LEADERSHIP
TEAM
Ronesh Puri
Managing Director, Executive Access India
Ronesh is an industry veteran with over 27 years of experience as a headhunter. He has
placed over 700 candidates in leadership positions in various industries. He heads the Board
Practice at the firm and has placed over 100 game-changer CEOs / Heads of institutions and
Independent Board Directors across industries. He specializes in working with family-owned
organizations having placed over 350 candidates in leadership positions with them.
He is passionate about introducing accountability to the search industry, which is fairly
transactional and innovated in introducing fees linked with candidates’ performance model
which aligns interests of the client and Executive Access. He is very a trusted advisor to a
number of corporates.
Prior to joining Executive Access in 1995, Ronesh was a banker and a lawyer. He is passionate
about cricket and was an AIR cricket commentator.
Ronesh has written books and articles for various publications and writes frequently for the
Times of India on Leadership, talent and business outlook.
Agamjeet Dang
CEO – Executive Access India,
Global Head – BFSI
Regional Head – APAC,
Panorama Group
Agamjeet Dang
CEO – Executive Access India,
Agam is the CEO, Executive Access and the Regional Head – APAC for Panorama Search, a global community of 24 large Boutique Executive Search Firms across the globe. Agam took over as the CEO in May 2022 and is responsible for providing strategic direction, managing overall P&L and day to day operations, and continuing to build Executive Access to be the most admired Search & Leadership Advisory Firm in India and outside.
Earlier, Agam handled dual responsibility as the COO & Managing Partner for the BFSI Practice, a role he handled with aplomb.Under his leadership, the practice registered stupendous growth consistently, and became the largest within the Firm and one of the most marquee ones within the Industry. He joined EA in 2015 as a Director after an enriching stint in the Corporate world spanning close to a decade, having worked with leading MNCs in Retail, Telecom and Banking Sector, and grew consistently to become one of the youngest Managing Partners. Agam works very closely with some of the largest Banks, Conglomerates, Private Equity & Financial Institutions on a wide range of Leadership matters including Executive Search, Market Intelligence, Leadership Advisory & Coaching. In the past 7 plus years, he has worked on close to 200 such engagements, where his expertise and insights have been deeply sought and added immense value to the partners he has worked with.
He is a commerce graduate from Delhi University and did his MBA from Loyola Institute of Business Administration Chennai. He is an avid reader, sports lover, tennis player and a fitness enthusiast.
Rajender Sud
Chief Executive Officer
Middle Management Solution
Rajender Sud
Chief Executive Officer
Rajender is the Chief Executive Officer of Middle Management Solution, Executive Access’s mid management search arm. He is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in leading businesses and transformational change at the enterprise level. Prior to this, he led the newly formed subsidiary of Max India, Max Skill First – a learning and development organization, focused on building Max Sales and Services Leaders to develop a new and driven sales force. His focus included drawing up a blueprint for an integrated Learning & Development plan for the Max Group.
As a founding member of Max Life Insurance and a leader known for his high energy, passion and commitment, Rajender played a significant role in shaping the Agency channel.
He joined Max Insurance in January 2001 and grew up the corporate ladder from a Managing Partner to Director & Head – Agency in April 2008. He made immense contributions in areas such as sales and operations, governance, organizational design and people management. Prior to joining Max Life Insurance, Rajender worked with Ion Exchange India, Atco Products, Chelsea Products and Eureka Forbes in various Sales and Operations roles.
Rajender holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics from Delhi University and has completed a long duration Business Leaders Program from Indian Institutes of Management, Kolkata. He has also done a management coaching certification course from Columbia University, USA.
Leadership Team
Rajesh Pundir
Managing Partner
Rajesh Pundir
Managing Partner
Rajesh has spent over over 2 decades with Executive Access. He has consequently supported, not just the evolution of practice areas, but also the underlying processes of Executive Search. While he has successfully facilitated over 300 search assignments across sectors and functions that span multinational corporations, family businesses and SMEs, he has also built the legacy of valued partnerships. His advisory capacity is acknowledged and sought by our clients and candidates alike.
His sectoral expertise is highlighted through the various projects he also undertakes for Market Intelligence studies and SWOT Analyses, apart from search. Specifically, he addresses the FMCG, Consumer/Retail, Media, Engineering and Aerospace industries. Rajesh is a subject matter expert for the Legal and Corporate Affairs functions, and takes specific interest in these searches.
His core qualification is a Bachelor’s degree in Law and he’s pursued his Master’s in Business Administration from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He is a sports’ enthusiast and an avid reader, in his spare time.
Venkat Rao
Managing Partner
Venkat Rao
Managing Partner
Venkat joined Executive Access in 2008. He brings with him more than 24 years of experience across diverse industries and geographies. He had a successful tenure with ITW India Ltd where he was Manager Key Accounts Sales & Service and was actively involved in cracking some of the largest accounts in south India. Later, Venkat went on to head the Manufacturing & Engineering vertical for Chennai & Hyderabad for a Global Recruitment firm where in he was instrumental in client acquisition & delivery. Venkat loves travelling and is an avid reader of management books.
