Spotlight: CXO movements this week (Aug 2-8)

The week (Aug 2-8) saw several CXO movements in the technology domain. Tech companies such as  Persistent, Ascendion and Icertis appointed industry leaders in key business positions. Non-IT companies such as Sanghvi Movers and Aster DM, among others, appointed tech executives to lead some of their IT and digital affairs. Movement also happened in the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange. Here’s a roundup:

Persistent COO quits, Jaideep Dhok promoted to new role

Mid-tier IT services company Persistent Systems said its chief operating officer, Dhanashree Bhat has quit to pursue opportunities outside the company. It also announced the elevation of Jaideep Dhok as the COO-Technology from August 12, as per an official statement. Jaideep Dhok previously served as Senior Vice President – Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) of the Company. He has more than 23 years of experience across horizontal technologies and in the BFSI industry. With over 14 years at Persistent, he has led major transformation programs, built new business lines, and expanded Persistent's BFSI segment. Jaideep currently leads the APAC region and is a key contributor to the Company's AI strategy. In his new role, Jaideep will assume additional responsibility for Delivery Excellence, Talent Acquisition/Talent Management, Learning and Development, as well as Alliances and Partnerships. 

Ex-LTIMindtree CEO Debashis Chatterjee joins Ascendion board

Debashis Chatterjee, former CEO of LTIMindtree, has joined the Board of Directors at Ascendion, a New Jersey-based IT firm with 6,000 global employees. Ascendion, which has been expanding its India operations (Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad) with 2,000 employees, anticipates that Chatterjee's expertise will be crucial for leading software engineering transformation as it integrates AI-driven development models and increases headcount. Chatterjee, a Jadavpur University mechanical engineering graduate with over 30 years of experience, previously spearheaded multi-billion-dollar transformations and strategic growth for Fortune 500 clients. He led Mindtree as CEO and Managing Director from 2019, overseeing its merger with LTI to form LTIMindtree in 2022. Prior to that, Chatterjee held senior executive positions at Cognizant for over two decades, including President of Digital Systems & Technology and Head of Global Delivery, where he helped develop the Banking & Financial Services vertical and expand Cognizant's presence in Kolkata, Pune, and Mumbai. He started his IT career at Tata Consultancy Services. (Read more)

NCDEX gets a new Chief Technology Officer

Balkrishna Shankwalker has been appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX), an agricultural commodity exchange in India. He brings over 25 years of experience in infrastructure development, IT operations, and business transformation within regulated environments. In his role, Shankwalker will lead NCDEX's Technology department, overseeing Infra Operations and Tech Procurement, Software Engineering, Business Solutions Group, and the Technology Command Centre. Before NCDEX, Shankwalker led transformation initiatives at National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), including the transition to a New Depository System, mobile applications, private cloud implementation, and microservices-based architecture. He also held key technology roles at Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov), contributing to national programs like TAN, PAN, and the Income Tax e-filing platform. (Read more)

Icertis elevates Anand Subbaraman as CEO, cofounder Bodas steps down

IT software company Icertis cofounder Samir Bodas is stepping down from his CEO role, transitioning to executive chairman after leading the company for over 15 years. Anand Subbaraman, the current COO, will take over as CEO. This change comes as Icertis aims to strengthen its product focus on AI and dominate the AI-driven contract management space. Bodas co-founded Icertis with Monish Darda in 2009, building it into a category leader with nearly $350 million in annual recurring revenue. He highlighted the strategic importance of contracts in digital transformation, cultivated key partnerships with hyperscalers and system integrators, and established contract intelligence as a critical system of record for over a third of the Fortune 100. Subbaraman brings 25 years of strategy and engineering experience from companies like Oracle, BrowserStack, and Finastra. As COO at Icertis, he broadened his responsibilities across core business areas and was instrumental in driving AI innovation and strengthening strategic alliances. Under his leadership, Icertis will continue to help customers maximise the value of their business relationships, deliver reliable AI solutions, and enable more global enterprises to use contracts as strategic assets.

Paramanand Shinde joins Sanghvi Movers as VP-IT

Paramanand Shinde has taken on a new role as Vice President – Information Technology at Sanghvi Movers Limited. With over 20 years of experience in IT leadership, Shinde has consistently delivered impactful digital transformations across industries. In his previous role at Garware Fulflex, he served as Group Head – IT for India and the USA, where he led enterprise-wide IT initiatives including SAP and non-SAP systems, IT infrastructure, and cybersecurity. His accomplishments include the successful implementation of Salesforce, Mimecast email security, Trend Micro-XDR, SAP add-ons for data security and compliance, as well as digital signature solutions. Shinde has also held leadership roles at Finolex Cables, Ferrero, Japfa, Sudarshan Chemicals, and Deepak Fertilisers. His expertise spans SAP S/4HANA, cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI, and IT strategy, making him a valuable asset in aligning technology with business goals.

Hoonartek names Nilesh Trivedi as APAC business head

Hoonartek, a global data, digital, and AI solutions provider, has appointed Nilesh Trivedi as Chief Business Officer for the Asia Pacific region. Trivedi, also a Hoonartek board director, will lead APAC business strategy and client engagement. He brings over 25 years of leadership experience across telecom, FMCG, BPO, and manufacturing. Before this appointment, Trivedi was Director and Head of Telco at Hoonartek, leading strategic programs in the telecommunications sector. His prior experience includes a decade at Airtel and senior roles at the Aditya Birla Group, GE Capital (now Genpact), and Hindustan Unilever, with expertise in digital transformation, ERP, business process reengineering, data warehousing, and service delivery. (Read more)

Aster DM Healthcare appoints Sudeep Dey as its new CIO & CISO

Sudeep Dey has been named CIO and CISO of Aster DM Healthcare. With over 22 years of cross-industry experience, Dey brings expertise in IT strategy, digital innovation, and cybersecurity. He previously served as CIO at HealthCare Global Enterprises, where he spearheaded clinical informatics, digitalised cancer care, and advanced precision diagnostics. Before HCG, Dey held IT leadership roles at Fortis Healthcare, leading IT modernisation programs and enhancing health information governance. His experience also includes IT transformation roles at Godfrey Phillips India, iBilt Technologies, Path Infotech, NIIT, and eDesignPro Pvt Ltd. Dey is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta.