Spotlight: CXO movement this week (March 15 - March 21)

The week (March 15-21, 2025) was buzzing with several CXO movements in the tech industry with some of the major appointments in key business positions. IT services firms like Happiest Minds Technologies, Nutanix, LTIMindtree and Cyient made important new appointments, while non-tech firms like NSE India, Airbus and DSP Pension Fund appointed new leaders to lead some of its technology and digital affairs. Movements also happened in travel tech firms like RateGain. Here’s the roundup:

Happiest Minds names Joseph Anantharaju as CEO, makes top-deck changes

Happiest Minds Technologies promoted Joseph Anantharaju to Co-Chairman and CEO, effective immediately. He will oversee Product & Digital Engineering Services (PDES), Infrastructure Management & Security Services (IMSS), and GenAI Business Services (GBS). Ashok Soota becomes Chief Mentor, while Venkatraman Narayanan continues as MD & CFO, managing finance, talent acquisition, IT, learning & development, ESG, CSR, procurement, and administration. Anantharaju and Narayanan will jointly manage M&A and board matters, reporting to Soota, who mentioned that Happiest Minds is currently finalising FY26 plans and the organic growth outlook is encouraging, thanks to the transformational changes of the last 18 months. (Read more)  

Annapurna Vishwanathan takes up a new role at Airbus

Annapurna Vishwanathan joined Airbus as Vice President and Head of Infrastructure Management and Digital for India and South Asia, overseeing IT and technology frameworks. With nearly two decades of expertise in technology management, software development, and digital transformation, she previously served as CIO at Cummins India and held digital leadership roles at Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and GE. In her new capacity, she will oversee the IT and technological frameworks that underpin business operations and other essential functions. She holds a Six Sigma certification and completed her studies at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. (Read more) 

Former LTIMindtree COO to helm newly formed AI services biz group

India’s sixth-largest IT firm LTIMindtree appointed former COO Nachiket Deshpande as President of its new AI services business group. He will focus on strategic deals and partnerships, aligning with the global technology office, and collaborating with academic institutions. CEO Venu Lambu announced the formation of the AI group, which offers advisory, engineering, and solutions through AI Studio and Agentic AI marketplace. Additionally, Deshpande will be responsible for aligning the global technology office (GTO research agenda), evaluating emerging tech, and collaborating with academic institutions for research and innovation. Notably, he was the CEO at LTI before its merger with Mindtree. (Read more)  

Nutanix appoints ex-Conviva exec as APJ VP and GM

Nutanix named Jay Tuseth as Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), reporting to Chief Revenue Officer Andrew Brinded. He succeeds Aaron White, now Field COO for EMEA. Tuseth brings over 25 years of IT experience, including senior roles at Conviva, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard and Dell Technologies. Tuseth holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Systems from Regis University in the United States. (Read more)

Cyient appoints ex-Honeywell exec as Chief Technology Officer

Cyient has appointed K. A. Prabhakaran as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for its Digital, Engineering, and Technology (DET) business. With over 30 years of experience in engineering, research, and development, Prabhakaran is a seasoned professional known for driving technology innovation and customer-centric solutions. Before joining Cyient, Prabhakaran was the Vice President and CTO for Honeywell’s Process Solutions group, where he played a key role in advancing technology strategies and innovation. Prabhakaran holds a Master’s degree in Engineering (Control Systems) from PSG College of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the University of Madras. (Read more)  

RateGain appoints former Amazon exec as EVP for APMEA

RateGain Travel Technologies Limited, a provider of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for the travel and hospitality industry, appointed Anurag Jain as Executive Vice President for APMEA. He will drive growth, strengthen partnerships, and expand the company's reach across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Jain previously held leadership positions at Expedia, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, and Godrej. Jain holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from C. K. Pithawala College of Engineering & Technology, Surat, where he was a gold medallist. He also earned a Master’s degree in General Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai. (Read more)  

Rajesh Karir Takes on New Role in Technology at Evalueserve

Rajesh Karir has been named the Director of Information Technology Operations at Evalueserve. With more than 20 years of experience in IT service management, Rajesh will oversee IT operations, focusing on enhancing efficiency within enterprise infrastructure, driving digital transformation, and optimizing service delivery. Having spent over 13 years as Associate Vice President of IT at Evalueserve, he possesses extensive knowledge in IT strategy, vendor management, and operational excellence. Before his tenure at Evalueserve, Rajesh held significant leadership positions at HT Media and Avantha Technologies, where he was instrumental in IT service delivery, infrastructure management, and process optimization.

Rajesh Thapar Joins NSE India as Chief Information Security Officer

Rajesh Thapar has been appointed as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at NSE India. With a strong background in cybersecurity and risk management, Rajesh will be responsible for leading NSE India’s information security strategy, ensuring the implementation of robust security frameworks across financial systems, maintaining regulatory compliance, and mitigating cyber threats. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and CISO at Axis Bank and held prominent leadership roles at OakNorth, YES BANK, and IBM. His expertise encompasses information security governance, regulatory compliance, and cyber-risk assurance, making him a significant asset to NSE India’s leadership team.

Prashant Malankar Named CISO at DSP Pension Fund

Prashant Malankar has been appointed as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at DSP Pension Fund. With a wealth of experience in cybersecurity, IT governance, and risk management, he will direct the firm’s information security strategy, ensuring strong defenses against emerging cyber threats. Prior to his role at DSP Pension Fund, Prashant held leadership positions at Angel One, Kalpataru Power Transmission, and Shree Shubham Logistics Limited, where he led IT security initiatives, managed infrastructure, and developed compliance frameworks. His expertise includes cyber risk mitigation.