He has successfully facilitated numerous CEO and CXO searches in sectors like Industrial, Consumer, Private Equity, Technology and Healthcare.
Venkat graduated in Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology (MIT),Anna University, Chennai and subsequently completed his PGDM HR from LIBA ,Chennai.
Sandeep Gupta
Managing Partner
Sandeep Gupta
Managing Partner
Sandeep Gupta is Managing Partner, and works across Banking, Financial Institutions, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Investment Banking and Alternate Investments. In addition to his primary focus areas, as a senior leader, he will be a part of the leadership Council for the firm. With over 27 years of experience in Financial Services across the U.S. and India, Sandeep has worked as an Investment Banker at Lehman Brothers, Credit Suisse, Axis Capital, and IDFC Capital and as a Private Equity professional at Actis Private Equity. He has worked with large and mid-cap financial sponsors for Financial Services, Auto, Industrial and New age economy sectors.
Post his last full time role as the Managing Director of Axis Capital, Sandeep has consulted several start-ups like Ecom Express Limited and Upscalio as an in-house advisor in the areas of IPO and M&A. As a Co-founder of Tristone Capital, an Independent Investment company, he did structured credit deals worth INR 100 crores across industries.
Over his career, he has worked on over 75 transactions ranging from IPOs, LBOs, and capital raising to restructurings and recapitalizations.
He has done his Master’s in Business Administration from Kellogg University and a B.A. from Middlebury College in the U.S. His hobbies are weight lifting and running.
Himakshi Dang
Managing Partner
Himakshi Dang
Managing Partner
Himakshi carries over eleven years of work experience of which she has spent the past ten years with Executive Access across both Delhi and Bangalore offices. She has worked in over eighty successful placements across industries such as Consumer, Education, Healthcare, Technology, and Independent Board Members.
Currently, she works actively in the education vertical covering both K-12 schools as well as Higher Education Institutions in India and has done over 40 placements in the education sector.
Previously, she has worked in the HR department at Metro Cash & Carry India in their Head Office at Bangalore.
She has completed her MBA from IMT – Ghaziabad and her B.A. (Hons.) History from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.
Neha Malhotra
Managing Partner
Neha Malhotra
Managing Partner
Neha Malhotra comes in with 20 years of experience within Leadership Search spanning across diverse functions predominantly within the Consumer and Healthcare industries. Neha began her career with a boutique retained search firm and after a decade of working there, joined a European executive search firm to kick start their operations in Delhi. Having completed 5 years there, she joined us at Executive Access.
Neha focuses on sub sectors like Pharmaceuticals, Contract Manufacturing, CROs, Medical Devices, Health Tech as well as Diagnostics. Functional expertise includes areas of Finance, Legal, HR and COO roles.
Neha holds an MBA from Delhi and a college degree from Punjab University. She is an avid reader and enjoys being part of a book club.
She is also very passionate about Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and plays an active role in diversity hiring for clients.
Neha Sharma
Partner
Neha Sharma
Partner
Neha is an experienced Executive Search professional with over 21 years of experience in leadership hiring, career coaching and transition, talent management, and leadership advisory. At Executive Access India, she is building strong teams and coaching leaders from various sectors who are keen to transition to the Impact & Development sector. She has evolved a unique impact and development practice for the firm credited with over twenty country-level and other leadership hires in the sector. She is also a facilitator and mentor for the prestigious Jagriti Yatra, a certified ICF coach, and guest faculty for OD at leading b-schools.
Prior to joining Executive Access, she was working with GE Capital, GE Commercial Finance, and Genpact India for around 5 years where she was predominantly managing leadership development, leadership hiring and operations. She was on GEs national leadership talent assessment panel. Neha is a key resource of the team involved in client acquisition and has led the execution of over 100 searches across domains.
Neha is a Management Graduate and has also completed her advanced Strategic HR management program from IIM Ahmedabad. She is also a Professional Certified Coach from ICF.
Kunal Sen
Partner
Kunal Sen
Partner
Kunal is a Partner and Practice leader for the Technology practice at Executive Access based at Bangalore, India and a member of the firm’s leadership team. He brings extensive experience in diverse sectors like Consumer Goods, Technology and Professional Services. He is highly respected in the corporate world with a commendable track record of building profitable businesses and organizational capability and culture.
Kunal was earlier a Partner for a mid-sized search firm building out their Bangalore office focusing on Industrial and Technology sectors in South India and the Professional Services practice pan India. Prior to this, he was the India Managing Director and a Senior Client Partner for one of the SHREK firms. He has successfully placed senior-level leaders across Technology, Industrial and Professional Services firms across Indian and multinational organizations.
Kunal is a strategic thought leader and he was presented the “ Most Influential HR leader in India “ award in 2017 by the World HRD Congress. He speaks at international forums like the Technology Senate as well as top business schools in the country.
