Narayanan Neelakantan
Bengaluru
Summary
Senior technology and operations leader with 35+ years of experience driving large-scale product delivery, operational transformation, and cost optimization in global SaaS and enterprise software organizations. Most recently served six years as VP – Engineering & India Operations at Riskonnect, leading multi-location India teams and enterprise initiatives across Engineering, Customer Success, and Professional Services.
Proven track record of improving productivity, margin, and execution discipline through operating model simplification, AI-led automation, metrics-driven governance, and leadership alignment. Experienced in working directly with CEOs, CFOs, Boards, and global executives to translate financial goals into executable operating plans—particularly in matrix environments.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Vice President – Engineering & India Operations
Riskonnect
02.2020 - 11.2025
- Led India Engineering and Operations for a global GRC SaaS platform, overseeing multi-location teams across Bangalore, Pune, Noida, and Mangalore and partnering closely with global Product, Finance, HR, and Customer leadership.
- Scope & Outcomes
- Accountable for India operations across Engineering, Customer Success, and Professional Services, supporting a 500+ person delivery ecosystem
- Owned India cost structure, budgeting, capacity planning, and operational governance, consistently operating within approved budgets
- Acted as the single point of accountability for India execution, providing senior leadership with clear visibility into delivery performance, risks, and scalability
- Improved delivery predictability and execution discipline by strengthening operating rhythms, metrics, and governance across R&D and delivery teams
- Led organizational realignment and restructuring initiatives, optimizing cost and span of control while maintaining business continuity and customer outcomes
- Successfully set up and operationalized the Bangalore Delivery Centre (2023) end-to-end (hiring, infrastructure, compliance, and budgeting) with zero cost overruns
- Partnered with Finance and Leadership on cost optimization initiatives, workforce planning, and scale-readiness during periods of business change
- Served as a trusted advisor to the CTO and executive leadership, translating business priorities into executable operating plans across India
Technical Delivery Head – Product Development
FIS Global (formerly SunGard)
01.2010 - 01.2020
- Delivery head for multiple global product portfolios (Financials, Risk, Healthcare) with ~$50M revenue responsibility
- Led 45+ engineers across India locations, partnering closely with US-based Product, Support, and CTO leadership
- Responsible for end-to-end product delivery, offshore growth strategy, and operational execution
- Drove productivity improvements and delivery governance across portfolios; peer to VP-level leaders in the US
Assistant General Manager – Banking & Insurance Solutions (Western Europe)
3i Infotech Ltd.
01.2007 - 01.2010
- Led 120+ member teams across delivery, presales, and customer support
- Owned delivery execution, utilization improvement, and revenue growth initiatives
- Regular participant in executive steering committees and client leadership reviews
Group Project Manager
iGATE Global Solutions
01.2003 - 01.2007
- Managed 10+ concurrent programs for GE Commercial Finance across US and APAC
- Led 120+ team members and managed ~$10M revenue portfolio
- Achieved 80% offshore leverage within 8 months for GE Vendor Management Office
- Recipient of CEO Award for Customer Management & Execution Excellence
01.1990 - 01.2003
- Progressed from hands-on development to project and delivery leadership roles across product development, customer delivery, and offshore execution. Built deep foundations in software engineering, customer engagement, and end-to-end delivery accountability.
Education
MBA - IT
Sikkim Manipal University
MCA - undefined
Madras University
Certification
Six Sigma Green Belt (GE engagement via iGATE)
CORE LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES
- Enterprise Operations & Business Transformation
- AI Adoption, Automation & Productivity Improvement
- Cost Optimization, Budget Ownership & Margin Improvement
- Zero-Based Thinking & Operating Model Simplification
- Metrics, Governance & Decision Frameworks
- India Operations Leadership (Multi-location, 500+ scale)
- Matrix Leadership Across Engineering, Product, Support, PS & G&A
Timeline
Vice President – Engineering & India Operations
Riskonnect
02.2020 - 11.2025
Technical Delivery Head – Product Development
FIS Global (formerly SunGard)
01.2010 - 01.2020
Assistant General Manager – Banking & Insurance Solutions (Western Europe)
3i Infotech Ltd.
01.2007 - 01.2010
Group Project Manager
iGATE Global Solutions
01.2003 - 01.2007
01.1990 - 01.2003
MBA - IT
Sikkim Manipal University
MCA - undefined
Madras University