An alumnus of Royal Holloway, University of London, Swatantra Gupta
Swatantra returns to Royal Holloway on October 7th, 2026 to share his journey, experiences and reflections from two decades in the development sector and to explore with students how careers, purpose and social impact can come together.
Biography:
Swatantra Gupta is a development-sector professional with over 20 years of experience in building partnerships and mobilising resources for social impact in India. He currently leads Private Sector Partnerships (New Business) at UNICEF India, where he works with leading corporations, foundations and industry stakeholders to develop partnerships that contribute to better outcomes for children.
An alumnus of Royal Holloway, University of London, where he studied Practising Sustainable Development, Swatantra began his career in the development sector and has since worked across NGOs, the private sector and the UN system. Before joining UNICEF, he spent over a decade with Smile Foundation, progressing through leadership roles and working across fundraising, partnerships, strategy and organisational growth.
At UNICEF, his work focuses on developing innovative and strategic partnerships with businesses - from CSR and strategic philanthropy to cause marketing, customer fundraising and advocacy - bringing together corporate resources, expertise and reach with development priorities.
Over the years, Swatantra has worked closely with senior corporate leaders, media organisations, influencers and other stakeholders to build collaborations that go beyond traditional funding and create opportunities for innovation, advocacy and sustainable social impact.
He is particularly passionate about exploring how the private sector can become a powerful partner in solving complex development challenges, and how young professionals can build careers that combine purpose, leadership and professional excellence.
Swatantra is also a UNICEF GLAM Academy Fellow, reflecting his continued interest in leadership, learning and strengthening partnerships for children and communities.
