Brands
Aziro appoints Jitender Hooda senior vice president for sales, digital solutions
Company taps industry veteran to scale digital solutions and deepen enterprise transformation play
CHENNAI: Aziro is doubling down on its AI ambitions, bringing in Jitender Hooda as senior vice president, sales, digital solutions, as it sharpens its pitch in the fast-heating market for enterprise transformation.
The appointment comes as enterprises rapidly scale investments in AI, cloud and next-generation digital capabilities, prompting Aziro to strengthen its leadership bench and expand its footprint in high-value transformation programmes across global markets.
Hooda arrives with deep experience in driving business growth, leading digital transformation initiatives and building AI-powered solutions. Over his career, he has held leadership roles at Hexaware Technologies, L&T Technology Services, ITC Infotech, Geometric and Tata Technologies, where he led large-scale deals, scaled strategic portfolios and built long-term consulting partnerships across North America, Europe and Asia.
Before joining Aziro, Hooda founded and served as founder and chief executive of EmachineLabs, an AI-powered enterprise platform, reinforcing his belief that enterprise transformation will increasingly hinge on a blend of consulting expertise and platform-led acceleration.
“Jitender brings a rare combination of strategic vision, market insight, and deep technology fluency. His ability to operate at the intersection of business growth and modern engineering aligns perfectly with Aziro’s next chapter. As enterprises accelerate their digital and AI journeys, Jitender’s leadership will play a pivotal role in strengthening our client relationships and scaling our digital business across strategic industries and geographies. We are delighted to welcome him to the leadership team,” said Sanjay Sehgal, founder and chief executive, Aziro.
“Aziro represents the kind of forward-thinking, high-impact organisation that enterprises need today, one that blends transformation expertise with AI-powered acceleration. I’m thrilled to join the team at such a pivotal moment and to help shape solutions that bring real, measurable value to clients. With the pace of technology change faster than ever, the opportunity to build future-ready digital systems is massive, and Aziro is uniquely positioned to lead that evolution,” said Jitender Hooda, senior vice president, sales, digital solutions.
In his new role, Hooda will focus on accelerating digital business growth, elevating Aziro’s positioning in high-value enterprise conversations and enabling clients to adopt next-generation AI and digital engineering capabilities.
Aziro, an AI-native product engineering firm, is betting on innovation-led transformation to help enterprises modernise platforms, automate intelligently and unlock new revenue streams in an AI-first world.
In a market where every firm is chasing the AI promise, Aziro is signalling its intent: scale fast, sell smart and turn transformation into tangible value.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
