Pawan Anand
Associate Vice President - Communications, Media & TechnologyPersistent Systems
Skills
About
Pawan Anand is a senior technology executive and Associate Vice President at Persistent Systems, where he leads strategic AI-driven transformation for clients in the Communications, Media, and Technology (CMT) sector. He oversees large-scale innovation programs spanning Generative AI, AgenticAI automation, and digital engineering, while managing high-impact global teams across industries. With deep expertise in Generative AI, Agile software engineering, and platform modernization, Pawan blends innovation with operational excellence. He holds an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration from Temple University, where his research explored how enterprises can integrate Generative AI into Agile software development at scale. A published thought leader and frequent speaker at global AI and digital transformation forums, Pawan is passionate about inclusive innovation, ethical AI, and mentoring future leaders. His contributions have earned recognition including Business Elite’s 40 Under 40 and the Globee Leadership Award.
Pawan Anand
Published content

expert panel
The notion of a “steady state” has quietly disappeared from modern enterprise leadership. In its place is a reality defined by continuous disruption, where artificial intelligence is not just accelerating change but compounding it. Organizations are no longer transforming in phases—they are operating in a constant state of reinvention. For executives, this requires a shift from managing change as an event to leading within change as an environment. Members of the Senior Executive AI Think Tank—a curated group of experts in machine learning, generative AI and enterprise AI applications—bring a front-line perspective to this challenge. Their work across healthcare, cloud architecture, enterprise platforms and AI governance show that the organizations that succeed are not those with the most advanced tools, but those with the most adaptive operating models and leadership mindsets. According to McKinsey’s 2025 report on the state of AI, companies are rapidly scaling AI adoption, yet many struggle to translate that investment into sustained business value—often because their structures, decision-making processes and cultures are not designed for continuous change. To help their fellow leaders better cope with these evolving demands, Think Tank members outline the capabilities executives can no longer treat as optional. Through real-world insights and expert perspectives, they explore how leaders are redesigning operating models, reshaping team expectations and building organizations that don’t just withstand disruption, but continuously learn and perform within it.

expert panel
As artificial intelligence moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment, many organizations are discovering a hard truth: Traditional metrics fail to capture real AI impact. Tracking pilots, usage rates or cost savings may signal progress, but they rarely reveal whether AI is fundamentally improving how a business operates. Members of the Senior Executive AI Think Tank—a curated group of leaders specializing in machine learning, generative AI and enterprise transformation—argue that success requires a more rigorous, outcome-driven framework. According to a recent Forbes analysis on scaling AI adoption across enterprise systems, only a small percentage of organizations successfully translate AI experimentation into measurable business value at scale. To move forward, boards and CEOs must rethink what success looks like. The following perspectives outline the KPIs that matter most—not as isolated metrics, but as signals of whether AI is delivering sustained, enterprise-level value.

expert panel
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence across government—from cybersecurity to citizen services—is reshaping national security itself. As AI moves into critical decision-making, companies building these systems are evolving from technology providers to strategic partners with real geopolitical influence. And adoption is accelerating fast. AI is moving from experimental pilots to mission-critical infrastructure, powering intelligence analysis, threat detection and operational decisions in real time. With this reliance comes high stakes: Errors carry strategic, legal and human consequences, making accountability, transparency and ethical boundaries essential. For AI companies, this creates a defining tension: how to support national security objectives while maintaining principled limits on technology use. Senior Executive AI Think Tank members—a curated group of leaders in AI governance, enterprise transformation and digital innovation—argue that firms establishing clear guardrails now will shape global standards, build trust and secure long-term advantage. Below, they explain how AI companies can balance national security partnerships with ethical guardrails—and what risks or opportunities they see in drawing firm lines on how this technology can be used.

expert panel
Across industries, executives are investing aggressively in artificial intelligence. Yet despite billions spent on experimentation, relatively few organizations have turned AI pilots into scalable platforms that generate repeatable value. According to PwC’s Global CEO Survey, 56% of CEOs report they’ve seen neither revenue nor cost benefits from investments in AI—a signal that experimentation alone is not enough to create enterprise impact. Members of the Senior Executive AI Think Tank—a curated group of leaders specializing in enterprise AI, machine learning and digital transformation—say the problem is rarely technical. Instead, organizations struggle with leadership alignment, operating models, governance and cultural change. Below, their insights reveal a consistent theme: Scaling AI requires redesigning how companies operate—not simply deploying more technology.

expert panel
AI tools are proliferating across enterprises at unprecedented speed. Yet implementation does not guarantee adoption. According to a McKinsey report on generative AI adoption, while organizations are investing heavily, many struggle to translate experimentation into sustained value. The gap is rarely technical—it is behavioral. Members of the Senior Executive AI Think Tank, a curated group of experts in enterprise AI, generative AI and machine learning strategy, agree: whether AI becomes a trusted decision-support system—or a tool employees quietly resist—depends largely on the signals sent by the C-suite. Executives shape consequence structures, model risk tolerance, determine measurement standards and define what success looks like. In short, employees learn how to treat AI by watching how leaders treat it. Below, Think Tank members share what C-suite leaders most often get wrong—and what they must do differently to ensure their organizations gain real, measurable value from AI.
Company details
Persistent Systems
Company bio
We are an AI-led, platform-driven Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernization partner, combining deep technical expertise and industry experience to help our clients anticipate what’s next. Our offerings & proven solutions create a unique competitive advantage for our clients by giving them the power to see beyond and rise above. We work with many industry-leading organizations across the world, including 12 of the 30 most innovative global companies, 60% of the largest banks in the US and India, and numerous innovators across the healthcare ecosystem. Our disruptor’s mindset, commitment to client success, and agility to thrive in the dynamic environment have enabled us to sustain our growth momentum. We have delivered 20 sequential quarters of growth with $375.2M in Q4 revenue, 4.2% Q-o-Q growth. We reported $1,409.1M in FY25 revenue — an 18.8% Year-over-Year increase with an EBIT margin of 14.7%. Our 24,500+ global team members, located in 19 countries, have been instrumental in helping the market leaders transform their industries. We won the 2025 Google Cloud Infrastructure Modernization Partner of the Year Award for Asia Pacific. In addition, we won in four categories at the prestigious 2024 ISG Star of Excellence™ Awards, including the Overall Award based on the voice of the customer and were named a Challenger in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Public Cloud IT Transformation Services. We received multiple awards for our people practices at the Economic Times Human Capital Awards 2025. Throughout our market-leading growth, we’ve maintained a strong employee satisfaction score of 8.2/10. We foster a values-led, people-first culture where employees can: - Grow personally and professionally - Drive positive global impact through cutting-edge tech - Thrive in a diverse, collaborative, and balanced workplace - Unlock global opportunities to work and learn with the industry’s best
