Our Leadership

Ashwin Mittal

Chairman, Managing Director & CEO

Ashwin Mittal is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of C5i. He leads the company with the purpose of amplifying human potential and driving accelerated impact for clients and the community through the ideal combination of human and machine intelligence. Ashwin is responsible for driving overarching strategy, organizational development, mergers and acquisitions, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and a vibrant and equitable corporate culture at C5i. Ashwin has architected C5i’s growth into one of the world’s leading AI & analytics solution providers.

An early advocate of tapping the power of AI to transform business, Ashwin was one of the first Analytics company CEOs to create an R&D-focused AI Labs in 2017. C5i’s AI Labs has been at the forefront of leveraging Generative AI & other advanced technologies to drive amplified value for global clients. Ashwin was awarded for “Excellence in AI and Data Analytics” at the Economic Times (ET) Business Awards 2025 and recognized as one of the 11 “foundational AI market leaders” on the list of “100 Most Influential AI Leaders in India 2024” by Analytics India Magazine (AIM). He was featured in “AI Makers 100” by 3AI in 2023 and 2022, “Top CEOs of Data Science Service Providers 2023” and “10 Most Influential Analytics Leaders in India 2020” by AIM, and Economic Times’ “Promising Entrepreneurs of India” in 2016. Ashwin is also co-author of the book “The Return on AI: From Promise to Profit in the Age of Intelligent Business” that introduces the AI Impact Model (AIIM), a practical evidence-based framework that helps organizations measure, predict, and optimize the outcomes of their AI initiatives.

Ashwin Mittal is a member of Nasscom Executive Council 2025‒27 and holds board and advisory positions in several companies. He is a founder member of India’s first organized Angel investing group, Mumbai Angels, and is also engaged in various social impact activities related to education and child health.

Academically, Ashwin has an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and London Business School. He also holds a master’s degree in Commerce and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He was the founding President of the UCLA Anderson Mumbai Alumni Chapter. A strong proponent of continuous learning, Ashwin completed the Harvard Business School Owner/President Management Program in 2023.

Krishnan Venkata

President & Chief Operating Officer

Krishnan Venkata is the President and Chief Operating Officer at C5i. He leads Client Relationships, Sales, Account Management, and Partnerships across the Americas & Europe, while maintaining oversight of Operations at C5i.

He brings over two decades of experience across technology, data, analytics, AI, and knowledge services, with extensive experience working with Fortune 500 clients. He has built strong C-suite relationships, led global sales and business development, and established and scaled multiple capability practices. Throughout his career, Krishnan has helped organizations translate their capabilities into deployable business solutions. His expertise spans strategic consulting, business analytics, outsourcing, global delivery, and digital transformation.

Prior to joining C5i, Krishnan served as Chief Client Officer at LatentView Analytics, where he focused on fostering and deepening client relationships, market expansion, capability development, operations excellence and overall business growth.

Krishnan holds an MBA in Finance, Sales and Marketing from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow and B.Tech in Computer Science from College of Engineering, Trivandrum. He is passionate about mentoring emerging businesses and has served as an advisor to early-stage technology companies, helping them scale through strategic guidance and innovation.

Ankur Maheshwari

Group Chief Financial Officer

Ankur Maheshwari is the Executive Vice President & Group Chief Financial Officer at C5i. He is responsible for managing global finance, corporate development, and legal functions for C5i and its group companies.

Ankur has over 20 years of experience in corporate strategy and execution, financial planning & analysis, corporate finance, corporate development, mergers & acquisitions, and management consulting. He has worked across IT and ITeS, Management Consulting, and Banking and Financial Services organizations globally. Prior to C5i, he was part of the leadership team at Firstsource Solutions Limited, where he led global corporate development, managing end-to-end inorganic growth thesis and structured deals and working with the start-up ecosystem. Additionally, he led several other functions such as Investor Relations, Growth Strategy, and Corporate Planning, and spearheaded several margin expansion initiatives while also driving a unified governance framework across the organization.

Prior to Firstsource, Ankur worked with organizations like HDFC Bank, Boston Consulting Group, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Walden International. He has also served on the boards of Quatrro Global Services Pvt. Ltd., CoOptions Technologies Ltd, BankBazaar.com, Anantara Solutions Ltd., and Nanobi Analytics.

A certified Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI), Ankur also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from ICFAI Business School.

