Spotlight: CXO movement this week (Aug 24- Aug 30)

The week of August 24-30 marked significant leadership changes in the technology industry. Global firms like Accenture, TCS, LinkedIn and Check Point made some important executive announcements. Startups like Darwinbox, InsuranceDekho and Indocount announced the appointments of their respective technology leaders. Movements also happened at the Indian IT industry apex body NASSCOM. Here's the roundup:

Accenture elevates Arundhati Chakraborty as Group CEO of Operations

Professional services company Accenture has appointed Arundhati Chakraborty as the group chief executive of Accenture Operations beginning September 1. With almost 30 years of experience in the technology sector, including more than 10 years at Accenture, Chakraborty's proficiency in analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation is anticipated to enhance growth within the company's $10 billion Operations sector. The company also named Yusuf Tayob in a new role as the global chair of Communications, Media & Technology industry practices. Tayob, who brings 20 years of industry experience, is moving from his previous position as group chief executive of Operations. Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, commended both Chakraborty and Tayob for their extensive expertise and leadership capabilities, as both leaders will continue to serve on the Accenture Global Management Committee following their new roles.  

Sindhu Gangadharan appointed as Nasscom chairperson

Industry body Nasscom has appointed Sindhu Gangadharan as its Chairperson. Gangadharan, who is the managing director of SAP Labs India, will be succeeding Rajesh Nambiar who has been appointed as President Designate. In 2023 too, she was appointed as the Chair of the Nasscom GCC Council. Gangadharan, along with the Nasscom executive council, will drive set priorities that include emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, positioning India as a global hub for digital talent, catalysing innovation, developing a favourable policy ecosystem, and strengthening engineering R&D capabilities. She also holds an additional global role as the Head of Customer Innovation Services, at SAP.

Suresh Muthuswami resigns as Chairman of TCS

Suresh Muthuswami has resigned as Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) $15 billion North American division, a role he held since March 2022. TCS said it will not appoint a successor; instead, Amit Bajaj, the current President of North America, will oversee the region's operations. Muthuswami's departure follows a 26-year career at TCS, with reasons for his exit undisclosed. Under Muthuswami, TCS’s North American business generated 51.1% of the company's total revenue of $29.1 billion for the fiscal year ending March 2024, valued at $14.9 billion, surpassing HCL Technologies Ltd.'s $13.3 billion revenue for FY24. Muthuswami succeeded Surya Kant, who retired after leading significant growth in the region.

LinkedIn appoints Kumaresh Pattabiraman as India country manager

Professional networking platform LinkedIn has appointed Kumaresh Pattabiraman as the new country manager and product leader for India. With 135 million members, India is the second-largest and one of the fastest-growing markets for the company. Pattabiraman has over 15 years of experience in product and engineering roles. He has held leadership roles at both LinkedIn and its parent company Microsoft. His stint at LinkedIn started in 2013 and his last role was senior director of product, profile, search, and generative artificial intelligence (AI). He is an alumnus of the College of Engineering, Guindy and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

Check Point appoints Ruma Balasubramanian to head the APAC region

Cyber security company Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. has announced the appointment of Ruma Balasubramanian as President for the Asia Pacific & Japan (APAC) region. Ruma succeeds Sharat Sinha who left earlier this year to take on another role in the industry. With her extensive experience in cloud and digital transformation, Balasubramanian is set to drive Check Point’s growth through strategic partnerships and innovative, AI-powered security solutions. Balasubramanian’s recent leadership roles at Google Cloud, where she managed high-growth segments across APAC, and her previous tenure as Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer for Cisco’s Asia Pacific, Japan, and Greater China business, have equipped her with deep expertise in scaling technology solutions and driving market expansion. She has also served in key leadership roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services, AT Kearney, and IBM.

Darwinbox names CTO Vineet Singh as Co-founder

Hyderabad-based HR technology firm Darwinbox has promoted its Chief Technology Officer Vineet Singh, to the position of Co-founder. In the initial stages of his career, Vineet worked as an engineer, developing products in both consumer and SaaS technology before joining Darwinbox. He has been instrumental in shaping Darwinbox into a contemporary HR tech platform. In his new role, Singh will not only focus on expanding the company's international presence and fostering product innovation but will also spearhead initiatives aimed at improving customer success through the application of emerging technologies. Last year, the company partnered with Microsoft to create solutions that integrate Darwinbox’s HCM platform with Microsoft’s ecosystem, emphasizing collaborative innovation to enhance the employee experience. Furthermore, Darwinbox has launched several pioneering innovations in the industry, including integration with Microsoft Teams and the introduction of the first HR-specific large language model (LLM).

InsuranceDekho appoints Nishant Gupta as VP of Technology

InsuranceDekho, an insurtech firm, has announced the appointment of Nishant Gupta as Vice President of Technology. With 14 years of experience in technology leadership roles at BharatPe, Goibibo, and MakeMyTrip, Nishant will be responsible for overseeing significant engineering projects and enhancing the technological capabilities of InsuranceDekho. His focus will be on fostering innovation and integrating technology, as he leads the creation and implementation of advanced solutions aimed at improving user experience and operational efficiency. Additionally, InsuranceDekho has welcomed several other key personnel, including Manish Mahajan as Chief Business Officer for Consumer Business, Prashant Kalaver as Head of Internal Audit, Sonali Mitra as Vice President to spearhead strategic initiatives in the Founder's office, and Shruti Kapoor as Finance Controller.

Abhay Karhade joins Indocount Industries as Group CIO

Abhay Karhade has recently been appointed as the Group Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Vice President of Information Technology at Indocount Industries Limited, a significant move that underscores the company's commitment to enhancing its technological capabilities and digital transformation initiatives. In his new role, Karhade will be responsible for overseeing the IT strategy and implementation across the organization, ensuring that the company's technological infrastructure aligns with its business objectives and supports its growth trajectory. Before this, he held a Senior IT Leadership position at INOX Air Products. He has also been associated with Expeditors India Systems, NMIMS University, LN Bangur Group of Companies, Hewlett-Packard, Bombay Dyeing, SVKM Group, Welspun Group, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company, and Aftek Business Machines.