Snowflake

Forbes India presents "The Data Circle" in association with Snowflake, is an initiative that showcases top tech leaders in a thought leadership format. The selection process takes a comprehensive approach, considering their influence on both their companies and industries. The pivotal roles of these tech leaders drive innovation and breakthroughs within their respective sectors. These agile and enterprising leaders adeptly strategize to manage critical organisational conditions. The campaign aims to acknowledge and engage these exceptional professionals who are shaping the future.

Maheshwaran Calavai, Chief Digital & AI Officer, TVS Motors

Driven By Data

With over 25 years of experience, Maheshwaran Calavai has been instrumental in harnessing the power of data and emerging technologies to enhance operational efficiency and develop innovation in his organisation. Calavai is chief digital & AI officer at TVS Motor, and his interest in technology stems from his curiosity about how it can propel businesses forward.

He recognised the exponential growth and impact of technology on businesses, and has dedicated his career to understanding and utilising its potential. At TVS Motor, he oversees various initiatives ranging from consumer engagement platforms and extended enterprise systems to industrial IoT [Internet of Things] and new product development. By working at the intersection of digital and AI [artificial intelligence], Calavai’s team brings new experiences and transformations to the forefront. With TQM [Total Quality Management] orientation in the company’s DNA, he leverages predictive and prescriptive algorithms in its AI systems.

These algorithms enable production-scale analytics and help improve decisions for growth. By harnessing realtime data, the company makes rapid and robust decisions that drive operational efficiency and business success. Calavai fosters innovation by looking at business drivers and KPIs that matter, and focusing energies on driving improvements to these through design of experiments, agile culture and outside-in open innovations. Effective communication is promoted through a combination of formal strategy discussions and all-hands meetings, as well as continual informal discussions such as sprint reviews and water cooler conversations.

One of Calavai’s notable technology-driven initiatives involved modernising customer-facing systems to be modular and cloud-first. This transformation strengthened the organisation’s data maturity and engineering capabilities, enabling rapid and informed decision-making based on real-time data, resulting in both business growth and operational efficiency. Calavai’s success mantra is to understand and focus on the business levers that matter most. He believes in staying curious about technological advancements and their potential to reshape these levers.