Dr. Santhosh Mathew is a political economist and former Indian Administrative Service officer with over three decades of experience in public policy, governance, and development. During his career in the civil service from 1985 to 2017, he held several important leadership roles in both state and national governments, including serving as Additional Chief Secretary in Bihar, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, and Chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education.

He has also contributed extensively to teaching and research. He served as Professor of Social Management at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie and led the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) programme in India.

Dr. Mathew holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, an MSc in Social Research Methods from the University of Sussex, and an MA in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics.

He currently works with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he focuses on strengthening state capacity, public finance, health systems design, and human resources for health. He also serves on the governing and advisory boards of several institutions, including the Global Innovation Fund, Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council, and a number of organizations working on governance, education, and public policy.

Dr. Mathew’s work brings together academic research, policy design, and practical governance experience to improve how public systems serve citizens.