Paneesh Rao joins L&T Technology Services as Head-HR

Rao’s career spans over two decades managing human resources function across manufacturing, consulting, IT & BPO industries.

Paneesh Rao has joined L&T Technology services as Head-HR. He will be based out of Vadodara.

He has moved from Atos India, where he was senior vice president & head of human resources, India & Middle East.

Rao’s career spans over two decades managing human resources function across manufacturing, consulting, IT & BPO industries. Achievements and applauses have been a part of Paneesh Rao’s career progression – as much as learning and accepting change in most challenging of situations. He has set up the HR function from scratch in several organisations and has managed well-established HR frameworks as well.

An alumnus of Symbiosis of Business Management (SIBM), where he completed his masters in personnel management, Rao’s professional life kick started with VIP Industries in 1989 as an executive – personnel & administration. He was based out of the corporate office in Mumbai and was subsequently transferred to the Leo Mattel toys factory in Nagpur.

His next move was in 1992, to Climate Systems (Ford Motor Co.). Post this, he moved to Hewitt Associates as the regional head for south India, where his responsibilities included business development, consulting, delivery with region’s profit & loss.

After spending three years at Hewitt, he had a short stint with a start-up for around 11 months which later got merged with Kean Technologies.

At Aditya Birla Minacs, where he spent over 12 years, he climbed up the ladder to become the chief people officer. Here, he received Chairman’s individual award for Exceptional Contribution

He joined Atos, a sizable and growing IMEA offshore unit of Atos SE (Societas Europaea) in 2013, as sr. vice president & head of human resources.

Rao says, “My stint with Noble & Hewitt and Aditya Birla Group has been on a high learning path and I attribute a lot of value to have worked with industry stalwarts during a high of booming IT industry,”

Not many know that Rao was also a cricket enthusiast having played state-level tournaments.