Firstsource Solutions, a global business process management services firm and an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group company, has appointed Kumaran Shanmuhan as chief strategy officer, effective 15 September, 2025.
Shanmuhan moves from Uniphore where he was vice president-strategic AI consulting.
Armed with a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Kumaran Shanmuhan went on to complete an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management, in 2015.
In the initial phase of his professional journey, he spent four years with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), as programme manager and technology consultant, working out of San Francisco Bay Area.
Based out of Greater Atlanta Area, he co-founded Apparity, a SaaS start-up addressing end-user computing risks, in 2009. The startup was later acquired by NetRoadShow.
In July of 2006 began his long and successful association with Jacanda. He joined as a senior consultant and was promoted to director and executive director of solutions within three and a half years. Five years into this role he was elevated to global vice president, solutions. By 2019, he had reached the position of chief growth officer. For a little less than three years, he continued to serve as ELT member, reporting to the CEO, leading marketing, solutions, and growth strategy, securing analyst recognition and positioning Jacada for strategic acquisitions.
Shanmuhan’s next stop was Uniphore, where he joined as vice president, industry solutions, in October of 2021,based out of Atlanta, Georgia, US. By April of 2024 he had been elevated to vice president, strategic AI consulting.
His latest appointment is a strategic step in advancing Firstsource’s bold UnBPO™ vision, a transformative reimagining of outsourcing driven by expertise, technology and outcome-oriented solutions. Kumaran will spearhead the strategic consolidation of hyper-personalised solutions, AI-driven operations, deep domain expertise, and a partnership-first mindset, crafting a powerful market strategy that amplifies Firstsource’s momentum, accelerates growth, and maximises the transformative value that has been delivered over the past few years.
Ritesh Idnani, managing director & CEO, Firstsource, is confident, “Kumaran’s deep expertise in enterprise AI strategy, platform commercialisation, and business transformation uniquely positions him to lead our strategic agenda. His ability to connect technology innovation with real-world business outcomes and go-to-market acceleration will be instrumental in advancing our UnBPO™ vision—where deep domain expertise, agile partnerships, and AI-powered solutions come together to deliver next-generation value for our clients”.
Kumaran Shanmuhan himself looks forward to “collaborating with our talented teams and partners to drive sustained growth and meaningful impact for our clients”. He will be working remotely from Atlanta.
HRKatha wishes him all the luck!
