Spotlight: CXO movement this week (Feb 22-Feb 28)

The week of February 22-28 witnessed several CXO movements in the tech sector, with firms like Automation Anywhere, Alvarez & Marsal, Havells India, and Aster DM Healthcare appointing new leaders to oversee their IT and digital initiatives. Notably, Firebolt, an Israeli data warehouse company, also made new appointments in India. Here’s a roundup:

Automation Anywhere promotes Gaurav Agarwal as VP of the APAC region

Gaurav Agarwal has been elevated as vice president of the APAC region from VP India region, at Automation Anywhere as the company is driving AI-led innovation and enterprise automation across Asia, Japan, and India. Agarwal is a seasoned technology and business leader with over two decades of experience driving digital transformation, cybersecurity, and cloud strategy across global enterprises. Previously, he held leadership roles at VMware, Symantec, Cisco, and IBM, spearheading cloud adoption, security modernisation, and enterprise digital transformation. He is recognised as a top technology leader and has successfully led strategic partnerships, large-scale IT implementations, and cybersecurity advancements. Agarwal continues to drive cutting-edge enterprise solutions, shaping the APAC region’s future of automation, AI, and digital security.

Firebolt names Sandeep Mathur as Managing Director for APAC market

Firebolt, an Israeli data warehouse company specialising in AI applications, has appointed Sandeep Mathur as its Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. In this role, Mathur will lead the company’s growth strategy, oversee go-to-market initiatives, and collaborate with leadership to establish global teams across support, sales development, and engineering, with a focus on India. Mathur brings over 25 years of experience in enterprise data and analytics. He previously served as Managing Director for Oracle India and Chief Revenue Officer at Lentra, where he was responsible for business expansion, strategic sales, and the development of data-driven technology solutions. Mathur holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communications from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. (Read more)

Alvarez & Marsal appoints new India head to lead cybersecurity and risk management

Global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) announced on Tuesday the appointment of Chandra Prakash Suryawanshi to head the company’s global cyber-risk services in India. With over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and risk management, Suryawanshi has taken on the role of managing director of disputes and investigations practice to offer his expertise in the areas of cyber-strategy, risk assessments, data protection, and incident response. Suryawanshi has led large-scale cyber-transformation programs and advised financial services, life sciences, technology, media, and telecommunications clients across the US, UK, Germany, the Middle East, and India. Before joining A&M, he was a Partner and National Co-Leader for the Cyber Defence and Incident Response Practice at KPMG in India. Suryawanshi holds an Executive MBA from Manipal Institute of Management and an ADP certification from the Wharton Business School. (Read more)

Dipesh Shah joins Havells India as CTO, to lead R&D efforts

Havells India Ltd., a Fast-Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) company, has appointed Dipesh Shah as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO) & President of the Havells Center for Research & Innovation (CRI). With this latest move, Havells aims to accelerate its R&D investments further. With over 32 years of experience in embedded system software, wireless communications, and on-device AI, Dipesh Shah brings expertise in developing smart home solutions and AI-driven consumer products. Before joining Havells, he led Samsung's largest Software R&D Center outside Korea, driving advancements in AI and consumer experience solutions. His software engineering and product innovation leadership have played a pivotal role in shaping the Make for India initiative.

Aster DM Healthcare appoints Ashish Pandey as CIO

Aster DM Healthcare appointed Ashish Pandey as the Chief Information Officer for its Retail & Pharmacy segment in a bid to help boost its digital transformation efforts. Pandey will lead the firm’s IT strategy and spearhead key digital initiatives, strengthening technological capabilities across one of the GCC region's largest retail and pharmacy networks. Previously, he was Global CIO at Dabur India, driving digital innovation for the world’s largest Ayurveda healthcare company. With leadership roles at GSK, IBM, and Balmer Lawrie, he has led large-scale ERP, AI, IoT, and data analytics initiatives. He holds an M.Tech degree in design engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, and a bachelor's degree in engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya.

Vishal Singh to lead IT and digital strategies at Spark Financial Holdings

Vishal Singh has been appointed as Group Head & SVP IT at Spark Financial Holdings, where he will oversee IT governance, security, and service delivery. Previously, he was VP of IT at Monarch Networth Capital Ltd., leading IT operations for trading platforms, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. With leadership roles at SBI Securities, Fullerton India, and Mahindra Finance, he has driven cloud migrations, disaster recovery, and enterprise IT management. Recognised for IT service excellence and strategic innovation, Singh continues to lead technology-driven business transformation in the financial sector.