Keith Krach is a frequent contributor to a broad variety of publications and media outlets, with articles covering business, politics, policy, technology, philanthropy and leadership. An American businessman, Silicon Valley innovator, philanthropist and public servant, Krach is noted for bringing transformational leadership to many sectors, including robotics, engineering, commerce, education, philanthropy, government and even the way people sign.
Krach served as Under Secretary of State (2019-2021) where he led America’s economic diplomacy portfolio and had the rare distinction of being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
As the nation’s top economic diplomat, Krach led the development of the bipartisan Global Economic Security Strategy; built the Clean Network Alliance of Democracies to defeat the CCP’s masterplan to control 5G communications; spearheaded the largest onshoring in US history to secure the semiconductor supply chain; drove divestment in CCP companies to protect US investors from unknowingly financing Chinese military buildup; championed the human rights by mobilizing action against CCP’s ethnic/religious genocide in Xinjiang; directed the repatriation of more than 100,000 United States citizens during the 2020 global pandemic and expedited the delivery of more than 1 billion pieces of PPE consisting of 1.5m N-95 respirators, 2.5m face shields, 937m gloves, 2.4m thermometers, 113.4m surgical masks, 1.4m coveralls, 50.9m gowns, 109k stethoscopes in Operation Airbridge; and strengthened ties with Taiwan by orchestrating the Lee Economic Prosperity Partnership Agreement and becoming the highest-ranking State Department official to visit in 41 years. As a result of these and other national security initiatives, Krach and his family were sanctioned by the CCP.
Krach served as DocuSign Chairman & CEO for 10 years, transforming it from a startup to the global powerhouse it is today. Prior to that, Krach co-founded Ariba serving as Chairman & CEO, creating the world’s largest business-to-business e-commerce network which now transacts $3.7 trillion annually. Krach also was the Chairman of the Board for Angie’s List, the co-founder and COO of mechanical design software leader Rasna Corporation, and the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Benchmark Capital. As Chairman of the Purdue University Board of Trustees, Krach recruited sitting Governor of Indiana, Mitch Daniels, to be the 12th President of the University. Krach also served as the International President of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, the 2000 Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of the Year, Harvard Business School’s 2019 Business Leader of the Year and the youngest-ever Vice President of General Motors.
Krach earned a B.S. Degree in Engineering from Purdue University in 1979, and MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981, receiving a full scholarship from GM for both schools. In 2018, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University. He currently lives with his wife Metta and 5 children in San Francisco.
