Spotlight: CXO movements this week (Oct 6-10)

The week of October 6–10 saw a spate of senior leadership appointments across IT services, edtech, fintech, and entertainment. IT majors, including Capgemini, Cisco, Yotta Data Services, and Cummins named leaders to key roles in business and technology. Meanwhile, firms such as LEAD Group, Mythik, AngelOne, and Cornerstone OnDemand strengthened their digital leadership bench with appointments in technology, AI, and product functions. Here’s a quick roundup.

Capgemini India names Sanjay Chalke as CEO

Tech consultancy and services major Capgemini has elevated Sanjay Chalke, its current India COO, as the chief executive officer of Capgemini India, effective January 1. Chalke will also join the Group Executive Committee. The leadership change comes with the retirement of Ashwin Yardi, who has served as India CEO for seven years. Yardi will move into the role of non-executive chairman of Capgemini in India, focusing on strengthening stakeholder relationships while supporting Chalke in the transition.
As COO, Chalke drove transformation programs, talent acquisition, delivery assurance and operational excellence. Notably, Yardi too was a former COO before rising to CEO. (Read more)

Ajay Kashyap takes charge as CPTO at LEAD Group

Edtech unicorn LEAD Group has elevated Ajay Kashyap, its former Chief Product Officer, to Chief Product & Technology Officer. The expanded role combines product and technology functions under a single mandate.
Kashyap, an IIT Bombay alumnus and serial entrepreneur, will focus on innovation at the intersection of pedagogy, engineering and AI. He previously founded Boxx.ai (acquired by Netcore) and held stints with McKinsey, RedPill and Crayon.
(Read more)

Mythik ropes in Kamalmeet Singh as CTO

Entertainment IP company Mythik, often dubbed the “Disney of the East,” has appointed former Walmart executive Kamalmeet Singh as Chief Technology Officer. With over two decades of experience at Walmart, Microsoft and Infosys, Singh will oversee product engineering, platform modernisation and data-driven innovation. His focus will be on building scalable systems that integrate storytelling, gaming and immersive technologies, as Mythik ramps up global expansion. (Read more)

Angel One appoints Sridhar Govardhan as Group CISO

Fintech platform Angel One has brought on board veteran cybersecurity leader Sridhar Govardhan as Group Chief Information Security Officer. Govardhan, who has led information security at CoinDCX, Flipkart and Wipro, will strengthen Angel One’s cybersecurity frameworks, governance and data protection strategy. With over 25 years of experience and multiple patents in AI-driven cybersecurity and malware detection, Govardhan has been recognised with industry accolades, including “Privacy Leader of the Year” (2024) and “Security Leader of the Year” (2022).

Cisco India & SAARC has appointed Sandeep Agarwal as Chief Technology Officer – Security. Agarwal will spearhead the networking giant’s cybersecurity strategy in the region, driving adoption of cloud-native and AI-powered security solutions as enterprises accelerate their digital transformation. His role will be pivotal in helping organisations address rising threats while navigating complex compliance requirements.

Yotta Data Services named Rajesh Garg as Senior Executive Vice President and Group CIO. Garg’s portfolio extends beyond IT leadership to include operations, service delivery and CISO responsibilities, underscoring Yotta’s ambition to offer end-to-end secure digital infrastructure solutions. With data centres and cloud services forming the backbone of its business, Garg will play a key role in scaling Yotta’s platforms and enhancing customer trust.

Cummins India appointed Ashish Thakur as Chief Information Officer. Thakur will be tasked with leading digital transformation initiatives across the company’s manufacturing and engineering operations in India. His focus will be on leveraging advanced analytics, automation and connected technologies to improve operational efficiency, sustainability, and customer service.

Cornerstone OnDemand, a global workforce agility solutions provider, expanded its leadership with two new appointments: Guna Jayaraman as Chief AI Officer and Himanshu Baxi as Chief Development Officer. Jayaraman will drive the company’s AI strategy to build scalable people solutions that address skills shortages and accelerate the adoption of generative AI across HR workflows. Baxi, on the other hand, will oversee global product development, ensuring innovation at scale and faster go-to-market delivery for Cornerstone’s platform offerings.