Honoring Digital Excellence: Dataquest Digital Leadership Conclave 2025

The Dataquest Digital Leadership Conclave stands as a prestigious platform that honors visionary digital leaders who have harnessed technology to drive business transformation and societal impact. As industries continue to evolve in the face of digital disruption, the awards recognize individuals who have pioneered innovation, redefined industry benchmarks, and leveraged emerging technologies to propel their organizations forward. Their efforts in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, automation, and digital transformation exemplify the power of technology in shaping a smarter, more efficient, and interconnected world.

This year Dataquest organised the 32nd edition of its Digital Leaders Awards to celebrate exceptional contributions across multiple domains, from banking and healthcare to manufacturing and IT services. These leaders have not only embraced change but have also been instrumental in developing solutions that optimize operations, enhance security, and improve user experiences. The conclave serves as an exclusive gathering of thought leaders, innovators, and changemakers, fostering discussions that inspire the next wave of technological advancements.

Top CIOs & Technology Leaders

• Aakash Bhutani, Vice President - Digital Transformation, Zomato Ltd (Eternal Ltd), applauded for leading AI-powered digital transformation and optimizing operations.
• Abhijit Chatterjee, CIO, ABHi Technologies, acknowledged for exemplary leadership in digital transformation.
• Aditya Khullar, CISO, Adani Digital Labs, commended for fortifying cybersecurity frameworks at Adani Digital Labs.
• Anand Aggarwal, Group CTO, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (The Times Group), celebrated for steering digital transformation initiatives.
• Anil Kuril, Chief General Manager & CTO, Union Bank of India, recognized for his role in banking innovation and digital security.
• Deepak Batra, Head of Technical Engineering, EXL Service, acclaimed for establishing AI, Cloud, and Software Engineering Centers of Excellence and fostering innovation in collaboration with NVIDIA.
• Manish Thakar, CTO, Hitachi Hirel Power Electronics Pvt. Ltd., applauded for leveraging AI to drive business transformation and digital expansion.
• Mohammad Irshad Saifi, CDIO, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, acknowledged for driving transformative digital solutions, strengthening security, and enhancing operational efficiency and user experience.
• Poorav Sheth, CDIO, Hindalco Industries Ltd., acknowledged for spearheading enterprise-wide digital transformation and operational excellence.
• Randhir Padwal, GM-IT, Sahyadri Hospitals Pvt. Ltd., acclaimed for significant contributions to digital transformation in healthcare.
• Sanjay Kumar Gupta, IT Head, Sammaan Capital Ltd., applauded for modernizing IT infrastructure with SD-WAN and implementing a robust BCP/DR strategy.
• Sarbani Bhatia, Sr. Vice President, IT, Jagran Prakashan Ltd., acknowledged for outstanding leadership in digital transformation.
• Vishal Gupta, Head - Business Transformation and Digital, India & SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd., recognized for leveraging Data Lake, AI/ML, and advanced analytics to optimize sales, media, and financial planning.
• Vivek Pathak, Additional General Manager, IT, BHEL, commended for leading large-scale IT implementations at BHEL.
• Yogendra Singh, CTO, Barista Coffee Company Limited, celebrated for pioneering digital transformation efforts to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement.

 Special Category Awards

• Business Impact Award: Chandran R, CTO, Bahwan Cybertek Ltd,  acknowledged for delivering measurable ROI and driving business transformation through IT initiatives.
• Data-Driven Innovator Award: Achin K. Sharma, CIO, MOVIN, acclaimed for leveraging CRM, BI, and analytics to optimize operations and boost business growth.
• Digital Disruptor Award: Abhishek Agarwal, Head IT, EESL & CESL, applauded for spearheading transformative Smart Meter and energy management programs.
• Enterprise Integration & Compliance Leader: Rajesh Pandita, CISA, CISM, CISSP, IRSL, commended for leading the One-IT program, enhancing cross-entity collaboration, and ensuring seamless compliance.
• Industry Trailblazer Award: Deepak Keni, SVP & CIO, Deepak Fertilizers & Petrochemicals Corp Ltd, acknowledged for setting new benchmarks in digital transformation and innovation.
• Open Source Champion: Dipesh Thakar, Group CIO, Meril Life Sciences Group, acclaimed for implementing open-source ERP to streamline operations and enhance data-driven decision-making.
• SAP Cloud Transformation Leader: Akshay Kumar Sahani, GM-IT, Alok Industries, celebrated for successfully deploying SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition with AI-powered security and automation.
• Smart Manufacturing Champion: Dr. Chander Shekhar Devra, CIO, SRF Limited, applauded for revolutionizing the specialty chemicals sector through IIoT and analytics-driven manufacturing processes.

The Dataquest Leadership Conclave 2025 stands as a testament to the power of digital transformation and visionary leadership. By recognizing pioneers who are shaping the future of technology, the awards celebrate innovation, resilience, and progress, inspiring the next generation of digital leaders to drive meaningful change.