Vipul Anand, Domain Leader, Praxis Global Alliance
Vipul Anand has recently joined Praxis Global Alliance as the domain leader for the company’s Hi-tech IT practice. In a career spanning three decades, he has worked with groups like Modicorp, Aditya Birla and Honda Siel, Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), where he has been instrumental in establishing multi-geography IT set-ups, handling large teams and inducting latest technologies. In his most recent assignment, he was leading the IT functions at Hindware Group as senior vice-president (SVP), IT, and chief information officer (CIO). Prior to this assignment, he was the Group CIO for JSPL where he was responsible for the domestic as well as global IT operations of the group.
In his current role at Praxis, Anand is responsible for helping clients in their digital transformation journey by leveraging the benefits of new-age technologies. “I felt that this was the right time to leverage my extensive industry experience and take up an advisory and consulting role”.
According to him, the “new normal” post Covid-19 will see significant technology adoption by enterprises. Trends such as hybrid cloud, containers, smart communities, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and big data will gain traction across various domains. He says, “For tech folks like us, it is going to be an interesting time as industry demand from technology will increase and enterprise will demand the best of the tech tools at the lowest cost and in minimal time frames. Enterprises will focus more on operational efficiencies and security and will seek advisory help from firms like us.”
His most memorable assignment, he recalls, was the one at JSPL, where he established a large IT set-up including SAP and non-SAP centre of excellence for catering to the IT needs of the group’s domestic and global locations, as well as an online telepresence facility to have a seamless audio-video connect across all business locations.
Anand is a computer science engineer with multiple specialisations in technology and management including one from IIM Bangalore. He follows a collaborative approach when managing teams.
He likes to spend his spare time at his farmhouse. He says, “I have grown lot a of organic agricultural products at my farmhouse. I plan to make it my full-time abode, post retirement.” His parents are working in the education sector and he often helps them in their work. He has a son who has completed his education and is working. “He is a prime minister-awarded scholar and my biggest asset,” adds Anand
