Poonawalla Fincorp appoints Salil Hajarnis as CTO

Non-banking finance company Poonawalla Fincorp has appointed Salil Hajarnis as the chief technology officer. In the role, Hajarnis will lead Cyrus Poonawalla Group-promoted firm’s technology strategy with a focus on digital transformation and AI-driven customer solutions. 

Notably, Hajarnis' appointment follows the resignation of the company’s previous CTO, Dhiraj Saxena, which took effect on December 3. Saxena had alleged harassment by the company’s chief human resources officer (CHRO) as the reason for his departure.

Hajarnis, an industry veteran, has past roles in enterprise architecture, software engineering, and AI integration. He has global experience across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. As CTO, he will shape the company's technology roadmap, enhance operational efficiency, and deliver superior customer experiences, the company’s statement said. 

In his last role, he was the head of technology for India at Fiserv. He led major initiatives including AI and API-enabled solutions, real-time integrations, and platform modernization across key markets in India, ASEAN, and Australia.

Hajarnis has also worked at companies like Mastercard and Capgemini. During his more than a decade at tenure at Capgemini, he managed complex transformations and built technology-driven customer experiences and aided in building the technology strategy for lending businesses of global financial institutions. His expertise includes modernizing legacy systems, enhancing platform capabilities, and delivering innovative lending and payment solutions.

"Salil’s expertise in AI, enterprise architecture, and digital innovation makes him an invaluable addition to our leadership team. His proven ability to execute large-scale technology transformations will be instrumental in enhancing customer experiences and driving our competitive edge in the NBFC space,” said Arvind Kapil, Managing Director and CEO, Poonawalla Fincorp.