Former HPE country head to head IBM India's first advisory board

Bengaluru-headquartered IBM India has for the first time installed an advisory board led by Neelam Dhawan, former head of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise India, The Economic Times reported.

According to the report, the board includes Harriet Green, chairman of IBM Asia-Pacific; Karan Bajwa, IBM India head; and executives from IBM's global team. The board will advise on areas including investments and engagement with the government.

“The advisory gives us that additional muscle in terms of looking across the board and advising the business on the areas to focus,” Bajwa was quoted as saying.

He said, “It’s the uniqueness which is encouraging us to create a board of this nature, which advises the businesses and global functions on things we can do for the future and which can prepare IBM for growth for the next decade.” 

According to the report, IBM India clocks at least $5 billion in revenues and accounts for one-third of the company's global workforce -- nearly 100,000 people.

The newspaper also cited the company as saying that Dhawan would offer advice on India-related matters such as government relations, C-Suite relations, business development, talent acquisition, and risk and compliance management.

“We are there to help each other,” Dhawan was quoted as saying. 

She added, “The India advisory board recognises the strategic importance of the country to IBM globally — as a source of growth and innovation, as a global delivery hub, and also because of the number of developers, the rise of startups and a young millennial workforce.”