Birlasoft Limited, part of the CKA Birla Group, has appointed Madhavan Hariharan as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD), effective December 8, 2026. He will succeed Angan Guha, who is stepping down after leading the company through an important phase of growth and transformation.
He brings extensive leadership experience across finance, strategy, business transformation and corporate governance. He has been associated with the CKA Birla Group since January 2018, serving as Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Head of Strategy. In this capacity, he has worked across the Group’s businesses in India, Europe and the United States, overseeing strategic priorities, financial management, governance and risk management.
During his tenure as Group CFO, Hariharan worked closely with Birlasoft’s leadership team and the Group’s Chairpersons, contributing to strategic planning, organisational performance, business transformation initiatives, growth programmes and strategic transactions.
Before joining the CKA Birla Group, he held leadership positions at prominent organisations, including Ashok Leyland, PepsiCo, Tata SIA and Royal Philips in the Netherlands. His professional experience spans financial planning, treasury, internal audit, controllership, finance transformation and strategic business management.
Hariharan is a Chartered Accountant (CA), Company Secretary (CS) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Vivekananda College, Chennai, and has completed executive development programmes at Harvard University, Wharton and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad’s peer institution, IIM Delhi (IIM-D).
His appointment comes at a time when the technology services industry is undergoing significant transformation driven by artificial intelligence, automation and digital technologies. As CEO and Managing Director, Hariharan will lead Birlasoft’s next phase of growth, with a focus on strengthening client partnerships, accelerating business transformation and creating long-term value.
The leadership transition is expected to provide continuity in the company’s strategic direction while positioning Birlasoft to pursue its growth priorities in an evolving technology landscape.
