Spotlight: CXO movements this week (June 14–20)

The week (14–20 June) saw several CXO movements in the technology domain. From Meta India appointing a new managing director and data centre provider, Vertiv naming a new CIO, to non-tech companies like Sony Pictures and Pocket Entertainment appointing new leaders to head their IT and digital affairs, here’s a quick recap:

Mike Giresi appointed as CIO of Vertiv

Vertiv, a US-based data centre cooling solutions manufacturer, with a strong India presence, announced the appointment of Mike Giresi as its Global Chief Information Officer. Giresi will be responsible for overseeing initiatives related to artificial intelligence adoption, cybersecurity, product security, and enhancing productivity and customer experience through digital tools. Giresi previously served as Chief Digital Officer at Molex and has held senior leadership positions at several major organisations, including Aramark, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Tory Burch, and Godiva Chocolatier. He holds an Executive MBA from Saint Joseph’s University and a BA in English and Information Systems from Seton Hall University. (Read more)

Pocket Entertainment appoints Umesh Bude as CTO

Pocket Entertainment, the company behind platforms such as Pocket FM, Pocket Toons and Pocket Novel, promoted Umesh Bude as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) from his previous role as Senior Vice President of Engineering. In his new position, Bude will lead the company’s overall technology strategy. His focus will be on improving Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based storytelling tools, enhancing product performance, and streamlining user experiences across all platforms. Before joining Pocket Entertainment, he held senior roles at various tech companies. He worked at Unacademy as Senior Director and later as Vice President of Engineering. Prior to that, he served in engineering and leadership roles at OYO, Akamai Technologies, and Sun Microsystems. (Read more)

Arun Srinivas named MD and Head of Meta India

Arun Srinivas has been appointed Meta's Managing Director and Head for India, effective July 1, reporting to Sandhya Devanathan, who leads Meta's India and Southeast Asia operations. Srinivas will be responsible for Meta’s business strategy in India, concentrating on advertising, partnerships, and long-term growth. Srinivas joined Meta in 2020 and most recently served as Director and Head of Ads, collaborating with major advertisers to promote Meta's products, including Reels, WhatsApp Business, and AI-powered ad solutions. Prior to Meta, Srinivas held leadership positions at Hindustan Unilever for over 15 years, managing various categories across South Asia. Earlier in his career, he worked at Reebok India in product management and marketing. In 2017, he became an operating advisor at WestBridge Capital, and later served as COO and Global CMO at Ola, aiding in the expansion of its ride-hailing services. (Read more)

Deepak Rana named Global CISO at Evalueserve

Evalueserve has appointed Deepak Rana as Global CISO. With over 20 years of experience in information security, compliance, and governance, Rana will lead Evalueserve's cybersecurity strategy and strengthen its global security infrastructure. Previously, Rana held leadership roles at BT Group, Tech Mahindra, Ericsson, Mphasis, and Sterling Telecom, excelling in supplier security governance, risk and compliance, cybersecurity certifications (ISO 27001, SOC2, PCI), business continuity planning, and audit preparedness.

Mukund Acharya joins Sony Pictures Networks India as CTO

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) announced the appointment of Mukund Acharya as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In his new role, Mukund will spearhead the company’s consolidated technology portfolio and Broadcast Operations and Network Engineering. He will be responsible for driving SPNI’s digital transformation agenda, fostering innovation, and ensuring strategic alignment between business goals and technology initiatives across the network’s linear and digital platforms. With close to 30 years of experience in leading technology teams and delivering large-scale transformations, Mukund brings deep expertise in platform engineering, scalability, and product innovation. He joined SPNI from Disney+ Hotstar (Now JioStar), where he served as Head of Engineering. His prior experience includes senior technology leadership roles at Yahoo, InMobi, and other global organisations.