GREENBURGH, NY, March 23, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mahesh Kanji Kotecha, CFA, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Marked by more than 50 years of innovation, leadership and a commitment to expanding access to capital markets for emerging economies, Mr. Kotecha has led an impactful career in international finance and credit risk management. Since 1999, he has served as President of Structured Credit International Corp. (SCIC), where he leverages his expertise in credit rating advisory and risk management to advise governments, financial institutions and corporations worldwide. Under his longstanding stewardship, the firm has played a pivotal role in shaping best practices for structured finance and capital market Development.

Prior to assuming the presidency at SCIC, Mr. Kotecha excelled as a Managing Director of the Municipal Bond then triple-A rated Insurance Association (MBIA) from 1995 to 1998, where he contributed to the company's global expansion and innovative strategies in international structured finance.

Over the course of nearly a decade, Mr. Kotecha held a similar role at Capital Markets Assurance Corporation - (CapMAC), where he was pivotal in the creation of the first non-US financial guarantee company for emerging markets in Singapore. Earlier as an investment banker at Kidder Peabody & Co., he pioneered the collateralized debt obligation (CDO) product - a groundbreaking advancement that transformed capital markets by broadening investment opportunities for global risk distribution and also advised International Finance Corporation for its triple-A ratings.

Mr. Kotecha's tenure as Senior Vice President of Standard & Poor's from 1979 to 1987 stands out as another defining period of his career; he played a central role in the New York-based agency's international expansion, establishing its credibility on a global scale and laying the groundwork for its global sovereign and supranational ratings. This work culminated in his advocacy for independent regional rating agencies in emerging markets as well as the expansion of investment-grade and non-investment grade ratings, including throughout Africa.

Earlier in his journey, Mr. Kotecha gained foundational experience as a special assistant for investment at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 1975 to 1979, during which he contributed to policy analysis and investment strategy for foreign central banks during a critical era for global finance when the dollar was under strong downward pressure. He began his career as a planning officer at the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) from 1973 to 1975, which provided him with early exposure to international development and investment projects.

Mr. Kotecha is also known for founding single-A rated ASIA Limited, a financial guarantee company he established in Singapore to improve capital market access for emerging economies, and is currently working on a similar initiative called Terra Financial Guaranty (TFG). Extending his leadership beyond corporate roles into influential industry organizations, he served on the board of Mindteck Inc. from 2012 to 2015, on the board of directors at TurkRating from 2006 to 2015, and as a rating committee member and shareholder at BRC Investors Service from 2002 to 2014. Additionally, he is an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Chatham House, the Bretton Woods Committee, and the Corporate Council of Africa.

Reflecting on his storied journey to date, Mr. Kotecha recalls a formative lesson from his youth in Uganda where a high school assembly speaker quoted "The Ladder of St. Augustine" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which taught him about the values of perseverance and relentless effort, to wit: "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night." These principles have guided his approach throughout his career, notably during his leadership of a three-year roundtable on capital flows to Sub-Saharan Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations. His advocacy then for addressing real and perceived risks through credit ratings and guarantees has contributed significantly to the proliferation of sovereign ratings across Africa.

Hailing from an equally accomplished academic background, Mr. Kotecha earned a Master of Science in management finance from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management in 1974 after completing a Bachelor of Science in physics and engineering at Harvey Mudd College in 1970. His educational journey was made possible by the African Scholarship Program of American Universities - a pivotal opportunity discovered in a local newspaper by his father, whose encouragement inspired Mr. Kotecha to pursue excellence beyond personal or familial obligations.

Mr. Kotecha's passion for civic engagement is reflected through his service on several advisory councils and boards. In 2024, he joined as a founding member of the Concilium for United Nations Development Program's Africa Credit Ratings Resource Platform. In 2021, he was appointed to the United Nations Capital Development Fund's advisory council, contributing strategic insights into sustainable development financing. From 2014 to 2017, he served on the board of trustees at Harvey Mudd College, supporting educational advancement at his alma mater. He is also a member of the International Advisory Panel of the East African Development Bank.

Also known for his outstanding contributions as an author, notably for his first book The River Finds Its Course, Mr. Kotecha has published works whose proceeds are donated to humanitarian causes such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Rescue Committee. Together with his wife, he oversees modest donations to approximately 25 charities, including Harvey Mudd College, MIT, and Mengo Hospital in Uganda, where he intervened when critical funding was lost due to the closure of USAID to ensure continued support for vital health services, including HIV/AIDS.

Looking toward the future, Mr. Kotecha aims to establish the Terra Financial Guaranty initiative as a leading provider of guaranteed transactions in emerging markets while continuing to support African banking clients who seek credit rating upgrades, such as Africa Finance Corporation rated A-3 by Moody's since 2014 and single A Positive by S&P in January 2026. On a personal level, he looks forward to spending more time with his family - sharing stories from Hindu epics with his grandchildren - and traveling with his wife to destinations around the world.

Mr. Kotecha's enduring influence on international finance is matched by his dedication to philanthropy, education and family values - a lifelong legacy shaped by perseverance, vision and service across continents and generations.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

# # #