Dilawar Syed Joins Small Business Majority Board of Directors

Washington, D.C. — Small Business Majority (SBM) is pleased to announce that Dilawar Syed, former U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Deputy Administrator, is the newest addition to the organization’s Board of Directors. 

As SBA Deputy Administrator, Syed advanced policy priorities for small businesses by democratizing access to capital, government contracting and entrepreneurship enablement, especially in under-resourced and rural communities. He also helped coordinate SBA’s disaster response after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the Southeast, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, and the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. 

“One of the throughlines in my career has been a commitment to helping small businesses grow,” said Syed. “Whether in government or the private sector, I’ve focused on tackling the toughest challenges facing entrepreneurs. I’m honored to join the Board of Directors at Small Business Majority and to help advance its mission. At a time when bold, inclusive support for small businesses is more critical than ever, SBM is uniquely positioned to lead the way.”

Prior to his work at SBA, Syed was Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. In that role, he served as America’s top commercial diplomat, championing U.S. companies in markets abroad and strengthening U.S. competitiveness. He mobilized private sector support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion, advocated for strategic deals in advanced tech, energy, aviation, and defense, and negotiated market access in his 24 bilateral engagements across the globe. 

Before his service in government, Syed was CEO of Lumiata, an AI healthcare company backed by Khosla Ventures and BlueCross BlueShield, and President at Freshworks, where he founded the software company's North America business. Freshworks had a successful IPO in 2021. Earlier, he held leadership roles at Yahoo! and Siebel Systems. Syed started his career in management consulting at Ernst & Young and Deloitte Consulting. Syed’s civic entrepreneurship has spanned local, state, and federal governments. Appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010 to the White House Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, he led engagement with small businesses during the economic recovery. In 2017, he launched the California Entrepreneurship Task Force with the Governor’s Office to bridge Silicon Valley with rural communities and promote inclusive entrepreneurship. 

“As a former high-ranking official in the U.S. Small Business Administration, Dilawar Syed knows exactly what entrepreneurs need to be successful,” said LaJuanna Russell, chair of Small Business Majority’s Board of Directors and a Virginia-based small business owner. “Given his impressive track record at the highest levels of government and as a business leader himself, he will have much to contribute to Small Business Majority as we continue to identify how we can best serve entrepreneurs. I look forward to his experience informing SBM’s work.”

“With all of the uncertainty and unpredictability facing small businesses today, entrepreneurs need guidance from someone like Dilawar Syed who has successfully navigated many of the difficulties small businesses are currently facing,” said Small Business Majority Founder & CEO John Arensmeyer. “We  cannot wait to begin collaborating with Dilawar as Small Business Majority further develops policies and resources that will help America’s small businesses build the resilience needed to succeed even when times are tough.”