Center for a New American Security

Tobby Simon is the Founder, President, and CEO of Synergia; a strategic international consulting organization which provides advisory and implementation services across a wide range of sectors, helping companies transform their businesses. Tobby received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and is currently a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has over 20 years of experience in international business.

Tobby’s professional career began in 1988 with Hoechst Marion Roussel (HMR). He rapidly rose to become the Commercial Manager of the holding company. Subsequently he joined The Lyka Group as General Manager of Marketing, responsible for both domestic and global markets. His success at Lyka won him industry accolades, including the National Certificate of Merit from Government of India in 1992.  He went on to become the Vice President of the International Business Division of the group, which was an exceptional achievement by industry standards.  As the head of a profit center Tobby was responsible for global business development, production, supply chain and regulatory issues. He has traveled extensively in South East Asia, Europe, America, and Africa and has significant experience in international marketing, manufacturing, regulatory, and governmental policies in these locales. 

After working in the industry for a decade, Tobby founded Synergia and has since worked with several multi-billion dollar companies including, Eridania Beghin Say, Auchan, Promodes, Alsthom, NTT Communication, Ranbaxy, Cipla, NTT DoCoMo, and  Ipsen to name a few.

As the Principal architect of the Synergia Foundation Tobby actively collaborates with some of the leading research and academic institutions in the world. The Foundation works with the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge University and China Europe International Business School (CEIB) among others.

In addition to being on the Board of Advisors for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) Tobby is a member of the International Council of the Belfer Center of Science and International Affairs at The John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, a member and invitee to The Trilateral Commission, a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), and a member of the core committee on Public Policy of the World Information Technology Services Alliance (WITSA)

As a Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology he is currently developing a global template on ‘Risk Management’ with the Center for Transportation and Logistics at MIT. The study aims at providing a deeper understanding of global challenges to help leverage business continuity and better understand the vulnerabilities of supply chain networks.

In addition to his business endeavors Tobby is committed to a variety of humanitarian causes. He has worked closely with Nobel Prize winner, Medicines Sans Frontier in order to validate manufacturing facilities of Cipla, Ranbaxy and Aurobindo. This has enabled the WHO (World Health Organization) to procure less expensive anti-retroviral drugs from India. This project is helping millions of people affected by illness in Asia, Africa and South America. He has collaborated with the World Bank Group in critical relief projects to help the victims of the Gujarat earthquake and the South Asian Tsunami. Tobby has also been deeply involved in the education and development of children in a number of institutions and societies like Sneha Nilaya, ECHO, Action Aid, World Vision, Akshya Patra, Little Sisters For The Poor, Missionaries of Charity (Mysore and Bangalore), Sumanahalli (for people suffering from leprosy) and Good Shepherds Convent.