Spotlight: CXO movements this week (Oct 25-31)

This week, India’s technology and digital companies continue to witness a flurry of senior leadership appointments, underscoring the industry’s focus on AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. Companies across verticals such as Emversity, Fulcrum Digital, Datamatics Business Solutions, Cygnet.One, Juniper Green Energy, Shrimuktai Mart, and Hexaware Technologies announced key technology leadership changes this week, signalling an accelerated pivot toward data-led decision-making and intelligent automation. Here’s a roundup:

Emversity elevates Manish Kumar as Chief Technology Officer

Industry-skilling platform Emversity has elevated Manish Kumar to Chief Technology Officer (CTO) as it accelerates its AI-led digital transformation and nationwide skilling expansion. Kumar, who joined the Bengaluru-based company in 2023 as technology and product lead, will now steer the evolution of Emversity’s AI-driven learning platform that connects students, universities, and employers. With over two decades of experience in enterprise technology, cloud architecture, and learning analytics, he has led digital transformation projects across multiple sectors. In his new role, Kumar will drive deeper integration of AI, automation, and data intelligence into Emversity’s ecosystem to deliver personalised learning pathways, improved employability outcomes, and a smarter, more connected skill development framework. (Read more)

Fulcrum Digital appoints Gulveen Kaur as SVP – Insurance

Fulcrum Digital has named Gulveen Kaur as Senior Vice President for its insurance business, strengthening its leadership in digital innovation for the sector. Kaur brings over 20 years of experience across insurance and IT industries in Asia, most recently with Capgemini, where she oversaw delivery, operations, and client engagement for insurance and banking in Southeast Asia. She has also held senior roles at AXA Hong Kong, Manulife Asia, and MetLife, driving transformation and core platform modernisation. At Fulcrum Digital, Kaur will lead strategy and execution for global insurance solutions, focusing on leveraging digital engineering, automation, and AI to deepen the company’s footprint and enhance value creation for insurers across property, life, and group segments. (Read more)

Datamatics Business Solutions names Kartik Nagarajan as CEO

Datamatics Business Solutions Limited (DBSL) has appointed Kartik Nagarajan as Chief Executive Officer, marking a renewed push toward AI-enabled, data-centric business transformation. Nagarajan, who previously served as Managing Director – Business Consulting & Global Business Services (Sales) at Nexdigm, brings over two decades of experience in scaling global operations and driving technology-led growth. His earlier stints include leadership roles at WPP, Avaya, and Aviva, where he focused on digital enablement and shared services optimization. At DBSL, Nagarajan will lead efforts to expand the firm’s global reach across B2B data, marketing, and transformation services, while enhancing its AI and analytics capabilities to deliver sharper business insights and accelerate digital maturity for enterprise clients worldwide. (Read more)

Cygnet.One appoints Dr. Pankaj Dikshit as Chief AI & Digital Officer

Cygnet.One has appointed Dr. Pankaj Dikshit as Chief AI & Digital Officer and Executive Director on Board, signaling a stronger focus on AI-driven enterprise innovation. A digital transformation leader with over two decades of experience, Dr. Dikshit previously served as CTO at Government e Marketplace (GeM), where he introduced GeMAI, India’s first generative AI-powered public procurement chatbot. His earlier roles at GSTN, IBM, and the Government of India saw him drive large-scale technology modernization and cybersecurity initiatives. Holding a Ph.D. from IIT Delhi, Dr. Dikshit will now shape Cygnet.One’s AI strategy and digital roadmap, embedding advanced analytics, automation, and machine learning across products and platforms to power the company’s next phase of intelligent growth.

Juniper Green Energy appoints Kushal Kumar Varshney as AVP – IT

Juniper Green Energy has appointed Kushal Kumar Varshney as Assistant Vice President – Information Technology, to lead the company’s technology and digital transformation initiatives. With over 17 years of experience in IT strategy, cybersecurity, and infrastructure modernization, Varshney will focus on building scalable, cloud-ready systems aligned with Juniper Green’s ESG and sustainability goals. Before joining, he held senior leadership positions at Shyam Steel Industries, ACME Group, IndiGrid (Virescent), and CleanMax Solar, leading enterprise-wide transformations, multi-country IT operations, and SAP integrations. At Juniper Green, his mandate includes driving digital innovation, enhancing cyber resilience, and leveraging data analytics to support the company’s renewable energy mission and future-ready technology roadmap.

Sandiip Kothaari elevated to CEO at Shrimuktai Mart 

Shrimuktai Mart Pvt Ltd has promoted Sandiip Kothaari to Chief Executive Officer, underscoring its focus on technology-driven business growth. With over two decades of expertise in IT strategy and enterprise innovation, Kothaari transitions from his role as CTO, where he spearheaded digital modernisation and operational transformation. His leadership has been instrumental in aligning technology with business expansion across e-commerce, customer engagement, and investor relations. Prior to Shrimuktai Mart, he held senior roles at Speciality Restaurants, ORRA Fine Jewellery, Prince Pipes, Wonderchef, Baggit, and Travel Food Services, where he led ERP rollouts, AI-driven analytics, and automation programs. As CEO, Kothaari will drive strategic growth, operational excellence, and digital scalability across India.

Hexaware appoints Surendra Nemani as VP & Head of Cybersecurity

Hexaware Technologies has appointed Surendra Nemani as Vice President & Head of Cybersecurity, reinforcing its focus on secure digital transformation. With over 17 years of leadership experience, Nemani has previously served at Flipkart (Walmart Group), Cleartrip, and Infosys, leading enterprise security, architecture, and governance. Before joining Hexaware, he was BISO and Head of Security at Flipkart’s Cleartrip, where he built cyber defense frameworks and advanced data protection strategies. At Infosys, he led global information security engineering and operations for over a decade. In his new role, Nemani will align cybersecurity strategy with Hexaware’s AI-first, cloud-led business model—strengthening resilience, regulatory compliance, and client trust across its IT, ITES, and BPM verticals.