Anand Pillai has been appointed chief strategy officer and professor of practice, Christ University, Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Lavasa. He has to his credit an illustrious career spanning over 40 years in strategic planning and innovation.
Having started his professional journey as a management trainee with DCM in 1982, Pillai has come a long way. From 1984 to 1987, he was area manager, Schlumberger JV with Tatas through NELCO. Three years later, he moved on to join Tata Consultancy Services, as major account manager, in 1986. For the next six years, he held various portfolios from Unix systems administrator to major account manager in Burroughs (which later became UNISYS). He also trained and got certified in several international programmes, which made him capable of coaching managers within the company. This stint saw him working in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.
From 1993 to 1996, he was associated with Hughes Communications India as general manager and head-sales, working out of New Delhi. His next stop was Bay Networks, as country manager, India and SAARC. This assignment required him to work out of India and Singapore.
In 1998, he joined HCL Technologies for what was probably the longest tenure of his career. He joined as VP sales and marketing, but was elevated to VP-talent transformation six years later. By the time he moved on from HCL, he had become the senior vice president-HR and global head-talent transformation and EFCS. During his tenure, he worked out of Noida as well as various locations in the US and Canada.
From November 2011 to March 2015, he served as senior executive vice president-HR (business transformation) and chief learning officer, Reliance Industries, based out of Mumbai.
July of 2017 was witness to him becoming adjunct professor-strategy and leadership, co-chair HR and OB, IMT, Ghaziabad. For the next one year, he oversaw the design and development of the curricula. He also developed and delivered programmes in the area of strategy and leadership.
In September 2020, he became associated with MothersonSumi Infotech & Designs, as chief transformation officer, New Delhi. A year later, he moved again to join a client of Big 5 Strategy Consulting Firm, as chief transformation officer. Then came a brief stint with Sunera Technologies as chief transformation officer, followed by one at Sutherland in a similar capacity.
He has spent over nine years as chief transformation officer, Leadership Matters. He has also played the role of director, LogarithmHR, since September 2020.
In his latest assignment at Christ University, Anand Pillai will be pursuing his passion for nurturing future leaders and integrating cutting-edge business strategies into academia. Himself an alumnus of Christ University, Bangalore, Pillai has also completed a PG certification in computer science from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
HRKatha wishes all the best to this TEDx Speaker and an authority in leadership and transformation.
