Sumesh Balakrishnan

Sumesh Balakrishnan has a diverse and extensive work experience spanning over several companies. Sumesh is currently a part of the founding team at Cognida.ai, where they hold multiple roles including CFO, Legal, and Investor Relations. Prior to this, Sumesh worked as a Senior Director and Global Business Finance Partner at Hitachi Vantara, focusing on digital practices. Sumesh also served as a Senior Director of Finance at Hitachi Consulting in the Asia Pacific region, where they played a pivotal role in post-merger integration and business transformation. Additionally, they held the position of Director of Finance for Hitachi Consulting in India, leading a team and overseeing financial operations. Before joining Hitachi, Sumesh worked at Sierra Atlantic as a Manager, Senior Manager, and Director of Finance, contributing to the company's growth and subsequent acquisition by Hitachi Consulting. Sumesh began their career as a Management Trainee at SUPERGAS before working as a Senior Auditor and Article Assistant at Gupta & Co.(Chartered Accountants). Sumesh's work experience showcases their expertise in financial management, business transformation, post-merger integration, and strategic decision-making.

Sumesh Balakrishnan completed their Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com(Hons)) degree from the University of Calcutta. Sumesh then pursued a CS (Company Secretary) degree from The Institute of Company Secretaries of India and a Chartered Accountant degree from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, specializing in Accounting and Finance, Taxation, Corporate Laws, Corporate Laws, Accounting, Taxation, and Secretarial Practice respectively.

Later, Sumesh enrolled at the National University of Singapore, where they obtained their MBA in Business Administration and Management. Following this, they attended the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, to complete the CFO Program, focusing on Financial Strategies, Finance Leadership, and Governance.

In addition to their formal education, Sumesh has also obtained several certifications. These include a certificate in Financing for Startup Businesses from Coursera, obtained in September 2021, a certificate in Digital Competition in Financial Services from Coursera, obtained in July 2021, and a certificate in FinTech: Foundations, Payments, and Regulations from Coursera, obtained in June 2021.

Further certifications include Financial Analysis: Introduction to Business Performance Analysis from LinkedIn, obtained in October 2016. Sumesh also completed the Leadership Skills for Top Management course from the Indian School of Business in August 2013. Lastly, they obtained a certification in International Taxation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in May 2010.