Spotlight: CXO movement this week (May 18-24)

The week of May 18-24, 2024, saw some significant CXO movements in the tech industry, with several major appointments being announced for key business positions. Global technology firms such as TCS, Wipro, Yotta Data Services and Synechron made important announcements regarding technology leaders who will be leading their IT and digital affairs. Movements also happened in Jio BlackRock AMC, a joint venture between Jio Platforms and Blackrock, a global investment management firm. Here’s a roundup:

TCS’ N Ganapathy Subramaniam steps down from COO role

Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, N Ganapathy Subramaniam, stepped down from the position, effective May 20. The company reportedly does not plan to appoint a replacement for his role. Subramaniam, the elder brother of Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, joined TCS in 1982 after completing his Master's in Mathematics from the University of Madras. He has also attended various training programs including the Executive program for growing companies at Stanford University. He took on the role of COO in February 2017 and was reappointed for the position in 2021. Before serving as COO, he was the executive vice president and was responsible for TCS BaNCS, the company's core banking software suite, and emerging businesses. Additionally, he has been an Additional Director and Chairman of Tata Elxsi Limited since November 2014, and an Additional Director (Non-Independent, Non-Executive) of Tata Communications Limited since December 2021.  (Read more)

Wipro appoints Sarat Chand as MD of the Northern Europe Region

Indian IT services and consulting company Wipro Limited announced the appointment of Sarat Chand as Regional Head and Managing Director of Northern Europe. Sarat will report to Wipro’s Europe CEO Pierre Bruno. Sarat joined Wipro in 2001. Over his two decades at Wipro, he’s assumed a variety of leadership roles, including solutions lead, account management, EMEA utilities business head, and, most recently, the head of Wipro’s Benelux region. As the head of Northern Europe, Sarat will lead Wipro’s Benelux and Nordics region, which includes seven strategic growth markets: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Previously, the Nordics region was led by Vinay Firake, who was recently appointed the CEO of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa market unit. Chand holds a Mechanical Engineering Degree from Bangalore University. He will be based in Amsterdam. (Read more)

Yotta Data Services appoints Anil Pawar as Chief AI Officer

Yotta Data Services, the data centre firm of the Hiranandani Group, announced the appointment of Anil Pawar as the Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer and Head of AI Cloud Business Unit this week. In this role, he will lead strategic initiatives within the AI Cloud BU, and leverage emerging AI technologies to improve customer interactions and employee experiences in a responsible, trustworthy, and secure manner. He will report directly to Sunil Gupta, overseeing cloud-based projects and the Large Language Model (LLM) marketplace within the Shakti Cloud Business Unit. With over 25 years of experience in networks, cloud, digital transformation, product development, and communications, Pawar's most recent role was as the Head of Tech Strategy at Rakuten Japan, where he led AI programs and AI Cloud transformation initiatives. He also played a key role in establishing one of the world's largest data-driven networks at Reliance Jio.

Aaron Momin joins Synechron as CISO

Aaron Momin has joined as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the global digital transformation consulting firm Synechron. A seasoned cybersecurity and cyber risk professional, Momin brings over 28 years of expertise in cybersecurity and risk management. In his earlier stint as CISO at cloud-based ERP solutions company Certinia, Momin showcased his capability to achieve a high level of security maturity and resilience, where he successfully delivered multiple complex projects. He also worked with PwC as managing director, focusing on the data security aspects of preserving the confidentiality, and integrity of corporate confidential assets.

Fal Ghancha starts a new position as Head of Technology at Jio BlackRock AMC

Fal Ghancha has started a new position as Head of Technology and CISO at Jio BlackRock AMC. Before this, he was the CISO at DSP Mutual Fund. Jio Blackrock AMC is a joint venture between Jio Platforms, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, and Blackrock, a global investment management firm. He was earlier associated with Aegon Life, Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management, and Welspun Corp. With over two decades of experience in the IT and cyber security field, he has a proven track record of delivering innovative and effective solutions for various business needs and challenges. Ghancha also achieved multiple certifications and honours, such as Certified Cloud Security Professional, 100 Top CISOs, and keynote speaker at The European Information Security Summit, according to his LinkedIn profile.

KFin Technologies appoints C. Jayaram as an independent director

Chengalath Jayaram, with 39 years of finance and business experience, has been appointed as an Independent Director at KFin Technologies starting May 24, 2024. He spent 26 years at the Kotak Group, holding notable positions such as Managing Director of Kotak Securities Limited and Joint Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Jayaram's expertise includes leading Private Banking, Alternative Investments, and international operations. He also gained experience at Overseas Sanmar Financial Limited. Jayaram holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and a Bachelor's degree in Economics.