Anees Merchant

Executive Vice President

Anees Merchant is the Executive Vice President and Business Unit Lead for Technology, Media, Telecom (TMT) & Products and Innovation Lead at C5i. He is responsible for leading the development of intellectual property (IP), frameworks, and solutions leveraging the power of Generative AI and other technologies and providing leadership to Analytics Consulting. Anees is passionate about helping companies grow through a combination of human and machine intelligence and seeks to lead the AI revolution with integrity and impact.

Prior to C5i, Anees was an Associate Principal at eClerx Services Ltd. and has worked with companies like Wipro Spectramind Services Pvt. Ltd., Stream Tracmail Pvt. Ltd., Microgate Corporation, IBS Infotech, and Hardcastle Restaurants Private Limited. He is a member of the AIM Leaders Council and 3AI Thought Leaders Circle (TLC).

Anees has received the AI Makers Award 2023 by 3AI, Outstanding Leadership Award 2022 by Internet 2.0 Conference, and Best Analytics and Insight Leader of the Year by The Customer FEST Awards 2016, among others. He has written extensively in industry publications, including Analytics Insight, Insights Association, AIM, 3AI, and others. On the community front, Anees empowers various communities through the Reliance Foundation.

Anees holds a postgraduate diploma in Marketing Management from NMIMS. He has completed the ‘Finance for Senior Executives’ and ‘Driving Growth Through Innovation–India’ programs from Harvard Business School and received the Lean Management Certification from Benchmark Six Sigma.

Ajith Sankaran

Executive Vice President

Ajith Sankaran is the Executive Vice President & Global delivery Leader at C5i. Ajith is focused on the application of AI, analytics, Data for generating and communicating insights that drive positive change and business impact for C5i’s clients. He has a track record of winning and growing large global client accounts and maintaining the highest standards of quality and client services, leading to industry-leading client retention levels. In addition, he leads the Business Unit for Professional Services BU at C5i.

Ajith has over 27 years of experience in analytics, and consulting. Prior to joining C5i, he worked at IDC (India) Limited, Deloitte Consulting India Pvt. Ltd., and the Madras Consultancy Group. Ajith’s articles on the application of the latest technologies in the field of analytics, AI, and insights have been featured in leading industry publications, including Forbes.

An Adjunct Professor of Practice at Amrita School of Business, Ajith teaches two subjects – Generative AI Applications in Business and Product Management.

Ajith holds a bachelor’s degree in Technology in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calicut and a master’s degree in Business Administration from PSG College of Technology, Bharathiar University. He is also a Certified Management Consultant (CMC), a certification awarded by the Institute of Management Consultants of India.

Santosh Nair

Executive Vice President & Head of Analytic Edge

Dr. Santosh Nair is the Executive Vice President and Business Unit Leader for MMM practice focused on North America geography at the company. In addition, he serves as Chief Analytics Officer for the MMM Practice.

A distinguished academician, industry leader in applied statistics & marketing analytics and co-founder of Analytic Edge, he has led the development of advanced analytics solutions for global clients across industries. Under his leadership, Analytic Edge has become a trusted partner in marketing measurement and optimization insights to several Fortune 500 companies in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Santosh is passionate about democratizing analytics, making complex methodologies accessible to business users. He strongly advocates data-driven decision-making and bridging technical rigor with business relevance. His expertise lies in the intersection of statistical modeling, econometric forecasting, and real-world business applications.

Before founding Analytic Edge, Santosh led award-winning analytics teams at Genpact and Symphony Marketing Solutions (Symphony IRI), delivering high-impact analytics solutions to several Fortune 100 companies. A recipient of multiple industry and academic awards, he regularly speaks at leading analytics and marketing science conferences and is part of many industry forums, including I-COM, ANA, and WARC.

A passionate educator and mentor, Santosh delivers guest lectures on applied analytics, AI/ML, and Marketing and has guided numerous professionals and students in the practical application of statistical techniques.

Santosh earned his Ph.D. in Applied Economics and Statistics from Clemson University, USA, where he contributed to research in econometrics, environmental modeling, and statistical applications in business.

Balvinder Dang

Executive Vice President & Head of Datavid

Balvinder Dang is the Executive Vice President at C5i. He is responsible for scaling innovation and impact through data engineering for applied AI and analytics solutions for C5i’s clients globally.

