Ramco Systems Appoints Sandesh Bilagi As Chief Executive Officer

Global enterprise software company Ramco Systems has appointed Sandesh Bilagi as its Chief Executive Officer, elevating the executive who founded the company’s Australia and New Zealand business and led the operational turnaround that returned Ramco to sustained profitability.

Bilagi moves into the CEO role from his position as President and Chief Operating Officer, where he oversaw a period that delivered six consecutive quarters of operational profit through FY2026. He will now lead Ramco’s global growth agenda and its strategy to become what the company describes as an AI-native enterprise software company.

A Career Built Across Enterprise Technology

Bilagi brings more than two decades of experience across enterprise technology, having built and scaled businesses across sales, delivery and operations. His career at Ramco includes founding the company’s Australia and New Zealand business, which has grown to become one of the company’s strongest markets.

During his time building the ANZ operation, Bilagi anchored the business through major customer wins and the development of Ramco’s product and solutions footprint in the region. He subsequently took on broader responsibility across sales and operations globally, steering the organisation through two leadership transitions and the operational disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to joining Ramco, Bilagi held leadership positions at HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra. His background is in finance and accounting, and his track record includes establishing offshore development centres and closing engagements worth over US$550 million with Australian corporations.

Bilagi is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a CPA from CPA Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Karnatak University, Dharwad.

Board Backs Turnaround Architect

P.R. Venketrama Raja, Chairman of Ramco Systems, pointed to the company’s recent financial performance as evidence of the turnaround Bilagi has driven.

“Over the past several quarters, Ramco has emerged a stronger, more disciplined company – six straight quarters of operational profit are evidence of a genuine turnaround, not a one-time correction,” Raja commented. “Sandesh has been central to that journey. He understands our customers, our markets and our people, and he has consistently demonstrated the judgement to make difficult decisions and the resilience to see them through.”

“The Board is confident that his appointment as Chief Executive Officer positions Ramco to convert this stability into sustained, profitable global growth,” he added.

AI-Native Ambitions

The appointment comes as Ramco pursues a strategic shift toward embedding AI at the core of its products and operations, rather than treating it as an add-on capability.

P.V. Abinav Ramasubramaniam Raja, Managing Director of Ramco Systems, described the incoming CEO’s combination of skills.

“Sandesh combines a builder’s instinct with an operator’s rigour,” Raja remarked. “He created our ANZ business from the ground up and then brought that same ownership to the turnaround of the wider company, across customer engagements and operations.”

“As we enter our next phase, our priorities are clear – accelerate global expansion and embed AI at the core of our products and the way we run the business. Sandesh is the right leader to drive both, and I look forward to partnering with him closely,” he added.

Two Priorities For The Next Phase

Bilagi outlined the agenda he plans to pursue as CEO, framing it around two central priorities.

“It is a privilege to lead Ramco at a defining moment,” Bilagi commented. “We have done the hard work of restoring profitability and sharpening execution; the task now is to sustain that rigour and convert our strength into growth at scale.”

“Two priorities will define this chapter. First, global growth – deepening our presence in established markets and building a go-to-market motion, expanding across our HR and Global Payroll, Aviation, ERP, Logistics and Chia product lines,” he outlined.

“Second, becoming a truly AI-native company – not bolting AI onto our products, but rebuilding how we design, deliver and operate around it, so that every customer experiences a measurably better outcome,” Bilagi continued.

“In a fast-evolving technology landscape, we will do this by building an organisation that is nimble, with a fast-adopting mindset. I am grateful to the Board for their confidence, and excited to take this forward with Ramco’s team,” he added.

ANZ Roots In A Global Role

Bilagi’s appointment places an executive with deep Australian market experience at the head of the Chennai-headquartered enterprise software company. Having lived and worked across India, China and Australia, he brings operational exposure across the Asia Pacific region to the global CEO role.

Ramco Systems provides cloud enterprise applications across several product lines including HR and global payroll, aviation maintenance and engineering, ERP and logistics. The company serves customers globally and is listed on both the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.

The transition from President and COO to CEO positions Bilagi to build on the operational discipline established during the turnaround period and direct it toward the company’s growth and AI transformation ambitions.

Last Updated on July 3, 2026 by Nick Ross