, Doctors Without Borders says that existing hospital facilities are ill-equipped to handle the increased amount of cholera infections occurring in the country. The organization is calling upon other relief and humanitarian organizations to provide resources for more treatment centers to curb the epidemic and provide care to those who desperately need it.

Tradeweb Receives Awards at 2017 GlobalCapital

Tradeweb
Image: Tradeweb.com

A resident of New Jersey, Rao Chalasani has an extensive background as a financial services executive. While serving as vice president of global fixed income technology/e-commerce with Merrill Lynch in New York, NY, Rao Chalasani contributed to a number of e-initiatives, including the implementation of Tradeweb, an electronic platform for trading US Treasuries.

Since 1998, Tradeweb has been the main source for US Treasury bond trading. With more than 1,000 institutional clients, the platform offers more than 1 million daily price updates and facilitates 22-hour trading options. Its request-for-quote trading protocol has been adopted by derivatives and fixed-income markets.

In May 2017, Tradeweb was named Overall Swap Execution Facility of the Year and Compression/Compaction Service of the Year at GlobalCapital’s Americas Derivatives Awards for 2017. The firm earned the award in recognition of its platform and solutions that support e-trading of derivatives. Tradeweb supports a range of clients and delivers specific platforms to help them achieve their goals.

UNICEF Responds to South Sudan Refugee Crisis

UNICEF
Image: UNICEF.org

A resident of New Jersey, Rao Chalasani has specialized in trading technology at various New York, NY-based financial institutions, such as Deutsche Bank and Bank of America. Apart from his work, Rao Chalasani supports numerous charitable organizations, including UNICEF.

According to the most recent data from UNICEF and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the growing civil war in South Sudan has resulted in over 1 million children attempting to escape the violence as refugees, making them the majority of refugees to come from the country. Most of these children end up in surrounding countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

The problem only looks to get worse, as the children coming into these countries lack adequate lodging to protect them from the rainy period that occurs annually. UNICEF has called for more than $180 million to help build shelter facilities and provide other basic care needs to these children for the remainder of 2017, but the organization has only managed to raise a little over half of that goal, and the UNHCR’s request for $781.8 million is only 11 percent funded. As such, the organizations are urging other nations to continue providing relief funds to ensure that lifesaving services for South Sudanese refugees continue.

The Benefits of Effective Enterprise Risk Management Systems

 

Enterprise Risk Management System
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A graduate of New York University with a bachelor of science in engineering, Rao Chalasani of New Jersey most recently served as the director of trading risk management and business chief technology officer at Bank of America – Merrill Lynch in New York, NY. In this role, Rao Chalasani created a US patent-pending enterprise risk management system.

Enterprise risk management systems go beyond traditional risk assessment approaches by taking a comprehensive look at all risk areas, from finance and operations to compliance and governance. With a systems approach to risk management, an organization takes into account that risks in one area can spread to other areas.

By understanding the interrelation of risks across departments, an organization can mitigate the damage that otherwise could ripple through the company. In addition to hedging against potential damage, effective risk management systems allow organizations to take calculated risks and capitalize on growth opportunities through smarter utilization of both human and capital resources.

Doctors Without Borders Responds to Hurricane Matthew in Haiti

Doctors Without Borders
Image: doctorswithoutborders.org

 

Rao Chalasani of Livingston, New Jersey, has served in numerous technology leadership positions, including that of chief technology officer of Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York, NY. Outside of work, Rao Chalasani contributes to several charitable organizations, including Doctors Without Borders.

Doctors Without Borders is working to ensure that the people of Haiti have access to medical care following the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew, which resulted in the displacement of an estimated 175,000 people. In addition to ensuring continued operation of its four facilities in Port-au-Prince, Doctors Without Borders is reaching out to those in remote villages to control the spread of diseases such as cholera, dengue, malaria, and pneumonia.

With Hurricane Matthew cutting off access to villages in Grande Anse and Sud, Doctors Without Borders personnel have had to reach some villages by helicopter. The most urgent needs in these areas are food, water, and shelter.

The most common ailments resulting from the hurricane are gastritis, infected wounds and fractures, and upper respiratory tract infections. Of particular concern are infected wounds, which can eventually lead to sepsis if not treated.

To learn how you can contribute to Doctors Without Borders’ efforts in Haiti, visit http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/support-us/donation-faq.

UNICEF Ball

UNICEF Ball
Image: unicefball.org

Having most recently served as the Chief Technology Officer and Risk Strategist for Merrill Lynch in New York, NY, Rao Chalasani has made a professional career in the field of Risk Management. As a resident of New Jersey, Rao Chalasani is involved in a number of charitable activities, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, more commonly known as UNICEF. As a supporter of UNICEF, he supports and promotes UNICEF events such as the UNICEF Ball.

The biennial event is held to bring celebrities and professionals from the Los Angeles area together to promote and raise funds for the UNICEF foundation and its programs. The UNICEF Ball is a black tie event that includes dinner and an entertainment program, having raised over $7 million since it began in 2005. The event includes a headline performer and awards are presented during the Ball, including the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Leadership Award and the Spirit of Compassion Award.