Strengthening its leadership team, Birlasoft has announced the appointment of Arun Rao as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), effective April 1, 2026. He will lead the company’s global HR strategy, focusing on talent development, organizational transformation, and building a high-performance culture to support growth and innovation.
Rao currently serves as Group Head – Leadership Development at CKA Birla Group, where he drives leadership capability and strategic talent initiatives. His work centers on building future-ready leadership pipelines and enabling enterprise-wide transformation.
He previously served as Chief People Officer at Birlasoft, where he played a key role in shaping people strategy, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and enhancing talent and culture frameworks during a critical phase of growth.
Earlier in his career, he held senior HR leadership roles at DXC Technology and Computer Sciences Corporation as Head of Human Resources, India, leading workforce transformation, talent management, and operational alignment for large-scale organizations.
Rao also served as Vice President – Talent at Deloitte Consulting India Pvt Ltd, where he led talent strategies for consulting businesses. Additionally, he held leadership roles at Applabs and Intelligroup Asia Pvt Ltd as Vice President – HR, contributing to organizational growth and talent development.
Rao began his career at Satyam Computers as General Manager – HR. He also worked at Mascon Global Limited and Steel Authority of India Limited, building a strong foundation in human resources, industrial relations, and organizational development over nearly 10 years.
He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations from XLRI Jamshedpur.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream LinkedIn | The Mainstream Facebook | The Mainstream Youtube | The Mainstream Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.