He is the co-founder of Datavid (a C5i company) and has built the company as a specialist data intelligence business focused on helping enterprises unlock value from complex data through semantic technologies, knowledge graphs, AI, and modern search solutions. With more than two decades of experience in enterprise search software, data platforms, and AI, he has led high-impact work across knowledge-rich industries like publishing and standard bodies, and regulated industries like life sciences, financial services, and the public sector. Under Balvinder’s leadership, Datavid has grown from a startup into an international business with more than 130+ talented professionals across the UK, Romania, and India, serving over 25 enterprise clients across sectors including publishing, pharma, finance, government, and agricultural science.

Before founding Datavid, he held leadership roles at search/graph technology company called MarkLogic, where he led strategic consulting engagements for major enterprise clients.

Balvinder is particularly passionate about treating data as a strategic asset and enabling organizations to embed intelligence into their core operations.

Balvinder holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science from Doctor Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University.

Manish Kotwani

Senior Vice President & Global Head of HR & Admin

Manish Kotwani leads C5i’s Human Resources & Administration function globally. He is passionate about aligning HR Strategy with organizational vision while driving impactful people initiatives across markets.

Prior to joining C5i, Manish was Vice President of Human Resources with Sterling Talent Solutions. With over 25 years of experience, he has led HR transformation across industries including consulting, KPO, technology, analytics, and professional services. He has spearheaded HR strategy, talent acquisition, total rewards, employee engagement, and M&A integrations across geographies, fostering high-performing cultures and strong employer brands. Acting as a partner to business leadership and stakeholders, he has successfully led organizations through their e-Sat certification journeys with quantifiable business outcomes.

Manish has been recognized by World HRD Congress among the “Most Influential HR Leaders in India” in 2017 and “Top 100 HR Leaders that Make a Difference” in 2018.

Manish is a keen philanthropist who is passionate about child welfare & development and making the world a better and more sustainable place to live for everyone. Professionally, he is deeply focused on building a great place to work through meaningful learning interventions that offer value to the business and its customers.

Academically, Manish has a Master’s degree in Human Resources from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies and is a Certified HR Mergers & Acquisitions and Total Rewards professional through Aon.

Megha Chaudhry

Senior Vice President & Global Head of Marketing & Alliances

Megha Chaudhry is the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Marketing & Alliances at C5i. She leads integrated marketing, go-to-market strategy, public relations, business development, sales enablement, and data and technology partner and alliance management at C5i, with a focus on leveraging the latest technology with human expertise to drive brand growth, sales, and business impact for the company.

Prior to her role at C5i, Megha was the India Marketing Head at eClerx Services Ltd. and Director of International Business Development at Aloha Technology Pvt. Ltd. before that. She has over twenty years of experience in strategic marketing leadership, driving large-scale initiatives impacting strategic brand positioning and top-line revenue using marketing technology, consumer & market insight, analytics, artificial intelligence, and proven experience in alliance and partner growth strategies. She has worked with global clients across the US, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions in Technology, Retail, CPG, BFSI, Telecom, and other domains, delivering successful business outcomes through technology-driven innovation and cross-functional, cross-regional collaboration.

Megha has received numerous awards and recognitions including ‘Most Admired Marketing Leader by World Marketing Congress, 2023,’ ‘Most Innovative Martech Leaders, 2022,’ ‘Superwomen 2021 Social Samosa award,’ ‘COVID-19 Super Hero Award at Global CMO Leadership Summit & Awards, 2020,’ ‘100 Best Marketing Minds of India by Enterprise IT World, 2018,’ and ‘100 Most Innovative Martech Leaders by Enterprise IT World, 2018.’

Megha holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Symbiosis Society’s Law College, Pune University.

Ashwin Mittal

Chairman, Managing Director & CEO

Ashwin Mittal is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of C5i. He leads the company with the purpose of amplifying human potential and driving accelerated impact for clients and the community through the ideal combination of human and machine intelligence. Ashwin is responsible for driving overarching strategy, organizational development, mergers and acquisitions, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and a vibrant and equitable corporate culture at C5i. Ashwin has architected C5i’s growth into one of the world’s leading AI & analytics solution providers.

