SAMITH RAI
Business Finance And Operational Excellence Leader
Bengaluru,Karnataka
Summary
Strategic Associate Director of Operational Excellence with expertise in business finance and operations. Managed a $1.5B P&L and led a team of 20 to optimize workforce structures globally. Focused on driving growth through process improvements and fostering a collaborative environment that empowers teams. Delivered innovative solutions that streamlined operations and enhanced organizational performance.
Overview
4
4
Language
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director, Operational Excellence
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Bengaluru, Karnataka
05.2018 - Current
- Provide operational leadership for a $1.5B business P&L, with reported gross margin of 35% and operating margin of 18.9%, supporting performance management and operational decision-making.
- Oversee operational metrics across an 18,000-FTE workforce spanning the Americas, LATAM, India and the Philippines, with revenue delivered through 10+ service-line capabilities.
- Lead 20 direct-report associates and coordinate with business, portfolio and delivery stakeholders to drive operational execution and performance governance.
- Drove utilization management and offshore/onshore cost optimization, resulting in improved workforce productivity and reduced operational costs.
- Owned and drove billable/production FTE growth within accounts, supporting revenue expansion and improving business-unit performance.
- Led LEAP program across managed BFD projects to accelerate AI-enabled productivity and achieve project-level cost savings.
- Championed continuous improvement initiatives, fostering knowledge sharing and team development to enhance operational consistency and execution.
- EDITORIAL CHECK: Career progression in the source resume: Manager (2018–2021) → Senior Manager (2021–2024) → Assistant Director (2024 onward). Update the dates/designations if this progression differs from your official HR record.
- Directed process improvements to increase operational efficiency and workflow consistency.
- Oversaw governance routines to support accurate reporting and decision-making.
- Coordinated strategic initiatives across business units to meet transformation objectives.
- Mentored managers and team leads to strengthen accountability and performance.
- Analyzed delivery metrics to identify gaps and recommend corrective actions.
- Oversaw annual budget planning processes, ensuring financial goals were met while maintaining optimal resource allocation across departments.
- Leveraged data and analytics to make informed decisions and drive business improvements.
Financial Specialist
HP INC.
Bengaluru, Karnataka
09.2015 - 05.2018
- Developed financial and accounting policies and systems, including product-line P&L statements, enhancing visibility into opportunities and risks.
- Partnered with business and country finance teams on budget provision, target monitoring, variance analysis and corrective actions.
- Partnered with business and country finance teams on budget provision, target monitoring, and variance analysis to implement corrective actions.
- Produced management information and financial analyses to guide resource allocation and improve performance.
- Managed projects end-to-end, preparing impact analysis for APJ organizational restructuring to enable disciplined OPEX management.
- Managed projects end-to-end, preparing impact analysis for APJ organizational restructuring to support disciplined OPEX management.
- Presented business-plan analysis to senior management to support budget, growth and investment decisions.
Assistant Manager - Finance
ORACLE INDIA PVT. LTD.
Bengaluru, Karnataka
09.2010 - 09.2015
- Facilitated financial strategy development for emerging markets.
- Standardized ad hoc reporting and led financial projects to implement tools and migrate legacy systems.
- Cultivated stakeholder relationships and maintained compliance with internal controls.
Senior Accounts Operations Analyst
NORTHERN OPERATING SERVICES PVT. LTD.
Bengaluru, Karnataka
10.2007 - 09.2010
- Managed accounts operations and analyzed financial statements to meet cross-functional business requirements.
- Analyzed operational data to identify workflow bottlenecks and support process improvements.
- Prepared management reports to track performance trends and decision-making needs.
- Streamlined daily processes by standardizing procedures and reducing manual handling.
Operations Manager
AGCO CORPORATION
Bengaluru, Karnataka
04.2004 - 03.2005
- Coordinated operational activities to enhance day-to-day efficiency.
- Managed inventory controls, material flow, and ERP data accuracy to support uninterrupted operations.
Accounts Trainee
PNR & CO., CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
04.2001 - 03.2004
- Assisted in accounting operations, conducted financial analysis to support decision-making, ensured compliance with regulations.
- Managed journal entries, ledgers, and reconciliations with consistent accuracy.
- Reviewed vouchers, invoices, and supporting documents for compliance and completeness.
- Prepared financial statements, schedules, and working papers for audit support.
Education
MBA - Finance & Marketing
The Indian Institute of Planning And Management
Bengaluru,India05-2007
B.Com - Financial and Management Accounting
Bangalore University
Bengaluru,India05-2004
Skills
Financial & Operational Governance
Financial governance
Project management
Operational Metrics
Operational Analytics
SAP
Resource Optimization
OBIEE
Change Management
Sales intelligence
Stakeholder Collaboration
Analytical thinking
Problem-solving
Cross-functional influence
Influencing Across Functions
Executive communication
Team Development
Coaching and mentoring
Accomplishments
- Delivered an estimated $8M in cost savings through cost-optimization strategies, contributing to a 7.5% margin improvement.
- Previously documented annual cost savings of $2M through optimized budget allocation.
- Reduced travel-spend overspend by 25% through effective coordination with business leaders.
- Helped establish a commission-accrual financial model across APJ covering more than 3,000 employees.
- Facilitated UAT for APJ OPEX transformation, supporting the transition of OPEX roles across multiple countries.
- EDITORIAL CHECK: Confirm the period and attribution for the $8M savings, 7.5% margin improvement and $2M annual savings before final submission, so achievements are not inadvertently double-counted.
CORE LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES
- Business Unit P&L Performance
- Operational Excellence
- Financial Planning & Analysis
- Utilization & Capacity Management
- Workforce Pyramid Optimization
- Offshore/Onshore Cost Optimization
- Cost per FTE Management
- Billable/Production FTE Growth
- AI-Enabled Productivity
- Demand & Supply Management
- KPI Governance
- Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management
- Change Leadership
- Team Development
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
Hobbies
Travel,Reading,Badminton,Working Out
Timeline
Associate Director, Operational Excellence
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
05.2018 - Current
Financial Specialist
HP INC.
09.2015 - 05.2018
Assistant Manager - Finance
ORACLE INDIA PVT. LTD.
09.2010 - 09.2015
Senior Accounts Operations Analyst
NORTHERN OPERATING SERVICES PVT. LTD.
10.2007 - 09.2010
Operations Manager
AGCO CORPORATION
04.2004 - 03.2005
Accounts Trainee
PNR & CO., CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
04.2001 - 03.2004
MBA - Finance & Marketing
The Indian Institute of Planning And Management
B.Com - Financial and Management Accounting
Bangalore University