Legends Live @Citi: Ruth Porat
Citi Global Chair of Banking Leon Kalvaria hosted Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google, for another session of our global speaker series, Legends Live @Citi.
Ruth is a trailblazer whose journey has been marked by incredible leadership and decisive action. Her exceptional achievements have garnered widespread recognition, including being named among the most powerful women globally by both Forbes and Fortune.
She is responsible for Alphabet and Google’s corporate investments philanthropic efforts, real estate and workplace services and company infrastructure. She also oversees Alphabet’s forward-looking “Other Bets” investment portfolio.
During the session, Ruth shared valuable insights on the power of data and taking risks, the importance of innovation, the value of continuous learning and the need for clear communication.
Leon Kalvaria, Global Chair of Banking, Citi
Leon Kalvaria is a member of the Client Organization Management Committee, and Citi’s Private Equity Investment Oversight Committee. Previously, Leon was Chairman of Citi’s Institutional Clients Group. Before that, he was Global Head of Consumer and Healthcare Investment Banking.
Leon joined Schroders in 1996 as Global Head of Consumer Banking, and Citigroup in 2000 following the merger of the two companies.
Prior to Schroders, Leon served as Vice Chairman and a Director of Triarc Companies, an investment company, and as Managing Director in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at Credit Suisse First Boston. Leon was also a pioneer in the interest rate swap market at First Boston and a founding member of ISDA.
Leon has advised numerous Chief Executive Officers and Boards of Directors in some of the largest and most complex global mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and public offerings.
Leon received his BA from Princeton University (Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs) and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and Heineken Family Council.
Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google
Ruth has been President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google since September 1, 2023. In this role, she is responsible for the company’s corporate investments and investment vehicles, including GV and CapG, the Other Bets investment portfolio, Real Estate and Workplace Services, and other company infrastructure. She regularly engages with policymakers and regulators about the company’s business and impact across markets related to economic growth, job creation, and opportunity. She also oversees the company's philanthropic efforts, including work to expand access to digital infrastructure, and support education and workforce development initiatives globally. She reports to Alphabet’s Chief Executive Officer.
Before assuming the role of President and Chief Investment Officer, Ruth served as Alphabet and Google’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from May 2015 until July 2024. Ruth started her career as a banker at Morgan Stanley, with her last position there as CFO.
Ruth is a member of the Board of Directors of Blackstone Inc., the Council on Foreign Relations, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Board of Trustees of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She previously spent 10 years on Stanford University’s Board of Trustees and on the Board of the Stanford Management Company.
Ruth holds a BA from Stanford University, an MSc from The London School of Economics and an MBA from the Wharton School.
