Ahead names Prajwal UI as director of people and operations

GURUGRAM: Ahead, the digital platform engineering and transformation firm, has appointed Prajwal UI as director of people and operations for India, adding a seasoned people strategist to its growing leadership bench.

In his new role, Prajwal will steer Ahead’s people agenda while sharpening operational efficiency and guiding organisational transformation across the company’s India operations. In simple terms, he will help the business grow fast, smart and human.

With more than two decades of experience across global enterprises, Prajwal brings a rare mix of HR leadership, business transformation and HR technology expertise. His track record spans talent management, performance and rewards frameworks, compensation and benefits, diversity and inclusion initiatives, HR automation and SAP HCM led process transformation.

Before joining Ahead, Prajwal was director of human resources at Unisys India, where he helped strengthen talent strategy and improve operational efficiency across hybrid and multi location teams. Earlier, he spent over a decade at Wipro Technologies as senior manager human resources and HR business partner lead for the Telecom Business Unit and the CTO function. During this time, he also led HR for a US acquisition and managed Wipro’s persons with disabilities programme under its diversity and inclusion charter.

Speaking on his appointment, Prajwal said, “Ahead’s focus on building strong, integrated platforms mirrors my belief that people, processes and technology must evolve together. I look forward to working closely with leadership teams to strengthen people practices, enable scalable operations and support the company’s growth in India.”

Ahead has expanded rapidly in India since opening its first delivery hub in Gurugram in 2023, followed by a Hyderabad facility in 2024. Its India Centre of Excellence plays a key role in delivering high impact services to Fortune 500 clients worldwide, covering managed services, cloud platforms, data protection, automation and ServiceNow.

Ahead India managing director Sumed Marwaha said, “Prajwal brings a strong blend of strategic HR thinking and operational depth. His experience managing complex global workforces will be vital as we continue to invest in India as a core delivery and innovation hub.”

Earlier in his career, Prajwal held HR and consulting roles at Infosys Technologies, SAP India and Comat Technologies. He holds a PGDM in Human Resources, a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a trained SAP HR functional consultant with hands-on experience in automating enterprise HR processes.

With this appointment, Ahead signals that as it builds cutting edge platforms, it is equally serious about building the people who power them.