Arvind Subramani has over 10 years of experience in the information technology
and telecom industries. Apart from leading several projects at SIVA, he is also responsible for the group’s IT requirements and for executing long-term strategies — ensuring group consolidation synergies and cost benefits. He has also assisted in Aircel’s GSM network rollout and WIMAX expansion and in Tata Teleservices’ CDMA rollout.
He leads a 12 member team responsible for executing the group’s business requirement projects such as SAP, Business Process Management tool, Hyperion, Employee Self Service Portal, Internet Portals and various business related software investments. He also heads the service desk operations.
Subramani began his career as a programmer analyst in 1999. During his tenure at SIVA, he held various positions in other functions, such as heading the Techno Commercial department for GSM Mobile Operator STEL in India. His mentor Selvam K, CIO, SIVA Group feels Subramani’s strengths lie in partner management and team motivation for execution and delivery. His team members would surely agree that it’s nice to have someone like Subramani around especially when stress and work pressure gets to them.
CHALLENGES
Ever since his mentor assumed the position of Group CIO in 2010, Subramani has been involved in diversified business requirements of the group ranging from e-mail migration to business process mapping projects. His biggest challenge has been to ensure implementation of various multi-vertical IT projects at the same phase, while handling routine IT operations. This is a tough task for anyone, notwithstanding experience. “But with efficient time management, key immediate decision making, proper delegation and guidance, Subramani is doing a fantastic job,” says his mentor.
PROJECTS
As mentioned before, Subramani has been involved in all the group’s IT projects. The key ones are:
Basic infrastructure setup – This was done within three months (data center, servers and MPLS Network for group office connectivity). His role was in partner selection, commercial negotiation, and then in project implementation.
Business Process Application for all workflow approval management – His role was in partner and technology selection, and project delivery according to the specific business functional requirements. One key business contribution is integration with BU’s ERP system for better management and license cost savings.
New intranet portal BUZZNET – This is an intranet for all group company employees and HR (around 1,200 employees and 10 business units). His role was in partner and technology selection, requirement gathering with all group companies, the HR team, employee information, application management design and execution.
During his tenure in different SIVA Group companies since 2005, Arvind worked on Aircel’s GSM network rollout and WIMAX expansion until 2006 and for Tata Teleservices from 2006 to 2008, in both technical and commercial strategy for their GSM and CDMA rollout. For STEL GSM, he helped in the rollout of six telecom circles, within six months, since its inception in Dec 2009. In this project he was responsible for planning, technical design and evaluation, partner and technology evaluation, commercial closure and implementation for both the network and IT department.