Avnish Sabharwal — CEO

As a visionary leader with 33 years of experience driving transformative growth for Fortune 500 organizations, I specialize in architecting high-impact strategies that deliver market leadership, culture of innovation, and sustainable growth across mature and emerging markets. My expertise spans AI and digital transformation, corporate innovation, and ecosystem development, with a proven track record of building and scaling high-performing practices from the ground up. In my current role at Accenture India, I spearhead strategic initiatives that position the organization at the forefront of innovation and growth: • Ventures and Innovation Leadership: I design and lead Accenture’s Ventures initiative in India, fostering strategic partnerships with startups, VCs, PEs, accelerators, government and industry bodies to drive ecosystem-driven innovation for our Global 2000 clients. • Investments & M&A: I build and manage a robust deal pipeline for strategic investments and acquisitions, identifying high-potential targets to fuel growth and capability expansion for Accenture globally. • Transforming GCCs: I drive high-value engagements with Top 100 in India GCCs, leveraging digital innovation to unlock new revenue streams, implement new business models, enhance efficiency and transform the client into an Innovation Hub for their parent org. • Academic Collaborations: I lead partnerships with premier institutions like IITs, IISc, and IIMs, focusing on cutting-edge joint research in AI, Quantum Quantum, and Autonomous Robotic Systems with our clients and ecosystem partners. Previously, I held leadership roles at IBM Global Business Services in India and the UK for nearly a decade, where I honed my ability to manage P&L, deliver client-centric solutions and lead cross-functional teams across Europe. My earlier service as an officer in the Indian Armed Forces for seven years, including as Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, instilled a disciplined, strategic mindset that continues to shape my leadership approach. Recognized as a Top Corporate Innovator in 2018, 2021 and 2025, I am passionate about building sustainable, high-performance organizations through leveraging disruptive techs, innovative practices, and leadership and talent development. Core Expertise: • Corporate Strategy and Venture Building • Investments, M&A • AI & Exponential Technologies • Practice Building & Leadership Development I thrive at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and impact, delivering measurable value to organizations and their stakeholders.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a strategic leader in Digital Transformation and Corporate Innovation.

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Experience: 31 yrs 11 mos

Career Highlights

33 years of experience in transformative growth.
Recognized as a Top Corporate Innovator multiple times.
Expertise in AI and digital transformation.

Work Experience

Accenture

MD, Accenture Ventures and Ecosystem (12 yrs 3 mos)

Managing Director- Growth & Strategy, Deal Origination and Open Innovation, Accenture in India (2 yrs 4 mos)

IBM

Director, Market Development and Insights, IBM Growth Markets (2 yrs 9 mos)

Associate Partner, Business Strategy (2 yrs 9 mos)

Automotive Lead (5 yrs 2 mos)

Senior Consultant (1 yr)

Government of Madhya Pradesh

Aide-de-Camp to the Governor (2 yrs 6 mos)

Indian Army

Officer, Armoured Corps (4 yrs 5 mos)

Education

Certificate at Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Radical Innovation at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

General Management and Strategy at INSEAD

Advanced Business Strategy at Harvard Business School

Supply Chain and E-Business strategy at Indiana University - Kelley School of Business

MBA at University of Warwick - Warwick Business School

Leadership at Indian Military Academy

BA (Hons) at Delhi University

at DPS, Mathura Road

Avnish Sabharwal

CEO

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India31 yrs 11 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

33 years of experience in transformative growth.
Recognized as a Top Corporate Innovator multiple times.
Expertise in AI and digital transformation.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a strategic leader in Digital Transformation and Corporate Innovation.

Contact

Skills

Other Skills

Digital StrategyInnovation ManagementOpen InnovationBusiness Process ManagementAcquisition IntegrationThought LeadershipTalent ManagementBusiness AnalyticsExecutive ManagementCorporate StrategyStrategy DevelopmentGovernanceCompetitive IntelligenceBusiness PlanningStrategy Alignment

About

Experience

31 yrs 11 mos

Total Experience

7 yrs 11 mos

Average Tenure

14 yrs 8 mos

Current Experience

Accenture

2 roles

MD, Accenture Ventures and Ecosystem

Jan 2014 – Present · 12 yrs 3 mos · Bangalore

Managing Director- Growth & Strategy, Deal Origination and Open Innovation, Accenture in India

Sep 2011 – Jan 2014 · 2 yrs 4 mos · Bangalore

I am responsible for scaling Accenture's digital and innovation capabilities in India and work extensively with the Indian start-up ecosystem to identify, invest and acquire leading edge digital technologies and platforms in the IoT, AI, AR/VR, Big Data, Cloud, and Cyber Security space.
I also lead growth and strategy for Accenture where my role involves defining the growth and innovation agenda, profitability road-map and competitive positioning for Accenture in India.
A key focus area for me includes working with Global-in-house centres (GICs) or Captives of major global clients in helping them set-up, run and scale their operations in India as well as help them transform into digital and innovation hubs for their parent organisations.

Ibm

4 roles

Director, Market Development and Insights, IBM Growth Markets

Promoted

Oct 2008 – Jul 2011 · 2 yrs 9 mos

I led a team of more than 100 plus consultants across Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America. I was responsible for providing market insights to help design growth strategies, build financial models and investment cases needed to accelerate IBM’s growth in high growth businesses like smarter planet, digital and emerging markets.
I was part of a high profile cross functional task force set-up by the IBM Chairman responsible for formulating the long term strategy and business planning for IBM's growth in Greater China. I led the Go-to-Market strategy, including opportunity, customer and competitive analysis, for IBM's entry into Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Associate Partner, Business Strategy

Promoted

Mar 2006 – Dec 2008 · 2 yrs 9 mos

I was instrumental in building both the IBM's offshore strategy consulting practice as well as the captive knowledge process offshoring business, including building an analytics center of excellence.
Under my leadership, the team grew from 10 to more than 300 strategy consultants in two and a half years. The team provided strategic knowledge advisory services to IBM as well as its Top 500 clients globally to support growth and market-entry strategies, financial due diligence, business model transformation, industry and company analysis, cost and profitability benchmarking.

Automotive Lead

Promoted

Mar 2001 – May 2006 · 5 yrs 2 mos

I was part of IBM’s leadership team for the automotive industry in Europe for five years—responsible for consulting and selling sales, marketing and after market solutions to automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and large Auto suppliers.

Senior Consultant

Mar 2001 – Mar 2002 · 1 yr

I performed a number of strategic consulting engagements for IBM’s Automotive and Industrial sector clients focused on improving client’s core business issues, e.g. increasing market share and profitability, identifying new markets and segments for growth and transforming current business models.

Government of madhya pradesh

Aide-de-Camp to the Governor

Jun 1996 – Dec 1998 · 2 yrs 6 mos · Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

I served as the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the Head of State for Madhya Pradesh. The Top 5% of Indian Army officers get nominated by Ministry of Defense for this position based on their demonstrated leadership qualities over a sustained period of time within the Indian Armed Forces.

Indian army

Officer, Armoured Corps

Dec 1991 – May 1996 · 4 yrs 5 mos · India

As an officer with the the Indian Army, I performed a number of staff and operational postings across the country which helped build world class, combat honed, and expansive skills set in strategic planning, war gaming, competitive intelligence, leader development, rigorous standard enforcement and innovation in execution.