Editors’ Choice CIO Excellence Awards

CRISIL- Ramnath Iyer, CTO

Leading various IT initiatives across infrastructure, information security and applications to minimize wastage of resources and time, enable faster growth, and improve efficiency across the board. Key initiatives include deployment of network DLP and two-tier security architecture, re-architecture of networks, implementation of file and e-mail archiving systems, building an e-analytics platform and new research delivery platforms, and deployment of CRM. Prior to taking over as Chief Technology Officer, Ramnath was Director, Ratings Operations, Process and Quality. In this role, he led the design and roll-out of the workflow process, which significantly enhanced CRISIL ratings' scale of operations.

Essar Group- Vikas Prabhu, CIO- Oil, Gas, and Retail

With focus around automation, process excellence and maximizing the technology ROI, business processes are being enabled through systems even as assets are sweated through streamlining of applications and hardware landscape. Created the information architecture for seamless data integration across various SAP systems, manufacturing execution systems, and laboratory information systems to optimize workflows, improve safety, and meet market demand and quality targets and maintain adequate internal controls.

Hindalco Industries- Bhushan Akerkar, CIO

Managing the technology needed to support Hindalco growth trajectory of being a USD 30 billion company in the near future. Implemented ERP for 5 new aluminum green field plants entailing investment of Rs.30000 cr. in record time before commissioning. Successfully deployed 4 data centers (2 of them tier 3) at these plants with a fiber optic coverage of more than 150 kms. Deployed business intelligence solutions (performance dashboard) across the company for daily sales and marketing, production, finance and inventory etc. to give a real time view of the business activities. Certified 7 Plants for ISO 270001 and contributed to 80% of Aditya Birla Security scenario improvements.

KPIT Technologies- Shrikanth Kulkarni, Sr. VP- IT

Creating a modern technology infrastructure to support global business. Set up private cloud, deployed desktop virtualization at multiple development centers, deployed cloud applications for productivity, and collaborative work environment. Implemented self-service in IT management, asset management, and optimization. KPIT Technologies became the first public listed company worldwide to receive prestigious Verafirm certification from BSA (Business software alliance). This certification is accorded to KPIT for the best practices implemented in Software Asset Management through the entire life cycle, from software license procurement, deployment, inventory management, compliance and usage. Innovated on various fronts like using reference architecture from VMWare-Cisco-EMC for private cloud, became reference site for various new technologies, and fostered a formal but open dialogue with all IT partners.

Govt. of Maharashtra- Rajesh Aggarwal IAS, Secy- IT

Blazed a trail in successfully delivering various e-Gov initiatives and empowering the state of Maharashtra. Key projects include Mahagov cloud, linking UID to financial inclusion projects, mobility applications for public welfare schemes, e-tendering and e-office projects for the Maharashtra. Maharashtra was the first state to publish a dedicated e-Governance Policy in 2011. Detailed policy implementation document was created, and more than 80% has been implemented ahead of schedule.

Mahindra & Mahindra- V.S. Parthasarathy, CFO and Group CIO

In his current corporate role as a CFO, Partha's responsibility encompasses Corporate Finance, Accounts, Investor Relations, M&A, Corporate Projects & Budget Cell, Corporate Secretarial function, Group IT and Shared Services Centre. He is on the Board of 16 M&M Group companies. As the group CIO, Partha steered large scale IT initiatives across the group, oversaw many innovative IT deployments in various companies of the group, and helped align IT with the group's business objectives. As a CFO, he used technology to deliver financial numbers including sales on the first of the subsequent month. The solution based on Qlikview drove data analysis that accelerated reporting, automated judgment through CFO dashboards, and fostered alternate thinking. Notably, his group also led to deploying SAP for social initiatives complete with real-time accounting and business analytics.

USHA INTERNATIONAL- Subodh Dubey, Sr Vice President and Group CIO

Credited with creating an information-driven organization through use of technologies like cloud computing, mobility, virtualization, and BPM, managing organizational data in real-time, extracting business intelligence, and creating the framework for analytics to demonstrate business value in managing supply chain, sales, and procurement functions. USHA International Ltd is the first company in India to implement real-time analytics using SAP HANA and also first company in India to implement ERP on SAP HANA.