Aditya Dhruva, VP, Messaging and Broadband Solutions, Mahindra Comviva
Aditya Dhruva has over 16 years of industry experience, having worked across the telecom and enterprise domains as well as the mobile value-added space. He currently heads the messaging and broadband solutions business unit at Mahindra Comviva. Prior to this, he was at Cisco, where he led the email security product management function. He also worked with Nokia Siemens Networks (now Nokia) in its research and development division, and was responsible for developing next-generation telecom products.
At Mahindra Comviva, the entire profit and loss responsibility for the messaging and broadband service division rests with him. “What is really exciting about my present job is the possibility of driving new initiatives that can add significant customer value,” says Dhruva. He is also the acting chief technology officer of the company and is working to create a technology charter that would define the company’s vision and strategy for the next 24-36 months.
According to Dhruva, “The telecom industry is undergoing a massive transformation. With the proliferation of over-the-top and other internet-enabled services, there is immense pressure on operators to transform and remain relevant in the market. Digital services will play a big role for operators and mobile money will continue to grow. Broadband speeds will increase with the massive deployment of 4G and the emergence of 5G. Customer experience and loyalty management are other key areas that will attract operators’ attention as they try to figure out better ways to understand customer behaviour, improve their experience and reduce churn. The advertising and enterprise business will be robust segments for service providers to invest in.”
For Dhruva, all his career assignments till date have been a great learning experience. “A few years ago, I had the opportunity to build a mobile broadband product from scratch. It was a great feeling to work in start-up mode and ensure the success of the product in the market. There are several other examples I can give. There has never been a dull moment in my career,” he says.
An electronics and communications engineer, Dhruva believes in practising an open culture and empowering the team to make its own decisions. “Empowerment also means taking responsibility for the outcomes,” he adds.
Dhruva is an avid wildlife photographer. In his spare time, he indulges in his hobby, besides spending time with his wife and two children.