An early advocate of tapping the power of AI to transform business, Ashwin was one of the first Analytics company CEOs to create an R&D-focused AI Labs in 2017. C5i’s AI Labs has been at the forefront of leveraging Generative AI & other advanced technologies to drive amplified value for global clients. Ashwin was awarded for “Excellence in AI and Data Analytics” at the Economic Times (ET) Business Awards 2025 and recognized as one of the 11 “foundational AI market leaders” on the list of “100 Most Influential AI Leaders in India 2024” by Analytics India Magazine (AIM). He was featured in “AI Makers 100” by 3AI in 2023 and 2022, “Top CEOs of Data Science Service Providers 2023” and “10 Most Influential Analytics Leaders in India 2020” by AIM, and Economic Times’ “Promising Entrepreneurs of India” in 2016. Ashwin is also co-author of the book “The Return on AI: From Promise to Profit in the Age of Intelligent Business” that introduces the AI Impact Model (AIIM), a practical evidence-based framework that helps organizations measure, predict, and optimize the outcomes of their AI initiatives.

Ashwin Mittal is a member of Nasscom Executive Council 2025‒27 and holds board and advisory positions in several companies. He is a founder member of India’s first organized Angel investing group, Mumbai Angels, and is also engaged in various social impact activities related to education and child health.

Academically, Ashwin has an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and London Business School. He also holds a master’s degree in Commerce and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He was the founding President of the UCLA Anderson Mumbai Alumni Chapter. A strong proponent of continuous learning, Ashwin completed the Harvard Business School Owner/President Management Program in 2023.

Dr. Kumar Mehta

Non-executive Director

Dr. Kumar Mehta is a Non-executive Director of C5i. He holds a PhD in pharmaceutical socioeconomics from The University of Iowa. He currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California. He was CEO of C5i from 2007- 2016. He was at Microsoft, where he started as one of the founding members of the very first research and analytics team, and over time managed some of Microsoft’s most significant and strategic projects. He has been at the forefront of exceptional performance, research, innovation, and data analytics for over 30 years. He founded Bridges Insight, a think tank committed to researching sustained personal and organizational excellence. He is passionate about education and is active as a board member and Treasurer for the Committee for Children (CFC). He is the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller, The Innovation Biome, and The Exceptionals.

Simon Chadwick

Independent Director

Simon Charles Hamilton Chadwick is an Independent Director of C5i. He holds a master’s degree in arts from Exeter College, University of Oxford. He has also completed the “Leading Change and Organisational Renewal” program from Harvard Business School. He is co-managing partner and fifty percent equity holder at Cambiar, LLC since May 20, 2004. He has been recognised in the Insight250 as an innovator by Mtab in 2021 and has also been recognised for his ‘distinguished service and leadership as Chair of the Board of Directors’ by Insights Association in 2017. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Marketing Science Institute and has also received a certificate of appreciation from CASRO. He has been a Director on our Board since December 9, 2021.

Kartik Badiani

Non-executive Director

Kartik Badiani is a Non-executive Director of C5i. He is a Chartered Accountant and a commerce graduate from Mithibai College, Mumbai. He has also completed his LLB from Mumbai University. He has overall experience of more than 15 years in Tax & Regulatory Advisory. He has significant experience in advising clients in areas of corporate tax & international tax, inbound investment structuring, establishment of joint ventures, business reorganizations, tax due diligence, tax appeals / litigation and exchange control regulations.

Bijal Tushar Ajinkya

Independent Director

Bijal Tushar Ajinkya is an Independent Director of C5i. She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in International Law from the University of Mumbai. She is a partner in Khaitan & Co. and a leading tax and private client legal practitioner with over 23 years of experience. She is globally recognized for her expertise in tax and private client matters and has received many accolades from prestigious organizations, including Chambers & Partners, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, and so on. She is the first India-qualified lawyer admitted to the American College of Trust and Estate Practitioners, an elite fellowship of globally renowned professionals. She is regularly invited to speak at various global forums on complex issues related to tax and succession planning. She has several publications to her credit and has led several landmark tax litigations in India.

Debjyoti Paul

Independent Director

Debjyoti Paul is an Independent Director of C5i. He holds a PGDBM from XLRI Jamshedpur and a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. He also holds Executive Coaching and Team Coaching certifications from Coaching Foundation India (CFI) and has pursued specializations in emotional intelligence and positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and Case Western Reserve University.

Debjyoti has over three decades of experience across technology services, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. He previously served as President, Digital Services, at ITC Infotech and held leadership roles at Microsoft, Mindtree,  Infosys, Sify, and Unilever. He is also co-founder of the entity that evolved into BigBasket and formerly served as Managing Director at Elevar Equity.

Mohanbir Sawhney

Mohanbir Sawhney is a globally sought consultant and speaker on Enterprise Analytics, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and Marketing. Sawhney is the Associate Dean for Digital Innovation, the Director for the Center for Research in Technology and Innovation and McCormick Foundation Professor of Technology at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Professor Sawhney’s consulting and speaking clients include Accenture, Adobe Systems, AT&T, Boeing, Cisco Systems, Dell, Entergy, Fidelity Investments, General Mills, Honeywell, Microsoft, Salesforce, Vanguard, and others. His research has been published in leading journals, including Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, and he has written several books, of which the latest on Analytics-driven decision making titled ‘The Sentient Enterprise: The Evolution of Business Decision Making’ was on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list.

Sawhney is a Fellow of the World Economic Forum and an advisory board member of Chicago Innovation. He is an award-winning educator and a Distinguished Alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

Douglas Hillary

Douglas Hillary is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of C5i. He is also an advisor with Aviso Inc. and a venture partner with NextGen Venture Partners. Doug has over 30 years of experience in high technology, serving executive roles at Northrop Grumman, Motorola, and Dell Technologies. While at Dell, he helped create Dell’s global services capabilities and led large-scale global service operations and global sales operations. In his last role with Dell, he led an enterprise-wide transformation program to improve the company’s use of data, BI, and analytics. He also has expertise in leading enterprise-wide transformation initiatives in enterprise support operations, managed service operations, and digital sales transformation.

A mentor with the RealCo Seed Fund Program, Doug shares his experience in P&L leadership, talent and organizational development, operations, services, big data, analytics, and strategic transformation to help portfolio companies achieve success. Formerly on the Board of Directors of Girlstart, an initiative that aims to increase girls’ interest and engagement in STEM, Doug has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan magazine, and Austin American Statesmen regarding his advocacy for STEM education for young women and increasing opportunities for women in leadership roles in technology. Doug has an MBA in Finance from Loyola Marymount University and a BA from UCLA in Political Science and International Economics.

Liat Ben-Zur

Liat Ben-Zur is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of C5i.  She is a transformative technology executive and AI strategist who helps organizations navigate disruption and unlock growth. As CEO of LBZ Advisory, she brings boardroom-tested expertise in AI deployment, product strategy, and operational transformation.

At Microsoft, Liat led the world’s first commercial GPT-4 launch with Bing and, as Corporate Vice President, doubled M365 consumer subscriptions while growing the consumer business multifold in four years. At Philips, she redefined digital health strategy as SVP of Digital Transformation, launching 30+ connected products. At Qualcomm, she built the IoT ecosystem from the ground up, scaling the developer network to over 1,000 partners.

Liat currently serves on the boards of Talkspace, Compass Group PLC, and Splashtop, with advisory roles spanning healthcare, SaaS, finance, and automotive sectors. Her insights appear in The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

She holds six patents, a BSEE from UC Davis (Magna Cum Laude), and an MBA from UCLA Anderson (High Distinction). Named one of Inspiring Fifty’s “Most Inspirational Women in Tech”, Liat combines deep technical fluency with proven C-suite execution.

Hemant Julka

Hemant Julka is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of C5i. He is a digital transformation and AI leader with over 36 years of international experience across banking, aviation, and enterprise technology, including more than three decades in the UAE.

Hemant has held senior leadership roles at Emirates NBD Group and Emirates Group. As Group Head – Digital Innovation & Partnerships at Emirates NBD, he played a key role in shaping the bank’s digital innovation agenda across digital assets, open finance, generative AI, fintech engagement, and strategic ecosystem partnerships. He also founded the National Digital Talent Incubator in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, DIFC, Visa, Dell Technologies, and Microsoft.

At Emirates Group, Hemant held enterprise-wide technology leadership roles across corporate services, solution design and large-scale business platforms supporting one of the world’s leading aviation and travel groups. Earlier in his career, he founded Mercator’s ERP consulting business and helped scale its financial services portfolio to over 50 customers across five continents.

His current focus is on AI assurance, AI governance, and responsible adoption of emerging technologies in regulated industries, particularly financial services. His work sits at the intersection of board oversight, regulatory confidence, innovation strategy, risk management, and enterprise-scale transformation.

A computer engineer by academic training with Cornell’s Chief AI Officer certification, Hemant serves on the advisory boards of Higher Colleges of Technology, University of Sharjah, GEMS Modern Academy, and JSS International School.