Zarin Mehta is the president and executive director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Pre-music career

Mehta is a chartered accountant

Chartered Accountant

Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...

. During his career at the public accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand (1962-1981) in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, he rose to partner

Partner (business rank)

A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...

. He was an accountant at Frederic B. Smart & Co., in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 (1957-1962).

Montreal Symphony Orchestra (1981-1990)

Mehta was managing director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra

Montreal Symphony Orchestra

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is a symphony orchestra based in Montréal, Québec, Canada, with Montréal's Place des Arts as its home.-History:...

 from 1981-1990.

Ravinia Festival (1990-2000)

Mehta was named executive director of the Ravinia Festival in 1990 and later became president and CEO. During his 10-year tenure he pioneered the jazz festival within Ravinia and a world music series.

New York Philharmonic (2000-present)

Mehta was appointed New York Philharmonic executive director in September 2000 and received the additional role of president in June 2004. He was instrumental in securing the logistics for the 2008 New York Philharmonic visit to North Korea

2008 New York Philharmonic visit to North Korea

The New York Philharmonic concert in Pyongyang, North Korea, on February 26, 2008 was a significant event in North Korea-United States relations...

.

On September 27, 2010 Mehta announced he would step down as president and chief executive of the New York Philharmonic when his contract expires after the 2011-2012 season, after having spent 12 years at the Philharmonic.

Personal

He is the brother of Zubin Mehta

Zubin Mehta

Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...

 and son of the late Mehli Mehta

Mehli Mehta

-Early life:Mehta was born in Bombay, British India to a Parsi family. His involvement in music stemmed from his birth. As a young violinist his main musical influence and inspiration was Jascha Heifetz. A pioneering figure in the Indian musical world, he founded the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in...

, founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. He is married to Canadian soprano

Soprano

A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...

 Carmen Lasky, who was previously married to Zubin.