Kunal has completed his Bachelor of Technology from IIT Bombay and MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. He is a certified assessor of KF4D for leadership and talent. He is an avid reader, music lover and a sports enthusiast.
M R Singh
Partner
M R Singh
Partner
Mr. Singh joined Executive Access in 2008. He brings with him more than 30 years of diversified experience across industries and geographies. He has held several HR Leadership roles in diverse Manufacturing / Industrial and Consumer Durable companies in India.
He has worked in companies like Citi Bank, BHEL, Eicher, Metal Box, Eaton Corp, Shriram Group in India and abroad.
An MBA from the University Business School – Chandigarh, he has been trained in Hay Job Evaluation Methodology, Competency Mapping / Profiling as also Executive Coaching and has been on the interview panel of top Business Schools and Corporates. MR is an avid sports lover and has played for the Ranji trophy
EXPERTISE
Consumer
Real Estate
Industrial
Auto and Auto components
Manufacturing and Engineering
Transportation and Logistics
Piyush Pyasa
Director
Piyush Pyasa
Director
A passionate consultant with rich business influencing skills; Piyush has worked extensively in diverse industries. Possesses over 25 years of experience in Executive Search, Talent Acquisition and Career Transition consulting. He has successfully executed search mandates for large Indian & MNG corporations across multiple functional disciplines and geographies.
He is an advisor to the professionals in improving their efficiency in the ongoing assignment or any career change required due to specific situation/reason.
Have worked extensively In Infrastructure and Energy sector with over 15 engagements.
When free from professional engagements, he is a keen follower of international politics & business happenings and enjoys reading literature on philosophical understanding of life/environment.
Pryush is a Postgraduate in HR and a certified Career Transition Coach.
Specialties: Executive Search, Leadership Coaching and Career Transition Consulting.
Sanjay Kumar Subudhi
Chief Financial Officer
Sanjay Kumar Subudhi
Chief Financial Officer
Sanjaya joined Executive Access as General Manager- Finance in 2005 and moved on to become the CFO of the company. He has over 31 years of experience and has worked with both multinational and promoter driven firms. Prior to Executive Access he was with World Phone Internet Services for 4 years as a part of their top management where he helped the company scale up and diversify. Before that Sanjay has worked with companies like Indo Asian Group, Pertech Computers Limited, Modi Cements Limited and Bharat Explosives Limited. Over the years Sanjaya has overseen financial strategy and budgeting, Treasury, fund management, investments and most other critical aspects of financial planning.
At Executive Access Sanjaya is a part of the leadership and plays a critical role in the company’s expansion and management. Sanjaya is a certified Chartered Accountant by qualification.
Sonika Lourembam
Director
Sonika Lourembam
Director
Sonika has 15 years of experience in executive search.
In her current role as Director & Head of Research at Executive Access, she leads the GTM and Research COE of Executive Access with responsibility for driving Executive Access’ position as a superior knowledge-based search firm. She partners with all the Practice Heads in driving Go To Market, building new knowledge capability for the firm & thought leadership.
In her previous avatar, Sonika worked very closely with the entire research team of Executive Access in driving better processes & productivity for the execution of all assignments.
She has experience in representing clients across the spectrum that include true blue MNCs, big Indian conglomerates, mid-sized Indian firms and most recently PE funded start-ups with varying complexities and challenges.
She has represented Executive Access at various research and search fora in India and overseas. She has also covered various industry study projects across sectors like BFSI, Consumer, Aerospace and Defense & Management Consulting.
Sonika earned Masters in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi & Bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Delhi. She attended Delhi Public School, Mathura Road & Tiny Tots’ Unique School, Imphal.
She is an avid badminton player and a marathon enthusiast. She enjoys indoor sports, watching sitcoms and cooking.
Chetan Pahwa
Director
Chetan Pahwa
Director
Chetan is currently a Director and Head of Operations at EA. Prior to this, he was an Associate Director at Executive Access’s New Delhi office and a key member of the Banking and Financial Services practices, focusing on senior-level searches in the consumer & corporate banking, NBFCs and Fintechs across India.
He joined Executive Access as Management Trainee in 2013 and has grown consistently since then. Over the years, he has worked with known MNC/ Indian brands as well as start-up companies to build strong leadership teams. His capability to understand client needs and match them with the right talent has helped him close some of the marquee searches across BFSI, Industrial, Consumer, Lifesciences & Healthcare and Education practices. For last few years, he has worked extensively in Financial Services across key roles in Banks, NBFCs, Life Insurance and Asset Management organizations.
In between, he had a stint with Stanton Chase where he worked closely with the Pharma and Life sciences leader to build the practice in India. He also served at Damac Group, one of the largest private sector organisation in the UAE as an Assistant Manager – Talent Acquisition for a year.
During this tenure, he was responsible for steering CXO level mandates across functions and businesses.
He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from IILM Institute for Higher Education, New Delhi and a Bachelor’s degree in Science from GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi.